Labour

Sue Hayman MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, responding to evidence by the Guardian and ITV showing tampering of food safety records and use-by dates, said:

“The evidence presented here is extremely concerning and raises a number of serious questions. The supplier in question is the largest supplier of chicken to UK supermarkets, meaning the number of consumers impacted will be significant.

“It is welcome that five major food retailers are going to launch immediate investigations but the Government must do the same. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs must respond to the findings of the investigation to reassure consumers that this matter is in hand. Stepping back and shunting the issue on to the Food Standards Agency, as during the imported egg crisis, will not do.

“It is vital that the Government ensures that the highest food standards are being upheld in the UK and that consumers are presented with correct information at the point of purchase.”

Debbie Abrahams MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on the letter from Conservative MPs calling for a halt to Universal Credit, said;  

“I am glad that Conservative MPs are waking up to the disastrous effects of Universal Credit, and backing Labour’s call for a pause to the programme.

“The rising debt and arrears under Universal Credit are a direct result of the six week wait for payment introduced by this Government. This policy can be changed.”  

“Labour is again calling on the Government to halt the roll out of Universal Credit and remove the punitive elements of the programme which are pushing so many families into poverty.”

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to the Royal College of Nursing’s new “Against the Odds” report, said:

“Seven years of Tory mismanagement and underfunding has placed an unacceptable level of pressure on nursing staff to keep NHS services running. 

“The Government is constantly asking NHS workers to do more with less, and over 70 per cent of nurses surveyed by the RCN have said their last shift had unsafe numbers of staff. This is a threat to the quality of care which patients can expect to receive. 

“At the election Labour promised to bring in a new law to guarantee safe staffing levels in hospitals. Ministers must step up and explain what action they’re going to take to get enough nurses in place to keep services for patients running safely.”

Matthew Pennycook MP, Shadow Brexit Minister, commenting on the House of Lords’ Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee report on the EU Withdrawal Bill, said:

“This report raises fundamental concerns about the Government’s repeal bill.

“Britain voted to take back control, but the truth is this bill represents an unprecedented  power-grab by Tory ministers. Parliament risks becoming a mere spectator while the Government is given sweeping new powers over people’s everyday lives.

“It’s time for Theresa May to change approach. She should scrap this bill and introduce new legislation that respects the referendum and enhances, rather than undermines, British democracy.”

Andy McDonald MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, responding to the Government’s road casualty statistics, said:

“The latest road casualty statistics make for chilling reading with the number of road deaths at a five year high and serious life changing injuries up by nine per cent.

“Labour made significant progress on road safety, but the Tories scrapped road safety targets and allowed our roads to become more dangerous.

“The underfunding of police forces has meant there are a third fewer dedicated traffic police than a decade ago, making enforcement less effective. Labour will reintroduce road safety targets and increase police numbers as part of an ambitious strategy striving for zero deaths on our roads.”