Tag Archives: Labour

Angela Rayner MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, commenting on reports that the Treasury has taken back £384 million originally promised for schools in England, said:

“It is astonishing that the Treasury is now clawing money back from the Education budget at the same time as schools spending is being drastically cut.

“There is no better investment a government can make than in education and it is deeply depressing that the Tories have chosen to take money away from schools like this.

“Theresa May needs to answer some serious questions on what this money is now going to be used for if not to help ease the pressure on struggling schools.”

John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) report on HMRC’s tax collection efforts from high net worth individuals, which shows that the very wealthy are receiving preferential treatment, said:

“This latest report from the PAC shows how the Tories have run a rigged economy where the super-rich pay less and less in tax while earnings for average working households are still below their level of a decade ago. It’s a national disgrace that the amount lost in tax from a super-rich elite under the Tories would be enough to help end the crisis in social care.

“Labour will call time on the super-rich tax-dodgers and give HMRC the legal and staff resources it needs to close the tax avoidance loopholes and scams. We’ll stop the Tories using the excuse of Brexit to turn Britain into a tax haven off the coast of Europe, and build an economy that leaves no-one and no community behind.”

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, commenting on reports that the Prime Minister has refused to exclude health services from a possible trade deal with the US, said:

“It is beyond belief that our Prime Minister is bartering away our health service in her desperation for post-Brexit trade deals. Labour is committed to the NHS both free at the point of use and free at the point of delivery. Theresa May has presided over the worst winter for the NHS in years and she must not now be allowed to sell off the NHS to big US healthcare corporations. 

“Labour will oppose any attempt to sell off our health service. The Prime Minister needs to urgently confirm that a rushed trade deal with President Trump will not be a Trojan horse for NHS privatisation. The British people did not vote for Theresa May to use our NHS as a bargaining chip with Donald Trump.”

Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party  said:

“I’m so sad to hear of the death of my good friend and comrade Tam Dalyell. Our thoughts are with his family.

“Tam was a titan of parliamentary scrutiny, fearless in pursuit of the truth. From Iraq to the miners’ strike, he doggedly fought to expose official wrongdoing and cover ups.

“The title of his autobiography summed Tam up to a tee: ‘The Importance of Being Awkward.’

“But he was much more than that: Tam was an outstanding parliamentarian, a socialist and internationalist, and a champion of the underdog, here and abroad.”

Today Labour has tabled a number of targeted amendments to the Article 50 Bill (the European Union [Notification of Withdrawal] Bill).

The amendments seek to improve the process, and would ensure Parliament is able to hold the Government to account throughout the Brexit negotiations.

Labour is also tabling an anti-tax haven amendment to ensure the Prime Minister doesn’t use Brexit to weaken Britain’s laws concerning tax avoidance and evasion.

Labour will also support two amendments drafted by Melanie Onn MP which would protect workers’ rights and ensure there is no drop in employment protection after the UK leaves the EU.

Labour’s amendments will:

i)                    Allow a meaningful vote in Parliament on the final Brexit deal. Labour’s amendment would ensure that the House of Commons has the first say on any proposed deal and that the consent of Parliament would be required before the deal is referred to the European Council and Parliament.

ii)                  Establish a number of key principles the Government must seek to negotiate during the process, including protecting workers’ rights, securing full tariff and impediment free access to the Single Market.

iii)                Ensure there is robust and regular Parliamentary scrutiny by requiring the Secretary of State to report to the House at least every two months on the progress being made on negotiations throughout the Brexit process

iv)                Guarantee legal rights for EU nationals living in the UK. Labour has repeatedly called for the Government to take this step, and this amendment would ensure EU citizens’ rights are not part of the Brexit negotiations.

v)                  Require the Government to consult regularly with the governments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland throughout Brexit negotiations. Labour’s amendment would put the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) on a statutory footing and require the UK Government to consult the JMC at least every two months.

vi)                Require the Government to publish impact assessments conducted since the referendum of any new proposed trading relationship with the EU. This amendment seeks to ensure there is much greater clarity on the likely impact  of the Government’s decision to exit the Single Market and seek  new relationship with the Customs Union

vii)              Ensure the Government must seek to retain all existing EU tax avoidance and evasion measures post-Brexit

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, said:

“Labour will seek to amend the Article 50 Bill to prevent the Government using Brexit to turn Britain into a bargain basement tax haven off the coast of Europe. Our country can do much better than that.

“We respect the will of the British people, but not the will of this Tory government to impose fewer rights at work and worse public services, while the largest corporations pay even less tax.

“Labour will ensure that the British people, through Parliament, have genuine accountability and oversight over the Brexit negotiations because no one voted to give Prime Minister Theresa May a free hand over our future.”

Keir Starmer, Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, said:

“Now that Parliament has the right to trigger Article 50, we need to ensure there is proper grip and accountability built into the process.

“Labour’s amendments will also seek to ensure the Prime Minister secures the best deal for the whole country – including tariff and impediment free access to the Single Market and that there is no drop in workers’ rights.

“Labour’s amendments will significantly improve the Government’s Bill – in particular by ensuring the House of Commons has the first say on the final Brexit deal and that there are regular opportunities to hold the Government to account.

“Labour’s amendments will also seek to ensure the Prime Minister secures the best deal for the whole country – including tariff and impediment free access to the Single Market and that there is no drop in workers’ rights. We will also vigorously oppose any plans to reduce powers to tackle tax avoidance or evasion’.

“The Article 50 Bill will be the start, not the end of the Brexit process and Labour will hold the Government to account all the way”

Melanie Onn MP, who has tabled two amendments with Frontbench support on workers’ rights said:

“The Tories can’t be allowed to use Brexit as an excuse to water-down people’s rights at work.

“That’s why I am introducing amendments to protect in British law all workers’ rights which originate from the EU, including maternity pay, equal rights for agency and part-time workers, and the working time directive.

“The British people voted to leave the EU, but I don’t think anyone was voting for more insecure contracts or a less safe workplace.”