John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor,
responding to today’s IMF report on the downward trend in labour income
shares, said:

“Today’s
IMF report reveals the reality of seven years of Tory economic failure. 

“The
share of national income going to workers in wages has fallen since 2010. This
is yet more worrying news for working people who have suffered from stagnating
wages and a decline in living standards, with nearly six million people being
paid less than the living wage.

“That’s
why today Labour is announcing that  we will introduce a real Living Wage
of £10 per hour from 2020. Only Labour will ensure workers are able to share in
rising prosperity and higher living standards.”

Debbie
Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on the Government’s
reduction to the Universal Credit taper rate, which takes effect today, said:

“This
is too little, too late for those working families who face Tory cuts to
Universal Credit that will see some worse off by £2,600 a year.

“The
Chancellor is stealing pounds with his left hand and paying back pence with his
right. For some, including many self-employed workers, these changes will make
up less than seven per cent of losses from cuts elsewhere.

“Labour
is demanding the Government fully reverse cuts to in-work support that will
penalise millions of working families.”

John
McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, responding to reports
that the Bank of England was involved in the Libor rigging, said:

“This is
an extremely serious revelation that contradicts past assurances about the role
of the Bank of England in the Libor scandal. 

"It goes
to the very heart of whether our financial institutions can be
trusted. Therefore, it warrants an immediate high level investigation, and
the Chancellor must act straight away to ensure this happens.”

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the
Labour Party,
speaking in response to the US air strikes on a Syrian air base, said:

“The
US missile attack on a Syrian government air base risks escalating the war in
Syria still further. 

“Tuesday’s horrific chemical
attack was a war crime which requires urgent independent UN investigation and
those responsible must be held to account. 

“But unilateral military action
without legal authorisation or independent verification risks intensifying a
multi-sided conflict that has already killed hundreds of thousands of
people. 

“What is needed instead is to
urgently reconvene the Geneva peace talks and unrelenting international
pressure for a negotiated settlement of the conflict. 

“The terrible suffering of the
Syrian people must be brought to an end as soon as possible and every
intervention must be judged on what contribution it makes to that outcome.

“The British government should
urge restraint on the Trump administration and throw its weight behind peace
negotiations and a comprehensive political settlement.”

Rebecca
Long-Bailey, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, commenting on reports that Britain
is looking for ways to scrap its 2020 clean energy targets while maintaining
everyday trade in Europe’s energy market, said:

“The Conservative’s reckless Brexit shows they’re
prepared to gamble the UK’s ties to EU energy markets simply to wriggle out of
their climate change commitments. They’re failing one of Labour’s six tests by
watering down environmental and climate change protections, and leading a race
to the bottom.

“The fact is that the Tories would risk our lights
going out in order to create a low-wage, deregulated, bargain basement Britain.

“Theresa May needs to give Britain’s energy
security and our commitment to renewable energy investment the status it
deserves. At present it seems that only Labour would guarantee investment in
our future energy needs that meet our climate change commitments, and build a
new working partnership with the rest of Europe.”

Ends