US election 2016: Hillary Clinton focuses on equality in economic policy speech

Democratic president hopeful and former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton outlined her economic policies in a speech on 13 July, focusing on equality and support for the vulnerable in society.

Clinton, who is the most popular Democratic presidential candidate, urged for more equality on the work floor and said that her economic policies would help the "struggling, the striving and the successful" in society.

"Inequality is a drag on our entire economy," Clinton said. She focused on the more vulnerable in society, arguing that not only corporate CEOs should benefit from economic growth.

In a speech attacking the Republicans' economic policies over the past decades, she blasted former presidents.

She underlined the need for a left approach to the US economy and said that she could not make the same mistakes presidents have made in the past, nor could she just repeat successes.

"Twice in the past 20 years, a Democratic president has had to swoop in and clean up the mess the Republicans left behind," she exclaimed, receiving applause from the audience.

As expected from the women's advocate, Clinton focused on the fate of American women and single mothers. She called for an end to financial equality and stated that she will ensure that those problems would not be brushed off as "women's issues", but seen as vital focus points for the US economy.

She said: "It is time we stop the outrage of women making less than men on the job, and women of colour making even less."

Clinton argued that that the lack of family-friendly policies is the reason the US is lacking behind in terms of women's participation in the work force.

"We must drive strong and steady income growth for stronger families and a stronger nation," Clinton said.