Yvette Cooper MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities & Shadow Home Secretary, speaking to Labour Party Annual Conference 2013 in Brighton, said:

Conference.

Think just for a moment back to the Olympics and Paralympics last year.

Think back to the pride we had in the Britain we showed off to the world.

The diversity of our athletes, the diversity of the crowds. The brilliance of the Opening Ceremony. The wonder of the sport. 

The amazing opportunity for us as a nation to unite and also to challenge past prejudice, to change attitudes – to celebrate that diversity, including the excellence of our Paralympians such as the brilliant gold medal winning Sophie Christiansen who we are delighted to have with us today.

It was only 12 months ago.

And yet it all seems so long ago, so far away.

We’re watching those moments, that opportunity to build a legacy from the Olympics this Party fought for just slip through our fingers.

Snatched away from us by a Tory led Government determined to divide.

A Tory led Government that looks for people to blame.

Disabled people who say they feel greater prejudice towards them than ever.

North and South divided - as Ministers claim the good times are here, but in Scotland and across the North unemployment is going up.

Communities divided – as Ministers say Disability Living Allowance is for ‘scroungers’ and blame people turning to food banks. 

Families divided - as Ministers say separated dads must pay the bedroom tax or they can’t have their kids to stay.
And those Ad Vans.

Sent only to the areas with the highest number of black and Asian British citizens.

Those immigration checks at tube stations.

Where it seems British citizens were asked for their papers because of the colour of their skin.

Conference it wasn’t about illegal immigration.

It was a disgrace - designed only to divide. This is not our Britain.

But look at the Britain the Tories are creating.

Hate crimes against the disabled up by 15 per cent.

Attacks on mosques up tenfold this Summer.

A disabled mother in despair because she faces an ATOS nightmare.

Women hit three times harder than men by Tory policies.

Fewer women in the cabinet and in executive jobs than before.

Black entrepreneurs denied the finance they need to grow their business.

And for everyone wages frozen, while prices just go up and up and up. 

As one mum told me last week – “nothing comes down round here but the rain”.

This is Tory Britain.

All that progress we fought for – all being reversed.

All the optimism we had – in danger of being destroyed.

But Conference it doesn’t have to be like this.

They don’t have to give tax cuts to millionaires while a million young people are unemployed.

They don’t have to turn their backs on hate crimes or discrimination.

That’s why we in the Labour Party are campaigning now:

To deal with zero hours contracts.

To help families with child care.

To guarantee young people jobs.

Because we don’t want another lost generation. Labour believes whatever their background, whoever they are, everyone needs the chance to get on, the same opportunities to succeed. 

And Conference it’s why Liam Byrne and Anne McGuire – working with Sir Bert Massie’s task force – have been drawing up new plans on things like stronger laws against disability hate crime.

Because we should make rights and respect a reality for disabled people.

And it is why yesterday at Labour Women’s Conference, 1,000 fabulous Labour women – more than ever before - gathered to campaign for affordable childcare, equal pay, and an end to violence against women. 
David Cameron and Nick Clegg are baffled as to why they are losing so much support among women.

We’re not.

When the Prime Minister tells women to “calm down dear” he’d better get used to it because women across the country aren’t going to calm down, they are going to get angrier and angrier until this out of touch government listens up.

Why we are working with trade unions to stop salami slicing of equality laws, calling instead for stronger laws against maternity discrimination.

Because it is an outrage that 50,000 women lose their job on maternity leave.

And why we have launched a consultation on greater race equality for the 21st century.

With proposals for stronger action on unemployment, and more ethnic minority recruitment in the police.

We know that policing must be for all. The police should reflect the communities they serve.

That is why we recognise how much has changed because of one family’s determined campaign for justice for their son.

But how much more we still need to do in Stephen Lawrence’s memory.

And we are very proud to welcome to the Labour Lords benches the remarkable Doreen Lawrence.

But Conference, there is something we should celebrate this year.
People who love each other should be able to celebrate their commitment, should be able to grow old together, under the banner of marriage, whatever their gender or sexuality.

We should be proud that Parliament passed the equal marriage bill and proud Labour votes got it through.

But we know that equality under the law is not enough – that’s why more must be done to stop homophobic bullying at school and in sport.

Today our Labour Parliamentary team put on Stonewall’s rainbow laces in the annual match against the press, following Everton’s example to kick homophobia out of football.

If only their result had followed Everton’s example too.

But Conference – the equal marriage bill is a challenge to David Cameron. 

The Prime Minister was right to stick with it even though the majority of Tory MPs opposed it.

But I say to the Prime Minister, you didn’t pander to the Tory right on that one – and we proved there was a progressive majority in Parliament and in Britain.

So why pander to the Tory right on Ad Vans?

Why pander to the Tory right on stigmatising the disabled?

And why pander to your own prejudices about women?

And conference, why does Nick Clegg pander to David Cameron every single time?

Conference, this party has stood for over a century for equality.

100 years ago this year, Emily Davison fell to her death under the Kings Horse. Our first leader Keir Hardie stood with the suffragettes as they fought for the vote.

Today One Nation Labour and the trade union movement, and our leader Ed Miliband are campaigning for greater equality.

Speaking up for those with the quietest voices.

Standing up against vested interests.

Campaigning for equality, community, diversity, for the aspirations of all.

Against Tory divisions and hostility.

And we will do so again.

Those Olympic memories we had – that vision of a fairer Britain to build – is not one this Labour Party will ever let slip away.