Tag Archives: political

Peter Dowd MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, commenting on today’s IFS report, said:

“Today’s damning indictment on the outlook for living standards is yet more evidence of the Tory Government’s economic failure.

“The IFS concludes that ‘we are in the middle of a historically weak period of growth in living standards’, with median income set to be up to 16 percent lower in 2021-22 than it would otherwise be if the Tory Government had continued long-run trend growth.

“With a dreadful record on living standards, and inequality and poverty set to increase, it is clear that after seven years of economic failure the Tory Government will continue to fail working people.

“Only Labour will take the action needed to end the Tories’ economic failure by introducing a Real Living Wage of £10 an hour by 2020.”

Keir Starmer MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, on the Government’s Brexit Bill amendment defeat in the House of Lords,  said:

“This is a really welcome and important step forward. For months Labour has been urging the Prime Minister to end unnecessary uncertainty for EU citizens in the UK, and I am delighted our colleagues in the Lords have sent this clear message to the Prime Minister.

“Labour believe that EU nationals should not be used as bargaining chips in Brexit negotiations. There is a growing consensus that this must be resolved before Article 50 is triggered, and the Prime Minister is now increasingly isolated.

“Labour will continue to support this simple but effective amendment when it returns to the Commons, and urge MPs on all sides of the House to do so.”

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Shadow BIS Secretary, responding to the implementation of the Trade Union Act, said:

“This is the most unnecessary and anti-democratic assault on the rights of working people in a generation.

“For a Government elected by just a quarter of eligible voters to impose a 40% threshold on public sector workers taking industrial action, is a shameless example of double standards.  

“As all working people know, the decision to take industrial action is never taken lightly. But working people’s rights need to be protected.

“This will save our economy just 0.00002% of GDP, showing that the economic case for this is rubbish. The most effective way of boosting wages and people’s living standards is through them taking collective action in their trade union.

“This Act will perpetuate the chronic low pay in our economy which costs us all through lower taxes and a higher bill for in-work benefits”

Keir Starmer MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, commenting on a report from the Hansard Society about parliamentary scrutiny of the Brexit bill, said:

“It would be wrong for the PM to allow any changes to EU-derived laws without proper Parliamentary scrutiny.

“That is why Labour have been clear that any changes must be delivered through primary legislation and with proper transparency and accountability.

“In particular we will argue that all workers’ rights, consumer rights and environmental protections derived from EU law should be fully protected—no qualifications, limitations or sunset clauses.

“The PM should listen to the warnings she has received today from the Hansard society. And she should be in no doubt that Labour will fight all the way on this”.