 Rhaid i ddweud y gwerthodol y Prifodol gyfnodr wneud i'r Cresidon yw'r Cresidol yng ngyffredinol ac yng ngyffredinol pethau SMolwood. Wel, gweithio y mwyaf am ddim yn cymryd a bryddo i Tynedd Mynd. Rym ni'n Pethau SMolwood a rym ni'n cyffredinol yng Nghymru a ddim yn hieddig gyda'r cyfrans yng ngyffredinol 2023. A yna chi'n hawddwch ar Capital Gwz. I wneud hyn wylen gwynterion'r Cyfrans yma o Cyfrans, fel Simon Chatfield. I know how much hard work you've put into this conference. Thank you. I also want to say thank you to the staff here at the MCC who will be looking after us this week, to the greater Manchester Police and the security teams who will keep us safe, and of course to the people of Manchester who in the most part have given us a warm welcome, and also please do all take advantage of the record amount of fringes, our biggest ever exhibition and everything conference has to offer. Conference, I joined this party the day after the 2005 general election, age 15. I attended my first conference in Blackpool in 2007, age 17, and getting together for conference has always felt a little bit like Conservative Christmas. We get the family together, we enjoy a little drink, we eat some sometimes questionable food, we have some lively debate, and on the odd occasion somebody drops off, I'm just looking around just to make sure, but please do enjoy conference and everything that you can do. But what is important is that we get our families together and reflect on what we have achieved. Our Conservative and Unionist family has done so much. We fixed a broken economy left by Labour, we fought off that nationalist threat in Scotland and protected our union, we delivered the fastest vaccine rollout in the world, we got Brexit done, invested record amounts in our NHS, got more people into work than ever before, introduced a national living wage and have cut carbon emissions faster than any country in the world. And if I may, on the 10th year of it becoming law, we Conservatives delivered equal marriage. Conference, we are not only a better country for it, we are a better party for it, and I hope that you will join me at the Pride Party on Tuesday night. I'd also like to welcome Rishi Sunak to his first conference as our party leader and Prime Minister. Rishi is busy delivering on his five-point plan. I've seen first-hand Rishi at work, he's ambitious for our country, his work ethic is incredible and he cares deeply about Britain. I spoke with Rishi yesterday, he arrived in great form and is ready for a great week. Conference, this year hasn't been without his challenges for our party. The local election results in May were disappointing, but I want to thank every volunteer who hit those pavements, delivered those leaflets, knocked on those doors, and flew the Conservative flag. Your heroes, volunteers of the heartbeat of this party, thank you. But this year has had its positives. We went forward in places like Stockton and Slough and Leicester and Torbay and in July we had the Uxbridge and South Rhysliffe by election. Conference, Rhysliffe in the London borough of Hillingdon is my home. And I wasn't giving this one up without a fight. Uxbridge taught us two things. When we let Labour into power and we let them run our towns and cities, they always do it badly. I'm proud of London, but Sadiq Khan has failed us. He's lost control of crime in London, he's bankrupt TFL, massively increased council tax and this year he hammered the poorest Londoners and the smallest businesses with his driver tax expansion of Eulez. Be in no doubt, Sadiq Khan lost Labour that election, but in May we have an opportunity to paint our city blue and elect my friend Susan Hall as the next Conservative member of the bear of London. The second lesson conference is that when this party has well run campaigns, strong local Conservative representatives and an excellent candidate and we put residents power first, we can pull off remarkable wins. Uxbridge wasn't a one-off, it was the example of how we can win time and time again. That's why it gives me an absolute pleasure to please join me in welcoming my friend and the new Conservative Member of Parliament for Uxbridge and South Rhysliffe, Steve Tuckwell. The next conference this week is our chance to lay out not only the next chapter for our party, but the roadmap for the future of Britain with our offering to the British people. We are not the oldest and the most successful political party in the world by chance. I know we have the team that can win a fifth historic general election and deliver that bright chapter in our country's history. So my message is simple, enjoy conference, enjoy Manchester and then it's game on. The general election will be decided by the people in this room. Our next speaker will need very little introduction. He has the great pleasure of representing two Premier League football teams. One, the greatest team in the world, Fulham and one, the worst team in the world, Chelsea. And he is busy getting us ready for conference and for the general election. He like me has this party running through his veins. So please welcome my friend, the Chairman of the Conservative Party, Greg Hans. Ladies and gentlemen, after that unique introduction, it gives me enormous pleasure to welcome you as well to Conservative Party Conference 2023 here in the dynamic city of Manchester. Now when the Prime Minister asked me to take on this role in February, as your party chairman, I could not have been more excited. Having been a member for 37 years, 37 years and a representative at every level, chairman of my university conservatives, an elected student union officer, award chairman, a councillor, a group leader, an MP, a government whip, a government minister and a member of the cabinet. I can truly say that there is no greater privilege than to lead our great party into the next general election alongside our great Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. But we cannot do this alone and I'm incredibly lucky to have a fantastic team of conservatives who work tirelessly behind the scenes and whom I'd like to thank personally for their dedication to our party. Right here in the front row, Peter Booth, Chairman of the National Convention, who does so, so