Shadowing Practice: Liam Byrne's speech on Fresh Ideas - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Thanks very much Kath and can I start with one word of thanks to an amazing woman.
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Thanks very much Kath and can I start with one word of thanks to an amazing woman.
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She's Mary Turner, she's the chair of our joint policy committee
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and she's been the one that's made sure
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that it is the party in charge of this policy review right the way from the beginning.
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Thank you very much indeed on behalf of all of us here.
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As we have gone around the country,
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what has become clear is that people are now seriously worried about what this government is doing to their families,
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to their communities and to our country.
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This week is our chance to show that there is a different way now and different possibilities for the future.
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That is the single aim of the policy review that Ed has asked me to chair.
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Because after last year's defeat,
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the easiest thing in the world would have been for us to turn in on ourselves,
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gaze fondly, lovingly perhaps, at our navels,
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sit around in a comfort zone,
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spend all day arguing with each other.
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Let's be honest, of us quite like that.
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But under Ed Miliband, we have chosen to do it differently.
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We have picked ourselves up,
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dusted ourselves down and got straight back out there,
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back in touch, talking to the people who we came into politics and public life to serve about what we got right,
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about, yes, what we got wrong and how it is we need to change.
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What we have done this year is take a decision.
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We are going to go for the prize that has eluded any political party in Britain for 35 years.
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We are going to be a one-term opposition,
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a party that is determined to bounce back,
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back into office, back into power,
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where we know that we can make a difference.
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So, I suppose I should give you the bad news.
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I know that what many people would have wanted this week is a detailed five-year plan,
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a new budget costed down to the last pound and the penny.
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I know the hardest question that I get on the doorstep in Hodge Hill is,
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well, what's your alternative?
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Where's your plan?
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What is it that you would do different?
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Well, I'm sorry.
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the easiest thing in the world would have been for me
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and us to sit in a committee room in Westminster and write the next manifesto.
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But that would not have delivered a one-term opposition.
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It wouldn't, because we can't revise our policy.
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We can't reorganise our party until we reconnected with the public.
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And that is what this first year of the policy review has been all about.
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We have taken the simple view that policy starts with politics and politics starts with people.
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That is why we have been back out there this year,
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back in touch with over a million men and women,
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members of our party and our affiliates,
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over 150 events, 6,000 local residents coming along to one of them,
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20,000 submissions pouring into our party headquarters.
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And it's not always easy, is it?
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I've been doing the policy review door to door in Hodge Hill,
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going along asking people what they thought of us
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and what we got right and how we need to change
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and it'll be a
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while before I forget the man in Charred End who I think I disturbed him in the middle of his dinner.
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He sort of trundled up to the door and wiped clean his moustache and then,
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how shall I put this,
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he can find his remarks to two words,
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began with F and it finished with F and there were five letters in between.
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I put him down as against.
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But whether the conversations have been easy or hard, we've had them.
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People have been incredibly generous with us about sharing their stories and their views.
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They've told us about their daily struggles.
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They've told us about their trouble balancing the bills.
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They've told us about their hopes for their their memories,
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their observations, loves, hates, but above all, their common sense.
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People haven't pulled their punches.
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They've given it to us straight.
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They thought that we grew out of touch.
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They thought that on some issues,
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close to their heart, we got it wrong.
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On immigration, on welfare, on control of the banks,
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and that is why they've told us they want us to change.
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I know at times that this can feel like an exercise in gratuitous It isn't.
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We can leave that to George Osborne.
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People don't expect us to get everything right but they expect us to learn from experience, their experience.
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Because for most people in this country,
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things are very different now to 1997.
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Life hasn't stood still.
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Times have moved on.
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Challenges have changed.
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But what we've heard from people is that there is a new centre ground in British politics.
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It's not a party, it's not a place that the Labour Party gets to pick.
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The centre ground is where voters say it is.
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Our Our challenge now is to change and move on
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and say the centre ground is our home ground and this is where we will fight.
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And everything that we have seen from the Tories this year tells us that this is a fight that we can win.
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Everything we have seen from the Conservative Party tells us
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that they are now not on the side of people in the centre ground.
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You are not on people's side if you are cutting jobs and tax credits and childcare.
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You are not on people's side if you are damaging their chances to work
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and pay the bills or pay for treats for the kids or take a holiday.
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You are not on people's side if you curtail chances for children.
