Corbyn says housing is Labour鈥檚 鈥渢op priority policy鈥 in first conference speech as leader

Jeremy Corbyn

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has set out his plans for a 鈥渒inder, more inclusive politics鈥 in his first set piece leader鈥檚 speech at the Labour Party conference in Brighton.

Corbyn said housing would be Labour鈥檚 鈥渢op priority policy鈥 under his leadership and pledged 鈥渁 decent home for everybody鈥. He slammed the Conservatives鈥 housebuilding record, saying: 鈥淣owhere is the Tory failure more complete or more damaging.鈥

Corbyn lauded plans set out by shadow housing minister John Healey for 100,000 鈥減ublic homes鈥 a year, adding: 鈥淭here is no answer to this crisis that doesn鈥檛 start with a new, very large, very active council house-building programme.鈥 He also called for 鈥渘ew homes to rent and to buy鈥 and said the party needed 鈥渘ew ideas to tackle land-hoarding and speculation.鈥

Corbyn said the UK economy was suffering from an 鈥渋nvestment crisis鈥 in core infrastructure. While he declined to set out specific spending pledges, he said: 鈥淓very mainstream economist say now is the time for investment in our public infrastructure. The economy of the future depends on the investment we make today in infrastructure, skills and schools.鈥

Corbyn said he would stick to his activist roots as Labour leader. Corbyn called for a 鈥済reen new deal鈥 for investing in low carbon infrastructure. He claimed the Conservatives were 鈥渘ot interested鈥 in this area of policy after putting the Green Investment Bank up for sale earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Corbyn described the new trade union bill - which Labour is opposing in Parliament - as a 鈥渇undamental attack on human rights鈥.

He also called on the government to step in and help the steel industry in Teeside following SSI鈥檚 decision to close its plant in Redcar with the loss of 1,700 jobs. Corbyn said Labour would stand by them as they fight for their jobs and communities.

He said Labour 鈥渨ill be open for debate鈥 and will allow its members to 鈥渇izz鈥 under his leadership.