Rachel Reeves makes first speech as UK chancellor - watch live 

Liverpool Central Docks is a sleeping giant. Liverpool's docks are literally the window to the UK. Millions of people judge the whole country, our culture and economy on the strength of the city's waterfront. Make Liverpool the jewel in the country's crown. It is strategically vital at the crossroads of England, Ireland and Wales and should be a flagship city.

Brilliant speech 👏 The adults have finally arrived in parliament after 14 years of terrible Tories

This Chancellor is a breath of fresh air.........she's not here to play games. This is what this great nation needs.

5:43 start time

Fantastic first speech from our new Labour Chancellor. She was measured, honest, and authentic, presenting herself as if she has been in the role for years. Although there are hard decisions ahead, I believe that once we navigate this temporary period and growth begins, the future will be bright.

The key to growth is investment. Not cost cutting, like the Tories believed.

Does this country feel more chilled to everyone, or is it just me?

We can't complain about lack of housing and yet keep blocking building new ones. This is going to upset people, but we need houses. They are taking no prisoners to get stuff done. Just waiting for the Grifter from Clacton to start claiming all sorts of nonsense about asylum seekers getting penthhouses.

Great speech 👍.

Refreshing. Sound's like competence.

One massive issue that people are either ignoring or appear to be ignorant of is the massive number of properties in this country and abroad, which are being procured for the sole purpose of maximising income from rentals in the tourist industry and pricing working people out of housing in their local communities. See protests in Barcelona and do your research on places in UK affected by this phenomena. The impact is not negligable. It's huge! This phenomena was ballooned by the likes of AirBnB which is great for those wanting a cheap holiday and those wanting to profit from property ownership, but disastrous for local working people trying to secure a tenancy or buy their first property.

Clearly better than any Tory chancellor - if only in terms of seriousness

I remember the same sort of speech when the coalition government came into power about labour leaving a lot of debt that needed to be sorted out 😂 it was almost word for word

THIS IS PATRIOTISM. Looking after our nation sensibly, while not excluding us from the rest of the world.

See, I knew there wasn't a plan! Wait... What?

Is it just me, or are the journalists asking more sensible questions as well?

Stop saying the word reform. Brand recognition.

I'm glad there are competent people back in charge, but unless wealth inequality is seriously addressed, there'll be no meaningful change. People living on foodbanks don't want to hear about growth and GDP. Neo-liberal trickle-down economics has failed.

Excellent - my only query is who will do the building - we are desperately short of skilled construction workers and increasing numbers will take time (through apprenticeships etc). To meet the urgency of the issue, there has to be acceptance that we may need to bring skilled workers in through targeted immigration. At last, grown-up government from grown-up politicians.

some very refreshing words

I saw Rachel’s interview with Rory and Alastair. I’m glad she’s the new chancellor.

Quite resonating. Is it weird that's he sounds exactly like Starmer

A human being for a change!

I like that approach. You must build housing and you can chose where locally.. but if you just waste time we will chose for you because its too important to do nothing. Finally the NIMBY crowd can shut up.

What a beautiful smile at the end!

“You can choose to be inspired by what Rachel Reeves is saying and create new opportunities for yourself in the economy she envisions. These opportunities create markets, which generate revenue, leading to salaries that drive increased spending in the UK economy. As a result, the entire system heats up nicely, fostering growth.

finally some serious people at the steering wheel

A genuinely fantastic speech. Fills me with optimism.

Where was this line of question from Sky and others when we had 14 years of Tory lead decline?

STILL no interest in addressing or correcting the multiple Human Rights Violations against disabled people by the previous government... There are millions of disabled people who who could help this government achieve economic growth with the right support, but we are ignored yet again.

No more PPI or Private Equity in our public services please. Rebuild and renationalise. Don’t sell out to the asset strippers.

Determined. Great first speech.

Competence & professionalism. I’m impressed so far

Excellent speech. Serious politicians at last! Im realising that ive been traumatised by the last few concervative governments.... We had no stability, always a scandal of some sort, always serving self interest and never being honest. No exageration, i feel traumatised. Glad we have a serious government at last.

Great speech 👍

5:46 speech starts.

foreigners that have multi houses is a problem -- these are sitting empty

Finally, the RIGHT person for this job ! Finally, some progressive approach to problems. Finally, we got rid off this old-fashioned, conservative thinking, and finally, we will start building and modernizing this country.

The spies at Thames House and Lego Land have nicknamed the Chancellor Miss NoMoneyPenny!

Growth and inflation are very vague terms and represent multiple factors. I would struggle with handling the books of a small company, so I expect an economy representing some 70 million people to be super complicated. The whole subject will be dumbed down for the viewers to get the illusion to understand the scale of the problems. Unfortunately, it also has to be dumbed down for most politicians. So, please admit when you don’t know or understand something. Know enough however to avoid being gaslighted. Much success!

Would not like to get on the wrong side of her 🥺🥺

Do not use the word reform in any communications

Finally - Just listening to Rachel Reeves one feels a glimmer of hope - 👍

Excellent speech 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Guardian video editor. Ever heard of cropping?

Should have put at least one of the datacentres in a Northern region, not just jobs but --> cooler = more efficient.

