RemarksasPreparedforDelivery

ItssuchanhonortobeherewithMr.MilibandandALLthepeoplewhomakethisLabourPartywhatit
is.FromheandtheotherrisingstarswhowillleadLabourtovictorynextyeartotheeverydayactivists
whoseunflinchingpassionandenergywillfuelthecampaign.

ThoughIveseenyoureffortsmostlyfromafar,itscleartome,evenacrossfivetimezonesandan
ocean,thatthisgroupisworkingtowardssomethingspecial.somethingimportant.

ItsfittingthatwefindourselvesinManchester.Thiscitywasattheforefrontoftheinnovationand
ingenuitythatdrovetheIndustrialRevolution,helpingshapethecontoursofthemoderneconomythatwe
knowtoday.

ItsharesaspecialstatusinhistorywiththecityIloveandamsohonoredtolead.Bothareplaceswhere
bigideasandrawgrithavebeenhonoredandrewardedlikefewothersintheworld.

Itisalsoamongthefirstplacesintheworldtofosteramodernworkingclassandamongthefirstwhere
workingpeopleempoweredthemselvestotakepartinthepoliticalprocess.Itsnowonderthenthat
Manchesterisaplacewherehardtruthsaredeeplyunderstoodandspokenout.

IcannotimagineamoreappropriatebackdropforthisgatheringbecauseyoursisapartyBORNoutof
workingpeopleattainingtherighttovoteapartythatEXISTStofightforworkingfamiliesand
forcefullyaddresstheirneeds.

LabourhasinclusivenessandprogressivenesscodedinitsDNAYoursisapartygroundedintheidea
thateveryonesvoicematters.Andthatnooneshouldbeleftbehind.

THISLabourPartyisledbyanewgenerationofprogressiveleadersanddefinedbyboldideas.You
standreadytoACTwithaplanforafairer,moreprosperousUnitedKingdom.AndtoFIGHTforan
economy...acountrythatworksforworkingpeople.

THISLabourPartyhearsthevoicesofthemillionswhofeelliketheyaretreadingwaterWorking
harderandharderbutfeelinglessandlesssecureaboutthefuture.

AndyourpartyrefusestoacceptthepoliticsofinertiaThatresignedmindsetthatsaysthenext
generationisdestinedtodoworsethanthisone.

Byvirtueofbeinginthisroom,yourecognizethatweoweittoourchildrentodobettertoliveupto
themostbasicpromisewemaketothepeopleweserve.

IsaythatassomeonechargedwiththedutyofoverseeingNewYorksschoolsystem,whereoverone
millionchildren18andunderlearnandgrow.

Ialsosayitasafatheroftwobeautifulchildrenofmyown,DanteandChiara,whohaveattendedthose
schoolsformostoftheiryounglives.

ThereisNOdutymoresacredthanparenthood.

Nothinggivesmemorecomfortmorejoythanwatchingmychildrengrow,knowingtheycanbe
WHATEVERtheywanttobe.Theboundariesoftheirfuturearedeterminedonlybyhowhardthey
workandhowbigtheydream.

Ifweacceptafutureorapresentwhereparentscantlooktheirkidsintheeyesandtellthemthey
haveashotatsomethingbetter,thenwebreakthepromiseofcivilizedsociety.Wedepriveourchildren
ANDtheirparentsofsomuch.

Now,IvesaidthatgrowinginequalityisTHEcrisisofourtimeinNewYorkCity.Itstruehereaswell.

Thenumbersspeakforthemselves.

IntheUK,in2011,theaverageincomeofanadultinthetop0.1%(pointonepercent)wasmorethan70
timesthatofsomeoneinthebottom90%.[2011,WorldIncomeDatabase].

TheGuardianrecentlyreportedthatthefiverichestfamiliesintheUKhavemorewealththantheentire
bottom20%ofthecountry.
And,asisthecaseinNewYorkCity,thetrendhasbeenmovingsharplyinthewrongdirection.
AccordingtoastudypublishedbyOxfam,sincethe1990s,incomesofthetop0.1%(pointonepercent)of
Britonshavegrownfourtimesfasterthanthoseofthebottom90%.

Now,theresnothingwrongwithattainingwealth.Imhappytocelebratethesuccessofthosewhove
earnedit.ButthiscrisisiskeepingsomanyfromwritingtheirOWNsuccessstories.

Thisstatusquooffersonlythenarrowestpathtoopportunity.Instead,itleaveseverydayworkingpeople
caughtinacostoflivingcrisis.

