When I stood in / Downing Street / as Prime Minister for the first time this summer, / I set out / my mission / to build a country / that works for everyone. // Today / I want to talk a little more about what that means / and lay out / my vision / for a truly / meritocratic Britain / that puts the interests / of ordinary, working class people first. // We are facing / a moment of great change / as a nation. // As we leave / the European Union, / we must / define an ambitious / new role for ourselves / in the world. // That involves / asking ourselves / what kind of country / we want to be: / a confident, / global trading nation / that continues / to play its full part / on the world stage. // But at the same time, / I believe / we have a precious opportunity / to step back / and ask / some searching questions / about what kind of country / we want to be here / at home too. // In fact, / it’s not just an opportunity, / but a duty. // Because one thing / is clear. // When the British people voted / in the referendum, / they did not just choose / to leave the European Union. // They were also expressing / a far more profound sense / of frustration / about aspects of life in Britain / and the way / in which politics / and politicians have failed / to respond to their concerns. // Some voted / for the first time / in more than 30 years. // Some for the first time ever. // And they were inspired / to do so / because they saw a chance / to reject the politics / of ‘business as usual’ / and to demand / real, / profound change. // Fed up / with being ignored or / told that / their priorities were somehow invalid, / based on ignorance / and misunderstanding or / even on occasion / that they were simply wrong / to voice the concerns that they did, / they took their opportunity / to send a very clear message: / they will not be ignored / anymore. // They want to take back / control of the things / that matter in their lives. // They want a government / that listens, / understands / and is on / their side. // They want change. // And this government / is going / to deliver it. // Everything we do / will be driven, / not by the interests of the privileged few. // Not by those / with the loudest voices, / the special interests, / the greatest wealth / or the access to influence. // This government’s priorities / are those of ordinary, / working class people. // People for whom life / sometimes can be a struggle, / but who get on / with things / without complaint. // They get on with their jobs / – sometimes 2 or even 3 of them / – because they have families to feed / and support, / bills to pay / and because to work / for a fair reward / is the right thing to do. // They get on with their lives quietly, / going about their business, / going out to work, / raising families, helping neighbours, making their communities what they are. // They don’t ask for much, / but they want to know / that the people / that make the big decisions / are on their side, / working for them. // They want to believe that everyone / plays by the same rules / and things are fair. // And above all / they want to believe that / if they uphold their end of the deal / – they do the right thing, / they work hard, / they pay their taxes / – then tomorrow / will be better / than today / and their children / will have a fair chance in life, / the chance to go / as far / as their talents / will take them. //