much for our party. Pete Smallwood, the Chairman of this year's conference who you've just met. Stephen Massie, CCHQ's CEO who has helped to transform the party's finances since a year ago. Douglas Ross and Andrew R.T. Davies, you'll hear from shortly for their outstanding work in exposing the hypocrisy of what life is like under the SNP in Scotland and Labour in Wales. Finally, my fantastic team of Deputy and Vice-Chairman, Nicky Akin, Luke Hall, Lee Anderson, Jack LaPresti, Matt Vickers, Craig Tracy, Sackit Barthie, Mo Alley and my PPS, Dr Ben Spencer. So, ladies and gentlemen, we are one big conservative family, whether you've been a member for 50 years like Edna from Brecon and Radnyshire or a member for just over 12 months like Leo from Bristol. Now, as Chairman, I've had the great pleasure of campaigning this year in over 50 constituencies and if I haven't got to you yet, you can expect a visit very soon. And we have seen what happens when you do great campaign. Look at Uxbridge. The week before, Labour was 25 to 1 on favourites. Now, think about that. Labour was so favourites that you put £100 on and if Labour won, you'd only get £4 back. But we knew we had the right policies, a superb turnout from everyone across all levels of the party and a first-class candidate in Steve Tucker. Now, I'm going to go one better than Pete Smyrd. I'm going to actually ask Steve Tucker to stand up. Steve, stand up. You'll be brilliant. And he's already getting stuck in at the House of Commons. He truly is a fantastic parliamentary voice for the people of Uxbridge and South Rhyslith and proof that we can come from behind to win as we have done so often before. So I would ask that everyone captures the energy which went into winning in Uxbridge and gets out to support our fantastic current by-election candidates in Tamwertham, Mid-Bedfordshire, Andy Cooper and Festus Akinbyswya. So by-elections aside, we will of course have several elections next year. A full set of local elections in May. A crime commissioner elections led by our fantastic group leader Katie Bourne. We also have our flagship mayors and candidates across the country standing for election next year. In the West Midlands, we have Andy Street. The East Midlands, Ben Bradley, Tees Valley, Ben Houchen, North Yorkshire, Keen Duncan and others. And in London, GLA and mayoral elections, as Pete has already said, he wants to throw out a Labour mayor who has been an unmitigated disaster for our great capital city. Proof again as if we didn't need to see it again. We know this, that when Labour run things, they run them badly. Londoners are starting to see through it and we have a brilliant candidate in Susan Hall who will on 2 May prove to Sadiq Khan that actually Sadiq can't. And we will, and I don't think I'm breaking any state secrets here, also have a general election. Now this is likely to be a general election where the Conservatives enter as the underdogs. And I know in recent years you will have had difficult conversations with voters. I certainly have. But I would say just three things about those conversations. First, every single conversation I have had on the doorstep has been improved by the mention of Rishi Sunak and the job that he does as our Prime Minister. Second, that there is no enthusiasm for Sakiastama and even less trust in him. And third, that wherever Labour runs something in the country, they run it badly. Let me tell you first about our great Prime Minister. The message coming across loud and clear from the doorstep is that people can see we're moving in the right direction. That the Conservatives are getting on with the job and that Rishi Sunak is the right man to steer this country through extremely challenging times. People understand also the tough choices and the trade-offs that true leadership entails. They look at our Prime Minister and see someone who is prepared to make the tough, long-term decisions to get the country on the right path for our future. Someone who's not afraid to challenge the old style Westminster politics of short-termism that we have seen so much of in the past. That earns respect. It wins trust and it will be by continuing to win that trust and respect that we will also win nationally next year. Which takes me to my second point, that there is no liking for Sakiastama and definitely no trust. Who is the real Sakiastama? The friend and supporter of Jeremy Corbyn? The puppet of Tony Blair? Or the mouthpiece of Just Stop Oil? All we do know is that he has broken every single leadership pledge and flip-flopped almost 60 times in just three years. This is a man who will literally say anything that suits him at that time. I've always thought that the best leaders wake up each morning and ask themselves, what am I going to do today? Some leaders ask themselves, what am I going to say today? Sakiastama wakes up and asks himself, what am I going to believe today? Ladies and gentlemen, can I just let you into also a little bit of a secret? These are available. Anybody who likes this association of Sakiastama with flip-flops, I have these available at the Conservative shop outside for just £16.99, also online at Conservatives.com, your own pair of Sakiastama flip-flops. I warmly recommend them to you. But not once has there been any clear plan for Britain from Sakiastama. He is not honest with people about the challenges that the country faces. He has no new ideas, criticises from the sidelines, calling for yet more money to be magicked up. Now, here's another thing we know, that wherever Labour runs something, they run it badly. I've already mentioned London. Look at Wales. We're going to hear from Andrew R.T. Davies later this afternoon, and David T.C. Davies, the Secretary of State for Wales, patience almost twice as likely to be on the NHS waiting list as they are in England. But according to Sakiastama, Labour in Wales is quote, a blueprint for what they would do in Westminster. Now, that's not a blueprint, ladies and gentlemen. It is a red flag and it's bringing Wales to a standstill. Look at Labour on Birmingham City Council. It's leader handpicked by Sakiastama and his union paymasters to sort out the finances, praised by Sakiastama just a few months ago. So what did they do? They