this is bbc news. these are the top stories developing at 11:003m: theresa may confronts her critics. she's set to tell the conservative conference the uk's future is bright after brexit. here in birmingham theresa may will seek to sell her controversial checkers brexit plan by telling party members it's in the national interest. pret—a—manger is to list all ingredients on its freshly made products following the death of 15—year—old natasha ednan—laperouse from an allergic reaction. help for the desperate following the destruction in indonesia. aid starts to reach survivors of the earthquake and tsunami, but the death tolls has risen above 1,400. survivors start giving evidence at the grenfell tower inquiry. former resident antonio roncolato says he hopes to bring those responsible to account. i would be prepared to answer all

the questions the qc will have me and to give him as many details as possible and to hold people to their responsibility. can't afford a mortgage, and struggling to pay the rent. are you at the sharp end of the housing crisis? bbc research suggests people in their 20s who want to live on their own are having to pay unaffordable levels of rent in two thirds of the uk. zoe ball is replacing chris evans as the new host of bbc radio 2's breakfast show. she's a fantastic pic, best person for the job. good morning. it's wednesday, october 3rd. welcome to bbc newsroom live. theresa may will urge conservatives to demonstrate

they are a party that is "decent, moderate and patriotic" at the end of a conference that has underlined deep divisions over brexit. in a speech the prime minister will declare that britain's future outside the eu is "full of promise." mrs may will also announce that fuel duty is to remain frozen for the ninth year in a row. 0ur political correspondent norman smith is birmingham. a big day for theresa may. 0bviously she once to ensure there is no repeat of the calamity jane episode of last year when of course we had that coughing fit and bits of the stage collapsing. but more than that she needs to energise this conference and she needs to sell her controversial checkers plan. no small task given what seems to be the scepticism and downright hostility of party members towards

it. chris mason has been looking up the challenge facing mrs may. remember this, a year ago? there was the coughing, the security breach, with a prankster handing the prime minister a fake p45, and then this, the conference backdrop falling apart, like an anxiety dream playing out in real life — an excruciating moment. imagine standing on that stage again, a year on from it going so horribly wrong, and a day on from borisjohnson down the corridor trashing your central brexit policy, to cheers and applause from activists. today, the prime minister will try to strike an optimistic note, and say this country's future is full of promise. here is theresa may working on what she will say later. so what do we know about the words on those pages? mrs may will sound upbeat about the uk's future. and, she will add...

the goliath of brexit has trampled every corridor of this conference, but little has actually changed here, the prime minister persistently deflecting attempts to encourage her to ditch her plan. instead, today she will try to talk about other stuff, and says the decision to freeze fuel duty again proves her party is on the side of "hard—working families". chris mason, bbc news, birmingham. what adds to the pressure on mrs made today of course is the obvious compared and contrasted with boris johnson's barnstorming performance yesterday. but interestingly they we re yesterday. but interestingly they were huge queues earlier this morning waiting to get in to the

prime minister's speech just as there was with borisjohnson. some of mrs may's closest aides were out and about this morning but in the boot into boris johnson. and about this morning but in the boot into boris johnson. it sounded predictable. some good jokes, boot into boris johnson. it sounded predictable. some goodjokes, end boot into boris johnson. it sounded predictable. some good jokes, end of the pier show stuff. but not really any new ideas. not really coming up with the answers to the hard questions that have been put to him in recent days. let's mull over some of the challenges facing mrs may. i'm joined by the culture secretary. i want to start on borisjohnson. is hea i want to start on borisjohnson. is he a busted flush? boris is good entertainment and we saw that yesterday but what people are looking for from this conference is leadership on the challenges that we are facing and that is notjust

brexit, that's also about the challenges people face in their daily lives and that the country will need to address post—brexit. that's what the real agenda is here. that's what the real agenda is here. that is what has been lacking at this conference. we have not had a clear sense of an alternative domestic agenda. the announcement have been small about the festival of written and new guidelines for social media. where is the alternative domestic agenda? the festival will be big. it's important we demonstrate to the rest of the world we a re we demonstrate to the rest of the world we are self—confident, that as we leave the brexit process we have a lot to offer. what people are after is not a flashy announcement that disappears in a puff of smoke, what they are looking for is real progress on the things that matter to them. the health secretary has took the boat gene sequencing to address rare cancers. extra money for social care over the winter. technical education appeared

occasion secretary is talked about and fuel duty we have talked about today. this makes a real difference today. this makes a real difference to people every day and i think what people are looking for from their politicians is not a big show, they are looking for real progress on the things they deal with. how important is to today, to strike a slightly more upbeat tone at the conference which seems at times to have been pretty subdued and flat?|j which seems at times to have been pretty subdued and flat? i think people here recognise the scale of the challenge in managing the brexit process properly. we have to take the logical and mature approach to brexit. but then you have to face up to those other challenges i have mentioned. there is a real sense of purpose about the party at the moment and the sense we have a big job to do for the british people. we are the only ones capable of doing it. and of course brexit is going to form part of this is may's speech. what sort of response to you expect

from the hall? there are different views. there is huge respect for the prime minister's risk —— approach and her determination and her engagement with the detail. a real drive to do the best for this country. you will see that shining through this morning. you will see a prime minister who has shown that she is determined to succeed for the country, to deliver a good brexit arrangement and to move on and face up arrangement and to move on and face up to some of those other domestic challenges. what do you say to those mps who seem determined to vote down checkers? how do you get them on board? the prime minister will say something about that this morning but i think everybody needs to look at what being put on the table. they need to look at how these

negotiations transpire and they need to make a judgment. but in the end what we need is the best brexit settlement we can get and change the subject and talk about the other challenges this country faces. i have been spending my time in this co nfe re nce have been spending my time in this conference talking about the more long—range challenges britain faces, some of the exciting new technologies like artificial intelligence where britain leads the world. this is a conference that talks about more than brexit. jeremy wright, thank you very much. it's going to be interesting to see the reaction in the hall as mrs may tries to sell her checkers plan. 0n the plus side, despite the rumblings before this conference of an uprising amongst party activists, none of that has actually happened. ata none of that has actually happened. at a basic level, mrs may can emerge

from this conference with the party still intact. the cabinet is still seemingly fine now behind her checkers brexit plan. and a reminder, you can see theresa may's speech from the last day of the conservative party conference shortly here on bbc 2 and the bbc news channel, with special coverage beginning at 11:30am. the food chain pret a manger has said that full ingredient labelling, including allergens, will in future appear on products, after the death of a teenager from an allergic reaction to one of the chain's sandwiches. natasha ednan—laperouse, 15, from fulham, south—west london, collapsed on board a flight injuly 2016 after eating a she had bought at a pret outlet in heathrow airport. the coroner at her inquest last week said she died of anaphylaxis and urged changes to food labelling. now, pret says allergen labelling will be introduced to all products that are freshly made in its shop kitchens. clive schlee, pret chief

executive, said: speaking to this me on the victoria derbyshire programme on monday, natasha's mother tanya said it was something she was campaigning for it doesn't have to be a law change. if there are warnings that people are having allergic reactions to your food and that people are being hospitalised because they are eating food that you sell, you don't have to wait for a law change to start putting stickers listing the allergens on the food that you sell. you canjust allergens on the food that you sell. you can just do allergens on the food that you sell. you canjust do it because it's the right thing to do. saying that, what we want to do now and what we want to do is give a voice to so many

people. families with allergic children, there needs to be peace of mind that when you buy something you have faith in that product and unites ackley what is in that and if it's dangerous or not. some breaking news about the nobel prize for chemistry. it has gone to brits and americans for their work on directed evolution to design enzymes with different applications. indonesia's disaster agency says the number of people killed

by the earthquake and tsunami on the island of sulawesi has now risen to more than 1,400. more than 500 people have been buried with the government setting up a number of mass graves for victims. bulk supplies of urgently needed food and water have begun to reach people on the island, five days after the quake hit. 0ur correspondent, mariko 0i, travelled to palu from makassar in the south of the island and sent this update aid is starting to trickle in to this evacuation centre. people have lost their homes because of the earthquake and tsunami. this community kitchen that has been set up community kitchen that has been set up is preparing for the evening meal. it will be made up of rice and a simple soup, just cabbage and onions being used for it. that is all they've got. people who can make it to this camp at getting two meals

