Labour

The Labour Party is calling on the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions, David Gauke MP, to come before Parliament to explain why the Government has failed to implement recommendations from a United Nations report into the rights of disabled people, which has resulted in the chair of the UN’s Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities describing the situation as a ‘human catastrophe’ for disabled people.

Following the first ever investigation into a breach of their convention protecting disabled people’s rights last year, the UN found that the UK Government has committed ‘grave and systematic violations’, and set out a number of measures they needed to take to improve.

As yesterday’s review described, implementation of the initial recommendations has been ‘uneven’ and ‘insufficient’. Despite having months to improve, the Government is still failing to understand, adapt to or apply a human rights model of disability; to properly consult disabled people in the implementation of the convention; and to address concerns about the impact of austerity measures which have increased levels of poverty among disabled people.

Debbie Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said:

“Yesterday’s damning report highlights the complete failure of this Tory Government to listen to the UN, and to take action to guarantee the basic rights of disabled people.

“Their lack of progress across almost all of the UN Committee’s recommendations reflects the Government’s refusal to accept the misery faced by disabled people as a result of their failing austerity agenda.

“The Secretary of State must come before the House at the earliest possible opportunity to explain why the Government has refused to listen to the UN, and instead continues to violate disabled people’s rights.

“The next Labour Government will incorporate the UN CRPD fully into UK law.”

Debbie Abrahams MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, responded to the concluding observations by UN Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities on the initial UK report, said:
 
“The UN Committee, in making such a high number of recommendations to a nation state, has found that this Tory government is still failing sick and disabled people. Their damning report highlights what many disabled people already know to be true, that they are being forced to bear the brunt of failed Tory austerity policies.  The Committee also expressed concerns about future rights for disabled people after Brexit.

“This confirms what Labour has been saying all along, that the lack of progress on all Convention articles, including cruel changes to social security and the punitive sanctions regime, are causing real misery for sick and disabled people. 
 
“Labour will transform our social security system in partnership with disabled people to ensure that, like our NHS, it is there for us all in our time of need.  The next Labour Government will incorporate the UN CRPD fully into UK law and immediately reverse the PIP regulations, as called for by the UN.”

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Diane Abbott, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on a letter from the UK Statistics Authority to the Home Office, highlighting concerns over leaked  migration figures, said:

“Under this Tory Government one of the great offices of state has been brought into disrepute.

“Whether it is letters being erroneously sent out to EU nationals in order to propagate Theresa May’s risible “hostile environment”, or leaked national statistics being used to mislead the British people about the shambles that is Tory immigration policy, ministers face some serious questions.

“How can the public trust a word the Tories say on immigration when they feel the need to leak information to mask the failure of their policy?”

Keir Starmer MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, commenting on David Davis and Michel Barnier’s joint press conference, said:

“After three rounds of negotiations, real progress should have been made and in principle agreements reached on all phase one issues. Instead, the two sides appear to be getting further apart. 

“The risk of not reaching the October deadline to move on to the main negotiations is now very real; which increases the risk of Britain leaving with “no deal” in March 2019.

“No deal would be the worst possible outcome for the British people.

“Both sides need to redouble efforts and work together to reach a strong Article 50 deal and a close future partnership. If more negotiating sessions need to be added between now and the October deadline, they should be. Substantive progress and clear outcomes are urgently needed.”

Tom Watson MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, commenting on online gambling firm 888 being ordered to pay a record £7.8m penalty by the Gambling Commission, said:

“This outrageous case is more evidence of a gambling industry that needs to do more to protect vulnerable customers – not exploit them. With 430,000 problem gamblers in the UK, and over 2 million more at risk of addiction, the sector has to take responsibility and help people not to bet more than they can afford.”