Labour

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, commenting on today’s announcement that water bills are set to fall by up to £25 from 2020, said:

‘’Today’s announcement does not go far enough. The water industry is failing the majority of consumers, and only radical action can correct this market.

“In the last ten years, water companies have paid 1,000 times more in dividends to their shareholders than in tax. Some have even paid more in dividends than they have made in profit, running up debt which is passed on to bill payers.

“Labour will fix this broken system and bring the water companies back into public ownership ensuring savings of £100 per year on household bills.’’

John Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, responding to new statistics on the replacement of homes sold under the right-to-buy, said:

“These figures show only one in five council homes sold under the right-to-buy has been replaced, despite the Conservatives promising one-for-one replacement.

“We desperately need more genuinely affordable homes, but the Conservatives’ right-to-buy means council homes are being sold off and communities are losing out. Too often these homes become buy-to-let investments rather than family homes, with higher rents costing the taxpayer millions more in housing benefit.

“Labour will invest in the biggest council house building programme in more than 30 years, and to ensure that areas can build and retain council homes for local people we will suspend the right-to-buy, allowing councils to reinstate it only if they can prove a plan to replace homes sold one-for-one and like-for-like.”

Ends

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

“Today’s figures are further evidence of Tory economic failure, only a day after inflation rose to its highest level in over five-and-half years.

“Both employment and real wages are falling while the price of household essentials balloons, leaving millions of people worse off than they were in 2010.

“Eight million people in working households live in poverty, and many will struggle this Christmas as a direct result of this government’s austerity policies.

“Labour will protect living standards by introducing a £10 an hour real Living Wage, scrapping the public sector pay cap and reforming the government’s failing Universal Credit programme.”

Ends

Tom Watson, Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, commenting on new NAO report that finds significantly reduced income for good causes from the National Lottery, said:

“This report should set serious alarm bells ringing for those who are supposed to act as stewards for the National Lottery.  

“The point of the Lottery is to maximise returns for good causes not maximise returns for the company holding the operating licence.

“While Camelot have seen their shareholder profits from the Lottery rocket since 2010 the amount going to good causes over the same period has risen by a measly 2%, and the 15% drop in good causes income in the last year is particularly worrying.

“If money for good causes is being hit by consumers moving towards scratchcards and away from lottery draws then Camelot needs to act to address this, not hide behind it.

“It’s now clear that good causes are losing out while Camelot continues to win the jackpot. The Government must act urgently to ensure Camelot does better- and quickly.”

Tom Watson, Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, commenting on new NAO report that finds significantly reduced income for good causes from the National Lottery, said:

“This report should set serious alarm bells ringing for those who are supposed to act as stewards for the National Lottery.  

“The point of the Lottery is to maximise returns for good causes not maximise returns for the company holding the operating licence.

“While Camelot have seen their shareholder profits from the Lottery rocket since 2010 the amount going to good causes over the same period has risen by a measly 2%, and the 15% drop in good causes income in the last year is particularly worrying.

“If money for good causes is being hit by consumers moving towards scratchcards and away from lottery draws then Camelot needs to act to address this, not hide behind it.

“It’s now clear that good causes are losing out while Camelot continues to win the jackpot. The Government must act urgently to ensure Camelot does better- and quickly.”