wit it will mean for our what wit it will mean for our children and grandchildren to hear the today i have set out my vision for how britain can succeed in one of the most dangerous yet transformational —— transfer marginal areas we have known. the values that lie behind that vision is a new patriotism, confident in ourselves and all we can achieve. i refuse to accept the cynical narrative of the client that my opponents hope will depress people into voting for them and i reject those who insidiously question our history and identity. i believe that innate confidence in ourselves that has always run through our island story, and just as we are proud of all that we created, invented and discovered in our past, so we can be confident and optimistic about what we will achieve in our future. confident and optimistic about what we will achieve in ourfuture. my pledge to you is that i will create

the conditions to make that possible, to help you fulfil your ambitions, to build the world class education system that gives our children they need to succeed no matter where they started in life. to create that dynamic, innovative economy that will give you the opportunity of a wealthier, more financially life for you and your family —— yourfamily. i want to restore national cohesion so we can all be on the same side and, above all, you can trust me to keep you and yourfamily all, you can trust me to keep you and your family safe and secure from the threats we face at home and abroad. there are storms ahead. the dangers are all too real, but britain can feel proud again, britain can feel proud again, britain can feel confident again because with bold action and a clear plan, we can and we will create a secure future. thank you.

secure future. thank ou. �* �* ,, thank you. we willjust turn to some questions from the media. if i could start with the sun, please. you mentioned _ start with the sun, please. you mentioned are _ start with the sun, please. you mentioned are secure - start with the sun, please. you mentioned are secure future and defence — mentioned are secure future and defence spending and security beyond the ballot _ defence spending and security beyond the ballot paper. when the tories took power in 2010 defence spending was running at 2.47% of gdp. in 2015 that failed _ was running at 2.47% of gdp. in 2015 that failed to 2.03%. despite your uplift _ that failed to 2.03%. despite your uplift as_ that failed to 2.03%. despite your uplift as chancellor it is still lower— uplift as chancellor it is still lower as _ uplift as chancellor it is still lower as a pretend to when your party _

lower as a pretend to when your party took — lower as a pretend to when your party took power. you talk about all these _ party took power. you talk about all these profound dangers but aren't you coming up this far too late and how can _ you coming up this far too late and how can voters believe that your security — how can voters believe that your security is — how can voters believe that your security is safer to tories when you a look— security is safer to tories when you a look at _ security is safer to tories when you a look at the — security is safer to tories when you a look at the last 14 years of spending. | a look at the last 14 years of spending-— a look at the last 14 years of sendina. , , . spending. i completely re'ect the remise. spending. i completely re'ect the premise. the t spending. i completely re'ect the premise. the country _ spending. i completely reject the premise. the country was - spending. i completely reject the - premise. the country was bankrupted when the tories came into power. my colleagues had to make some tough decisions. they stuck to two points -- 2% decisions. they stuck to two points —— 2% spending, which was the standard at the time. every one of the few members on nature to me that 2% standard. we are the second biggest defence power in nato behind the us. i am grateful to my

predecessors for making a typical decision. i'm not sure it is a decision. i'm not sure it is a decision the labour party would have made because they are not making that decision today. the choice is in the future, a party you can trust with defence and you can trust them and me when you look about the future. we are living in the most dangerous time since the cold war and i believe the next few years will be one of the most dangerous time our country has ever lived through. an access of authoritarian states acting in an assertive way thatis states acting in an assertive way that is threatening our values, interests abroad and at home in a more interconnected world and what are we doing to me that threat? make the generational decision to strengthen our national defence and increased defence spending to a new standard. when i made that announcement a few weeks ago it was coupled with an instant increase in our defence spending of half £1 billion to support ukraine, which as everyone can see is the right

imperative because investment in new campus mac security as an investment in our security. we have peace through strength. we have to re—store deterrence. that is why it is imperative that putin fails. that is imperative that putin fails. that is the question for the electorate, who can you trust in this most dangerous world? you can trust me and the conservatives because we have made that decision. it is not easy to prioritise defence. plenty of other people said he should do other things instead. sir keir starmer has made it clear he doesn't agree with that, that this is a more dangerous time that requires us to invest more in defence. he hasn't matched that pledge. this is someone who supported jeremy corbyn, who wanted to leave nato. right now the deputy leader of the labour party, the shadow foreign secretary and others voted against a nuclear deterrent that is the ultimate