a day and a gallon of freshwater. water is a problem. just a few minutes ago firefighters filled up this tag over here, water that is being used in the cooking and will being used in the cooking and will be handed out in the morning to each person in the camp so that they can wash themselves and they will have it through the dedicate their hands clea n it through the dedicate their hands clean because the spread of disease isa clean because the spread of disease is a major concern. the people cooking in this community kitchen have also lost everything. this lady here who is doing the rice, her house was destroyed in the earthquake. why do you want to cook rather than sit in the camp? translation: i want to do something

helpful for people and want to give my time to try and cook for people here rather thanjust my time to try and cook for people here rather than just sit my time to try and cook for people here rather thanjust sit in the camp. there are lots of stories like this and people are pulling together and helping each other. there are also stories of intense grief in this camp. a short while ago a young man came up to me and asked me for a pen because he wanted to write a sign he is placing in every camp, assign he hopes will bring him back to his family. he has 23 members of his family missing. his friend who was with him said he had already lost his father and mother. meanwhile on another part of the island of sulawesi, a volcano has started to erupt. mount soputan is around 1,000 kilometres away from the tsunami hit town of palu. volcanic ash can be seen rising high into the sky and officials have advised people to keep at least four kilometres away, but said there was no need for an evacuation for the time being.

the headlines on bbc news: (00v) theresa may confronts her critics — she's set to tell the conservative conference the uk's future is bright after brexit. (00v) pret—a—manger is to list all ingredients on its freshly—made products — following the death of 15—year—old natasha ednan—laperouse from an allergic reaction. help for the desperate following the destruction in indonesia. aid starts to reach survivors of the earthquake and tsunami —— but the death toll has risen above 14—hundred. the inquiry into the grenfell fire is hearing from former residents of the tower. it's the first time survivors have given evidence since the inquiry began with a series of tributes to the victims. antonio roncolato is one of the survivor's speaking today. he tried to escape, but had to be rescued by firemen and spent time in a coma. 0nce

once i tried and realised the smoke outside was very strong, very black, it would not be possible to breathe. it would take your breath away basically. the moment i opened the door i felt like i had been hit by gas as well as smoke. it stopped me from breathing. i could not go out there so i closed the door. my eyes we re there so i closed the door. my eyes were crying and it was horrible. let's speak to angus crawford who is at the inquiry. bring us up—to—date with what you have been hearing. he had lived in

flat 72 for 27 years and he talked about the refurbishment programme 2015 were the doors were replaced. he said they were very heavy and difficult to open so he called the contractor and the contractor cut the chain, the self—closing device and they become much lighter and easier to keep open. he was not given any information about the impact on fire safety. he also complained about the new windows. they were drafts coming through but the fix that himself. then as you heard, he spoke about the night in question and described how he was woken about 1:a5am by a phone call from a scent and his son said get out of the house because the tower is burning. there was then an opportunity for people at the hearing to leave the room because images from the night were then projected onto the screen inside the hearing. first of all a photo he took from his own flat which showed black to break coming in through the

kitchen window. he said there was a crackling sound from outside like a piece of tried would. then a photo was sent to him by his son from the outside showing just how bad the fire was. he said he realised the gravity of how big it was and before he opened his flat door thinking you're trying to escape but he was confronted by black smoke. he said it was a killer. people in their 20s who want to live on their own are having to pay unaffordable rents in much of britain, according to research carried out by the bbc. 0ur personal finance reporter, kevin peachey, went to cheltenham where there are concerns young people are being priced out of town. when 25—year—old shop manager morgan moved in with her boyfriend, she knew she had to be particularly nice to her new housemates. myself and my partner are living

with his parents at the moment whilst we are saving for a mortgage. the reason why be decided to do that was because we couldn't possibly rent and save at the same time. my friends definitely struggle. i think a lot of their money is used up in just their rent alone. this is typical of a sort of accommodation that is offered for young professionals. those friends can expect to pay more than 40% of their salary on rent to live on their own in central cheltenham. despite this cost, letting agents say young professionals are queueing up for flats like this. this particular property goes within 48 hours. the demand for it is incredible, especially one that is furnished like this, it just suits their needs. but it isn'tjust here that young people are feeling the financial squeeze. housing organisations say spending more than 30% of your salary on rent is unaffordable.

that means renting a one—bedroom home in your 20s would be unaffordable in two—thirds of britain and two people sharing a two—bedroom place would still find it difficult to manage in more than one in ten areas. one answer, say housing charities, is to build more for this young market. new developments like this look perfect for young tenants. new flats right in the centre of cheltenham, but it will be at least a0 years before they get into something like this because, like so many other newly—built properties in the town, these are retirement homes. that worries the local council, which wants to attract skilled young workers to the town. the private sector is failing to deliver, really. it is planning to borrow £100 million to provide 500 homes. we are going to build them. we are going to buy them, we may even buy land and build on that. it's as simple as that, really. these will be rented out on the open market for young people and families that need them.

the government says a lettings fee ban and longer tenancy contracts will help renters in cheltenham and elsewhere, but the trade body for landlords says mortgage and maintenance costs means they can't offer rent any cheaper. kevin peachey, bbc news. let's discuss this with anne baxendale, who's the deputy director of policy and campaigns at housing charity shelter. 0bviously obviously a lot of people are struggling because of the cost of rentals. what are your concerns? our advisers see people every day who are struggling to cover their rent and they are cutting back on other essentials. 0ur and they are cutting back on other essentials. our own research has shown that across the country rents are rising 60% faster than wages and thatis are rising 60% faster than wages and that is not just are rising 60% faster than wages and that is notjust in london but in all sorts of places. this is

particularly concerning because of the huge growth in private renting overall so many people are renting and these twentysomethings are facing a future of bringing up children most likely in private renting and living there for their lifetime. in the past they weathered other options like the option of social renting for example and what people are telling us now is they really wa nt people are telling us now is they really want the government to commit to providing a lot more social rent homes as well as making private renting more stable and affordable in the short term. what would you offer up as the solution? we've had a lot of positive noises from the government on this issue but we need much more ambitious solutions. that has to include building homes at social rent so that people have the option of that as they would have donein option of that as they would have done in the past. it also means

making tenancies longer in private renting because that can make rent more predictable so you know you're not going to be hit with a date rent rise in a couple of months' time. there are a lot of solutions the government can offer but we need more urgency and a lot more ambition. thank you very much. zoe ball is replacing chris evans as the new host of bbc radio 2's breakfast show. he has always been very supportive of me and given me tips. i think we will go and have a copy because he said there are a few tipsy can give me. he will take some of his listeners with him but i hope he

will leave me a few. it's an exciting time for breakfast radio because there have been a lot of changes. greg on radio one is doing brilliantly. jamie thea kston is changes. greg on radio one is doing brilliantly. jamie theakston is on brea kfast brilliantly. jamie theakston is on breakfast radio as well. it does feel like an exciting time. big changes all round and i can't wait to start. chris was paid £1.66 million during the show, are you expecting the same? no. but i have to say we have discussed it and i'm very happy with what the bbc are paying me. if it will come out one day, i hope people will say that's fair. let's speak to our entertainment correspondent,

colin paterson. he don't get any bigger than this. zoe ball is the first woman to present the radio two breakfast show 20 years after began shashi she became the first woman to present the radio1 became the first woman to present the radio 1 breakfast became the first woman to present the radio1 breakfast show. she announced today on the chris evans brea kfast announced today on the chris evans breakfast show that person had been the person who persuaded her to take it. the daughter was more of a fan of greg james but she might turn over to listen to her mum instead. very interesting in the individual that she said she was going to be paid that she said she was going to be pa id less that she said she was going to be paid less than chris evans but is very happy with what she is being paid. she also says she hopes to continue to present it takes two, the strictly come dancing spin off which she presents on bbc two. she's hoping to do both those things and

she is excited to be taking on this role in the new year. it's also been announced by radio to that sarah cox who were seen as her big rival for the role will be the regular standing and well up to —— to looked at ten weeks of the year on the brea kfast at ten weeks of the year on the breakfast show. the duke and duchess of sussex will make their first joint official visit to the county since they received their royal titles. the couple, who married in may, will visit chichester, bognor, brighton and peacehaven on their whistle—stop tour. now it's time for a look at the weather. they might get some sunshine in sussex this afternoon. some of us have had some sunshine but for many it has been cloudy. there are some holes in the cloud under that of sunshine out there. this is the scene in cromer this morning. for most of us cloudy skies and drizzle

affecting northern england and scotland. 0utbrea ks of affecting northern england and scotland. outbreaks of rain throughout the day. quite warm for many of us. temperatures still around 15 to 16 celsius. perhaps up to 21 degrees in the south—east of inman. tonight we will continue with quite a bit of cloud. misty and murky conditions across southern parts. temperatures around about ten to 12 degrees. injust parts. temperatures around about ten to 12 degrees. in just a few moments we will bejoining to 12 degrees. in just a few moments we will be joining politics live live from burning at the tory party conference. the prime minister theresa may is going to be addressing delegates in ten minutes or so. they she is arriving little bit earlier with her husband, philip. she will tell the tory faithful the country's best days lie ahead of us. stay with us full of this speech. —— for full coverage of

her speech. it is wednesday and 11:30am. people are queueing up to adhere to reason may make her big speech to conservative party conference. —— people are queueing up to hear theresa may make her big speech. with me, former director of communications katy perry, former conservative mp and government adviser stuart jackson. the prime minister left the conference hotel just a few the prime minister left the conference hoteljust a few moments ago. here she is with her husband, philip may, making their way across that bridge that links the hotel to

the conference hall, which is full. everyone has gone in and taken their seats. her speech is scheduled to last an hour. she will want to put behind her any memories of last year ‘s speech and she will be talking, i think, about a positive message. 0ur best days are yet to come. does she really believe that? i think she does. she would not be prime minister otherwise. that walk across the bridge is a modern—day version of walking the plank for her. it is a really big job but she has got to do day. i hope it is notjust about brexit and it has some decent policies to remind everyone why she is conservative. the discussion we will have now is about leadership. there are calls for her to resign.

people are free to do so. there will be letters coming in the next few weeks but an hour before she speaks, thatis weeks but an hour before she speaks, that is a pretty low thing to do. he is not a household name, does that matter? i think the timing is probably questionable. but it is symptomatic ofa questionable. but it is symptomatic of a lack of communication really between some in the parliamentary party and the number ten operation, that it has come to this. people are having to put these letters in. they feel that notjust brexit is not being handled in the right way but there is a poverty of imagination and ideas in developing new policies and ideas in developing new policies andl and ideas in developing new policies and i think those two things are very important and they are partly why there is this discontent with the prime minister. they need to be 48 letters before a leadership

contest is triggered. 0r 48 letters before a leadership contest is triggered. or would you see as a replacement? there is not a va ca ncy see as a replacement? there is not a vacancy and i do not think that it would be in the national interest for there to be a leadership contest. this is an hour before the prime minister stands up. what does this do to the confidence of the prime minister and her position as she takes to the floor? she has become extremely used to taking tough knocks along the way. the team may not even tell her. she will be preparing and preparing and maybe getting a few strap sales down her throatjust in case and it is the kind of thing she will be able to shake kind of thing she will be able to 5 ha ke off kind of thing she will be able to shake off quite easily. i am wondering what happened between about 7am when james wondering what happened between about 7am whenjames diedrich had said he had not put in a letter and at 11, he had. iwonderwhat happened. it was on his to-do list. he may have got some helpful

mentoring from the whips office. maybe helpful hints from the whips. more difficult perhaps for theresa may was the spectacle yesterday of borisjohnson riding may was the spectacle yesterday of boris johnson riding into may was the spectacle yesterday of borisjohnson riding into town. let's just have a look at the pictures because it was an incredible media scrum as he arrived, the former foreign secretary. he was completelyjammed in by reporters shouting at him. we can see you at the side. borisjohnson thinks can see you at the side. boris johnson thinks that the prime minister has drifted away in completely the wrong direction in terms of her policy on brexit. that is true. he is using his platform to make that point. it is also true that he thinks he would like to have another go at the job. two things in

politics can be true at the same time. it is about him and his ambition but it is also about discontent with the policy and of course because frankly he is one of the very few politicians who is also a celebrity, he can use the huge platform he has to give a voice to people who are really hacked off. and that has been a feature really of this conference. he has that star appeal. the queue was just over there of people, conference goers, waiting for some time to go and hear what boris johnson had waiting for some time to go and hear what borisjohnson had to say. one minister described it as the circus coming to town. 0n the other hand, he does manage to move the hall. he really does. i was in there myself. 1500 people taking hours to queue to listen to him for half an hour. you can feel it in the room, it is electric. it always has been. i worked for him ten years ago. but he has form. he throws a grenade in the

room and watches it blow up and then he goes off again. what i don't ask is you are asked if you are in boris johnson ‘s camp or theresa may ‘s camp. it has been very noticeable this week how hostile people in government have come to see him. that kind of sense of any kind of camaraderie amongst senior politicians in government has totally gone. it is a two-way street. there has been an operation to rubbish and undermine him for several months. and to be fair, it has not really work because he has this ronald reagan style of positive forward—looking and actually the vote rs forward—looking and actually the voters are not looking for granular detail, they are looking for someone who is positive and optimistic. what about unity and loyalty? if you look at the way the press have covered

it, there is a split. at the end of the speech, he did not say get rid of the prime minister, he actually said, cheesy, help us to help you. i think also the outright hostility from the top levels of government is often off the record but it tips into being on the record. there is a danger for that in terms of the leadership because it talks of a wider disconnect. there is a real bunker sends around the government. very profound sense of bunker, which normally you only see at the end of an administration. it is always like that ina an administration. it is always like that in a minority government. to be rubbishing boris all the time when you have so many party members... and whether they like it or not, he has cut through. you deal with it by going back to some of the things you want to do is

prime minister. if you talk about borisjohnson, you prime minister. if you talk about boris johnson, you keep prime minister. if you talk about borisjohnson, you keep on talking about brexit. come out with some decent policies. i am fed up with coming toa decent policies. i am fed up with coming to a conference and we have the option of a festival and a bridge. there has not been one thing that has transformed this conference. it is reminiscent of 1996. we absolutely need an energising, enthusing, positive agenda for young people and the vote rs agenda for young people and the voters generally in this country. we can look in the hall, people want to be energised. i cannot see from here what the average age is. what does she have to do today? the domestic agenda, that famous phrase of hers, deal with the burning injustice is,

as she said, on the steps of number ten. is she going to try and conjure up ten. is she going to try and conjure up that kind of atmosphere? i think certainly but let's be clear, the first thing theresa may has to do isjust clear, the first thing theresa may has to do is just to something that isa has to do is just to something that is a decent performance because the mood here at the conference has not been of people plotting in dark corners about how to shove her out. it has not been that, that is desperate that different to last year. 0n the train on the way home, i had conversations with people on whether she would resign. so, we're not in that place. what she wants to do and what the party is clearly desperate to hear is to show what the government might be able to achieve after brexit because actually, a lot of conversations this week, people are saying, this has been very bruising, very complicated, very tangled. and then what is the

government for? after march,... tangled. and then what is the government for? after march, . .. we talked about ourselves, we navel gaze. we cannot keep doing that. the irony is that speech on the doorstep was a beautiful speech written by nick timothy. it united the whole party with a vision and something happened between that and the hubris and complacency of the election campaign. she has got to try and reca ptu re campaign. she has got to try and recapture some of that from the steps of downing street. you and i we re steps of downing street. you and i were sitting in manchester last year when that speech was being given and it went so horribly wrong. we can look at some of the pictures of her preparing for today. here she is preparing. what must be going through her mind? she would find it impossible to completely extinguish what happened last year.

