Diane
Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on Bernard
Hogan-Howe’s warning on cuts to the Met’s Home Office grant, said: 

“When
the most senior officer in the country warns that the Tories’ cuts to the
police budgets are dangerous, we should all take note.  But ministers
arrogantly persist in claiming to have protected spending.

“The
substantial reductions to police budgets since 2010 already pose a threat to
public safety, now these further cuts will simply apply more pressure on an
already overstretched police service.

“Labour
will be pushing ministers keep the promise they made and protect police
spending.”

Yasmin
Qureshi MP, Labour’s Shadow Prisons Minister, commenting on today’s National Offender
Management Service (NOMS) workforce statistics, said:

“It’s no
wonder ministers tried to sneak this out during Parliamentary recess.

“It would
appear Liz Truss’s flagship recruitment drive is failing and frontline officers
are still leaving the service. 

“We need
urgent action to tackle the understaffing which is contributing to the Tories’
prisons crisis.”

Diane Abbott, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on the Government’s announcement of measures to protect children and young people from sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking, said

“This Government’s hypocrisy is startling.  Councils will face a £1.9 billion funding gap in children’s services by 2020 and whilst this £40 million injection is welcome, it barely scratches the surface.

“The reality is that the crippling cuts have demoralised and damaged the capacity of child protection services to protect vulnerable children.

“Coupled with the shambolic handling of the Inquiry into Historic Child Sex Abuse, the treatment of the victims of child sex abuse and vulnerable children is inadequate and irresponsible.

“We must ensure children are safe and it is unclear how the Government can prove they take this task seriously with their planned £1.9 billion funding gap.”

Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, commenting on the release of the list of employers who have failed to pay the national minimum and living wage, said:  

“It is frankly disgraceful that a record number of employers have failed to pay their workers the basic minimum wage and hopefully the repercussions of being publicly named and shamed will act as a deterrent for other unscrupulous employers.

“However, the fact remains that the current so-called National Living Wage is that in name only. The Chancellor even announced a cut in the rate at the Autumn Statement last year, leaving 2.7 million people over £1,300 worse off by 2020.

“Labour will deliver a real living wage so that every worker earns enough to really live.”

Angela
Rayner, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, commenting on the letter from Core Cities UK to the
Education Secretary, said:

“Schools
are facing unprecedented cuts to their budgets and all the Tories have to offer
are warms words about how they will help them make the savings.

“When
headteachers are faced with the choice of keeping the lights on or letting go
of teachers, this is galling to say the very least.

“Children
deserve more from this Tory government who have created a school funding
crisis, chronic teacher shortages and super-sized classes.”