The Prime Minister was in Brighton today to share his priorities with trade unionists.
Sir Keir Starmer addressed the audience at the annual Trade Union Congress conference at the Brighton Centre this morning, making him the first Prime Minister to attend since Gordon Brown in 2009.
Taking to the stage to cheers and applause, Sir Keir said: “Thank you congress. It's such a pleasure to be back with you again in Brighton.
“A city of sanctuary, of solidarity, and a city that once again showed that there's no place for hatred, division or violence on our streets.
READ MORE: Live: Keir Starmer in Brighton to address TUC congress
"A city I am delighted to say now has a Labour council once again."
In his speech, the Prime Minister promised the “biggest levelling up of workers’ rights in a generation” under his proposed new deal for working people, as well as “a country renewed and returned, calmly and with confidence, to the service of working people”.
However, he reiterated his warning of “tough decisions on the horizon”.
He said: “I do have to make clear, from a place of respect, that this government will not risk its mandate for economic stability.
"With tough decisions on the horizon, pay will be affected by that. When you lose control of the economy, it's working people who pay the price.
"I will never let that happen."
Sir Keir was heckled by a member of the audience who called for him to “tax the rich”.
Audience members were also given the chance to put questions to the Prime Minister on issues including the national care system, education, sexual harassment and violence against retail staff.
Allan Crosbie, president of the Educational Institute of Scotland, challenged Sir Keir on the two-child benefit cap and said that “poverty is wrecking the lives of more than a quarter of our children”.
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Sir Keir responded: “We’ve had to take difficult decisions given the economic circumstances we’re in.
“This isn’t an issue that could be solved just by one adjustment in welfare, frankly. It’s about housing, it’s about education, it’s about wages, it’s about conditions in which people live.
"We’re determined and are already addressing it.
"We’ll work with you and others to make sure we make good on that commitment because it is so important to us."
Unions and politicians also challenged the Prime Minister on his speech over fears of “more austerity”.
Fran Heathcote, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, said: “We’ve had enough of being told about ‘tough decisions’. The real tough decisions are forced upon our members every day trying to make ends meet.
“Thousands of the government’s own workers earn just above the minimum wage and are having to rely on food banks. There will not be a stronger economy without boosting the incomes of working people.
“You cannot solve the problems caused by austerity with more austerity.”
The TUC conference will continue tomorrow, September 11.
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