“But what I see here in UK Labour is the same determination that I know lives in every member of Australian Labor – an absolute resolve to stand together and defend democracy itself.”
Albanese said traditional parties of government would be able to seize the opportunities of clean energy and technological innovation “only if our people continue to see our institutions as the best way to make it happen”.
Albanese, the first Australian Labor leader to address the British Labour conference, has been sought out for advice while in Britain on how to prosper as a centre-left party after his thumping May election victory over Peter Dutton.
On Saturday, Anthony Albanese appeared alongside his beleaguered British counterpart Keir Starmer at a summit in London.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
Urging democratic leaders to “bring both optimism and urgency” to the task of governing in a time of technological upheaval and geopolitical competition, Albanese said the experience of post-war Australia and Britain showed that bold policy reform was possible.
“Clement Attlee and Ben Chifley and their Labor governments worked to build societies worthy of those who’d fought to defend the world from fascism and tyranny,” Albanese said.
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“By opening the doors of opportunity through education. By creating secure, well-paid jobs in manufacturing. By treating housing as not only the need, but the right, of every citizen.”
After Opposition Leader Sussan Ley accused him of “swanning” around Britain on self-indulgent trip, Albanese defended his travel to Liverpool by saying he would meet with key members of Starmer’s cabinet.
“The UK relationship is really important,” Albanese told the ABC’s Insiders on Sunday.
“Every minister in the UK government will be in Liverpool tomorrow. I’ll be there too, and I’ll be meeting and engaging with them.”
Ley accused Albanese of engaging in partisan politics in Britain, saying: “Albanese is in the UK as the Australian prime minister, not the leader of the Australian Labor Party – he shouldn’t be swanning around on the taxpayer dollar at Labour political conferences hanging out with his left-wing mates.”
Albanese also met with British Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch while in London, but he steered clear of seeking any meeting with Farage.
After his speech in Liverpool, Albanese will travel on to the United Arab Emirates before returning to Australia.
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