Andletsbeclearwhatwemeanwhenwetalkaboutacostoflivingcrisis.Itsnotareferencetothe
astonishinglyhighpriceofpenthouseflats,Bentleysorfivestarholidays.Thepeoplewhocanafford
THOSEluxuries,areinfact,doingquitewellunderthisConservativegovernment.

Butfeedingafamily,keepingamodesthomethatslitandheated,securingasafeplaceforchildrentobe
whileparentsarehardatworkTHESEthingsarebecomingmoreandmorecostly.Werenottalking
aboutluxuries,orevenconveniences,buttheESSENTIALSthatpeopleneedtolive.

LIVINGitselfisgettingharderandharderforworkingfamiliestoafford.NotlivingWELLjust
LIVINGjustgettingby.

Andthepricepeoplepayisntmerelymonetary.

YoucanseeitinthetiredeyesofthewaitresswhoseSECONDjobisprecededbyasecondSHIFTat
herFIRSTjob.

Intheshakyhandofthebusdriversigningthepaperworkforapaydayloan.

Intheclenchedjawsandstifflipsofworkingparentsmusteringbravefacesinfrontoftheirsonand
daughterintheSTRAINthatgoesintojusthidingthefearthattheywontbeabletoattainabetterlife.

Aswealthbecomesmoreconcentratedatthetop,storieslikethesearebecomingalltoocommon.

Ifunaddressed,thecrisiswillbecomeTHEdefiningcharacteristicofoursocietiesItwontbe
prosperityoropportunitytragically,itwillbeinequalityandthecostoflivingcrisis.

IknowthisLabourPartyunderstandswhatsatstake.

Ialsoknowtheweightofthismomentcanfeellikeaburden:theexasperationthatcomesfromknowing
thegravityofthisthreatagenerationatriskofbeingforsakenatatimewhensomanyseemunwilling
toactinresponse.

Therightsideofhistorycanfeellikealonelyplace.Butitisnt.Itneverhasbeen.

Rather,historyitselftellsusthatpeoplegravitatetowardsdecency,inclusionandprogress.Andyoudont
havetolookbackthousandsofyearstoseethatgowalkaroundthestreetsofManchesterGotoa
school,achurch,amosqueYoucanseethetrustpeopleputinoneanothereverydaythevaluepeople
placeinsimplemoralaction.

SowhythenisCOLLECTIVEmoralactionoftensodifficult?

Inthecaseoftheinequalityandcostoflivingcrisis,partoftheissueisscope:theproblemseemsso
difficult,sodeeplyembedded,thatgoodpeoplecanbetemptedtothrowtheirhandsupanddeclarethat
nothingcanbedoneaboutit.

Buttheressomethingelsegoingonaswell.Asisthecasewithmanyinjustices,therearepeoplesmall
innumberbutoversizedinpowerwhobenefitfromthestatusquo,andtheyworktomaintainit.Their
voicesseemloudermoreconfidentandauthoritativeandthoseofeverydaypeoplegetdrownedout.

Inthisway,peoplearemadetofeelpowerlessmadetofeelthattheirvoicedoesntmatteratall.

Soatthesametimethatinequalityisskyrocketingandthecostoflivingisoverwhelmingsomething
peoplecanseeandfeeleverydayweretoldthatjustspeakingofthisproblemisunconstructive,
divisiveharmful,even.

Youknowthatitisnt.Sodothepeopleofyourcountry.

PartofyourjobthenistohelpthemfindtheirvoicetosaytogetherthatBritonsdeservesomething
better.

Sometimespeoplegood,hardworkingpeopleneedtohearthetruthspokenbeforetheyfeel
comfortablespeakingitthemselves.

AndtheressomuchpowerthatcomesfromspeakingthetruthespeciallyfromspeakingHARDtruths.

ThatsbecausethestatusquogetsperpetuatedthroughaseriesoffalsehoodsfalseCHOICESthat
assignmutualexclusivitytoideasthatshouldbecomplementary.

Weretoldthatprosperitycantbebothgreat,andshared.

Thatyoucantliftthefloorforthosestrugglinginatougheconomy,andstillbalanceabudget.

Thatthoseofuswhoservecantexpecttoachieveanythingatallifwedaretoadvancepoliciesthatare
boldandmorallyright.

IntheleaduptotheelectionforNewYorkCityMayorlastyear,thevoicesofthestatusquogavevoters
anotherfalsechoice:supportMYcandidacyORvoteforsomeonewitharealshotatwinning.

Well,IamherebeforeyoutodaybecausethepeopleofNewYorkCityrejectedthelazylogicof
falsechoicepolitics.

