Jeremy Corbyn attacks big business as he says “no” to “hedge fund tax breaks”
Jeremy Corbyn used his first conference speech as Labour leader today to attack the Conservative government and the money manager donors that support them.
Telling conference delegates that they "don't have to accept what [they are] given", Corbyn said that Prime Minister David Cameron and the Conservatives are "paid for by the few" and only want to "protect the few".
Corbyn added that "hedge funds" have been given "£145m in tax breaks" in return for their "£55m investment".
"They expect millions of people to work harder, longer and for less quality of life on lower wages," Corbyn said. "Well we're not having it. Our Labour party says no."
In an hour-long speech that rejected the government's austerity plans, Corbyn said that he would deliver more welfare benefits for the self-employed, expand the building of council housing and lift the salaries of low-wage earners.
"Isn't it really curious that globalisation always means lower wages for the poor people, but top compensation for chief executives and global corporations?" Corbyn added.
The newly-elected Labour leader had promised a softer approach in his conference speech, and told delegates yesterday that he would "bring values back to politics".
"Let us build a kinder politics, a more caring society, together," he said. "Let's put our values, the people's values, back into politics."