Today at our virtual conference, we have continued to set out how we are transforming our country fundamentally and permanently for the better.
We will not be blown off course by the pandemic, but will continue to deliver on the priorities of the British people, and build back better from coronavirus.
We have an opportunity to unite and level up our country, delivering lasting change with more homes, plans to transform skills, more hospitals, more police, more schools, a greener economy and a fairer society.
Today at conference:
- The Prime Minister appeared on the Andrew Marr Show, setting out how this Conservative Government will unite and level up across this great country. He said we will not allow ourselves, in any way, to be deterred by coronavirus – we are accelerating our programme for national renewal and our plans to change this country for the better.
- On coronavirus, he reiterated that our top priority is to save lives, but acknowledged, as ‘a freedom loving Tory’, he understands that nobody wants to impose the sorts of measures that are necessary at the moment.
- On the economy, he outlined the £190 billion we have provided to support lives and livelihoods throughout the pandemic so far, and highlighted schemes to help kickstart our economy, such as the Job Retention Scheme, as well as our plans to transform the provision of skills.
- And on the EU, the Prime Minister said that the Government is working hard to achieve a new free trade agreement, but that if the EU fails to understand that we must control our own laws and regulations, we are absolutely ready to prosper with an Australian-style agreement when the transition period ends in December.
- An asylum system should provide safe haven to those fleeing persecution, oppression or tyranny. But right now, ours enables an international criminal trade to elbow the most vulnerable to the side.
- We will introduce legislation to make our broken system fairer and firmer. Fair and compassionate towards those who need our help – welcoming people through safe and legal routes. Firm, by stopping the abuse of the system by those who come here illegally – sometimes via small boat, asylum shop and make endless vexatious claims to remain.
- Under Conservative leadership, the United Kingdom has and always will provide sanctuary when the lights are being switched off on people’s liberties.
We will unite and level up, delivering lasting change in parts of the country forgotten by successive governments. Now more than ever, we must harness the extraordinary national spirit we have seen in recent months so that we can build back better.
Commenting, Therese Coffey, Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions, said:
“Corbyn’s Pension Tax will see ten million savers facing a huge bill forcing them to delay their retirement for almost three and a half years.
“This is just one of the ways a Corbyn government would hammer hardworking people on top of his plans to hike up taxes by £2,400 a year, as well as the cost of his plan for unlimited immigration and the chaos of 2020 being dominated by two more referendums – one on Brexit and another on Scottish independence.
“Only Boris Johnson and the Conservative Party can get Brexit done with a deal, get parliament working again and turbocharge our economy to unleash Britain’s potential.”
Read more about how this Pension Tax will impact millions of savers (PDF)
