John
McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on the Report to the Office of Manpower
Economics, which shows that growth in public sector pay since 2005 was
eradicated by 2015 as a direct result of the Tories’ pay freeze, said:

“This a damning report that reveals the harsh and unfair reality of the Tories’
pay freeze on hard working public sector workers. The fact that some of the
pillars of our community and the public sector such as teachers, doctors and
police officers are seeing their pay cut exposes the double standards of a
government that likes to praise their work but will not actually truly reward
it.

“It further highlights why it is so vital that we need action immediately from
the Government. We cannot continue with more empty words or infighting from
members of the Cabinet while those in our public sector, such as nurses, are
being forced to rely on food banks to make ends meet. 

“Only Labour has a costed plan that would end the public sector pay freeze, and
introduce a £10 per hour real living wage, so that we build the high wage, high
skill economy of the future. And if the Tories are not prepared to meet this
basic test of fairness, then they should step aside and let us lead in the
national interest.”

Ends

Following
Labour’s advances in the general election and increased number of MPs, Jeremy
Corbyn is today announcing 20 appointments to the shadow front bench. These
include new and returning MPs.

Jeremy
Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, said:

“I’m
delighted to be filling Labour’s shadow front bench with a wealth of talent.
Our new shadow ministers will bolster the excellent work of Labour’s shadow
cabinet and departmental teams.

“These
appointments are further evidence that Labour is not just the opposition – we
are the government in waiting.”

The
new appointments are:

DEFRA

David
Drew

Holly
Lynch

Home
Affairs

Nick
Thomas Symonds

Chris
Williamson

Afzal
Khan

Louise
Haigh

Scotland

Paul
Sweeney

Justice

Gloria
de Piero

Imran
Hussain

International
Development

Roberta
Blackman Woods

Transport

Rachael
Maskell

Karl
Turner

Treasury

Anneliese
Dodds

Housing

Tony
Lloyd

Melanie
Onn

Women
and equalities

Carolyn
Harris

Defence

Gerald
Jones

Local
Government

Yvonne
Fovargue

Education

Tracey
Brabin

Wales

Chris
Ruane

Further
appointments are expected in due course.

Rebecca
Long-Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy, responding
to Ofgem’s announcement on an energy price cap, said:

“Ofgem’s watered down proposals go nowhere near the promise made by the
Prime Minister to adopt Labour’s principle of a price cap. In the general
election, she pledged unequivocally to knock £100 off the bills of 17 million
customers but then didn’t include the promise in the Queen’s Speech.

“After reports that the Prime Minister has been lobbied by senior
cabinet members and the big six energy companies to drop the price cap
commitment, ministers must tell the British people why they treat
fair pricing for energy consumers as such a low priority and if they are
going to make yet another u-turn. “

Ends

Editors Notes

1.       Theresa May made a strong declaration to an energy price cap for 17
million customers, saving £100 in The Sun – link below:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3512895/theresa-may-energy-cap-promise/

2.       Ofgem’s press release

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/ofgem-announces-plans-deliver-fairer-more-competitive-market-all-consumers

Commenting
on today’s reports that Ministers will trigger exit from the London Fisheries
Convention, shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Sue Hayman MP, said:

“Labour
opposes a hard Brexit that would jeopardise jobs, environmental sustainability
and the future prosperity of the British fishing industry. 

“The
London Convention predates British membership of the EU by a decade and has
arguably been superseded by the Common Fisheries Policy which the UK will
withdraw from automatically following our leaving the EU.

“Given
that the majority of fish caught by UK vessels are within the Atlantic (fishing
area 27) which includes the edge of Greenland to North Russia and as far south
as the bottom of Spain/Portugal, it is vital that any Brexit deal does not
jeopardise access to these waters for our British fishing fleet.

“This
provocative decision at this stage of the negotiations puts at risk those
necessary and far more valuable fisheries management arrangements we will need
to agree on leaving the EU as well as a tariff free trade deal so vital to our
British fishing exports. It is another example of the Tories’ reckless approach
to Brexit.”

Responding
to allegations of a cover up of unlawful killings by U.K. forces in
Afghanistan, Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, said:

“The
allegations of unlawful killings and war crimes in Afghanistan are extremely
serious and must be fully investigated.

"Our
armed forces have a reputation for decency and bravery. If we do not act on
such shocking allegations we risk undermining that reputation, our security at
home and the safety of those serving in the armed forces abroad.

"Our
values and respect for the rule of law require full accountability. We owe it
to our armed forces and the victims and their families to ensure that a
thorough investigation takes place.

 "There
can be no question of a cover up. The government must now establish an
independent inquiry into what has taken place.”