Labour

Richard Burgon, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, commenting on Theresa May’s refusal to create a Grenfell Inquiry panel as requested earlier today by survivors and their bereaved families in a petition handed in at Downing Street, said:

“For the Grenfell Inquiry to deliver truth and justice, Grenfell residents must have full confidence in it. To tackle the obvious current lack of trust, Theresa May should use her powers under the Inquiries Act to deliver a diverse Inquiry panel as demanded by the survivors and bereaved families. This would ensure that the Inquiry reflects the range of backgrounds and experiences of those affected by the Grenfell fire. Theresa May needs to take responsibility for this decision and stop passing the buck.” 

Rachael Maskell MP, Labour’s Shadow Rail Minister, commenting on a Transport Focus investigation which has found the rail industry is failing to tell passengers in time if their journey will be disrupted, said:

“Not only will passengers suffer the steepest fare hike in five years in January, they are also being tricked into buying tickets for non-existent services over Christmas.

“Train companies should guarantee that passengers who have been mis-sold tickets will be notified immediately and that they will incur no additional cost to transfer onto on the most suitable alternative train.

“Under the Tories, train companies are ripping people off and the solution is a Labour Government that puts people before profit and brings our railways into public ownership.”

Nia Griffith MP, Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary, responding to the Government’s statement on locally employed staff who worked alongside British forces in Afghanistan, said:

“Afghan citizens who worked with British forces as interpreters or drivers put themselves in extreme danger and many continue to face threats and intimidation today.

“It is hugely disappointing that the Government has refused to extend support packages to those who completed their duties between 2006 and 2011. This arbitrary approach risks letting down those who put their lives on the line in support of our Forces. The Ministry of Defence should re-examine this short-sighted decision as a matter of urgency.”

Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on the Government admitting that the current system for EU citizens applying for permanent residency in the UK is unfit, said:

“Labour consistently argued that the Government’s plans were unfair and unworkable. Now the government has conceded as much.

“But a lot of uncertainty remains, which affects both UK citizens living in the EU as well as EU citizens here. The Government needs to give clarity on what it has agreed, and to stick to its word. Labour has always argued for guaranteed rights for UK and EU citizens.”

Ends

Tom Watson MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, responding to the Gambling Commission’s ‘Young People and Gambling 2017 Survey’, said:

“This new research from the gambling commission shows that there are still far too many young people gambling in Britain today.

“It is worrying that children continue to be bombarded with adverts promoting gambling through TV, online and via social media. 80 per cent of young people say they see gambling adverts on TV each week.

“The rise of ‘skins’ gambling and other forms of gambling online or in games which encourage children to trade-in cosmetic online items for cash, only serve to demonstrate that our gambling laws are woefully out of date.

“The next Labour government will bring in a new Gambling Act that ensures our gambling laws are fit for the digital age and finally tackle Britain’s hidden gambling epidemic.”