Kate’s speech commences at 17:22
Labour’s Kate Green gave her maiden speech to Parliament this week with a call for better protection for young people and support for people getting back into work. Green was speaking as part of the Queens Speech debate on Work and Pensions. She opened with a tribute to the work of her predecessor Bev Hughes and went on to describe why she’s so proud to represent Stretford and Urmston in Parliament. Green said her constituency typifies what is best about our country; hard working, neighbourly, people who are determined to do their best for their families and for their community, down to earth, but with ambitions, hopes and dreams. She gave a nod of congratulations to Urmston resident Danielle Hope who was recently chosen as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new Dorothy. She cited the presence of world class attractions in Gorse Hill of the Old Trafford stadiums and Imperial War Museum North.
Turning to the issues at hand during the Queens Speech Debate on the new Tory Lib Dem government’s plans for the Department for Work and Pensions Green highlighted the work the previous Labour Government had done to protect jobs and provide employment for young people as the recession bit.
Kate Green said: “the thousands of conversations I have had with local people, they have so often repeated the importance of young people getting the skills they need and getting into good jobs as they start out in life. And I was proud to be able to answer that, thanks to Labour’s investment in employment and skills, Unemployment in this recession has up till now been much lower than in the last two recessions, and that our Future Jobs Fund would guarantee every young person training or a job. Now I am deeply concerned that the approach of the present government – axing the Future Jobs Fund and slashing jobs in the public sector – will put millions of livelihoods at risk.”
Kate also challenged the new Government to guarantee there will be adequate support as part of their plans for welfare reform: “My challenge to the Tory Lib Dem Government if they want to ensure work pays is to lead the way in the public sector (where a quarter of low paid workers are employed) with the adoption of a Living Wage. And I challenge them to invest now for the future – cutting university places and the FJF is both short-sighted economically and a betrayal of our young people, and puts another generation at risk. Good jobs, investing in our young people, a sustainable recovery and fairness in the economy are what my constituents want. I am determined that I will always speak out for them here and I hope they will hold me to that.”
