Debbie Abrahams
MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on the letter from
Conservative MPs calling for a halt to Universal Credit, said;  

“I am glad that
Conservative MPs are waking up to the disastrous effects of Universal Credit,
and backing Labour’s call for a pause to the programme.

“The rising debt
and arrears under Universal Credit are a direct result of the six week wait for
payment introduced by this Government. This policy can be changed.”  

“Labour is again
calling on the Government to halt the roll out of Universal Credit and remove
the punitive elements of the programme which are pushing so many families into
poverty.”

Jonathan Ashworth,
Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to the Royal College
of Nursing’s new “Against the Odds” report, said:

“Seven years of
Tory mismanagement and underfunding has placed an unacceptable level
of pressure on nursing staff to keep NHS services running. 

"The Government
is constantly asking NHS workers to do more with less, and over 70
per cent of nurses surveyed by the RCN have said their last shift had unsafe
numbers of staff. This is a threat to the quality of care which patients can
expect to receive. 

"At
the election Labour promised to bring in a new law to guarantee safe
staffing levels in hospitals. Ministers must step up and explain what action
they’re going to take to get enough nurses in place to keep services for
patients running safely.”

Matthew Pennycook MP, Shadow Brexit Minister, commenting on
the House of Lords’ Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee
report on the EU Withdrawal Bill, said:

“This report raises fundamental concerns about
the Government’s repeal bill.

"Britain voted to take back control, but the truth is this
bill represents an unprecedented  power-grab by Tory ministers. Parliament
risks becoming a mere spectator while the Government is given sweeping new
powers over people’s everyday lives.

"It’s time for Theresa May to change approach. She
should scrap this bill and introduce new legislation that respects the
referendum and enhances, rather than undermines, British
democracy.”

Andy McDonald MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport,
responding to the Government’s road casualty statistics, said:

“The latest road casualty statistics make for chilling
reading with the number of road deaths at a five year high and serious life
changing injuries up by nine per cent.

"Labour made significant progress on road safety, but the
Tories scrapped road safety targets and allowed our roads to become more
dangerous.

"The underfunding of police forces has meant there are a
third fewer dedicated traffic police than a decade ago, making enforcement less
effective. Labour will reintroduce road safety targets and increase
police numbers as part of an ambitious strategy striving for zero
deaths on our roads.”

Keir Starmer MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the
European Union, commenting on the latest round of Brexit negotiations,
said: 

“Any movement towards breaking the deadlock in Brexit
negotiations is welcome, but the reality is that this should have happened
months ago. Instead, the summer has been wasted by Cabinet infighting and the
Prime Minister’s inflexibility on key issues such as the European Court of
Justice.

“It looks highly likely that the October deadline for
concluding the first phase of talks will be missed.

"This poses a real risk to the British economy and
continuing uncertainty for EU and UK citizens.

"Both sides need urgently to work towards a breakthrough
that can move discussions on to how Britain forges a strong, progressive
partnership with the EU for the future.”