Ministers have turned their back on millions of families struggling with high housing costs – John Healey

John Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, responding to new research by the National Housing Federation showing that social housing spending is at a record low, said:

“Conservative Ministers have washed their hands of any responsibility to build the homes families on ordinary incomes need.

“Under Labour in 2009/10 we started building almost 40,000 homes for social rent. By last year this had fallen by 98 per cent to fewer than 1,000.

“Ministers try to hide their failure to build more affordable homes by branding more homes ‘affordable’. The Conservative definition of affordable housing now includes homes close to full market rent and on sale for up to £450,000.

“Ministers have turned their back on the millions of families struggling with high housing costs. It’s no wonder that public concern about housing is around the highest level in 40 years. Only Labour has a credible long-term plan to build the genuinely affordable homes to rent and buy that our country needs.”

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.”