Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Labour’s shadow business
secretary, responding to news that the UK and Italian governments are
presenting a proposal to jointly assume the Presidency of the 26th
Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change, said:

“While Labour welcomes efforts to bring the climate conference to the
UK, the government should start by getting its own house in order.

“The government must acknowledge just how disastrous Conservative
policies have been for renewable energy in the UK, and take the steps
needed to get the UK back on track to meeting its own climate targets.”

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary, responding to new ONS figures which shows that infant mortality has risen, said:

“The continued reversal of infant mortality rates is heart-breaking and must prompt serious action from ministers.

“We urgently need to tackle all factors influencing this, an
important first step would be to halt swingeing cuts to public health
and early years services by this Tory government.

“Ministers can’t ignore the fundamental truth that rising child
poverty, deprivation and severe inequality betray our children and
worsen health outcomes. Narrowing health inequalities and improving the
health and wellbeing of every child will be an explicit aim of the next
Labour government.”

Rebecca Long Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, responding to Unison’s report calling for the Big Six energy companies to be brought into public ownership, said:

“The energy supply market has led to broken trust and spiralling
costs for households and businesses, and a failure to invest in the
energy workers who will be needed to make our homes more energy
efficient, and the electricity and heat we use lower carbon.

“Radical reform is needed, and I welcome this exciting publication as a contribution to the debate on public ownership.”

Barbara Keeley MP, Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Social Care, responding to the Prime Minister’s announcement on prevention in mental health, said:

“Once again we hear warm words from the Prime Minister on mental
health, but the reality is that mental health services are stretched to
breaking point and people with mental health problems aren’t getting the
support they need.

“The Prime Minister is failing to address the real crisis in mental
health. Training for teachers and other professionals is welcome but
when we know thousands of children and young people are either turned
away from mental health services or have to wait too long for treatment,
it’s clear that she’s missing the real issue.

“This Tory government has cut local authority funding and failed to
protect mental health budgets. Labour will invest more in mental health
services and ring-fence budgets, so that funding reaches those who need
support.”

Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary,
commenting on new statistics which show that in the year ending March
2019 the highest number of knife and offensive weapon offences since
2010 were formally dealt with by the Criminal Justice System, said:

“The number of knife-related offences continues to soar under this
government. The overstretched and under-resourced police and criminal
justice systems are only able to tackle a fraction of the total level of
crime.

“The Government should stop just talking about a public health
approach and actually adopt one. This includes properly funding the
police, ending the Tories’ damaging cuts to public services and
reinvesting in youth services to provide young people with genuine hope
for their future prospects.”