John McDonnell started his speech by talking about the recent scandal of MP’s expenses and said we should all be very angry. He went on to say that the solution wasn’t just sacking a few MPs. The crisis is systemic, the Political crisis and the economic crisis are not isolated they are two sides of a corrupt undemocratic system. An unequal system where the rich pay less tax than their cleaners. Former ministers are awarded contracts with big businesses within months of standing down as ministers and are then employed as consultants with those companies.

We shouldn’t lose site of the morality that is at stake in government today and we should be angry at the immoral wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, be angry at the expenditure of tax payers money on their extravagant lifestyle, by angry at the expenditure on Tridant when children and pensioners are still living in poverty, be angry at plans such as airport expansion, be angry at the expenditure on second homes and be angry that after 12 years of labour government they still haven’t housed the 80,000 homeless families that we have in our country.

He went on to say we should not waste that anger and that we should link up with others that are angry and challenge the anger into a demand for change. Not just a new parliament but a new society with rights at home, a clean environment, medical treatment and community rights. We should have a continual say on our rights and not just every 4 years at the ballot box. We should own and control our own public services and we should bring back democracy. The crisis will be exploited by the Tories and the fascists and the economic crisis will be paid for by us and not them. We need new voices and change will come through the people and PCS not through parliament. The people at the sharp end should be the ones who decide the future of our society, it may mean we have to take it to the streets and the picket line and call other unions to unite with us in solidarity for a new society.

The full speech can be viewed below 15 mins 57 secs