voted unanimously to bump up their own pay packets, blow millions of pounds on consultants, all paid for by hiking council tax for hardworking local people by the maximum amount. This is Europe's largest local authority. Before being hit by a £760 million legal bill for, and here is the irony, equal pay claims. £760 million for one local authority. A Labour council that spent more time thinking up, you might remember this from the height of the pandemic, more time thinking up new woke street names than looking after their own finances. Birmingham City Council really did have a diversity growth. They had an inspire alley. And now, ladies and gentlemen, they are up Bankruptcy Avenue. From what we do know of Labour's plans for the UK, the entire country would go the same way. Labour's plan for energy lovingly crafted by Just Stop Oil would leave us gasping for energy imports from unfriendly foreign powers. Their plan for immigration would see the numbers coming into this country decided not by ours, but by Brussels. And their plan for the economy has already signed the UK up to £90 billion of uncosted funding commitments. Before putting money on the credit card, didn't work out so well for them last time. Now, you could probably work out where this is going. Dear Chief Secretary, no money left. And that reminder, ladies and gentlemen, should tell us that we need to work to stop Labour getting back in. We cannot let them do to the UK what they have done to Wales, what they have done to London and what they have done to Birmingham. There is a surefire way to stop them in their tracks. It's their effective campaign, ladies and gentlemen, and winning next year at all levels. Now, let me tell you something about somebody who did know a thing or two about campaigning, a much-loved member of our Conservative family who represented his constituents with the utmost dedication. Sir David Amos, Member of Parliament first for Basildon and then for South End West. Many of us will remember his campaigns on issues, including the honouring of Roel Wallenberg for his amazing humanitarian works in World War II, support for those suffering from endometriosis, and, of course, the awarding of city status to his beloved South End On-Seat. And many of us remember well, I'll never forget the day, the deeply shocking circumstances of his murder in the course of his duty. So today, in his memory, I am proud to announce the launching of the Sir David Amos Fund to support more dedicated local campaigning. The Sir David Amos Fund will be available to all of our members of Parliament to apply for. The fund will be focused on supporting local campaigns which transcend party politics such as campaigning to secure city status for their town. There will be two successful applicants each year with funding made available to support them campaign on and better promote their local cause. And I'm delighted to confirm that Anna Firth MP, Sir David's successor in South End West who's watching this now from the train on her way up to Manchester, will work with me to pick those successful applicants. So today I make one other announcement to help get local campaigns up and running. As chairman, I know the value of being well organised locally and the importance of CCHQ having a strong network of campaign managers has in helping making that happen. And that is why since the start of this year, we have more than doubled the number of campaign managers that CCHQ employs. And for the first time ever, we have started to hire digital campaign managers as well. They are helping to build our social media presence, collecting more emails and filming engaging local content. We saw just how important our digital campaign managers were in Uxbridge, where we campaign relentlessly on social media and email against the US. And conference, I want to ensure you know we will be expanding the number of campaign managers we have in advance of the general election to support you on the ground. Whilst we'll be growing the number in the period up to the next general election, I've also challenged my colleagues in CCHQ to find sensible and creative solutions for the long term to ensure that the feast and famine of campaign managers we've seen in recent years ends. So I want to assure that we are forward-looking and growing a sustainable, well-trained and experienced campaigning organisation. Conference, I will leave you with one final thought. As we go out and campaign, as we make our arguments, we shouldn't be apologetic about what a Conservative Government by Rishi Sunak means. It means strong and decisive long-term action on the things that matter most to people. Action that the country needs to put us on the best footing for the future. Now, when I look back at the achievements of this country under the Conservatives, I take great pride. I've been a Minister in this Government almost continually for 12 years. Pride that back in 2010, we made the tough choices to get the country's finances back under control. That has made us more able to withstand the headwinds that have come our way since. Pride that we kept our great union together in 2014. And thank you, Nicola, for your help in cementing that this year as well. Pride that when the British people asked us to deliver on the result of the EU referendum, we kept true to our word and we got it done. Pride that we used those new freedoms to deliver a world-leading vaccination programme and to help beat back coronavirus and provide the financial support that British families and businesses needed. And pride that just a year and a half ago, it was the UK that stood tall and galvanised the rest of the world in support of Ukraine. So, ladies and gentlemen, conference. The United Kingdom is a great country. It faces profound and complex challenges like the whole of the Western world. Our best days in Britain are still to come. The country is best served by strong, decisive leadership that is focused on delivering a brighter future for everyone, the leadership of our Prime Minister, Rysi Sunak, and this great Conservative Party. And by working together as a great Conservative family, we can ensure victory in 2024, economic renewal and a stronger and happier United Kingdom. Thank you very much, indeed.