Kate
Osamor MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for International
Development, commenting on the International Day for the Remembrance of the
Slave Trade and its Abolition on 23 August, said:

“Today we
remember the struggles of millions of slaves who, through everyday resistance
over decades, brought about the abolition of slavery and showed the power of
collective action.

“But there
are still 45.8 million people locked in modern slavery, including in child
slavery, trafficking and sexual exploitation. It is estimated that illegal
profits are to the tune of US$ 150 billion globally.

“Theresa
May’s government is right to make this a priority. But it must do more to
address the root causes of modern slavery, and not treat its symptoms in
isolation. Only a Labour government will bring the international
leadership and cooperation needed to tackle labour exploitation and
deregulation, combat trafficking, and raise standards on supply
chain transparency.”

“Even George Osborne recognises that the Tories’ chronic
underinvestment in transport is holding the North back. 

“It takes longer to travel by train from Liverpool to Hull
than from London to Paris, yet the government spend £1500 more per head in
London than the North. 

“Rather than addressing these disparities, the Conservatives have
abandoned the North, having just pulled the plug on
the full electrification of the TransPennine route.

“Investing in transport is essential to rebalancing the economy
and boosting growth across the country. That’s why Labour has pledged to
upgrade the rail network throughout Britain, including a £10bn commitment for
Crossrail for the North.”

Labour’s
energy price cap would have saved average consumer £1149 since 2010

Labour
would introduce an immediate emergency price cap to ensure that the average
household energy bill remains below £1000 per year, while we transition to a
fairer system for bill payers. If this policy had been in place since 2010, it
would have saved the average consumer £1149 and £142 per year going forward on
their energy bills.

Britain’s
energy market is broken. One-in-ten households are in fuel poverty, yet the
directors of the Big Six energy companies paid themselves a combined £12m last
year. According to the Competition and Markets Authority, customers are
overcharged an enormous £2bn every year, yet the Big Six have just increased
energy prices by 8-15 per cent.

Before
the election, the Prime Minister promised to knock £100 off energy bills for 17
million customers. However, the Government have abandoned this promise, and
have only said that they will take action to protect “vulnerable” customers.

For the
majority of households facing crippling energy bills, the Government’s response
is to tell consumers to shop around for the best deal. But 70 per cent of Big
Six customers remain on their supplier’s most expensive tariffs; only 5 per
cent of people intended to switch supplier in the next 12 months; and it is
those who struggle most with crippling bills who are least likely to switch.

Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour’s Shadow
Secretary of State for Business, Energy and industrial Strategy, said:

“Working
people are suffering rip-off price hikes by the Big Six energy companies whilst
at the same time many bosses continue to carry on paying themselves obscene
amounts. That’s the Tories’ rigged economy in action and they will do nothing
about it.

“The next Labour Government will take the
tough action needed on the energy companies. We’ll impose a hard price cap on
energy bills that will immediately end rip-off price increases, and we’re
prepared to take on the Big Six to do it. Labour is standing up for the people
against the elite.”

Justin
Madders, Labour’s Shadow Health Minister, commenting on the GP workforce
figures which have been published by NHS Digital today, said:

“With
fewer GPs in place now than in 2015, the Tories are failing on their promise to
recruit more General Practitioners. The end result is that it is getting
increasingly difficult to see a GP, with people facing longer waits for routine
appointments as pressure on A&Es mount.

“This
Government’s management of the NHS workforce has been a disaster. They need to
do much more to address the pressures of working in General Practice and
attract the number of new GPs the NHS needs. Across the country patients are
paying the price for the Tories’ failure to get enough GPs in place”.

Sue
Hayman MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs,
responding to Ford’s scrappage scheme announcement,
said:

“This is
welcome news from Ford who are to be congratulated for their initiative and
innovation with this scheme. 

“Not only
do schemes like these help to tackle the air pollution crisis in the UK, they
also help to boost the car industry and our economy.

“However,
action from individual manufacturers won’t make up for a lack of leadership
from the Government on air quality. 

“With
nearly 40 million people living in areas with illegal levels of air pollution,
a joined up, strategic approach across the country is urgently needed.”