Opening Statment
Hello, I am Alistair Darling. The leader of the Labour Party, the other candidates on this stage today plank themselves as a different. They are all different, but some not for the good of Britain. I plank myself as someone with a record, I fought long and hard to remain in the EU, as did Mrs.Sturgeon, and many others. I also fought to keep Britain united, I am the only candidate here with a record on putting the people first all across our nation, we need to move away from the failed policies of Prime Minister Leadsom and towards a future of higher wages, better healthcare, and a stronger and more united British Isles.
What is your position on Brexit? If you support Brexit, how will you enact the actual policy of Britain leaving the European Union? If you oppose Brexit, what is your plan to reverse Article 50 being invoked by then-Prime Minister Andrea Leadsom?
We will Remain in the European Union. That is the promise I will make here tonight, I most want the British people to hear. The EU is a part of Britain as Britain is apart of the EU. My plan to reverse Article 50 is to hold a second referendum because the British people believe they have made a mistake. If we truly, want their voices to be heard. Then we need a Second Referendum, as it is the only way to ensure that they have their voices heard, from my home in Scotland to the shores of Dover. We need to be united in this path, as One Britain, and as one nation. A Second Referendum will finally allow us to say once and for all, we are Britain and this is what we want.
More than 300,000 people are homeless in this country and scores more are living in temporary housing. If elected Prime Minister, what will you do to address this crisis?
Thank you for this question, as this issue is currently paramount in the UK, Labour is the only party that addressed this crisis in our manifesto. I'd like to say to the other men and women up here tonight, shame... on... you... This is a national emergency, that is why we will be building 30,000 council homes a year, Refurbishing existing council homes to meet modern standards in regards
to safety, the environment, and quality of life, and introducing a housing first policy for homeless Britains which prioritizes giving rough sleepers a place to live to help address long term issues, and
give those without a home first priority on social housing waiting lists. And unlike Mrs.Swinson we aren't just throwing 250 billion pounds at this crisis, we're doing things in a cost-effective, and efficient manner to keep the burden off every day Britains. We also are creating tens of thousands of new jobs, with our Blue New Deal that will help revitalize the communities hurt the most by the May-Leadsom-Cameron government, those on our coasts. A vote Labour is a vote for new jobs, new homes for the poor, and a stronger future for our children.
Reform of the House of Lords has become a hot-button political issue in this campaign. How would you like to see the Lords reformed, if at all?
I'd like to remind you all Labour is the party that has shepherded through most of the House of Lords reform, we need to continue this reform to make Britain a more Democratic, and more representative nation. That is why under a Labour government we will eliminate Hereditary Peers in the House of Lords. The remaining 92 hereditary peers will be removed, the number of peers will be capped after 10 years at 600 and 120 members to be elected to represent the nations and the regions.
It will include a significant minority of independent members. Its political membership should be broadly representative of the main parties' relative voting strengths as reflected in the previous general election.
Britain has suffered several major terror attacks over the last few years, including the Manchester Arena bombing and the Westminster Bridge attack; Jo Cox was shot to death in 2016, and, just last week, Arder Carson was brutally stabbed to death in his constituency. How will a Government led by you ensure Britons remain safe in their own neighborhoods?
A Labour government fought against terrorism. Jo Cox was a great friend of mine, and every day we are without her is a day our nation is weaker as a whole. We will increase security as the places liable to terrorist incidents, but we will not be a nation living under fear. We will not let these terrorists beat, us Muslim or Christian, Left or Right. I want it to be known, that Britain will never cower in fear of terrorism. We are a strong, nation divided by politics, but agreeing in one message we will not be defeated. We will increase the funding for armed police units, and we will put more police on the streets of our cities, to ensure that none of these incidents repeat themselves and we lose no more friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, or brothers to terrorism. Mrs.Swinson I ask if you are so acceptive of refugees from the Mediterranean then why was it not fit to be mentioned in the Liberal Democratic manifesto?
Mr. Darling, why didn't Labour mention Brexit in their manifesto? Is Brexit not the largest issue of the campaign?
This is a question I expected, of course. The answer is not simple. The answer is the truth, the British don't need Brexit to be the main issue of this campaign, Brexit does not food on their kitchen tables. Brexit does not pay the electric bill or the water bill. Jobs do... Brexit doesn't house 300,000 Britons that are currently homeless... Council Homes will... and Brexit does not breed the future ideas of our leaders... teachers do... that is why I want every teacher in Britain to have a masters degree and to make it affordable for them to do so. That is why Labour didn't mention Brexit in our Manifesto. Because we mentioned the issues, that the people need. Jobs... Homes... and Teachers.
Closing Statement
I have been Alistair Darling, Labour will be a government that creates new jobs. Labour will be the government that builds new homes so that all Britons can have a place to sleep at night. And Labour will be the Government that ensures our children get the education they deserve and that is the best one in the world. I say this to Mr.Nuttall, your party is one that's sole purpose is to sow discontent among the hardworking people of our nation. You stand for a disaster of policy, and that is the truth, Sir. Mrs.Sturgeon, we have not abandoned our working class roots. Labour is the only party that wants to create new homes for those who don't have them, we are the only government that is proposing a coastal revitalization program, the Blue New Deal. And Labour is the party of the working class, not the SNP, not the Tories, and well sure, not Brexit or UKIP-Lite as I like to say.