guarantee of our security. i think that choice is very clear. it is a more dangerous world and anyone pretending that it isn't being straight with the public and the right thing to do for our country is to increase defence and that is the decision we have made and i'm confident the country will agree to it. , ., , ., it. next, the daily telegraph. you are la in: it. next, the daily telegraph. you are laying out _ it. next, the daily telegraph. you are laying out your _ it. next, the daily telegraph. you are laying out your election - it. next, the daily telegraph. you are laying out your election patch| are laying out your election patch but you _ are laying out your election patch but you will tell us when the election— but you will tell us when the election days. can you be categoric and say— election days. can you be categoric and say you — election days. can you be categoric and say you are not going to call an election— and say you are not going to call an election -- — and say you are not going to call an election -- an _ and say you are not going to call an election —— an election forjuly? | election —— an election forjuly? have been election —— an election forjuly? i have been clear since the beginning of this year that my working assumption is that we will have an election in the second half of this year. this question about election timing is a game that the labour party want to play. they want to make it about process and not substance, but i think the country to a more substantive debate than that. i am

to a more substantive debate than that. iam happy to a more substantive debate than that. i am happy to debate sir keir starmer as many times as he would like on that choice. i am being very clear, i think this is the most dangerous and transformational time that our country has experienced in generations. that is a choice at the election, that is the substance we should be debating. we are prepared to take the bold action that is necessary, that we have a clear plan thatis necessary, that we have a clear plan that is working to deliver a secure future for everyone in our country. that is the debate we should be having, not on process and on timing. having, not on process and on timinu. , , ., having, not on process and on timinu. , ., ~' timing. next, itv. this you talk about the _ timing. next, itv. this you talk about the importance _ timing. next, itv. this you talk about the importance of - timing. next, itv. this you talk about the importance of growth timing. next, itv. this you talk- about the importance of growth and security, _ about the importance of growth and security, but since the truth of the 19 election — security, but since the truth of the 19 election we have had economic chaos, _ 19 election we have had economic chaos, ethical chaos, more turnover of ministers — chaos, ethical chaos, more turnover of ministers and prime ministers than _ of ministers and prime ministers than during any government in history — than during any government in history. we have trauma and the

health— history. we have trauma and the health service. why on earth shouldn't— health service. why on earth shouldn't voters look at the recent past as— shouldn't voters look at the recent past as a _ shouldn't voters look at the recent past as a guide to the future under a pastas a guide to the future under a tory— past as a guide to the future under a tory government? separately, a number— a tory government? separately, a number of— a tory government? separately, a number of your tory colleagues have said to _ number of your tory colleagues have said to me _ number of your tory colleagues have said to me that it is good riddance to natalie — said to me that it is good riddance to natalie elphicke. do said to me that it is good riddance to natalie elphicke.— to natalie elphicke. do you agree with them? _ to natalie elphicke. do you agree with them? robert, _ to natalie elphicke. do you agree with them? robert, thanks. - to natalie elphicke. do you agree with them? robert, thanks. on l to natalie elphicke. do you agree i with them? robert, thanks. on this question about the past and the future. i'm not standing here pretending that everything has been perfect about the last 14 years, of course not. but i'm incredibly proud of our record in government, and some of the most difficult circumstances that any government has faced since the end of the second world war, not least starting with our country that was bankrupt. whether you look at the economy, the transformation in our schools, the strengthening of our defence, all these things, how we have progressed as a society in inclusiveness, it is

her record to be proud of. of course there were areas that were far from perfect. you talk more recently about the last few years. those are global shocks, the pandemic didn't just happen to the uk. the war in the ukraine impacted energy bills notjust in the uk. what is happening in the middle east isn't just something that concerns the united kingdom. the war —— the world is becoming a more dangerous place. the future is what is at stake at a time that is more dangerous, potentially more transformational than at any point we have known and a long time. you can you trust to have the bold idea, the clear plan that will deliver a secure future for you. that will deliver a secure future foryou. people that will deliver a secure future for you. people canjudge me on a track record since i have had this job. tackling a more pragmatic, hard—headed approach to net zero, ensuring we have secured economic recovery. delivering tax cuts,

making sure we are investing in industries of the future, growing our trade, these are things that we have done in the last 18 months. natalie elphicke, more than anything i think it shows less about her and more about keir starmer and it shows him to be completely and utterly unprincipled. this is someone who went from embracing jeremy corbyn to embracing and natalie elphicke. you can trust what the guy says. if you are trying to be everything to everyone, fundamentally you'll stand for anything and i think that will be increasing clear to people. on illegal migration, they announced a plan last week which when i went through it essentially is exactly the same plan that i announced that you have a listen to a year ago. that we have already implemented, it is already making a difference but they left at the most important part, that you have to have a

deterrent. that is the boldness that is required. no amount of extra caseworkers will change that. you have to make it crystal clear that if you come to our country illegally you will not be able to stay. that is how have solved illegal immigration immigration from albania. that is why there are screen is so important. he is going to put on an amnesty. as natalie elphicke herself said in the not too distant past, labour are a pro—immigration party that doesn't want to stop the boats. her words, not mine. next, the bbc. let's cut to the quirkier prime minister. are you saying the country would be less safe on sir keir starmer? is this the beginning of an argument for you that says be careful what you wish for, betterthe

