“Today’s
productivity figures again confirm the Tories’ failure on productivity growth,
a crucial component of rising living standards.

“This is yet more worrying
news given figures this week showing inflation rising and wage growth slowing,
squeezing household incomes.

"The ONS says productivity growth “remains weak”, and Philip Hammond has
previously admitted that the UK’s productivity gap is “shocking”. Yet the
Tories have no plan to tackle the problem.

“Only Labour can end the Tories’ rigged economy
with a serious plan to invest in our future to raise our productivity, and
create the high wage, high skill economy of the future.”

Gill Furniss MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Steel,
Postal Services and Consumer Protection, commenting on reports that Tata steelworkers have
voted to accept Tata’s new pension scheme deal, said:

“This was always going to be a
tough decision but we should recognise the fantastic work trade unions have
done in getting the deal that has been accepted today. Thousands of
steelworkers at Port Talbot now have job security for the next five years and
they deserve the certainty that today’s result brings.

“Steel
is a vital foundation industry for the UK. That is why it is important that
today we have got a way forward for the Port Talbot steelworks, and that is why
Labour will keep pressing the Government to give the steel sector the support
it deserves.

“That
means not marking steel ‘low-priority’ in the Brexit negotiations and not
giving steel just one mention in the whole industrial strategy green paper.
Actions matter, and this Government has done nothing to show it will actually
support the UK steel industry.”

Rebecca
Long-Bailey, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy commenting on Theresa May’s visit
to Copeland said:

“The
Prime Minister today failed to assure that the UK is committed to the NuGen
nuclear plant at Moorside in Cumbria.

“Taking
an equity share as Labour has called for would ensure this vital power station
built. Theresa May’s lack of action compounds a failed and incoherent energy
strategy, clumsily lurching from crisis to calamity.

“Labour
supports new nuclear and the growth of renewable energy, but the Tories appear
hell bent on preventing either, rushing us out of the Euratom nuclear
partnership and slashing low carbon energy support.

“The
Tories’ failure is forcing up energy bills and threatening jobs.”

ENDS

Notes
to Editors

1     Labour
tabled multiple amendments to the recent Article 50 Bills to seek continued
membership of Euratom (the European Atomic Energy Community) including NC192.
The government rejected those attempts to keep the UK inside the nuclear
research and trade community, despite strong calls
from the nuclear industry.

a.      
Leaving Euratom will have significant
implications and disruption
for the nuclear industry, and may affect
the construction of Hinkley Point C.

b.     
Legal
opinion is
split as to whether leaving the EU necessitates the leaving Euratom.

c.      
Labour has come out in
support of new nuclear.

2      
The Government has greatly rolled
back on support for low carbon energy to international
condemnation.

a.      
It is months
late in its publishing of the legally required Emissions Reduction Plan.

b.     
And risks
missing it’s legally required Carbon Budgets as laid out in the Climate
Change Act 2008.

3.     Significant
disruptions in financial flows to the energy infrastructure makes projects more
risky, driving up the cost of capital and impacting bills payers.

Debbie Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Work
and Pensions Secretary, commenting on today’s Labour Market Statistics,
said:

“We welcome the overall increase in
employment, but are concerned that wide regional differences in the numbers of
people in work remain.  

“It is also worrying to see that rising
living costs are quickly catching up with wage growth. If this trend continues,
the Government’s abysmal record on living standards will get even worse. 

“With wages set to be lower in 2021 than
before the Tories came to power, they must now act to stop the growing pressure
on low and middle income families. 

“That’s why Labour is urging the
Government to reverse cuts to in-work support that could see some working
families worse off by £2,600 a year.”

Rebecca
Long-Bailey, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, commenting on reports that General Motors is in talks to sell its European arm
Opel, which includes the UK’s Vauxhall, said:

“In light
of plans by General Motors to explore the option of selling Vauxhall and Opel,
the Government should be pushing protection of our automotive sector right to
the top of their agenda.

“Workers
and investors need confidence that this industry will be robustly supported by
Government for many years to come so that jobs are secure and investors are
able to make long term decisions.

“I would
also urge General Motors to work very closely with trade unions in progressing
any deal to ensure that jobs are protected.”

Ends