i think that she will use the opportunity to poke fun at herself today. she will say that, sometimes things don't go to plan. i don't think she will be nervous about today actually. she knows that she can do the big set speeches. you remember the time that she took on the police federation. when her back is against the wall, she comes out fighting and i think she would do that today. she will laugh it off. let's find out what conference goers think. of course, there is some expectation in the airand of course, there is some expectation in the air and as you can see, a of people queueing to get into the hall for the prime minister ‘s speech. let's have a chat to some of them. what are you hoping to hear from the prime minister? i am hoping to hear good news about the economy, brexit, and an incident free speech. yes, after last year, and an incident free speech. yes, after last yea r, of and an incident free speech. yes, after last year, of course. what would be good news on something like

brexit, in your view? good news on brexit, in your view? good news on brexit would be for her to go back to the lancaster house deal that i thought had been agreed and everybody was working towards. and chuck the chequers deal, as everybody has been saying because i don't think it will benefit the country. it is not one thing or the other. you are aware that the prime minister shows no sign of turning her back on chequers. yes, i think thatis her back on chequers. yes, i think that is a bit silly. everybody, i don't care what position they are m, don't care what position they are in, low, high, running the country, you have to take notice of the people that put you there. and if she ignores all the delegates that are at conference, that have wanted to have a better deal, you know, i'd do think that is silly. i think she has to reconsider her views. thank you very much. a gentleman through here. hello. can i ask you what you are hoping to hear from the

prime minister today?” what you are hoping to hear from the prime minister today? i think the most important thing is that our party and in fact the country's unified because we're not going to get a good brexit if we are not unified. i get a good brexit if we are not unified. lam hoping get a good brexit if we are not unified. i am hoping to raise gives people reassurance. what would bring unity, in your view? a bit of reassurance. on what? 0n a bit of reassurance. on what? on what brexit is going to be like. she needs to elaborate and show us what she's going to do to get as a good brexit but more importantly unity. unity is the message you are hoping for. that is the view of a couple of people waiting to hear the prime minister day. most of these people will be hoping that today's speech isa will be hoping that today's speech is a little bit less eventful than last year. testing the temperature with conference goers. george freeman has joined us. we were talking a little

earlier about policies other than brexit. how to integrate the party. would you admit it has been a bit light in terms of policy announcements? in the main hall, i think it has. but the fringes bursting with talent, ideas, energy. this is not a burnt out party. brexit has taken the fizz out of top of government. inevitably. but this party has huge ideas for the 21st—century. it is the challenge. i hope the prime minister today makes clear that brexit is... the mechanics are messy but it has to be a catalyst, a moment of renewal, that will inspire those who even didn't vote for it. we have to show that brexit can be what it was always intended to be, a moment of renewal. that might be a big ask, of course. housing is one of the issues that theresa may talked about last year and she may well make a big

announcement. we will be listening out for any policy commitments. we we re out for any policy commitments. we were also talking about last year, you say theresa may will make a few jokes about it, let's remind our viewers of what happened in last year ‘s speech. we have created record numbers of jobs... excuse me... i hope you noticed that, the chancellor giving something away free. self—confident britain. while our opponents flirt with a foreign policy of neutrality and prepare for a run on the ground.

the passion and strength that was shared around the globe. well, it was painful and there's no other way to describe it, i seem to remember we talked about it afterwards as the worst nightmare for any politician or broadcaster for any politician or broadcaster for that matter. what do you think is going through her head as she prepares to take the stage today? well, not bad. ithink prepares to take the stage today? well, not bad. i think she will be aware of the mood that two years on from the brexit vogt, the nation needs to see that this party is going to deliver brexit but that we are going to do it in a way that speaks of the whole nation, a one nation brexit, not a nigel farage brexit, and (of nation brexit, not a nigel farage brexit, and ( of renewal. you would like the... i would like what my

constituents want. i think we want access to the single market without being bound in by the european political structures. stuart, you have a different vision of what it should look like. i am broadly supportive what george is saying about the need to have a positive agenda but i do think we should concede that what we said at the general election and that lancaster house in speeches was that we wanted to go forward with a comprehensive free trade deal. there would still be collaboration and work with different agencies but we would have minimum nontariff barriers and that is what the basis of watch over 82% of the electorate voted for the parties for. my problem is the lack of legitimacy in terms of chequers as it was put to the cabinet in july. it was not rolled out with the parliamentary party or the wider party membership. you cannot keep

going on the radio, as david lidington did this morning, saying no one has any ideas for the northern ireland border. you have got to engage with the argument. david cameron would have pulled his sleeves up, gone around the country, into factories, into pubs, and sold chequers and this has not been done. this is why this... there is this issue of the authority of the prime minister in putting forward this proposal that the party does not lie, the parliamentary party does not lie, the country does not lie, the eu does not like. they have failed to sell the vision of post—brexit britain. it is not just the issue of brexit and how... what do we end up with but how we brexit and at the moment we are divided and we need to bring the country and the party together because otherwise i don't see a way forward for us in our country state —— current state. forward for us in our country state -- current state. does that

something have to be a change of leader? she has failed to some extent or in every way, to bring the country, party together, to actually move on brexit two years on? it was the most horrible inheritance. she took on a nation divided. and it still is. she has done the most incredible job trying to put it all together. we are in the middle of a negotiation. my view is all of us want to end up somewhere like canada plus plus plus. but they are not going to give you that. the best way to do that would be byjoining the european free trade association. who would wa nt free trade association. who would want herjob free trade association. who would want her job right free trade association. who would want herjob right now? i don't tend —— envy her for love want herjob right now? i don't tend —— envy herfor love nor money, that is where the country are right now and she needs to take advantage of that. i think you touch on a very

important point. there is this difference between real hostility to chequers as being brexit in name only and acorn and the inherited —— inherent sympathy for the prime minister trying to do her best, she is committed to public service. but she has to recognise that people who are hostile to chequers are not just trying to bring her down. they do wa nt trying to bring her down. they do want to keep the faith and trust of the electors and the decision they made in 2016. i am hoping there will be some movement so we can get to the point where people are broadly happy. people are on their feet. a standing ovation for the warm up act. the attorney general. he hasjust left the stage. there will probably now be the warm up video. where were those concessions be? on the chequers plan or do you think it is dead? it is the basis of a negotiation. if

he comes back with a son of chequers, daughter of chequers, i think it is dead but the basis is a very good platform and i hope she delivers a pro—enterprise and pro—jobs brexit. most importantly of all, we have to signal we are doing this for the next generation. this is not the culmination of the tory brexit wards. this is the gateway to a 21st—century britain, is full of opportunity. and i think in due course, that will mean a change of leader but not now. after the end of march? i think that some point, once we have secured brexit, the prime minister should be garlanded by roses and laurels and a new generation set out a future for how we go from here. but the party will still be divided at that point. there'll be a transition and then a

leadership contest that will split it open again. george is the right person to debate this. but i think the party... 0nce we start focusing on bringing the parliamentary party, the third sector business, into a renaissance of policy, then we will move away from the fractiousness and the division of brexit and we can then talk about the really big issues like social care, education, the nhs. the tories have been in government for eight years. we need to find our mojo again quite frankly. you talked about lancaster house and chequers, people at home have no idea what we're talking about most of the time. let's simplify it. they voted for something. we need to talk about what is important for them in their life. you have been talking about it. there have been eight years of

conservative government. we need to invest in health. taxes should go 7 invest in health. taxes should go to invest in health. taxes should go 0 pay invest in health. taxes should go for invest in health. taxes should go e invest in health. taxes should go up? to pay for the nhs? no, we need to be setting out how we drive growth. i will give you a big idea. we have a housing problem around london. why don't we get each of the home counties to build a new town. big bold ideas for brexit britain.|j was very big bold ideas for brexit britain.|j was very keen on residential investment trusts. that will have them rolling in the aisles! but basically, it is getting this huge amount of cash in the private sector and putting in new high quality rented houses for people. what can you rememberfrom rented houses for people. what can you remember from last rented houses for people. what can you rememberfrom last weeks labour party? that big offer on universal

childcare. what is the tory party doing to compete with labour's retail offers ? doing to compete with labour's retail offers? that is my point. on the fringe in the party, it is bursting with vision. this party is not bereft of ideas. it is not burnt out. grexit at the moment has become a fight between lawyers, bureaucrats and technocrats —— brexit. you shake down your ministers a couple of weeks beforehand and say, give us your best policies and ideas you have got to be bold and show leadership and say, i am going to do this. are my legacy is going to be more than a failed general election campaign and a brexit that was not what people wanted. campaign and a brexit that was not what people wa nted.|j campaign and a brexit that was not what people wanted. i think theresa may is coming into the hall. she was dancing there. dancing queen is the music, that is why. that is why she

