We cannot give up on the fight for a better future
In moments like these it can feel as though progress has stalled or even gone into reverse. But we must never lose sight of this simple truth - change is still possible.
A better Britain is still within our reach. And hope is not naïve. It’s necessary.
Hope doesn’t mean ignoring the challenges we face. It means refusing to accept that decline is inevitable or that we are powerless. It means believing that by standing together we can shape something better.
That’s the spirit behind Hope Not Hate’s Million Acts of Hope. A recognition that small, collective actions can build a powerful force for good.
We also have to be clear about what threatens that hope. There are those who seek to divide us and to pit community against community, worker against worker.
They thrive on fear and resentment. But when we are divided we are weaker. Whether in our neighbourhoods or our workplaces solidarity remains our greatest strength.
Real patriotism is not about talking our country down or scapegoating others. It’s about rolling up our sleeves and making Britain fairer, more compassionate and more just. It’s about ensuring that everyone - no matter their background - can share in the nation’s prosperity.
And while it may not always feel like it good things are happening right now.
This April nearly 10 million workers gained the right to sick pay from day one.
That might sound like a niche reform but it will transform lives. We saw during the pandemic the impossible choices people faced – going into work sick or risking financial hardship. No one should ever have to make that choice.
These new rights didn’t appear by accident. They are the result of trade unions and our members campaigning tirelessly, standing together and demanding change. And they are just one part of a broader package of employment rights now written into law. Protections that will make a real difference - especially for the lowest paid and the most insecure.
No one is pretending this will fix everything overnight. But it shows what is possible when we work together to secure change.
The TUC is proud to support A Million Acts of Hope and to work alongside organisations like Hope Not Hate. And we are proud to have launched our own initiative Unity Works to campaign for a fairer, more hopeful country.
Because I fundamentally believe the vast majority of people in Britain are decent and share the same hopes. A decent job, a warm home, a thriving community.
As a trade unionist I know that progress is never easy. There will always be setbacks.
But we cannot give up on the fight for a better future. We cannot give up hope.
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