Iwanttotellyouhowithappened.

IannouncedmycandidacyforMayorfromthefrontstepsofmyhomeinBrooklyninJanuary2013.A
fewhundredpeopleweretherewithmetheearliestbelieversinourcampaign.

Wewerebroughttogetherbyadeepconcern:thatNewYorkhadbecomeaTaleofTwoCitiesaplace
whereafewweredoingverywell,butmillionsofworkingpeoplewerestruggling.

ItthreatenedtodegradeNewYorksstatusintheworld.

Thebeaconofopportunitythatforgenerationsshonesobrightlyacrossourfiveboroughsandoutintothe
worldwasdimming.

Wesawit,weFELTitinourcity.Evenifitwasunspoken,wesawonourneighborsfaces:the
weightofworryaboutafutureofdiminishedpossibilities.

Andweknewthepoliciesofthestatusquowereexacerbatingtheproblemratherthanaddressingit.

Butthoughourmissionwasinmanywayssomber,ourmoodthatdaywasnot.Itwasagrey,frigid
afternoon,buttheeventhadanauraofexcitementandjoyonewouldexpectatasummerstreetparty.It
wasnodoubtastrangesighttothosepassingby.

Therewasafeelingthatsomethingspecialwashappeningthatmadethechilltolerable.Itcamefrom
havingfoundinoneanotheragroupofpeoplewhospokethesametruthaboutourTaleofTwo
Citiestheharmitwasdoing.thethreatitposed.

Therewasasenseofreliefthatcamefromlearningwewerentaloneinourbeliefsaliftingoflonely
burdens.

TherewasapowerfulsenseofMISSIONthatcamefromacceptingamutualresponsibilitytoact,
together,againstthisscourgeandaheartfeltfaiththatvictorywasachievable,nomattertheodds.

Now,theoddsdidappearquitelong,atfirst.Itfeltlikethetotalnumberofthoseinthecitywhohad
HEARDofmewaslimitedtothosestandinginfrontofmyhomethatdayAndmyhouseisnotvery
big.

Andnotonlywereothercandidatesformayorbetterknown,theyespousedideasthatwereseenasmore
politicallypractical,hewingtothefamiliarityofthestatusquo.

ButitwasnevermyintentiontonibblearoundtheedgeswithpoliciesoftimidmaintenanceIrantotake
deadaimatthecrisisofourtime.AndIbecameMayorbecauseeverydayNewYorkers,too,were
hungryforacleanbreakfromthestatusquo.

Ourcampaignwaspoweredbypeopleofeveryrace,everyage,everyincomebracket.Andyes,even
manyNewYorkerswhohadenjoyedgreatsuccessjoinedourfightagainstrisinginequality.Theywanted
thenextgenerationofNewYorkerstohavethesameopportunitiesthecityhadgiventhem.

Wewereasmallgroup,atfirst,butasNewYorkerslearnedthatwewerefightingforagovernmentthat
wouldrepresentTHEIRvaluesfairness,justice,realopportunityforallourcampaigngrew.And
grewAndgrew.

Weworkedtogetherasactivists,tospreadtheword.

Andso,inlivingroomsandparksonTwitterandFacebookpeoplewerehearingfromoneanotherfor
thefirsttimethingstheyalreadyknewintheirownheartstobetrueandtheywerelearningthe
POWERthatcouldcomewhentheythemselvesspokeout.

THATishowinamatterofmonthswewentfromafewhundredsoulsgatheredonthatblustery
Brooklynday,tonotjustwinning,butwinningBIGonELECTIONday.

Andoursharedresolvetoremakeourcitydidntendwhenthevotesweretallied.

ThesametenetsthatdefinedourcampaignnowdriveourAdministration:aconstantpushforboldaction
awillingnesstohearandspeakhardtruthsanagendasetbylisteningtothePEOPLE.

Withregardtomyabsolutehighestpriority,thatsmeantworkingaggressivelytosecureunprecedented
accesstofree,fulldayFULLDAYearlyeducationprogramsfor4yearolds.

Wedidthisbecausestudyafterstudyshowsthegreatequalizingeffectofearlyeducation.Butyoudont
needtoreadanacademicjournaltogetthat:weallknowaccesstoqualityeducationdoessomuchto
determineapersonseconomicdestinyandaswithmostmattersofdestiny,timingiseverything.

Now,togiveyousomecontextonthepoliticswefacedwhentryingtoexpandfulldayearlyeducationfor
allfamilies,IdliketoreadyoutwoassessmentsfromNewYorknewspapers,publishedalmostexactly
oneyearapart.