that says be careful what you wish for, better the devil you know? in a word, for, better the devil you know? in a word. yes. — for, better the devil you know? in a word, yes, chris. _ for, better the devil you know? in a word, yes, chris. i— for, better the devil you know? in a word, yes, chris. lam very for, better the devil you know? in a word, yes, chris. i am very clear. for, better the devil you know? in a word, yes, chris. lam very clear. i word, yes, chris. iam very clear. i have been doing thisjob word, yes, chris. iam very clear. i have been doing this job and word, yes, chris. iam very clear. i have been doing thisjob and i set out today that the next few years will be both the most dangerous debtor country has experienced in a long time and also the most transformational. you can disagree or agree with that but i think is the truth. everything we are seeing tells me that this is an incredibly dangerous time and what the country needs, wants, deserves is to know that there is a secure future for them and their families. that is the choice that the next election. i am clear that my track record shows that we are the party that has the bold action, the clear plan to deliver that secure future. that is a debate that i'm looking forward to having. next, the daily mail. having. next, the dail mail. having. next, thedail mail. next, the daily mail. he said you want to fight _

next, the daily mail. he said you want to fight the _ next, the daily mail. he said you want to fight the election - next, the daily mail. he said you i want to fight the election campaign on the _ want to fight the election campaign on the future, not the past. does that mean— on the future, not the past. does that mean there will be no place for boris _ that mean there will be no place for borisjohnson when it that mean there will be no place for boris johnson when it comes to the campaign — boris johnson when it comes to the campaign i— boris johnson when it comes to the cam -aain. . , boris johnson when it comes to the cam-rain. ., , . ., boris johnson when it comes to the cam-cain. ., , . ., campaign. i have been clear about this in the past. _ campaign. i have been clear about this in the past. i _ campaign. i have been clear about this in the past. i want _ campaign. i have been clear about this in the past. i want every - this in the past. i want every conservative who shares the vision that i do to be part of that campaign, to fight for the things that we believe in. the conservative family is a broad church but we are united by a set of values and that set of values that i talked about early on are fountain and an innate optimism about our country from an intrinsic sense of pride in our history and identity and our knowledge that actually progress comes from people, not from the states and that is about creating the innovative economy that i talked about, seizing the opportunities of brexit. we will lead the world in the industrial revolution. that is what we did in this country. a most extraordinary time of progress for humanity and the british people and

we let that. i see no reason why we can't lead again in the future. that vision of a more secure future for families, we can have confidence in our strength, where we are protecting people from the strengths of your face, protecting people from the strengths of yourface, is protecting people from the strengths of your face, is secure our borders, have a pragmatic approach to net zero to make sure that we give everyone in our country financial security, i am sure everyone can get behind that. the choice at the next election is between me and sir keir starmer the conservatives and labour, but crucially it is about the future versus the past and we are the only party that is talking properly about the future is a plan to deliver a secure future for our country. to to deliver a secure future for our count . ., ., ., , ., , country. to follow up on christmas my question. _ country. to follow up on christmas my question. do — country. to follow up on christmas my question, do you _ country. to follow up on christmas my question, do you think - country. to follow up on christmas my question, do you think sir - country. to follow up on christmas my question, do you think sir keir| my question, do you think sir keir starmer— my question, do you think sir keir starmer would make this country more unsafe? _ starmer would make this country more unsafe? 0n— starmer would make this country more unsafe? on ukraine, david cameron persuaded _ unsafe? on ukraine, david cameron persuaded donald trump to pack more funding _ persuaded donald trump to pack more funding for— persuaded donald trump to pack more funding for ukraine on the premise he could _

funding for ukraine on the premise he could secure a peace deal. are you able — he could secure a peace deal. are you able to — he could secure a peace deal. are you able to say that the west is not about _ you able to say that the west is not about to _ you able to say that the west is not about to forced ukraine into a peace deal? _ about to forced ukraine into a peace deal? i_ about to forced ukraine into a peace deal? , ., , , deal? i believe we will keep this country safe _ deal? i believe we will keep this country safe and _ deal? i believe we will keep this country safe and sir— deal? i believe we will keep this country safe and sir keir- deal? i believe we will keep this i country safe and sir keir starmer's actions show that he will be able to do that. this is the most dangerous time for generations. that is why we have made the decision to increase defence spending to 2.5%. that is a choice that we have made, a priority thatis choice that we have made, a priority that is right for the country. keir starmer and the labour party have said that they will not match that choice. there is no way you can keep the country safe and secure from the growing threats we face, countries acting together, unless you are prepared to act on our defence. there is a very clear dividing line there which i'm sure everyone can appreciate. at the end of the day when it comes to this question, his track record will tell you that.

that is just the