“Jonas Gahr Støre Urges Labor Party to Stay Firm on Work Line at National Meeting”

FOLKETS HUS (VG) Jonas Gahr Støre was moved by the deafening applause from the Labor Party’s national meeting. He responded by giving the party a clear message to stay away from the working line.

Labor Party leader and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre went straight into the most heated dispute at the Labor Party’s national meeting in his speech, whether the party stands firmly on the work line – i.e. that it should always pay more to work than to go on social security.

Central politicians in Støre’s own county association, Oslo Ap, will break the work line. They were rebuffed by the prime minister:

– Don’t mess with the work line!

At the national meeting, Labor will discuss questions such as: How high should social security be? How is it going to pay to work without people on social security becoming poor?

– The work line is not about punishing people who cannot work, says Støre firmly.

He believes the line of work gives people security, community and opportunities.

This is the case:

• The Labor Party has had bottom polls with less than 20 percent support for a long time.
• Helga Pedersen considered running for party secretary for a long time. She resigned after a phone call from Støre.
• One of the conflicting issues is whether the work line should be scrapped – and whether social security benefits should be increased.
• The party’s national meeting lasts until Saturday afternoon.

Gray hair

Støre went on stage to deafening applause from the hall – and was clearly moved by the reception.

– But let’s start with ourselves: How is the Labor Party doing? And some ask: how is the prime minister really doing? Isn’t he a little grayer in the hair he has left? asks Støre.

– There is disagreement about a lot, but you, not about that, says Støre about his own hair.

– But to the point: bad polls are about voters’ trust in us. And trust, that’s not something we subscribe to. Trust must be nurtured, in politics – as in relationships, in my experience, Støre continues.

The prime minister is married to an expert in precisely this: priest and gestalt therapist Marit Slagsvold, who published the cohabitation book “Jeg blir til i møre med deg: en bok om reläsjoner” in 2016.

Ap flirt

He compared the relationship between Ap and the voters to romance:

– We are not the party for the short infatuations. We are a party that is more like a durable marriage.

And true love is not easy, but can last a lifetime, says the Prime Minister.

– In most marriages there are both ups and downs.
We must learn from adversity – to create new opportunities, he says.

The plan to save the damaged marriage between Labor and the voters is: to secure Norwegians and Norwegian security, and to make everyday life better for people.

– We are gathered here to win back the trust of voters who have sat on the fence or have doubts, says Støre.

– Difficult to turn around

Støre also warned against turning a blind eye to growing differences, to growing insecurity and growing mistrust, as he believes other countries have done.

– See where it takes society: When it takes hold, it is often difficult to turn around. They have returned to populism and a society where people neither trust each other – nor the authorities, says Støre.

– That is why, dear national assembly, this is our most important task now: Give people security in troubled times, he says.

Nursing home guarantee

Støre warned against letting the right win the municipal elections in the autumn.

– Should it again be possible to make money from the care needs of grandparents in exchange for poorer pay and working conditions for the employees? he asks.

– The Labor Party’s answer is crystal clear: We say no to the commercialization of care for the elderly.

He also warned against “dumping employees’ wages and working conditions”.

– Let’s do the following instead: We guarantee that no nursing homes in Labor Party-run municipalities will go out to tender to commercial groups while we are in power, says Støre.