The Government has failed to address key questions affecting our security – Diane Abbott MP

Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on the government’s announcement about a UK-EU security treaty, said:

“For the sake of our collective security, the UK and the EU need deep co-operation to tackle terrorism, organised crime, people trafficking and other serious crimes.

“Unfortunately, the Government’s approach fails to answer fundamental questions about what form that co-operation would take: how much will we contribute and how are we to maintain current levels of cooperation without accepting ECJ jurisdiction?

“The Tories have provided no answers and once again appear intent on infighting rather than addressing key questions affecting our safety and security.”

Staying within a 1.5C limit is not impossible if we pursue ambitious policies to tackle climate change – Rebecca Long-Bailey MP

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Business, Industry and Skills, commenting on analysis published in the journal Nature Geoscience which reveals the aim of limiting global warming to less than 1.5C remains in reach, said:

“This report shows that staying within a 1.5C limit is not impossible, but only if we pursue ambitious policies to tackle climate change.

“Labour will ensure that 60 per cent of the UK’s energy will come from low carbon or renewable sources by 2030. Our manifesto set out plans to support local renewable energy generation and the creation of publicly owned energy companies to bring down prices.

“A Labour government will put us back on track to meet the targets in the Climate Change Act and the Paris Agreement.”

Government action to tackle “concerning” rise in personal debt is long overdue – John McDonnell MP

John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on the Chair of the FCA, Andrew Bailey, raising concerns over the increasing levels of personal debt in an interview with the Guardian newspaper, said:

“The rise in personal debt is concerning, and with real wages lower than they were when the Tories came to power in 2010, government action is long overdue.

“The situation is only set to worsen if Philip Hammond ploughs on with policies such as the planned cuts to in-work benefits and real terms cuts to public sector workers’ pay, which will further add to the growing burden on working families.

“Labour will improve living standards by introducing a £10 per hour real living wage and investing to build a high wage, high skill economy of the future that works for the many not the few.”

Angela Rayner MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, in response to the Tories proposed changes to tuition fees, said:

“Labour has long been calling for the government to take action on rising student debt, including rethinking their eye watering interest rate hikes and raising the repayment threshold for graduates. They need to stop talking and get on with it.

“If the Chancellor is serious, the first thing he could do is accept this week’s vote in Parliament to reverse the most recent rise in tuition fees. 

“The Chancellor’s reported proposals don’t help many who most need support – that is why Labour will bring back maintenance grants for disadvantaged students as well as abolishing tuition fees entirely.” 

New data published today by the Department for Work and Pensions shows that Universal Credit is in ‘total disarray’ and urgently needs to be paused.

The data shows that:

• One in four new claimants are now having to wait longer than six weeks to receive payment. This has deteriorated from one in five claimants, driving many into debt and arrears.  

• 42 per cent of families in arrears under Universal Credit state that it is due to the waiting times to receive payment, support being delayed or stopped, or administrative errors in the system.

• Half of families in arrears under Universal Credit have said that their rent arrears started after they made their claim.

• Half of new Universal Credit claimants need a DWP loan to cover the six week wait for their first UC payment being enforced by this Government. This suggests that the Department accepts that half of new recipients are unable to go six weeks without UC support. However, the advance loan requires rapid repayment, exacerbating the high levels of debt and arrears among Universal Credit claimants.  

This new evidence appears to confirm the findings of a report by Citizen’s Advice, published this week, which shows that Universal Credit is increasing debt among low income families. For 79 per cent of those asked, having priority debts such as rent or council tax is “putting them at greater risk of eviction, visits from bailiffs, being cut off from energy supplies and even prison.” This figure is up 10% compared with those on legacy social security payments such as Jobseekers’ Allowance. The same report also found that 2 in 5 have no money to pay creditors as their monthly spend on essential living costs is more than their income.

Debbie Abrahams MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said:

“The Government’s flagship Universal Credit programme is in total disarray. It is unacceptable that one in four claimants are waiting more than six weeks to receive support, alongside mounting debts and arrears among recipients.

“I have written to the Secretary of State requesting that he immediately halt the roll out of Universal Credit to contain the misery being caused by the disastrous mishandling of this programme.

“In our manifesto we set aside £10bn for reform of the social security system, including transforming Universal Credit, to ensure that, like the NHS, it is there for us all in our time of need.”