Labour

Jim McMahon MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Devolution and Finance, responding to findings by the IFS that councils are concerned about impact of cuts, said:

 “The IFS’s shock findings that five out of six councils are not confident they can avoid significant reductions in service quality over the next five years is yet more evidence of the damage that government cuts to local government funding is having. The lack of certainty over future funding is undermining local councils’ ability to respond to growing need in their area.

“Earlier this year we pushed the Government to deliver a properly thought out solution to local government funding, only for the process to be shelved because of the snap general election that they called.

“We’re not simply scare mongering when we say that councils face a very real risk of collapsing under the combination of growing need – especially for social care – government cuts to core funding, and the sheer lack of clarity on what a funding formula will look like in the future. And let’s be clear, it’s local residents who will ultimately pay the price of unfunded and overstretched services.”

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Notes to editors

The report ‘The local vantage: how views on local government finance vary across councils’ will be available on the IFS website from 00.01 Thursday 14^th September 2017.

Angela Rayner, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, commenting after the House of Commons unanimously approved Labour’s Opposition Day motion calling for the recent increase in tuition fees to be revoked, said: 

“Today the House of Commons unanimously approved Labour’s motion to revoke the Government’s latest tuition fee hike, which will cost students up to £1,000 each over the course of their degrees. 

“The Tories brought in this fee hike through a statutory instrument, not a vote in the Commons, so today is the first time £9,250 tuition fees has been brought to Parliament, where it was unanimously rejected. 

“The Government had no mandate to increase fees to begin with and if they do not now reverse the fee hike they will be defying the will of Parliament in blatant disregard for our democracy.”

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Jon Trickett MP, Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, commenting on the news that the cost of the General Election was £140 million, said:

“Theresa May has been left with egg on her face and the taxpayer is picking up the bill.

“The Prime Minister said there was no magic money tree to give nurses a proper pay rise.

“But she spent £140 million of taxpayers’ cash on a failed bid to boost her majority that’s led to a Zombie Government.”

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Debbie Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on today’s Labour Market Statistics from ONS:

“Over 7 million people from working families are living in poverty, more than ever before.

“We welcome the overall increase in employment, but are deeply concerned that millions are still unable to make ends meet as the cost of basic essentials spirals while real pay falls.

“Too many still find it more difficult to get a job because of their age, ethnicity, disability or where they live. And these same groups bear the brunt of this Government’s failed austerity plans.

“A Labour government will implement a real Living Wage of £10 per hour, and put an end to Tory austerity.”

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Tom Watson MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, commenting on Karen Bradley’s minded-to decision on the Sky-Fox merger, said:

“This is the first time a Minister in the current Government has ever stood in the way of what the Murdochs want, and frankly it’s about time.

“Karen Bradley has done everything we asked her to do and I welcome her minded-to decision to refer the bid on broadcasting standards grounds as well as on media plurality grounds.

“Unfortunately the Secretary of State’s change of heart today reflects a failure on the part of Ofcom, who incorrectly assessed concerns in their initial statement and even now seem to fail to recognise that the “non-fanciful concerns” they have found demand a reference to the CMA as a matter of law.

“It is now up to the Government to ensure that any CMA investigation is more thorough and detailed than Ofcom’s, and that Ofcom understands the serious concerns raised by their failure to understand the legal requirements and provide accurate advice. They must not get it so wrong again.”