Marvellous speech

That's all I hear, the words change and reset. The script needs dramatic change. When all you have is change and reset without a middle, then you know the script doctor advisor hasn't done his job.

Did she consult Dianne Odd shoes

We'll see, if they use Wales as a blueprint you can expect wasted money.

Claire’s palette. Wow. 😂 Damning indictment in a calm voice. Love it!

wow,what a woman.

I remember when the government DID build social housing. Why not now?

Superb! Brilliant speech!

Brownfield sites, excellent idea. If land isn’t wanted for it’s existing category, rezone it! Don’t have it sitting doing nothing, change! Progress doesn’t come from playing safe. High Streets are often mentioned as on the decline, well rethink how to use, and forget the boxes.

this is surreal. where are the civil servants in the treasury? They don't give any introduction in this speech first and invite Rachel to deliver her speech?

Are you cutting all the red tape for companies and self employed

Let me guess none of this will be done within 5 years

It makes a refreshing change to have a politician speak for 20 minutes without referring to a bunch of notes.

Is she obsessed with house building without any consideration for infrastructure including schools, businesses etc.?

She talks in the exact same manner as Keir

Isn't there more to growing an economy than building houses? Listening to this, I was struck by how little she had to say about anything else.

What a fantastic lady..very impressive

Fine words about cutting red tape and getting on with shovels in the ground with cut through decisionmaking from the top until you try and reconcile the addition of 300 extra planning officers added to the bureaucracy. Could the Chancellor please explain that apparent contradiction?

Watch her eyes ...look left, look center, then look right. That's what singers in bands do in front of an audience.

Is making life better all about growth, I wonder? And will growth come at the cost of the environment? That's my question.

Agree with building 14,000 more Homes. But not to House Immigrants and Boat People. Those Houses Must Go to the People of the UK. Who have been waiting Years. Not to someone who just swans up on our Shores. For example the 50,000 already in Hotels that Labour are going to Fast Track into Our Society and Spread All Over the Country.

Rachel is a force to be reckoned with, she could be next Prime Minister if Kier stood down. In addition their manfesto was weak, hopfully they will deliver the plan they come up with.

that's great speech

No mention of being outside the Single Market, which is costing the UK £100 billion per year. Approximately 200 times the amount it spends on public libraries. Hey-ho though, Rachel is “laser-focused on growth”.

Hope ur money brings peace and creativity❤❤

Go Rachel! Brilliant....

She looks very scared to me. I imagine the state of the finances are pretty bad.

and the money comes from where ! and for who !

A prolonged period of silence from Tory trolls would be most welcome.

dont take from wildlife

The trouble with depending on private housebuilders is that they like to keep he supply low so the houseprice stays high at an optimum level for maximum profits.

So,, she wants a building boom… More house, more plants, more roads. Planning reforms are great… not a simple task. I wish her luck

Brilliant speech

she repeats a lot , !

look at ways to have houses that are allowing more people to live in...think going one floor underground .... space can be used there. re flats, have some floors underground

she does sound like starmer

But is there any time to waste?

We need immigration to fill the labour gap. Illegal immigration has no place however.

Cameron said this about cutting red tape and sorting out planning but it never changed only for the big boys who knew how to grease palms planning just takes it out on the little man instead now, we have been waiting 7 months just to get planning for 2 mobile units selling food and drink an established business which employs people and has been successful! For the last 3 years, but just keeps dragging on, sack every single planning officer over 30

Will all of the 1.5 million new homes be net zero compliant, or will they have to be retro fitted with sufficient insulation, heat pumps and triple glazing at a later date at the owners and or tax payers' expense?

Appreciated

What a refreshing speech. It’s about time some serious adults took charge. Compare this to Rishi Sunak’s headline pledge on home ownership - 5% mortgages and no stamp duty - which does nothing to alleviate housing supply and rising prices. This country has been letting down the younger generations for too long and it’s great to see Labour finally doing something about it.

bungalows take too much footage

300.000 Houses a year, most Building companies work Monday- Friday, take away Bank holidays and Christmas close down you have approx 250 days a year to build the required target, that’s 1200 Houses a day for 250 days =300.000. Where are the Brick layers, plasterers, roofers, plumbers,electricians, painters and decorators, Gas and Electricity engineers, and other trade persons coming from, most colleges offer three year apprenticeship courses in the above job’s, and social housing every one knows these planning applications are always watered down, a company promises to build say 100 social houses but 6 months later they ask for the plans to be changed and usually end up building 40 instead, if a company promises to build a certain amount of social houses in an application then they must honour that commitment or face a fine of £5.000.000 million pounds.

Need to look after the housing stock you’ve got aswell before they fall apart !!

Our island is only so big we can't grow forever there's always going to be a ceiling without seeding more land

Donald J Trump can save the economy in the UK. If he is not elected president in the US. Please ask him for help... :)

How long will it be before she starts blaming "Skivers and scroungers" on benefits? I can't see the difference between her "Fiscal rules" and austerity...

A human being speaks.

She’s like a robot!!!!

Finally, someone that understands the needs of the country

What about the planet the entirement before it's to late Rachel Reeves

At last a glimmer of hope not hatred.

She’s very likeable and you definitely feel confident in her - hopefully she’ll be known for years to come as the best we have ever had. Let’s wait and see