Jeremy Corbyn prepares for his first leader’s speech at his party’s conference in Brighton. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA
Patrick Wintour Political editor
Jeremy Corbyn will tell the Labour party conference that he loves his country, shares British majority values and wants to forge a gentler politics in society.
In his first conference speech as party leader, Corbyn will say on Tuesday he was elected to lead Labour because he offered a kinder politics and a more caring society.
He will say: “It is because I am driven by these British majority values, because I love this country, that I want to rid it of injustice to make it more fair, more decent, more equal.”
He will also try to challenge preconceptions by promising to become the champion of the self-employed, suggesting they should have full access to statutory maternity and paternity pay. He will say all too often the current welfare state does not act as a safety net for the growing numbers classified as self-employed.
Corbyn’s avowal of his love for his country will be seen as a riposte to criticisms following his decision not to sing the national anthem at the Battle of Britain commemoration ceremony.
He will say that the new party leadership’s values are shared by most of the country. He will advocate fair play for all, solidarity, not walking by on the other side of the street when people are in trouble and respect for the other’s point of view. “It is the sense of fair play, these shared British majority values that are the fundamental reason why I love this country and its people,” he will say.
After another day in which senior figures in the shadow cabinet openly disputed key aspects of tax rates and foreign policy, including Trident and military action in Syria, Corbyn will make a virtue of the dissent, saying it is an essential feature of his brand of the new politics.
Diane Abbott even claimed some Labour MPs who backed Corbyn’s rivals were plotting to vote in favour of military action against Isis in Syria in order to damage his leadership.
Privately, shadow cabinet members acknowledge they are systematically trying to push Corbyn as hard as they can, including by challenging some of his most expensive leadership campaign pledges, including abolition of tuition fees.
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Acknowledging the breadth of opinion within the party, Corbyn will say: “I am not imposing leadership lines. I don’t believe anyone has a monopoly on wisdom. We all have ideas and a vision of how things can be better. I want open debate. I will listen to everyone. I firmly believe leadership is listening.”
But he will also add: “The huge mandate I have been given by the 59% of our electorate who supported me is a mandate for change. It was a vote for a change in the way we do politics in the Labour party and the country. Kinder, more inclusive. Bottom up, not top down. Real debate, not message discipline.”
Although a video will precede his remarks, his speech will be shorn of traditional New Labour conference pyrotechnics, including any stage appearance by his wife, Laura Alvarez. Corbyn has never addressed conference from the platform, but his aides claim he has mastered an autocue and will speak for around 45 minutes.
During the speech he will point out one in seven in the labour force is self-employed.But while many enjoy the independence and flexibility that self-employment brings, there can also be risk and insecurity, especially for those on the lowest and most volatile incomes, highlighting the lack of statutory sick pay and maternity pay.
The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, in his conference speech on Mondaytold the audience he took the deficit seriously but said he would oppose austerity because it was not an economic necessity, but a political choice.
He vowed to cut the use of taxpayers’ money to subsidise companies paying low wages and threatened to force big corporations to pay their share of taxes. He also called on former frontbenchers who have refused to serve Corbyn to come back in a spirit of solidarity.
But on the fringe, party modernisers continued to keep up the political pressure on Corbyn, with the former shadow education secretary, Tristam Hunt, saying the party must do well in the London mayoral election in May, as well as elections in Scotland and Wales.
He said: “It will be us heading towards mid-term territory, a government that has been in power for six years. There will be discontent. London is a Labour city, we hope – we always say that, it doesn’t always elect Labour mayors. So I think quite rightly there is expectation on the leadership to deliver and deliver successfully next May.”
Dan Jarvis, MP for Barnsley Central, also implied Labour must not show excessive personal loyalty to Corbyn if he is not succeeding. “It is a Labour prime minister, it is a Labour government that we have got to work towards,” he said.
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