Reeves vows to bring UK a decade of national renewal

Rachel Reeves has declared she is ready to become Britain's first female chancellor as she set out Labour's stall as the party of business.

- ARCHIE MITCHELL

With five weeks until the 4 July general election, the shadow chancellor promised to "turn the page on chaos and decline" and "start a new chapter for Britain".

In a major speech at a Rolls-Royce site in Derby, Ms Reeves said serving as chancellor would be the privilege of her life and would require hard work and hard choices. But she said she is ready, promising to “lead the most pro-growth, the most probusiness Treasury that our country has ever seen, with a laser focus on delivering for working people”.

Flanked by business leaders who have backed Labour in the upcoming election, Ms Reeves reiterated Labour’s five missions for “a decade of national renewal”.

She detailed plans for 40,000 new appointments every single week, a Border Security Command to “smash the criminal gangs and strengthen our borders”, a publicly owned Great British Energy company, an antisocial behaviour crackdown and plans for 6,500 new teachers.

Ms Reeves said: “To serve as chancellor of the exchequer would be the privilege of my life, not to luxuriate in status, not as a staging post in a career, but to serve. I know the responsibility that will come with that – I embrace it.”

Her speech came as: