Jeremy
Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party , responding to Theresa May’s press conference in
Turkey, said:

“President
Trump’s executive order against refugees and Muslims should shock and appal us
all. 

“Theresa
May should have stood up for Britain and our values by condemning his actions.
It should sadden our country that she chose not to.

“After
Trump’s hideous actions and May’s weak failure to condemn them, it’s more
important than ever for us to say to refugees seeking a place of safety, that
they will always be welcome in Britain.”

Responding
to the joint press conference held between Theresa May and President
Trump, Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry has said:

“The
Prime Minister promised to speak frankly to President Trump, and tell him
where she disagreed with him, but we heard nothing of the sort.

“She
appears only to have discussed those issues on which we already know they
agree: trade and security. But we heard nothing about climate change,
about respect for human and reproductive rights, about war crimes in Syria,
about the nuclear deal with Iran, or about the illegal settlements in the West
Bank. 

The Prime
Minister referred to a special relationship based on our shared history and
interests, but she has to realise that it is also a relationship based on
shared values, and if the President is going to discard those values, whether
by embracing torture or ignoring climate change, then she must be willing
to tell him frankly that he is wrong.

“Her failure
to do so today – even behind closed doors – was nothing less than
shameful.”

Julie
Cooper MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Minister, commenting on reports of
increases in waiting times for hip operations, said:

“It
is absolutely shocking in 21st Century Britain that patients in some parts of
the country will only qualify for knee and hip replacement operations on the
NHS if they can prove pain so exceptional that it prevents sleep.

“Rationing
of this kind is totally unacceptable and is against the best traditions of the
NHS. However, there are concerns that if the Government continues to deny
sufficient funding to the NHS, rationing of treatments could become more
widespread.”

Wayne
David MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for the Armed Forces and Defence
Procurement, responding
to the National Audit Office’s report on the MoD Equipment Plan, said:

“Today’s
report from the National Audit Office should serve as a wake-up call to
ministers. The warning signs have been there for a long time but it is becoming
increasingly clear that the Government is in danger of losing control of the
defence budget.

“Ministers
ought to have clearly defined priorities and should ensure that, in these
uncertain times, Britain’s defence expenditure should not be the subject of ill
thought-out public expenditure cuts. The defence budget has been slashed since
2010 and the Government is only meeting the 2 per cent of GDP commitment
through creative accounting.

“The
Government should meet this commitment properly. Ministers also need to respond
urgently to the concerns raised by the NAO. And they should confirm when the
long-overdue National Shipbuilding Strategy will be published.

“Only
Labour can deliver a serious, joined-up Defence Industrial Strategy, as we did
in Government. Our approach would safeguard Britain’s industrial base, secure
high quality jobs throughout the supply chain, and protect our national
sovereignty, while achieving value for money.”

Richard
Burgon MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, commenting on reports that
lawyers representing the families of the victims of the Birmingham pub bombings
can apply for legal aid, said:

“This
is a welcome though long overdue announcement from the Government. Following
the Home Secretary’s unexpected refusal to fund the legal costs of the
inquests, the families should not have been made to wait a further four months
for this announcement. Labour has been pressing the Government to do the right
thing and this development is welcome.

However,
Conservative cuts to legal aid still mean that families who do receive public
funding are far from on a par with the resources of public bodies. This is
another reason the Government must get on with its review of legal aid cuts.”