Lisa Nandy: Labour will defend national security 'by building bridges, not walls'

Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy has vowed that Labour will remain a “proud, fiercely internationalist party”, even if Britain has left the European Union.

In her first speech at conference, in which she set out Labour’s foreign policy, the Wigan MP insisted her party will defend Britain’s national security, protect the planet and uphold human rights by “building bridges, not walls”.

She told delegates in Brighton: “Today we are launching a new taskforce on illicit finance with the aim of making the UK the most inhospitable place in the world for dirty money and ill-gotten gains. Today, we recognise the fight against corruption as a key plank of defending our national interest.

“The next Labour government will introduce a new arms export regime that is truly transparent and committed to upholding international law. We will end arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

“We will introduce an Act of Parliament so companies have a duty to eliminate forced labour from their supply chains and face financial penalties if they fail. Under a Labour government, British shelves will never be stocked with the products of modern slavery. We will end cotton imports from Xinjiang.”

Ms Nandy insisted Labour will also bring an end to a decade of division, saying: “We will seek a new foreign policy partnership with Europe to address our shared challenges, from climate change to Russia.

“We will work with EU partners to develop a new action plan for conflict prevention and peacebuilding, to face up to the challenges in places like Somalia, Yemen, and Tigray. And we will lead the charge at the UN Human Rights Council for a global treaty to end violence against women and girls.”