InSeptember2013,afewmonthsbeforeIwaselectedMayortheNewYorkDailyNewswrote
QUOTE[The]promisetocreate48,000educationalslotsforfouryearoldshaslittlechanceof
becomingareality.

Then,inSeptember2014,inTheNewYorkTimesQUOTE51,000AnswerdeBlasiosBellforNew
PreK.

Now,the51,000therereferstothenumberofkidswhohavebeensignedupfortheseprograms.Thats
threethousandMOREthanthenumbersaidtobeimpossiblejustoneyearago.

Italsomeansthat51,000beautifulchildrenareonabetterpathtosuccessAndalloftheirmothersand
fathersgrandparentsandguardianstheygettoexperiencethecomfortthejoythatcomesfrom
seeingtheshineofbrighterfutures.

Itshardtoexpresshowmuchthatmeansfortheworkingpeopleofourcity.Butitsalsonotallweve
doneinourfirstfewmonthsinoffice.

Wevelaunchedaplantosecureaffordablehousingfor500,000NewYorkersoverthenextdecade.
ThatsmorethanthetotalpopulationofBristolOrofMiami,foranyonewatchingbackhome.

Weendedwhathadbeenoneofthesaddestmanifestationsofinequalitybyreformingraciallybiased
policepracticessothatALLlawabidingNewYorkersaregrantedthebasicrightofwalkingdownthe
streetwithoutfearofbeinghassledbyauthorities.

Andwevedoneallofthiswhilereachingagreementonacontractwithourcityteacherseducatorswho
hadgonewithoutacontractfornearlyfiveyears.Inallthattime,thegoodmenandwomenchargedwith
safeguardingthefuturesofourchildrenhadenjoyedlittlesecuritywhenitcametotheirownfutures.

Wemadeadealgroundedinpartnershipandmutualrespect,becauseRESPECTforworkingmenand
womenisacoreprinciplethatallGOODgovernmentsliveby.Itwasafairdealforteachersoffering
increasedpaythattheygreatlydeserved.Butitalsogeneratedimportantsavingsthatlaborwasapartner
inachieving.Putsimply:itwasagooddealforthepeopleofNewYork.

Soifanyonetellsyouthatabalancedbudgetandanagendaofeconomicfairnesscantgohandinhand,
tellthemtocomevisitNewYorkCity.

Really,itsbeautifulthistimeofyear.

InoticesomanysimilaritiesbetweentheUKIseetodayandtheNewYorkwhereIstoodonthatcold
afternoonandannouncedmycandidacy.

Incomesthroughsoclearly,evenacrossgreatphysicaldistance:thepeopleoftheUKarereadyforbold,
progressivechange.

AndifwecanmakethestridesthatwevemadeinNewYorkCityfromacampaignsohumbleinits
origins,imaginethefeatsthatcancomefromthisgreathall!

Theworkyouhaveinfrontofyouissoimportant.Herestheevidenceofthat:theothersideistryingto
talkyouintounderestimatingthereachofthegoodyoucando.

ThereislittlebasisforglibassertionfromtheConservativesthataprogressiveagendaisnarrowinterms
ofwhoselivesitwouldimprove.

Theoppositeistrue.Mountinginequalitycreatesrippleeffectsthatundermineourwholesocieties.
Heresjustoneexampleofhow:

TheFinancialTimesrecentlyconcludedthattheincomegapbetweenAmericasrichestandpoorest
metropolitanregionsisnotonlythewidestithaseverbeen,butthatthisphenomenonwasQUOTE
"shapinganunevenhousingrecoverythatthreatenstoholdbackthebroaderrevivaloftheworldslargest
economy.

Inanincreasinglyinterconnectedworld,asystemgroundedinexclusivityisnotsustainableforANYONE,
includingthoseattheverytop.

ButthatalsomeansaprogressiveagendahasthepowertohelpEVERYONE,whetheryouropponents
acknowledgeitornot.

Dontholdyourbreathwaitingforthisconservativegovernmenttodothat.Theirtopdownpoliciesare
makingthingsharderforworkingpeopleeveryday.

Amongthemanywaystheyveaggravatedthewoundsofthiscrisis,themostpainfulmightbetheirtax
policy.

Insteadofgivingworkingfamiliestheleguptheydeserve,theygavehugetaxcutstothewealthiestwith
thevaguehopethatmoneywouldmagicallytrickledowntoeveryoneelse.Inmycountry,thatsan
approachwecallvoodooeconomics.

