Theresa May must be bold at next week’s Tory conference and stay true to her promise to make Britain ‘work for everyone’
With new research suggesting families are worst off than a decade ago, the PM cannot go back on her speech upon entering Downing Street three months ago
Be bold, PM
NEXT week Theresa May has the chance to show she’s serious about making Britain a country that “works for everyone”.
As the Tories kick off their annual conference, all eyes will be on the Prime Minister to see whether she can live up to her fine words outside Downing Street three months ago.
In a marked change to David Cameron’s Government for the very rich and the very poor, May pledged to help the families in the middle “just managing”.
It couldn’t be more crucial.
New research suggests millions of working families are worse off than they were a decade ago.
They have a job but not job security, and fear their children’s futures will be even harder.
Ignored and unfashionable, it’s these families the PM must find a way of inspiring.
The grammar school announcement was a good start, but more needs to be done to fix the failing schools denying too many of our brightest kids the chance to succeed.
The Government should invoke Article 50 at the earliest opportunity to seize the fresh start provided by the historic Brexit vote.
That means a drastic cut in immigration so wages are no longer undermined by cheap foreign labour.
And it should be combined with a big impetus to set up new global trade links, including the expansion of both Heathrow and Gatwick if need be to show potential trading partners that we’re serious about attracting business to Britain.
As we untangle ourselves from EU bureaucracy, Brexit gives the Government freedom to scrap unnecessary red tape and cut VAT and corporation tax to further stimulate the economy.
Major reasons for the squeeze on incomes have been sky-high private rents and the inability of working Brits to afford their own homes.
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The UK builds half the number of houses as Canada, despite having double the population.
The PM should immediately relax planning laws and allow a major programme of house building.
These ideas are not silver bullets, but together they comprise an exciting platform for revitalising the
fortunes of Britain’s strivers.
And with the Opposition a loony Left rabble, May won’t get a better chance to make the changes the country needs.
BBC bias
IMAGINE if a former Tory minister with zero broadcast experience was handed control of the entire BBC radio network.
The Left would explode with dire warnings of Right-wing influence on the national broadcaster.
Yet we’re expected to accept one-time Labour minister James Purnell’s hefty promotion.
We don’t.