Keir
Starmer MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, responding to Tory calls for a ‘root and branch’ review of EU
regulations, said:

“The
report that Iain Duncan Smith cites describes basic employment rights as costly
regulations.

“On the eve of triggering Article 50 it
is increasingly clear that rights and protections are seen by many senior
Tories, including in the Cabinet, as an “expensive” luxury that British workers
and consumer consumers can do without.

“That is why one of Labour’s six tests for the Brexit deal is that it defends
hard fought for rights and protections and doesn’t lead to a race to the
bottom.

“The Prime Minister must stand up to the growing voices in her Party that see
Brexit as a once in a generation opportunity to dismantle the rights and
protections that underpin our economic model.”

Nia
Griffith MP, Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary, responding to the Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body 2017 Report, said:

“This
report highlights the serious effect that changes to pay and conditions are
having on our Armed Forces. According to the report’s authors, rent rises and
changes to tax and benefits have created a “perfect storm” that is putting real
pressure on service personnel and their families. 

“We
have known for some time that Conservative cuts to our Armed Forces have had a
crippling effect on morale, but this report issues the stark warning that these
pressures must be dealt with, otherwise there will be a widespread effect on
recruitment and retention, which could in turn threaten operational
effectiveness.

“It
is clear from this report that personnel feel overlooked in favour of
cost-cutting by the MoD. Our Armed Forces and their families deserve the very
best support, it’s time for the Government to treat them with the respect that
they deserve.”

Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on new
Government plans that would allow civilians to compete for chief constable
jobs, said:

“Caution
is required with these plans. There is a continuous need to modernise the
police, making it more diverse and representative of society as a whole, but
many able officers will now wonder whether their own career paths could be
blocked.

“This
Tory Government have already reduced officer numbers by over 20,000 and broken
their pledge to protect police funding in real terms.

“Neither
the police nor the public will want to see people recruited from outside the
service simply because of their willingness to implement further swingeing
cuts.”

Teresa
Pearce MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local
Government,
commenting on an Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) report showing that one in six
roads in England and Wales are in poor condition, said:

“Up and down the country, motorists, cyclists and passengers regularly
have their safety compromised by dangerous and recurring potholes. Whilst
councils are doing their utmost to repair these swiftly, huge cuts to local
government budgets are making this ever more difficult.

“The Government must act to close the funding gap in local services so that
people are able to travel freely and safely throughout their communities. And
the utility companies who regularly dig up the roads must also be an active
part of the solution to this problem.

“The Tories’ chaotic and cack-handed approach to local government funding is
creating a system whereby councils can only afford to provide the bare minimum
in statutory social care, safeguarding and homelessness services. Consequently,
we are seeing everything else, from libraries to roads, suffer as a
result.”

Jonathan
Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, commenting on reports that NHS
England is to develop new guidelines in order to stop GPs from prescribing
certain medicines, said:

“This
Government has forced the NHS through the longest period of financial squeeze
in its history. Indeed, hospital bosses have recently warned it will be
‘mission impossible’ to achieve the standards of care the public demand given
the scale of the underfunding.

“We
have long warned this underfunding would lead to greater rationing of services
and treatments. Ministers need to explain what today’s restrictions will mean
for those eligible for free prescriptions such as the elderly, pregnant and
those on low incomes.

“Of
course, NHS bosses are right to demand the best possible value for money from the
medicines they buy so that every penny can go towards patient care. But let’s
be clear: the greater restrictions and rationing proposed today are a direct
result of Theresa May’s underfunding of the NHS.“