is tapping her feet, music, that is why. that is why she is tapping herfeet, literally. you're not enjoying the dancing? all right. theresa may with her speech to conference in 2018, when she stops dancing, that is. thank you, thank you very much for that warm welcome. now, can ijust say, you will have to excuse me if i do cough during the speech... i have been up all night superglue in the backdrop. mind you, i suppose if anything happens, i could ask to borrow the

voice of geoffrey cox. wasn't that fantastic? there are some things about last yea rs co nfe re nce there are some things about last years conference that i have tried forget. but i will always remember the warmth i felt from everyone in the warmth i felt from everyone in the hall. you supported me all the way. thank you. this year marks a century since the end of the first world war. just a few hundred yards from this conference centre stands a haul of memory, built to honour the sacrifice of men and women from this city in that terrible conflict. inscribed within it are some familiar words. at the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will

remember them. we do remember them. we remember the young men who left their homes to fight and die in the mud and horror of the trenches. we remember the sailors who shovelled coal into hellfire furnaces in the bowels of battleships. we remember the selflessness of a remarkable generation whose legacy is the freedom we enjoy today. i think of hubert grant, my father ‘s cousin, in whose honour he was named, he fought and died at passchendaele at the age ofjust 19. the age ofjust19. last year, at the service to mark the centenary of that battle, i took a moment to find his name on the gate, alongside thousands of his comrades. we will remember them.

applause. but the builders of that haul of memory also wanted us to do something else. alongside a commitment to remember, they inscribe a command that still calls to us today. see to it that they shall not have suffered and died in vain. those words express a determination that transformed our country. a determination that the men who returned from the quagmire is of passchendaele to their families here in birmingham and across the land should have homes fit for heroes. but the women who made munitions, kept the buses and trains running, served as firefighters and police officers, should have a voice in our democracy. that a country which stood together in solidarity with

people of every class sharing the danger should become a fairer place. a generation later, another victor rebuilt on a shared sacrifice, renewed that determination. twice in a century, britain came together to beat the odds and build a better future. a stronger democracy in the mother of parliaments where every person, no matter their gender, mother of parliaments where every person, no mattertheir gender, no matter their class, have an equal voice. a fairer economy in the home of the free market, where enterprise creates wealth to find great public services. a more secure future in the post—war world where former enemies become friends and the transatlantic alliance makes our world a safer place. the lesson of that remarkable generation is clear. if we come together there is no limit to what we can achieve. 0ur

together there is no limit to what we can achieve. our future together there is no limit to what we can achieve. 0urfuture is in our hands. that's why we are all in this hall today. it's the reason we chose to get involved in politics. we believe that by standing up to be counted, by working together, we can change our communities and our country for the better. it's not always glamorous. i've seen the trailers for bodyguard! let me tell you, it wasn't like that in my day. but real politics involves a lot of

ha rd graft. but real politics involves a lot of hard graft. knocking on doors in all weathers, delivering bundles of leaflets, we do it because we believe in its potential to transform lives. we understood when we got involved that sometimes it's adversarial but in the last few yea rs adversarial but in the last few years something has changed for the worse. rigorous to break between political opponents is becoming more like a confrontation between enemies. people who put themselves forward to serve are becoming targets. notjust them, their families as well. we all saw the sickening pictures of a far left extremist shouting abuse at jacob rees mogg's children. it's not all —— only conservatives facing abuse. the first black woman ever to be elected to the house of commons receives more racist and misogynist

m essa 9 es receives more racist and misogynist messages today than when she first stood over 30 years ago. you don't have to agree with the word diane abbott says to believe passionately in her right to say it, free from threats and abuse. some people have lost sight of the fa ct some people have lost sight of the fact that political differences are not everything. i have served in local and national government and in opposition. i know no party has a monopoly on good ideas. getting things done means working together within parties and beyond them. when our politics becomes polarised and compromise becomes a dirty word that becomes harder. and good people are

put off public service. it doesn't have to be this way. our party has more elected representatives than any other. we have in our hands the power to set a standard of decency that will be an example for others to follow. the late john that will be an example for others to follow. the latejohn mccain who spoke at this conference 12 years ago put it like this. we argue and compete and sometimes even vilify each other in our public debates, but we have always had so much more in common with each other than in disagreement. that was jo cox's message as well. it's a truth the british people instinctively understand because they are not ideologues. they know we have a common state in this country and that the only path to a better future is one that we walked down together. let's rise above the abuse, let's make a positive case

for our values that will cut through the bitterness and bile that is poisoning our politics. and let's say it loud and clear, conservatives will always stand up for the politics that unites us rather than divides us. that used to be labour's position to. but when i look at its leadership today i worry it's no longer the case. we all ran in the what the labour party used to be. we passionately disagreed with many of their policies. every labour government left and employment higher than they found it, every labour government ran out of other money to spend, even —— every labour government left the economy in a

mess. but at least they had some basic qualities that everyone could respect. they were proud of our institutions, proud of our armed forces, proud of britain. today when i look across at the opposition benches i can still see that labour party but not on the front bench. instead their faces stare blankly out from the rows behind when another party occupies prime position. thejeremy corbyn party rejects the common values that once bridge cell clinical divides. just comparejeremy bridge cell clinical divides. just compare jeremy corbyn's bridge cell clinical divides. just comparejeremy corbyn's behaviour to predecessors. would neil kinnock who

stood up to the hard left have served by while his own mps faced deselection and needed police protection at their party conference? with jim callaghan protection at their party conference? withjim callaghan who served in the royal navy have asked the russian government to confirm the russian government to confirm the findings of our own intelligence agencies? would clement attlee, churchill's trusted deputy during the second world war, have told british dues they didn't know the meaning of anti—semitism. what has befallen labour is a national tragedy. what has it come to when jewish families today seriously discuss where they should go ifjeremy corbyn becomes prime minister. when a leading labour mp

says his party is institutionally racist. when the leader of the labour party is happy to appear on iranian state tv but attacks our free media here in britain. that is whatjeremy corbyn has done to the labour party. it is our duty in this conservative party to make sure they can never do it to our country. to do that we need to be a party for the whole country because today millions of people who have never

supported our party in the past are appalled by what jeremy supported our party in the past are appalled by whatjeremy corbyn has done the labour. they want to support a party that is decent, moderate and patriotic. 0ne support a party that is decent, moderate and patriotic. one that puts the national interest first. delivers on the issues they care about and is comfortable with modern britain in all its diversity. we must show everyone in this country that we are that party. a party that can serve the best of our inheritance but is not afraid of change. a party of patrick helmes but not nationalism. a party that believes in business but is not afraid to hold businesses to account. a party that believes in the good the government can do but knows government will never have all the answers. a party that believes your success in life should not be defined by who you love, yourfaith, the colour of your skin, or your

pa rents were the colour of your skin, or your parents were always were raised, but by your talent and your hard work. above all, a party of unionism. not just of four proud nations but of all our people. a party not for the few, not even for the many, but for eve ryo ne few, not even for the many, but for everyone who is willing to work hard and do their best. and we must be a party that is not enthralled to ideology but motivated instead by enduring principles. for me they can be summed up in three

words. security, freedom, opportunity. security for the nation with strong defences against threats from abroad and protection against threats at home. security for communities upheld by the brave men and women of our police forces. security for individuals and families provided by a good job, home of your own and dignity in old age. and security is the bedrock of freedom. freedom of thought, freedom of expression, freedom of action, the freedom to make decisions for yourself rather than have them made for you by government. the freedom that our grandparents and great grandparents fought for against tyranny. the freedom that swept across eastern europe when the soviet union collapsed and nations we re soviet union collapsed and nations were reborn in sovereignty and independence. the freedom that is still denied to many in our world today. but with freedom should

a lwa ys today. but with freedom should always come responsibility. to obey the law even when you disagree with it. to conserve our environment for the next generation. and most especially for those in public life the responsibility to waive the impact our words and actions have on other people. and if we are secure and were free then opportunity is opened up. the opportunity to take your future in your hands, to dream and strive and achieve a better life. to know that if your dad arrived on a plane from pakistan you can become home secretary. but if you spent time in care you