IhavenodoubtthewordvoodoosoundsmoreelegantinaBritishaccentthananAmericanone,butin
anyintonation,weknowitsapolicythatdoesntwork.

Soletmetellyouaboutwhatdoeswork.Andyoudonthavetolookfartoseeit.Infact,youhearditat
yourownconferencelastevening.

EdMilibandhassoclearlyarticulatedboththechallenges,andtheopportunitiesthismomentinhistory
createsfortheBritishpeople.

Heknowsthatacautiousapproachwontdowhenitcomestoaddressingthecrisisofourtime.Hehasa
BOLDvisionforbigchange.Ashesaidlastevening:Imnottalkingaboutchangingapolicyorsimplya
differentprogramme,butsomethingthatisbigger:transformingtheideaandethicofhowourcountryis
run.

Andheknowswellwhatneedstobedone.AshetoldthisconferenceLASTYEAR:Wehaveto
rebuildanewOneNation.Aneconomybuiltonyoursuccess,asocietybasedonyourvalues,apolitics
thathearsyourvoicerichandpooralikeacceptingtheirresponsibilitiestoeachother.

EdMilibandwillbeaPrimeMinisterforBritonswithsecondjobs,notjustthosewithsecondhomes.

EdMilibandunderstandsthisLabourPartyunderstandsthetruecostofastatusquothatputsa
barrierbetweenworkingpeopleandprosperity.

AndthisLabourPartynotonlyhastherightvalues,ithasanagendathattranslatesvaluesintoaction.
Notpoliticaltalk,butarealplanthatreformsthecruxoftheeconomy.

Labourhasaplanforataxpolicythatrewardshardworkoverexistingwealthandpower.Aplantoend
thecurrentgovernmentstaxcutforthewealthiestandinsteadgivetaxreliefto24millionmiddleand
workingclasspeople.

AplanthatprotectsandSTRENGTHENSnotcurtailstheNHSsothatqualityhealthcareremainsa
rightandnotaprivilege

Aplanthatputsworkingpeopleaheadofbigcorporationsbycontrollingenergycosts,andtaking
unprecedentedstepstomakehousingmoreaffordable.

Andaplanthatsignificantlyincreasesto25hoursaweekfreechildcaretoworkingparentsof3and
4yearolds,sothatALLkidscangetonapathtosuccessandopportunityearly.

IspeakfrompersonalexperiencewhenIsaythatthisinitiativeinparticularhasthepowertoliftliveslike
fewothersthatgovernmentscanimplement.Anditwillmakesuchadifferenceforsomanychildren,and
fortheirparents.

Youragendaisablueprintofwhatafairer,moreprosperous,STRONGERUnitedKingdomwilllooklike.

ThatisnotonlywhyyouMUSTwin,itiswhyyouWILLwin!

Theupcomingelectionrepresentsachoiceforthepeopleofyourcountry:buildaUnitedKingdomthat
rewardshardworkandensuresthenextgenerationdoesbetterOrcontinuedownapathofgrowing
inequalityandrisingcostofliving.

Tome,thatchoiceisveryclear,asIknowitistothepeopleinthisroomandasIknowitwillbecome
toeverydaypeopleacrossthiscountry.

Buttothoseontheotherside,whoarguethingsworkBETTERwhenopportunityisscarceandexclusive,
Iofferthisthought:notevenDARWINwasasocialDarwinist.

Indeed,CharlesDarwin,oneofthegreatestmindsthatyoursoranycountryeverproduced,putitthis
way:Ifthemiseryofthepoorbecausednotbythelawsofnature,butbyourinstitutions,greatisour
sin.

Amongthecruelestfalsechoiceswearegivenisonethatsayswecanonlymoveforwardifsomeareleft
behind.Youdontneedtoacceptthat.Nooneshould.

TheworkaheadofyouwillbeanythingbuteasyIcanassureyouofthat.Thatdistincthistorieswritten
onoppositeendsofanoceanleaveus,atthismoment,facingessentiallythesamecrisisunderscoresits
profoundscale.

Butyouhavethepowertoovercomeit.

Ifyourejectthecoldcomplacencyofthestatusquo,itspowerwillerode.

Ifyouspeakhardtruths,otherswilllisten.

IfyouempowerthepeopleofyourgreatcountrytospeakTHEIRtruths,tostandupandTOACTinthe
faceofthiscrisis,thenthereissomuchgoodthatyoucanachieve,together.

AndIbelieveyouwill.

Thankyou!