Hillary Clinton formally accepts presidential nomination with pledge to be a leader for all

Hillary Clinton has officially accepted the nomination for president of the United States, pledging to be a leader for all Americans.

The Democratic presidential nominee pledged to lead a country where "love trumps hate", and foster an inclusive and unifying society.

In a speech designed to emphasise unity, and frequently countering Donald Trump's controversial campaign rhetoric, Mrs Clinton said: "I will be a president for Democrats, Republicans, Independents, for the struggling, the striving, the successful. For all those who vote for me and for those who don't. For all Americans together.

"We will not build a wall, instead we will build an economy where everyone who wants a good job can get one.

"And we'll build a path to citizenship for millions of immigrants who are already contributing to our economy. We will not ban a religion, we will work with all Americans and our allies to fight and defeat terrorism."

Mrs Clinton laid out many of her policy beliefs, including:

  • Affordable heathcare

  • Equal pay for women

  • Tackling gun crime and climate change

  • Expanding voting rights

  • Making the minimum wage a living wage

  • Making college tuition free for the middle class and debt free for all

  • "Liberating" millions of people who already have student debt

  • Tackling unfair trade deals

  • Supporting domestic manufacturing

  • Making corporations pay their "fair share" of taxes

  • Appointing supreme court justices who will "get money out of politics"

"In my first hundred days, we will work with both parties to pass the biggest investment in new good paying jobs since World War Two," she said.

"Jobs in manufacturing, clean energy, technology and innovation, small business and infrastructure. If we invest in infrastructure now, we'll not only create jobs today, but lay the foundation for the jobs of the future."

After a tense battle with Bernie Sanders, her Democratic rival in the primary, Mrs Clinton issued a direct plea for unity to his supporters, many of whom were bitterly angered by email leaks showing party officials actively favoured her over Mr Sanders.

In one of several attacks on her Republican rival, she warned of "powerful forces threatening to pull us apart", saying Mr Trump wants Americans to fear the future and fear each other.

"Well, a great Democratic President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, came up with the perfect rebuke to Trump more than eighty years ago, during a much more perilous time: 'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself'."

Mrs Clinton appealed to Americans' sense of patriotism with several references to the country's founding fathers, and even questioned Mr Trump's own sense of loyalty to the US.

"He talks a good game about putting America first. Well please explain what part of America first leads him to make Trump ties in China, not Colorado. Trump suits in Mexico, not Michigan."

In a blistering riposte, she added: "A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons."

Mr Trump responded to the Democratic presidential candidate's speech in a series tweets, criticising her judgement and policy ideas.