can be in the cabinet. that if your grandparents came to our shores as part of the windrush generation you could be the next mayor of london. that if you are pregnant with your first child and engaged to girlfriend you could be the next first minister of scotland. we the conservative party are the

party of opportunity. no institution embodies our principles as conservatives more profoundly than our national health service. it gives every man, woman and child the absolute security of knowing that whenever you are sick, k will be there. what greater freedom than to live your life never having to worry about whether you can afford the treatment you need. what greater opportunity for a country to make the most of all its talents. the nhs isa the most of all its talents. the nhs is a service that is there for everyone. free at the point of use with care based on clinical need

never the ability to pay. these principles are in our country's dna and conservatives will always uphold them. conservatives have looked after our nhs for most of its life. and this year we gave the nhs ‘s 70th birthday present to be proud of, the biggest cash boost in its history. an extra £394 million every single week. and in return the nhs will produce a new long—term plan to make sure every penny makes a difference on the front line. so next time you hear someone say that the tories

don't care about the nhs, tell them about that extra funding, tell them about that extra funding, tell them about the conservative mps who work in the nhs in their spare time. tell them about the tory prime minister who does herjob with the help of the wonderful staff of the local nhs trust who helped her managed diabetes. tell them about our housing secretary. last yearjames officially opened the new guys cancer centre at queens mary hospital in his constituency. a few months later he was a patient. the outstanding nhs care he received helped him recover and now he is back serving in the cabinet. cancer can strike any of us at any

time. a few years ago my goddaughter was diagnosed with cancer. she underwent treatment and it seems to be working but then the cancer came back. last summer she sent me a text to tell me she was hoping to see another christmas. but she did make it. half of us will be diagnosed with cancer, all of us know someone who has been. survival rates are increasing but we are lagging behind other countries. so today i can announce a new cancer strategy funded through our 70th birthday investment which will form a central pa rt investment which will form a central part of our long—term plan for the nhs. the key to boosting your chance

of surviving cancer is early diagnosis. five—year survival rates for bowel cancer are over 90% if caught early but less than 10% if diagnosed late. through our cancer strategy we will increase their lead detection rate from one into today's to three and four by 2028. we will do it by lowering the age at which we screen for bowel cancer from 60 to 50, by investing in the latest scanners, by building more rapid diagnostic centres, one—stop shops that help people get treatment quicker. this will be a step change in how we diagnose cancer. it will mean that by 2028 55,000 more people will be alive five years after they diagnosis compared to today. every life saved means precious

extra yea rs every life saved means precious extra years with friends and family. every life saved means a parent, a partner, child, godmother spared every life saved means a parent, a partner, child, godmotherspared the pain of losing a loved one before their time. our nhs saved countless lives everyday. 0ne their time. our nhs saved countless lives everyday. one of my most important responsibilities as prime minister is to secure its future. that's what this job is all about. taking the big decisions and doing so in the national interest. that is never more true than when our national security is threatened. those other times when i feel most keenly the responsibilities of my office. when i have to ask our brave servicemen and women to put themselves in harm ‘s way. to

protect our citizens, to support our allies as we would expect them to support us, to uphold the international rules on which our security depends. like when the syrian regime uses chemical weapons killing innocent men, women and children. wejoin with killing innocent men, women and children. we join with our friends to send a message that the use of chemical weapons will never be tolerated. i took the decision to send rafjets to strike against president assad's chemical weapons facilities. as prime minister had to make the call and be held to account for it. the same was true when russia launched a chemical attack on the streets of the uk. i took the decision to expel 23 wash and diplomats who were undeclared intelligence officers. 0ur allies joined us in degrading russia's

intelligence network. in parliament i received almost universal support. from the snp to the liberal democrats and the labour backbenches. there was just one dissenting voice —— jeremy corbyn. dismissing the findings of our security services, suggesting that the country responsible for the attack should double—check the findings of our chemical weapons scientists. refusing to lay the blame squarely where it belonged. just imagine if he were prime minister. he says britain should disarm herself in the hope that others follow suit. i say no, we must keep our defence is strong to keep our country safe. he says a strong nato simply

provokes russia. i say no, it's the guarantor of ourfreedom provokes russia. i say no, it's the guarantor of our freedom and security. he poses as a humanitarian but he says that military action to save lives is onlyjustified with the approval of security council, effectively giving russia a veto. i say no, we cannot outsource our conscience to the kremlin. leadership is doing what you believe

to be right and having the courage and determination to see it through. and that is the approach i have taken on brexit. we've had disagreements in this party about written's membership of the eu for a long time so it's no surprise that we've had a range of different views expressed this week. but myjob is premised is to do what i believe to be in the national interest and that means be in the national interest and that m ea ns two be in the national interest and that means two things. first, honouring the result of the referendum. mps asked the british people to take this decision. we put ourfaith in theirjudgment. they

this decision. we put ourfaith in their judgment. they have this decision. we put ourfaith in theirjudgment. they have put their faith in us to deliver. i will not let them down. and secondly, to seek a good trade and security relationship with our neighbours after we have left. they are our close friends and allies and we should ensure it stays that way. that's what i said at lancaster house, it's what we promised in our ma nifesto house, it's what we promised in our manifesto and it's what i've worked day and night for the last two years to achieve. no one wants a good deal more than me. but that has never meant getting a deal at any cost. britain is not afraid to leave with no deal if we have to. but we need to be honest about it.

leaving without a deal introducing ta riffs leaving without a deal introducing tariffs and costly checks at the border would be a bad outcome for the uk and the eu. it would be tough at first but the resilience and ingenuity of the british people would see us through. some people ask me to rule out no deal but if i do that i would weaken our negotiating position and have to agree to whatever the eu offers. at the moment that would mean accepting one of two things. either a deal that keeps us in the eu in all but name, keeps free movement, keeps fast annual payments and stops us signing trade deals with other countries, or a deal that calves of northern ireland and part of this

country effectively leaving it in the eu's customs union. so let's send a clear message today. we will never accept either of those choices. we will not betray the result of the referendum and we will never break up referendum and we will never break up our country. i have treated the european union with nothing but respect. the united kingdom expects the same. ina

in a negotiation, if you can't accept what the other side proposes you present an alternative and this is what we have done. our proposal is what we have done. our proposal is for a free trade deal that provides for frictionless trade in goods. it would protect hundreds of thousands of jobs in goods. it would protect hundreds of thousands ofjobs in the supply chain is our manufacturing firms rely on. businesses would not face costly checks when they exported to the eu so they can invest in confidence. and it would protect our precious union, the seamless border in northern ireland, the bedrock of peace and stability would see no change whatsoever. no simple free trade agreement could achieve that, not even one that makes use of the very latest technology. our proposal would be good for our route communities, getting us out of the common agricultural policy. it would

be good for our coastal communities. we would be out of the common fisheries policy and independent coastal state once again. and with the uk's biggest fishing fleet waste in scotland let me say this to nicola sturgeon. you claim to stand up nicola sturgeon. you claim to stand upfor nicola sturgeon. you claim to stand up for scotland but you want to lock scottish fishermen into the common fisheries policy forever. that's not strongerfor fisheries policy forever. that's not stronger for scotland, it's a betrayal of scotland. 0ur our proposal would mean we could renew our role in the world, strike trade deals with other country, with control of all money we can spend more on our nhs. with control of our laws we can bring decision—making

closer to the people and return powers to westminster, edinburgh, cardiff and belfast. with control of our borders we can do something that no british government has been able to do in decades, restore full and com plete to do in decades, restore full and complete control of who comes into this country to the democratically elected representatives of the british people. and this is what we will do with immigration powers we ta ke will do with immigration powers we take back. the free movement of people will end once and for all. in its place we will introduce a new system. it will be based on what skills you have to offer and not which country you come from. throughout our history migrants have made a huge contribution to our country and they will continue to in the future. those with the skills we need who want to come here and work

ha rd need who want to come here and work hard will find a welcome. but we will be able to reduce the numbers as we promised. and by ending free movement we will give british business and incentive to train our own young people and to invest in technology that will improve their productivity. so this is our proposal. taking back control of our borders, laws and many. but the jobs, good for the union, it delivers on the referendum, it keeps faith with the british people, it is in the national interest. evenif even if we don't all agree on every pa rt even if we don't all agree on every part of this proposal we need to come together because it's time we faced up to what is at risk. we have a labour party that if they were in

government would accept any deal the eu chose to offer regardless of how bad it was for the uk. but who also say they will oppose any deal i choose to bring back regardless of how good it is for the uk. and there are plenty of prominent people in british politics, in parliament and out of it, who want to stop brexit in its tracks. their latest plan is to hold a second referendum. they call it a people's vote. but we had the people's vote and the people chose to leave.

