CHEERS sounded at the Labour conference as union leaders today called for Labour to renationalise Britain’s energy and put its arms around workers “like we did in 1945.”

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham received a standing ovation from delegates who voted to back her composite motion with Aslef leader Mick Whelan.

The motion also called on the party to commit to building HS2 in full, stopping plans for mass ticket office closures and renationalising the country’s railways.

Ms Graham said: “Our economy is broken. This Tory government have done exactly what it says on the Tory tin: make the rich richer, and enable rampant profiteering.

“But Labour’s mission is fundamentally different. Labour’s job is to be the voice of workers and our communities. And yes, to make different choices. We must take our energy back into public hands.”

Delegates cheered as she continued: “In France, they own their own energy. Which has meant lower bills for the French people. While in Britain, we have let energy monopolies fill their boots by picking the pockets of UK workers. How they must have laughed.

“And there it is: crystallised in one crisis. The stark failure of mass privatisation. The abhorrent spectacle of grasping corporations making billions while ordinary people live hand to mouth.

“Labour: now is the time to be bold. To do what is says on the Labour tin: back ordinary men and women, and be their voice. The people who clean our roads, who teach our children, who look after our parents. Let’s put our arms around them, like we did in 1945.

“Labour: let them be in no doubt whose side we are on.”

The critical infrastructure motion called for the conference to agree that energy privatisation has “failed,” noting energy giants’ record profits during the cost-of-living crisis.

Delegates voted through the infrastructure motion as the Morning Star went to press this evening.

Applause rang out as Mr Whelan said: “Every year, we get up here and every year I see the talk about renationalising our mail, rail, utilities. And every year you do that because it’s not only popular in this room, it’s popular on the doorstep.

“And we need that future, we need to protect our infrastructure. We need those good quality green jobs in all of those sectors.”

He said Aslef was “at war with the government,” blaming it for its members’ 16 months of strike action.

Foreign-owned train operators were making huge profits they invest in their domestic railways, he added, saying: “This isn’t xenophobic, but if there is money that we are spending on our railways, then any surpluses, any profits, should come back for a greater good. Whether that be railways, housing, or NHS.

“We need to commit to passenger safety, staff safety, access for the disabled. And a proper, fully staffed, nationalised railway.

“But, colleagues and friends, let’s be bolder. Let’s have that green, electrified, nationalised railway with the nationalised utilities at the heart of it and a future and a vision for all workers everywhere.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer last week said he was unable to promise to reverse Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement to scrap HS2 from the West Midlands to Manchester.

He claimed he would use £36 billion of savings from scrapping sections of HS2 to fund a raft of other transport schemes.

The motion also called on the conference to note that Britain’s railways are a “key strategic asset underpinning local, regional and national economies and a critical green mass transport system in the fight against climate change.

“This is most evident in the planned High Speed 2 project which is set to provide many thousands of jobs and much-needed extra rail capacity, while at the same time bringing Britain alongside other comparable countries which have long seen the benefits of high-speed rail.”

In contrast with Sir Keir warning his frontbenchers to stay away from RMT’s picket lines last June, it added: “Conference stands in solidarity with workers taking industrial action, believes in fully staffed services that support communities, and opposes cuts to staffing in essential industries.”

A Momentum spokesman said: “This is a huge victory — and a clear message to the leadership.“Trade unions and Labour members, like the public, overwhelmingly want our public services in public hands, not being run for profit. With energy bills through the roof, and our public services in the gutter, it’s clear that the Tory privatisation experiment has failed disastrously.

“Labour gets this for rail, where it’s rightly committed to public ownership. Now it’s time to do the same for energy — and for water and mail too.”