Theresa May sets out her bold vision of a country dedicated to serving the needs and desires of hard working Sun readers
Millions of ordinary hardworking men and women will finally have their views heard as Government pledges to act on immigration and crime
THERESA May today pledges to put political power back where it belongs — in the hands of millions of working people.
She will use her first Tory conference leadership speech as PM to condemn politicians who pompously disregard the fears, dreams and patriotism of ordinary British men and women.
And she will vow to end the posturing by Westminster’s elite and regain the public’s trust by genuinely governing in the interests of the majority.
She will say: “If we act to correct unfairness and injustice and put government at the service of ordinary working people — we can build that new united Britain in which everyone plays by the same rules. And in which the powerful and the privileged no longer ignore the interests of the people.”
Mrs May’s speech signals an end to gimmicky politics — with her insisting that being Prime Minister is “about doing something, not being someone”.
It is about “action” not words — and “taking, not shirking, the big decisions”.
Mrs May will say: “Just listen to the way a lot of politicians and commentators talk about the public.
“They find their patriotism distasteful, their concerns about immigration parochial, their views about crime illiberal, their attachment to their job security inconvenient.
“They find the fact that more than 17million people voted to leave the European Union simply bewildering.”
Mrs May’s aides said she wants her speech to be highly personal — spelling out to the nation who she really is and her dream for Britain’s future.
Despite being Home Secretary for six years, the public knows little about the 60-year-old other than her love for kitten-heeled shoes.
The PM plans to entrench her modern Tory party on “the new centre ground of British politics”, rooting it firmly to the values of “fairness and opportunity”.
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She will spurn the ideologically-driven policies of both the Socialist Left and the libertarian Right — a move bound to upset some Tory MPs who identify with the latter.
There will also be a marked shift from the stance of some previous Tory leaders who have minimised the role of the state.
Mrs May will tell the Birmingham conference there is a major role for a Government that “steps up not back — to act on behalf of the people”.
The PM’s aides last night insisted the speech was not a veiled attack on her Old Etonian predecessor David Cameron, who was often criticised for being too elitist.
Instead, she is expected to heap praise on Mr Cameron. And last night, speaking to Sky News, she stressed the theme of continuity, saying: “This is the same government.
“We were elected in 2015 on a manifesto. We are continuing with that and I am building on the work that David Cameron did.”
Mrs May also revealed she revels in former Tory Chancellor Ken Clarke’s description of her as “a bloody difficult woman”.
During the Tory leadership battle, Mr Clarke was caught on camera describing her formidable reputation.
Mrs May, speaking of Mr Clarke’s comment, said she did not normally swear but added: “If standing up for what you believe to be right is being bloody difficult, then so be it.”
She said: “It is interesting people focus on my shoes. I don’t think they focus on Philip Hammond’s or Boris Johnson’s in quite the same way.
“Do I regret the fact people look at my shoes? Hey, it gives me an excuse to go and buy new shoes.”
Mrs May was also grilled about a scones recipe she shared — after her comments that either butter or margarine could be used upset some baking fans.
She said she had successfully used both, but butter was easier to work into the flour.