Corbyn pledges: We will honour Peterloo heroes
LABOUR LEADER INVOKES MEMORY OF MANCHESTER MASSACRE
JEREMY Corbyn invoked the heroes of the Peterloo massacre in his speech to Labour conference - promising to continue the legacy of those who died fighting for democracy in Manchester.
In a wide-ranging speech, the Labour leader railed against the economics of ‘greed is good’ financial systems, slamming previous governments for ‘propping up’ that model instead of reforming it. Labour now represents the ‘new common sense of our time,’ he said. He chose the historic demonstration in St Peter’s Field as a touchstone for his reforming vision, saying: “Next year marks the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo massacre when 15 peaceful demonstrators were killed and hundreds injured on the streets of Manchester by troops sent in by the Tories to suppress the struggle for democratic rights. The great English poet Percy Shelley wrote a poem about the massacre. That was the origin of our slogan: ‘For the many not the few.’
He said they would honour the heroes of Peterloo, fighting for democracy and social justice against poverty, inequality and discrimination. He also unveiled 30 hours a week free childcare for two, three and four-year-olds and a ‘green jobs revolution’ to help tackle climate change, including thousands more windfarms, solar panels on every possible roof and hundreds of thousands of new jobs. But much of his speech focused on the greed of financiers and big business, implicitly attacking Labour’s own former leadership for failing to use the 2008 crash to reform the country’s economic model.
Addressing his critics over Labour’s anti-Semitism row, he directly addressed the country’s Jewish community, many of whom have raised fears of racism within the party. He said: “I say this to all in the Jewish community: This party, this movement, will always be implacable campaigners against antisemitism and racism in all its forms. We are your ally.”
He reaffirmed plans to push for a general election should Theresa May fail to negotiate a Brexit deal in the coming months, but also referenced the possibility of Labour support for a second referendum.