a second referendum would be a politician ‘s vote. politicians telling people they got it wrong the first time and should try again. think for a moment what it would do to faith in our democracy. if having asked the people of this country to ta ke asked the people of this country to take this decision, politicians tried to overturn it. those of us who do respect the result, whichever side of the question we stood on two yea rs side of the question we stood on two years ago, need to come together now. if we don't, if we all go off in different directions in pursuit of our own visions of the perfect brexit, we risk ending up with no brexit, we risk ending up with no brexit at all. and there's another reason why we

need to come together. we are entering the tough first phase of the negotiations. you saw in salzburg that i am standing up for britain. what we are... what we are proposing is very challenging for the eu. but if we stick together and hold our nerve, i know we can get a deal that delivers for britain. and ultimately, that is what it is all about. the people we serve are not interested in debates about the theory of brexit. their livelihoods depend on making a success of it in

practice. a brexit that might make britain stronger 50 years in the future is no good for you today. you need to keep supply chains flowing. if you are a fisherman in peterhead, you need a brexit that delivers full control of our waters. if you run an exporting business, you need a brexit that will open up new global markets. if you live on the irish border, you need a brexit that keeps it frictionless and communities connected. these things matter to you, so they matter to me. you are the people, we are all here to serve. and together, we will build a brighter future serve. and together, we will build a brighterfuture for serve. and together, we will build a brighter future for the whole united kingdom.

i passionately believe that our best days lie ahead of us. and that our future is full of promise. we have fundamental strengths as a country. english is the global language. we can trade with shanghai over morning coffee and san francisco at tea—time. 0ur courts are incorruptible. 0ur universities world leading. 0ur soft power unrivalled. a driving force in the commonwealth, a permanent member of the un security council and soon we will retake our own seat at the world trade organisation. britain will be a champion... britain will be a champion for free trade across the globe. and i want to thank our fantastic trade envoys for leading that work. but our greatest strength of all is the

talent and diversity of our people. we have produced more nobel prizewinners than any country apart from america. we are home to amazing innovators, creators and entrepreneurs. 0urwonderful innovators, creators and entrepreneurs. 0ur wonderful public serva nts entrepreneurs. 0ur wonderful public servants are the best in the world. the compassion of our nhs staff, the dedication of our teachers, the bravery of our police and the matchless courage of our armed forces. don't let anyone tell you we don't have what it takes. we have everything we need to succeed. and in 2022, we will put the best of british creativity and innovation, culture and heritage on the show in

a year—long festival of great britain and northern ireland. whenever i travel i find a renewed interest in britain. let me give you one example. last month, i became the first british prime minister to visit kenny for 30 years. this is a commonwealth partner are a nation of over 50 million people on a continent that will be an engine room of economic growth in the years ahead. their message to me was clear. 0ur businesses want to trade with you, our young people want to study with you, our scientists and artists want to collaborate with you. but i was the first prime minister to visit since margaret thatcher. there is a whole world out there. let's lift our horizons to

meet it. the uk has always been an outward looking trading nation and as conservatives, we believe in the power of a well regulated free—market, the greatest agent of collective human progress ever devised. in the last 30 years, extreme poverty has been cut in half. global life expectancy has increased by nearly 20 years. child mortality has halved. but the free market has not just mortality has halved. but the free market has notjust saved lives. it has improved. the internet, smartphones, cheap air travel, electric cars, even flatpack furniture, we should defend free markets. because it is ordinary

working people who benefit. closed markets... closed markets and command economies will not overthrown by powerful elites but by ordinary people. by the shipyard workers of gdansk who led the resistance in poland. by people of all backgrounds who took pa rt people of all backgrounds who took part in the velvet revolution in czechoslovakia. by the people of east berlin who tore down that wall. these were the many, not the few. and when the many have the freedom to choose, they choose freedom. i saw it last month in south africa.

i was "an inspiring young people full of fire and hope for their futures, some told me they wanted to be doctors, others lawyers, some might even have been inspired to become professional dancers. maybe not! but one young woman said something else. she told me her ambition was to start a business so she could create jobs in to start a business so she could createjobs in her to start a business so she could create jobs in her local community. the people in this hall who have started their own businesses will know how thrilling it is to take a risk and start something new. but offering someone a job, creating opportunity for other people, is one of the most socially responsible things you can do. it is an act of public service as noble as any other. to everyone who has done it, we are all in your debt. so, we in this party, we in this hall, we say

thank you. and to all businesses, large and small, you may have heard that there isa small, you may have heard that there is a four letter word to describe what we conservatives want to do to you. it has a single syllable. it is of anglo—saxon derivation. it ends in the letter k. back businesses! back then to create jobs and build

prosperity. back them to drive innovation and improve lives. back them with the lowest corporation tax in the g20. britain under my conservative government is open for business. we support free markets because we know their strengths. but we also know their strengths. but we also know their strengths. but we also know their limits. the defining event for a new generation of voters was not the fall of the berlin wall, but the collapse of the banks. it was the biggest market failure in our lifetimes. a recession in which almost three quarters of a million jobs were lost. sound businesses forced to close because they could not access credit. people queueing to withdraw their money from northern rock. thanks to labour, the

country was not prepared. the government ended up borrowing £1 for every £4 it spent. it fell to our party to clear up the mess. eight yea rs party to clear up the mess. eight years on, how have we done? our economy is growing, the deficit down by four fifths. unemployment at its lowest since the 1970s. youth unemployment at a record low. households where nobody works down by almost a million. and we should not forget what is behind those numbers. the parent who swaps a benefit cheque for a regular wage. the youngster leaving school and never having to sign on. the children growing up with an example of ha rd children growing up with an example of hard work. hope and dignity for millions of people in our country, we should be proud of our record. but our pride in those achievements

should not blind us to the challenges that remain. the after—effects of the crash are still being felt. some markets are still not working in the interests of ordinary people. employment is up but too many people have not had a decent pay rise. the deficit is down but achieving that has been painful. and our economy is growing, but some communities have been left behind. and that is why some people still feel that our economy is not working for them. and our mission as conservatives must be to show them that we can build an economy that does. in liverpool last week, all labour offered were bogus solutions that would make things worse. ideas that would make things worse. ideas that might seem attractive at first

glance, but which would hurt the very people they claim to help. now, their flagship announcement was a case in point. it would mean the government effectively confiscating a tenth of every company with more than 250 employees. workers would not become shareholders, and much of the income generated would end up with the government. they dress it up with the government. they dress it up as employee ownership but it is a giant stealth tax on enterprise. it would... it would slash the share prices of british businesses, hitting anyone with a private pension. it would make the uk and an attractive place to invest, and driving away business and destroying jobs. the same is true of their nationalisation policy. they want our railways and

utilities to be owned entirely by the government. but when you nationalise something, people pay for it twice. 0nce nationalise something, people pay for it twice. once when they use the service and again every month through their taxes. investment in them goes down because when governments are setting budgets, they will always choose schools and hospitals over reservoirs and railways, so people get a worse service. even some in the labour party admit their programme of nationalisation and their endless expensive promises would cost £1 trillion. that is right. 1000 billion pounds, the cost of labour. and that's not... that's not government money. but your money. because labour would have to pay for it by raising taxes higher and higher. now, have to pay for it by raising taxes higherand higher. now, of course, eve ryo ne

higherand higher. now, of course, everyone should pay their fair share. but when you raise taxes to high, businesses can't afford to invest. eventually they can't afford to operate here at all. they move abroad, createjobs to operate here at all. they move abroad, create jobs in to operate here at all. they move abroad, createjobs in other countries, pay taxes somewhere else. and leave us poorer. and labour would also have to increase borrowing again. we already spend more each year on debt interest than we do on our schools. after all the sacrifices we have made, labour would take us back to square one. and these ideas... these ideas will tell people who are struggling, they will hurt them. hurt workers whose jobs would go as businesses left britain. her to pensioners whose savings would be devalued. and hurt young people whose future labour would mortgage. but however bad the

