Labour government can be both pro-business and pro-worker, argues Reeves

Shadow chancellor set to attempt to woo both sides in first major election speech on Tuesday

A Labour government can be both pro-business and pro-worker, Rachel Reeves will argue in her first major election speech on Tuesday.

Ahead of the upcoming general election on 4 July, the shadow chancellor is expected to tell business leaders that, having brought business back to Labour, the party can now “bring growth back to Britain”.

She will also tell working people that, by bringing business back to Britain, her party will in turn “deliver a better future” for them.

A Labour government can be both pro-business and pro-worker, Rachel Reeves is set to argue in her first major election speech on Tuesday (PA)

Under Sir Keir Starmer, Labour has tried to woo businesses as a way of demonstrating it can be trusted with the economy.

Those efforts have brought success, with business attendance at recent party conferences higher than under Jeremy Corbyn and wealthy business executives donating more to Labour’s war chest.

But in her speech on Tuesday, former Bank of England analyst Ms Reeves is expected to stress the need for a partnership with business, government and workers.

She will say Labour offers “a government that is pro-worker and pro-business, in the knowledge that each depends upon the success of the other”.

Her remarks come after Labour faced a backlash over an apparent rebranding of its “New Deal for Workers”, with Britain’s largest trade union Unite warning that the party must “stick to its guns” on workers’ rights.

Labour insisted it had not watered down its commitments, adding the proposals had followed agreement with the unions.

The Conservatives have argued that Labour’s proposals would cost jobs and place unnecessary burdens on businesses, but the opposition has claimed good businesses will welcome the plans.

Ms Reeves is also expected to stress Labour’s commitment to economic stability, a key message of the campaign, and urge voters to “pass judgment on 14 years of economic chaos and decline under the Conservatives”.

Her speech is the second major intervention from Labour of the week, following Sir Keir Starmer’s address on Monday, in which he promised to stand up for working people.

Treasury Chief Secretary Laura Trott said Labour would “tie businesses in red tape”.

“The bosses of Asda, Marks and Spencer, Currys and the Confederation of British Industry have all warned that Labour’s French-style union laws risk damaging the economy, costing jobs,” she said.

“Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives have a clear plan that businesses can rely on.

“We took the bold action to deliver the biggest business tax cut in modern history. Labour would tie businesses in red tape and raise taxes by £2,094 on hardworking families.”