Boris Johnson to promise his Government will fix issues no other ‘had the guts to tackle’

Boris Johnson is set to promise his Government will fix issues no other “had the guts to tackle”.

The Prime Minister will tell his party conference in Manchester that he is ready to deal with the “biggest issues” and unite the UK.

Mr Johnson will also pledge to revolutionise Britain’s economy with a “long overdue” change of direction.

He is expected to say: “After decades of drift and dither this reforming government, this can do government that got Brexit done, is getting the vaccine rollout done and is going to get social care done.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares his keynote speech in his hotel room in Manchester before addressing the Conservative Party Conference on Wednesday.

“We are dealing with the biggest underlying issues of our economy and society.

“The problems that no government has had the guts to tackle before.

“Because we are embarking now on the change of direction that has been long overdue in the UK economy.

“We are not going back to the same old broken model with low wages, low growth, low skills and low productivity, all of it enabled and assisted by uncontrolled immigration.

“And the answer…is not to reach for the same old lever of uncontrolled migration to keep wages low.

“The answer is to control immigration, to allow people of talent to come to this country but not to use immigration as an excuse for failure to invest in people, in skills and in the equipment or machinery they need to do their jobs.

“And that is the direction in which this country is going - towards a high wage, high skill, high productivity economy that the people of this country need and deserve, in which everyone can take pride in their work and the quality of their work.

“To deliver that change we will get on with our job of uniting and levelling up across the UK - the greatest project that any government can embark on.”

The Prime Minister will also pledge to “get on with our job of uniting and levelling up across the UK”, and criticise a focus on only certain areas.He is expected to say: “There is no reason why the inhabitants of one part of the country should be geographically fated to be poorer than others.

“Or why people should feel they have to move away from their loved ones, or communities to reach their potential.

“Levelling up works for the whole country - and is the right and responsible policy.

“Because it helps to take the pressure off parts of the overheating south east, while simultaneously offering hope and opportunity to those areas that have felt left behind.

“There are all kinds of improvements you can make to people’s lives without diminishing anyone else, and they are the tools of levelling up. If you want the idea in a nutshell it is that you will find talent, genius, flair, imagination, enthusiasm – all of them evenly distributed around this country – but opportunity is not, and it is our mission as conservatives to promote opportunity with every tool we have.”

It comes after Mr Johnson said he is “totally fed up” with low levels of prosecution in rape cases but admitted it will be “incredibly tough” to hit the Government’s target to reverse the trend.

The Prime Minister is coming under increasing pressure to tackle violence against women and girls after the murder of Sarah Everard shocked the nation.

On Monday he was unable to say whether he could look a rape victim in the eyes and tell them there is a high chance she will see justice.

He told Sky News: “I will do everything I can to deliver that. It’s going to be incredibly tough, partly because of the evidential problem.

“We’ll do everything that we can, we’re throwing everything at it.

“Things are actually starting to improve, and you are seeing some signs of acceleration… and I want to see much, much more.”

He denied that cuts to the Crown Prosecution Service were to blame and insisted the problem “is not just a question of money”.

But he acknowledged people are “wild with frustration” over the issue and added: “I’m totally fed up with it.”

CPS figures for 2019-20 show 1,439 suspects were convicted of rape or lesser offences in England and Wales – the lowest level since records began and down from 1,925 the previous year.

Earlier the Home Secretary had announced independent inquiry will be launched into the “systematic failures” that allowed Sarah Everard’s killer to be employed as a police officer.

Making her speech at the Conservative Party conference, Priti Patel said the public needs answers to ensure “something like this can never happen again” after Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens kidnapped, raped and murdered the 33-year-old marketing executive.

She said: “The public have a right to know what systematic failures enabled his continued employment as a police officer.

“We need answers as to why this was allowed to happen.

“I can confirm today there will be an inquiry, to give the independent oversight needed, to ensure something like this can never happen again.”

The Home Office said the inquiry will be made up of two parts – first examining Couzens’ previous behaviour and establishing a “definitive account of his conduct leading up to his conviction, as well as any opportunities missed, drawing on the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s (IOPC) investigations, once concluded.”

Tuesday also saw the Health Secretary Sajid Javid claim health and social care "begins at home".

He explained: “The State was needed in this pandemic more than any time in peacetime. But Government shouldn’t own all risks and responsibilities in life. We as citizens have to take some responsibility for our health too.”