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.”

Ends

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.”

Ends

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.”

Ends

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.”

Ends

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.”