Barry
Gardiner MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade, commenting on
today’s ONS figures, said:

“Today’s
rise in the trade deficit shows yet again that after seven years of economic
failure under the Tories, this country is falling far behind its potential.

“The
rise in the deficit with non-EU countries is particularly concerning given the
failure of this government to offer serious proposals for Britain’s trading
relationships with the rest of the world, post-Brexit. Tory fantasies about
future trade deals are meaningless without delivering the investment and
industrial strategy needed in this country for future export success.

“Only
Labour will deliver the investment and industrial strategy needed to create
good, secure jobs and build an economy that works for the many, not the few.”

Peter
Dowd MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury,
commenting on reports from the NAO that the £200m in Libor fines the Tories pledged
to fund apprenticeships with has failed to materialise, said:  

“This
is yet further evidence that you cannot trust a word a Tory Prime Minister
says. David Cameron made a clear promise in 2015 but today’s NAO report has
been unable to prove a single promised apprenticeship was in fact created. If
he does intend to deliver on David Cameron’s pledge, Philip Hammond must now
tell us how the £200m allocated to these specific apprenticeships will be
raised and how he intends to meet the growing £3bn blackhole in the nation’s
finances.

Richard Burgon MP, Labour’s Shadow
Justice Secretary,
commenting on the announcement that the Government will change the way
compensation pay-outs are calculated, said:

“This proposal by the Government
must be scrutinised very closely.

“Accident victims with serious
injuries must receive the compensation they deserve to live their lives to the
fullest and there will be real concerns that such victims are set to lose out.

“The Government claims that this
move could see motorists benefit from lower car insurance premiums. Ministers
must ensure any savings to the motor insurance industry that result from these
proposals are passed on to hard-pressed motorists rather than lining the
pockets of executives.“

Justin Madders MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Minister, commenting on news
that the Government have abandoned the sale of NHS Professionals, said:

“This is
a major u-turn on a misguided policy from a Government with no solution to the
workforce crisis in the NHS. Ministers tried to push through a sale behind
closed doors but have been forced to abandon their plans in the face of wide
opposition from NHS staff and patients.

“This is
an effective and successful public body which saves
the taxpayer around £70m a year on the Government’s own estimates, by ensuring
hospitals don’t have to rely on expensive private staffing agencies.

“At a
time when the Government says it wants to cut back the use of temporary workers
it is staggering that proposals for a sale got this far. Ministers have major
questions to answer about why they tried to sell off this successful public
body and how much money has been wasted in this process which could have been
spent on patient care instead.”

Peter
Dowd MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, commenting on TUC research which
has revealed one in eight workers skip meals to make ends meet, said:

“This is yet further devastating evidence of the consequences of seven years of
the Conservatives’ mismanagement of our economy which has left many people
struggling to afford basic necessities.

“While
the Conservatives are running an economy rigged for an elite few and
failing to tackle tax avoidance, Labour will stand up for the many and put
more money in people’s pockets by introducing a £10 an hour Real Living
Wage, scrapping the public sector pay cap and reducing household bills by
bringing key public services and utilities back into public hands.“