Kate Osamor, Labour’s Shadow International
Development Secretary, responding to the
publication of ODA statistics for 2016, said:

“Britain is rightly acclaimed around the world for
our commitment to poverty reduction and helping the world’s poorest. It is
vital that we uphold this reputation and that the attempts that are underway
within the Tory party to undermine the aid budget are opposed.

“The scale of the increase in aid being spent by
non-DfID government departments is concerning. Some of these departments,
including the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence, have consistently
received “Poor” or “Very Poor” ratings in Publish What You Fund’s Aid
Transparency Index.

“The Government must explain what steps it is
taking to address this across all the departments now disbursing the aid
budget. The public rightly want to see full transparency and accountability in
how the aid budget is being spent, and the Government needs to up its
game.”

Diane Abbott, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, responding to Theresa
May’s remarks on freedom of movement, said:

“Theresa May has let the cat out of the bag. Freedom of movement
will continue after we have left the EU.

“But this is not what voters were told either before or since the
referendum.

“This latest broken promise is symptomatic of the Tories’
dysfunctional approach to Brexit.

“EU workers and their UK employers deserve certainty about their
future but are being badly let down by this Government.”

Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party said:

“Ken Livingstone’s comments have been grossly
insensitive, and he has caused deep offence and hurt to the Jewish community.

“Labour’s independently elected National
Constitutional Committee has found Ken guilty of bringing the party into
disrepute and suspended him for two years.

“It is deeply disappointing that, despite his long
record of standing up to racism, Ken has failed to acknowledge or apologise for
the hurt he has caused. Many people are understandably upset that he has
continued to make offensive remarks which could open him to further
disciplinary action.

“Since initiating the disciplinary process, I have
not interfered with it and respect the independence of the party’s disciplinary
bodies. But Ken’s subsequent comments and actions will now be considered by the
National Executive Committee after representations from party members.”

Ends

Keir
Starmer MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, commenting to the
European Parliament vote on the negotiating guidelines for exiting the EU,
said:

“It
is important that the European Parliament has reached agreed guidelines, and we
particularly welcome the emphasis that negotiations should be conducted in
‘good faith and full transparency’.

“Labour
also strongly support the Parliament’s insistence that a future EU-UK deal requires
the UK to retain international standards on human rights, climate change,
social rights and the fight against tax evasion and avoidance. Labour’s six
tests for the final Brexit deal made clear that there can be no drop in
EU-derived rights and protections.

“These
will be the most complex and important negotiations for decades and it is vital
that the Prime Minister reflects on these guidelines and sets about building
alliances and good faith with our EU partners.”

John
McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on today’s ONS
productivity figures, said:

“Today’s
productivity figures again confirm the Tories’ abject failure on productivity
growth, with growth slowing significantly over the last year and undershooting
even the pessimistic forecasts from the Bank of England and others.

“Productivity growth, as an enabler of higher pay, is a crucial component of rising living standards. Today’s
figures are yet more worrying news for working people who face a slump
in their standard of living under this Tory Government.

“The
ONS today said there is ‘little sign of an end to the UK’s ‘productivity
puzzle’ and there is no sign of the UK closing the record productivity gap with
other G7 economies.

“Philip Hammond has previously admitted that the UK’s productivity
gap is ‘shocking’. Yet the Tories lack a serious plan to tackle the problem.

“Only
Labour has a serious plan to invest in our future to raise our productivity and
deliver on jobs, prosperity and rising living standards.“