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And you are not on people's side if your idea of responsibility is to fire 12,000 police officers,
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put charities out of business
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and single out as the first people who need a tax
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cut the bankers who put us into this mess in the first place.
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So this week is our chance to show that we get it,
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that we have heard what people said,
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that we are up for the challenge of change,
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that we are now back as the party on the side of the majority.
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So this week we will set out what we have heard from people about how they want a different economy,
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not run on the old rules but on new rules,
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with a welfare state that works once more for working people and we will say where we think change should begin.
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We will say what we have heard about the next generation.
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You remember education, education, education?
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It was a phrase that symbolised our aspiration for young people.
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Well, this week we'll say more about how we bring that aspiration back alive for the next generation in jobs,
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in schools and in housing.
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And we'll say where we think change should begin.
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And we'll say what we've heard from good people who want
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to rebuild in this country a responsible society with rules
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that bite at the top and at the bottom
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and at every point in between and we will say where we think change should begin.
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So this first year is just the beginning.
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We put first things first because we know that oppositions that stay in opposition are parties that look inwards and not out.
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That's why I've always said that my greatest hope is that this policy review will change the way that we make policy.
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Not in committee rooms and dark rooms in Westminster,
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but through conversation with the public,
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with our members and with our affiliates.
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I know we need to work harder to get these debates out to where you are.
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So if you want me to come along and listen to debates you're having, I'd love to.
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Just give me a ring.
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Because over the next week and over the next year,
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we'll begin to set out the new ideas that we think are right for the future.
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New ideas for the new center ground.
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New ideas that reflect a simple philosophy that for most people in this country,
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politics is about the personal.
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It is about how you get on at work.
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It is about the safety of your community.
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It's about the education for your kids.
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It's about the care for your parents, your husband, your wife.
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It's about having the chance to earn a better life,
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to get the good things in life,
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to live a life that is free from fear.
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In other words, politics is about the most important things in the world.
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In everything I've read this year,
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no one has put it better than a guy called Andrew from Newcastle upon Tyne who wrote this.
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People want straight answers from politicians, not avoidance or waffle.
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Talk like people in the factories and offices,
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in the pubs, give straight answers,
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try to make Britain a fair society. That is our test.
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So if we get the politics right,
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if we're passionate about our belief that politics can make a difference,
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then and only then will the right policy follow.
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That is the way that we earn back,
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again, the trust to serve.
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And if we get that right, we'll win.
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Thanks very much indeed.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will engage with Liam Byrne's speech focused on fresh ideas and political revitalization. By using this video as a learning tool, you'll practice English speaking skills, improve your pronunciation, and understand the nuances of delivering a persuasive message. This is a unique opportunity to learn English with YouTube while listening to a real-world application of language in a political context. You'll also have the chance to explore how effective communication can shape public perception and engage communities.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Policy review: A systematic approach to evaluating and improving existing policies.
- One-term opposition: A political party aiming to regain power quickly after losing it.
- Reconnect with the public: The process of re-establishing strong relationships with community members.
- Costed down to the last pound: Detailed budgeting that considers every expense.
- Submissions: Inputs or opinions provided by individuals to influence a decision.
- Engage communities: The act of involving local groups in discussions and decision-making.
- Bounce back: To recover quickly from a setback or defeat.
- What’s your plan?: A common inquiry seeking clarity on future actions or strategies.
Practice Tips
To maximize your learning experience while shadowing Liam Byrne's speech, follow these tips:
- Listen carefully: Pay attention to the rhythm and intonation of Byrne’s voice to understand how he emphasizes key points. This will help you improve English pronunciation.
- Repeat after him: Use the shadow speak technique by repeating phrases immediately after hearing them. Focus on matching his tone and speed, which will enhance your speaking skills.
- Slow it down: If the speech feels too fast, consider using playback options to slow down the video. This will allow you to articulate words more clearly as you practice.
- Practice in sections: Break the speech into smaller segments. This will make it easier to focus on specific vocabulary and phrases, reinforcing your understanding.
- Record yourself: After practicing, record your voice and compare it to the original. Analyzing your speech against Byrne's can provide valuable insights into areas for improvement.
- Engage with others: Share your practice with friends or language partners. Discussing the content will help solidify the vocabulary and phrases you've learned.
By utilizing these strategies while engaging with Liam Byrne’s speech, you will greatly enhance your English speaking practice and improve your pronunciation skills effectively.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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