labour approach is, we must do more than criticise it. we need to show what this conservative government is doing to address people's concerns. first we need to make markets work in the interests of ordinary people again. that is why we toughened up our corporate governance rules, we are giving workers a stronger voice in the boardroom, we have changed the rules on bonuses, so bosses are rewarded for long—term improvement not short—term profit. we are changing our employment rules, so new technology cannot undermine workers' rights. it is why we introduced the energy price cap. announce at last year ‘s conference and in place for this winter. —— this year ‘s winter. it will stop energy firms charging

their most loyal customers and fair prices. any other companies charging their companies a loyalty penalty should know we will take action. because we put the interests of consumers first, we have also announced a fundamental review into our railways. since privatisation, investment in the nation has gone up and more people are travelling by rail than ever before. 0n and more people are travelling by rail than ever before. on some routes, the service has not been good enough. we will fix that. and while we do so, we will bring in a new system of auto compensation, so that when your train is late, you won't have to waste more time getting your money back. last year, i made it my personal mission to fix another broken market, housing. we cannot make the case of capitalism if ordinary working people have no chance of owning capital. to put the dream of home ownership back within

their reach, we scrap stamp duty for most first—time buyers, and over 120,000 households have already benefited. we have helped half a million people onto the housing ladder through the schemes like help to buy. and this week, we have announced we will charge a higher rate of stamp duty on those buying homes who do not live and pay taxes in the uk. to help level the playing field for british buyers. and the money raised will go towards tackling the scourge of rough sleeping. but the truth is that while these measures will help in the short term, we will only fix this broken market by building more homes. and thatis market by building more homes. and that is what we are doing. more new

homes were added to our stock last year than homes were added to our stock last yearthan in all homes were added to our stock last year than in all but one of the last 30 years. but we need to do better still. the last time britain was building homes half a century ago, local councils made a big contribution. now, we have opened up the £9 billion affordable housing programmes to hounds —— councils to get them building again and at last yea rs i get them building again and at last years i announced an additional £2 billion for affordable housing but something is still holding many of them back. there is a government cap on how much they can borrow against their housing revenue account assets. to fund new developments. solving the housing crisis is the biggest domestic policy challenge of our generation. it does not make sense to stop councils from playing their part in solving it. so today, ican their part in solving it. so today, i can announce that we are scrapping that cap. we will get...

we will help you get on the housing ladder and we will build the homes this country needs. our next challenge is to help working people with the cost of living. we know how ha rd with the cost of living. we know how hard people work to make ends meet and provide for their families. hard people work to make ends meet and provide for theirfamilies. it isn't easy, it never has been, and the difference it makes to have a little bit of money left to put away at the end of each month is not measured in pounds and pence. it is the look on a daughter ‘s face when her mother says she can have the bike she wants for her birthday. it is the joy bike she wants for her birthday. it is thejoy in bike she wants for her birthday. it is the joy in precious bike she wants for her birthday. it is thejoy in precious memories bike she wants for her birthday. it is the joy in precious memories that a weeks holiday with the family brings. it is the peace of mind that

comes with having some savings. many people in towns and cities across our country cannot take these things for granted. they are the people this party exists for. they are the people for whom this party must deliver. it is for them that we cut income tax, introduced a national living wage, extended free childcare and throws fuel duty every year. because for millions of people, their car is not a luxury, it is a necessity. some who have wondered if there would be a thaw in our policy this year. today, i can confirm given the high oil price the chancellor will freeze fuel duty once again in his budget later this month. money in the pockets of hard—working

people, a conservative government thatis people, a conservative government that is on their side. now, after a decade of austerity, people need to know that their hard work has paid off. because of that ha rd work has paid off. because of that hard work and the decisions taken by the chancellor, our national debt is starting to fall for the first time ina starting to fall for the first time in a generation. this is a historic achievement. but getting to this turning point was not easy. public sector workers had their wages frozen. local services have had to do more with less. and families felt the squeeze. fixing ourfinances do more with less. and families felt the squeeze. fixing our finances was necessary. there must be no return to the uncontrolled borrowing of the past. no undoing of all the progress made of the last eight years. no taking britain back to square one. but...

but... but the british people need to know that the end is in sight. and our message to them must be this, we get it, we are notjust a party to clean up it, we are notjust a party to clean up the mess, we are a party to steer a course to a better future. up the mess, we are a party to steer a course to a betterfuture. sound finances are essential but they are not the limit of our ambition. because you made sacrifices, there are better days ahead. so when we have secured a good brexit deal for britain at the spending review next year we will set out our approach for the future. debt as a share of the economy will continue to go down. support for public services will go up. because a decade after the financial crash, people need to know that the austerity yet lead to is over and that their hard work has paid off.

the final challenge is about the future we want for our economy. we stand on the threshold of technological changes that will transform how we live and work, travel and communicate. this has the potential to improve the lives of eve ryo ne potential to improve the lives of everyone in society but only if we ta ke everyone in society but only if we take the right decisions now. at times of change in the past, the benefits have not been evenly spread. some communities have been left behind. this time, it must be different. because we are all worse off when any part of us is held back. that means doing things differently. 0ur modern industrial strategy is helping the whole

country get ready for the economic change that is coming. we are investing in infrastructure, we are doing more than anyone since the victorians to upgrade our railways. 0ur road—building programme is the largest since the 1970s. we have taken the big decision to build a ru nway taken the big decision to build a runway at heathrow. we have driven up runway at heathrow. we have driven up research spending so we can be the ideas factory of the future. we are investing in our workforce, helping people train and retrained. we are keeping standards high in our schools. and where labour want to roll back reforms, scrap academies, kill off free schools, we will build more of them. because every child deserves a great start in life. every child in every town and city across the whole country. so that is

our conservative answer. fixing markets, not destroying them. helping... i made that my mission when i stood for the leadership. it was what i dedicated my government to do on the steps of downing street. and it is the future this party will deliver. everyone in this hall has the power to shape that future. this is a moment of opportunity for our party. to champion decency in our politics. to champion decency in our politics. to be the moderate, patriotic government this country needs. to be a party not for the few, not even for the many, but for everyone who works hard and plays by the rules. and it is a moment of opportunity for our country. to honour the

result of the referendum. to come together to make a success of the decision we took. to build the homes we need. to get the next generation on the housing ladder. to help people who are struggling to make ends meet. to invest in our vital public services. to renew our precious national health service. to lead the world in the technologies of the future. to ensure every family and every community shares the success. to tackle the burning injustices that hold people back. we stand at a pivotal moment in our history. it falls to our party to lead our country through it. when we come together, there is no limit to what we can achieve. 0urs come together, there is no limit to what we can achieve. ours is a great country. our future is

what we can achieve. ours is a great country. 0urfuture is in our hands. together, let's seize it, together let's build a better britain. applause. theresa may the prime minister ending her speech which lasted over an hour. and i am sure everybody will be relieved that it went without a hitch or incident. you may say that the bar was rather low last year but in many ways, this was a well crafted, well pitched speech. there is always a big difference between rhetoric and reality. she danced onto the stage, which many might argue was a brave decision to start her conference speech, and she talked about division. in fact, much of the speech was about tackling the idea of difference and calling on the party for more unity. there she is hugging her husband, philip made, you will remember last year he

pretty well had to hold her up at the end of the conference speech. while she was calling for unity, she turned her fire while she was calling for unity, she turned herfire on while she was calling for unity, she turned her fire on jeremy while she was calling for unity, she turned her fire onjeremy corbyn, the labour leader, reminding, i feel, the party that they should not be attacking each other, they should be attacking each other, they should be attacking each other, they should be attacking jeremy corbyn and the labour party. she is no doubt enjoying the fact it is over and went without any hitches. in those personal stories she also revealed before she made an announcement on the nhs and cancer protection that her own god daughter had died of cancer. she praised the party for what she said and that people do have opportunity, talking about ruth davidson