Owen Smith MP, Labour’s Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, commenting on the Northern Ireland Secretary’s update on political talks, said:

“The news that the talks process in Northern Ireland is now, effectively, to be put on hold over the summer comes as no surprise, but it will be greeted with disappointment and concern. It is never a good idea to have a political vacuum in Northern Ireland, especially through the summer months, and it is regrettable that the Government has not been able to bring about agreement between the parties after more than six months of stasis.  

“For some weeks now that the political parties have felt under little pressure to come to a deal and that is why it has been frustrating that the Prime Minister has so steadfastly refused to engage properly in the talks process. I share the Secretary of State’s hope that a deal can be done when the parties return in the Autumn, but if that hope is to materialise into a reassembled executive, the Conservative Government will need to engage with greater energy and focus.”  

Andrew
Gwynne MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local
Government, commenting
on Sajid Javid’s speech at the LGA Conference, said:

“Sajid Javid’s
speech to local councillors at the LGA conference took no responsibility
for the Tory-made crisis that local government is currently facing.

“There was no
acknowledgement of the Tories’ 40
per cent cuts to local authorities since 2010, no mention of local government
finance reform and still no clarity on the government’s plan for reform of
business rates.

 “Local government need
leadership that will stand up for them and invest in local public services.
This Tory Government has continually failed local communities – it is now time
for a Labour Government that will stand up for the many not the few.”

Ends

John
McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, responding to the Chancellor’s
comments on public sector pay, said:

“This
represents yet more division at the top of government. The Chancellor’s remarks
show that he is more interested in fighting with his fellow Tory cabinet
colleagues, than for better incomes for working families in our country.

“The firefighters, police
officers, nurses, and ambulance drivers who put their lives on the line every
day to keep us safe have been abandoned by a Tory government intent on holding
down their pay, while ploughing ahead with tax giveaways to a wealthy few.

"It is now time for this
out-of-touch Chancellor and shambolic Government to stand aside. Only a Labour
Government will give our public sector workers the pay rise they deserve and
end austerity in the national interest.”

Ends

Emma
Lewell-Buck MP, Shadow Minister for Children and Families, commenting on
the Children’s Commissioner’s report on measuring the number
of vulnerable children, said:

“The shocking
findings of this report should serve as a wake-up call to this Government who
have so far refused to even measure the scale of the problem let alone come up
with effective policy solutions.

“From the 800,000
children suffering from mental health difficulties, the 46,000 thought to be in
gangs, or the 119,000 homeless or in unstable housing, these figures lay out
the startling facts about the lives of vulnerable children who have largely
been ignored by this Government.

“The
Government should be taking action now to support every child and ensure that
they are safe, secure, and have a roof over their head.

“Labour will
enshrine the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into law, as we tackle
the root causes of vulnerability, such as housing, crime, and poverty, deliver
universal infant free school meals to address food poverty and school based
counselling in secondary schools to support vulnerable children, as we ensure
every child gets the best possible start in life.”

Ends

John
McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on the Report to the Office of Manpower
Economics, which shows that growth in public sector pay since 2005 was
eradicated by 2015 as a direct result of the Tories’ pay freeze, said:

“This a damning report that reveals the harsh and unfair reality of the Tories’
pay freeze on hard working public sector workers. The fact that some of the
pillars of our community and the public sector such as teachers, doctors and
police officers are seeing their pay cut exposes the double standards of a
government that likes to praise their work but will not actually truly reward
it.

“It further highlights why it is so vital that we need action immediately from
the Government. We cannot continue with more empty words or infighting from
members of the Cabinet while those in our public sector, such as nurses, are
being forced to rely on food banks to make ends meet. 

“Only Labour has a costed plan that would end the public sector pay freeze, and
introduce a £10 per hour real living wage, so that we build the high wage, high
skill economy of the future. And if the Tories are not prepared to meet this
basic test of fairness, then they should step aside and let us lead in the
national interest.”

Ends