Debbie Abrahams MP, Labour’s
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, commenting on the continuation of
Universal Credit roll out announced by the Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions saying; 

“It is an insult to those being
pushed into debt and rent arrears by this Government’s punitive six week wait
policy that the Work and Pensions Secretary is suggesting they get another loan
to make ends meet.

“The Work and Pensions Secretary
could and should immediately end the misery caused by the six week wait for
payment of Universal Credit.

“Weeks ago, I wrote to the
Secretary of State calling for a pause to Universal Credit roll out. Even 14
Conservative MPs and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have recognised that the
programme is failing, yet today Gauke has confirmed he will not act.

“Over a year ago, on the steps of
the Downing Street, the Prime Minister claimed she would help those struggling
to get by. The Government is failing the many by refusing to help the 13
million people living in poverty in the UK.” 

Andy McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, commenting on the cancellation of Monarch flights, said:

“The Government must do all it can to ensure the safe return of passengers and to make them aware of the compensation to which they are entitled.

"The Government should also look at how they can support Monarch staff, including by helping facilitate alternative employment in the aviation industry.

"With Ryanair recently cancelling thousands of flights, in part because of unfair treatment of staff, and Monarch having ceased trading, the sector is in a period of uncertainty. It is critical that the Government provides greater clarity.

"Our aviation sector is the largest in Europe but it is dependent on agreements secured through our EU membership. A failure to secure an essentially unchanged operating environment post-Brexit will mean grounded planes, cancelled holidays and disaster for UK aviation. The Government must provide the certainty and leadership that has so far been missing.”

John
Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, responding to
Sajid Javid’s Conference speech:

“Theresa
May admits seven years of Tory failure on housing was a big part of why her
Party did so badly in the Election.

“Yet four
months on, Sajid Javid’s speech shows there’s no new Tory thinking on housing.
His pledges are feeble and fail to offer help or hope to millions who can’t get
the home they need or aspire to.

 “There’s
nothing new from the Conservatives which will tackle the country’s housing
crisis or fix the broken housing market. This is yet another speech that aims
to help the few, not the many.

 "Young
people held back by a broken housing market don’t need Theresa May’s empty
empathy but a consumer rights revolution for renters, new discount homes for
first time buyers and the big-scale building programme of genuinely affordable
homes to rent and buy that Labour set out in our Election manifesto.“

Emily
Thornberry MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, commenting on events in
Catalonia today, said:

“Police
violence in Catalonia today is shocking, and the Spanish government should take
action to end it now.

"While
we believe disputes over sovereignty should be resolved in accordance with
rules and laws, and any referendum on these issues needs to be both democratic
and fair, it is unacceptable for the Spanish authorities to overreact to
today’s events through aggressive police action and the forcible closure of
polling stations.

"They
must respect the right to peaceful protest, and all sides must strive to come
together and reach a political solution to this constitutional crisis. Violence
of any sort will simply worsen divisions, and make a resolution harder to
reach.”

Debbie
Abrahams MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, commented on the
Prime Minister’s refusal to back Labour’s call for a pause to Universal Credit
on Marr saying;

“More
empty words will do nothing for those being pushed into poverty by the Government’s
flagship social security programme.

“The six
week wait for payment of Universal Credit is a punitive policy introduced by
this Government, it can be changed.

“I wrote
to the Secretary of State calling for a pause to Universal Credit roll out
weeks ago, and yet nothing has been done.

“Months
have passed since Mrs May claimed she would help those struggling to get by. We
are yet to see anything that amounts to action to support the 13 million people
living in poverty in the UK.”