It was a pleasure as always to address our Labour Link Forum in Newcastle last week. The Forum is a great event, an opportunity to plan how we take UNISON’s policies into the Labour Party and the manifesto of the next Labour government.
I want to see that Labour government so much. Eight long years of Tory rule have caused untold damage on public services, but now a Labour government – a transformative Labour government – is within our grasp.
As I said in my speech on Friday – when the next election comes, we will give the Labour Party every support and every resource. We will do everything in our power to help put Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street.
We do it because it’s what’s best for our members and for public services – and we do it on the basis of our demands.
Not just stopping the privatisation of public services, but ending privatisation – full stop.
Taking all public service jobs back into the public sector.
Ending austerity – not just talking about it, but really doing it
Restoring investment in public services, not just to the levels seen before the crash, but to the levels our communities need.
And paying public service workers – all public service workers – a wage that genuinely reflects the work they do.
A Labour government – it’s been too long.
We have a real chance to change that, and elect a Labour government with a conscience, a heart, Socialism at its core – and UNISON at its heart.
At Labour Link Forum, our union took another step in that direction. The road back to government has been a long one for Labour – as we take the next crucial steps, we have to make every one count.
