"Only Labour can deliver opportunity for all"

After listening to yesterday’s Queen's Speech – Gordon Brown’s first as Prime Minister - Southampton Itchen Labour MP John Denham said;

"Today we had the traditional parliamentary occasion of the Queen's Speech. Beneath all the pomp and ceremony is the serious business of a Labour Government responding to the rising aspirations of the British people by delivering new and better opportunities for all.

"We have listened to the British people and are responding to their rising aspirations in this Queen’s Speech with change to support hard-working families and help break down barriers to opportunity that prevent people from realising their full potential. I look forward to working on this legislative programme at Westminster and letting people in Southampton know how Labour will help them realise their aspirations.

“As a government, Labour embraces the concerns, the struggles and the hopes and ambitions of families in every part of our country.

“The priorities of Britain’s hard-working families who play by the rules are our priorities – education, the NHS, security, affordable housing, a better balance between work and family life, and a strong economy – and these were the priorities of the Queen’s Speech.

“Our vision is to provide the best chances for people in Southampton to make the most of themselves and their potential – in a Britain where people rise as far as their talents take them and where all the talents of each of us can contribute to the wellbeing of all.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors

The Queen’s Speech continues the work of change with;

• change to better support families who work hard and to help with the pressures all parents are under in bringing up their children with an extension of the right to flexible working;

• change to extend educational opportunity to all our young people to ensure that young people stay in education or training until age 18, including new measures to extend apprenticeship opportunities;

• change to help put affordable housing within the reach of the many and not just the few;

• change so that the NHS becomes more focused around the needs of the individual patient;

• change to help all children get the best possible start in life with measures to improve services for vulnerable children; and improve youth and community facilities;

• change to protect the environment;

• change to the way we do politics with more power being shared across our society, not concentrated in Westminster;

• and alongside measures to meet rising aspirations, change to build stronger communities, tackle crime and terrorism, and to strengthen our immigration laws.

This programme for change will continue to be built on the foundation of a strong and stable economy, with low inflation, sound public finances, high levels of employment, and interest rates kept as low as possible.