We are proud of Liverpool. We are proud of its history, its culture and its heritage. We are proud of its people, their humour, hospitality and warmth. And we are proud of its regeneration, and of its thriving city centre which has blossomed since 1997. Liverpool has so much to be proud of, and we want to celebrate everything this city has to offer.
As the Labour Party, we are also proud of everything the Labour government has done for this city. From investing £700million to rebuild Alder Hey and the Royal Hospital, to committing to rebuild every single school in the city leading to record exam results for the city’s kids, and to the record numbers of police on our streets and crackdowns on Anti-Social Behaviour, Labour’s commitment to Liverpool couldn’t be clearer.
However, Liverpool enters a New Year and a new decade facing some tremendous challenges. I don’t need to remind you about the state of our finances as a city: We are facing an £11million budget gap this year alone, and plugging this gap is going to mean taking some very difficult decisions. Our city remains deeply divided, with a prosperous south living alongside a deprived north. There are still pockets of deprivation in this city which are among the worst in the UK. Thousands of people are unemployed, thousands of people are desperate for a decent home to live in, and thousands of houses sit boarded up, empty, useless and blighting the communities that live with them.
However, Liverpool Labour are ready to tackle these problems. We have worked hard at policy development over the last six months, and are close to being ready to present a comprehensive package of policies to the people of Liverpool.
So as much as this is a New Year message, it should also be taken as a statement of intent from Liverpool Labour: We are ready to meet the challenges we face as a city head on. We are determined, ready to fight our city’s corner, and make sure we begin to punch our weight as a major international city. And we are ready to pull together and work with stake holders at all levels – be they the city’s business leaders, the city’s workers, the council’s staff, or the residents of Liverpool. All have a stake in the future of our city, and Liverpool Labour is ready to give a full blooded commitment to working along side them.
For too long, the Liberal Democrats have offered us half hearted, part time, small scale leadership. It is high time Liverpool started to think big – and Liverpool Labour are ready to lead the way.
Happy New Year to everyone, from Liverpool Labour!