Ed Miliband met staff at London City airport today after giving a key speech promising a cap on social security spending in a future Labour government.
The party leader spoke to employees ranging from coffee shop workers to airfield operators, who had found work through Newham Council’s Workplace scheme.
It was part of a tour of the airport in the Royal Docks, which he was given by its chief executive Declan Collier. Newham Mayor Sir Robin Wales also joined the tour, along with East Ham Stephen Timms and West Ham MP Lyn Brown.
The visit came after Mr Miliband chose the Labour-run borough for addressing business and community leaders at Newham Dockside council offices earlier in the day.
In his speech he said only people who pay into the benefit system for more than two years should be entitled to jobseeker’s allowance.
Mr Miliband also said councils will be allowed to negotiate lower rents with landlords to cut housing benefit and free up money for house building.
Mr Miliband insists the social security cap is needed to turn around the economy.
Mayor of Newham Sir Robin Wales said the borough’s “innovative approach” made Newham the ideal place for Mr Miliband to deliver his speech along with job brokerage service Workplace and local business partnership Skills Place.
He added: “Newham is an inspirational place to live and we know we can innovate locally to improve people’s lives. “Through real co-operation and localism, Labour - working together in local and national government - could achieve so much more.”
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