John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow
Chancellor, responding
to the IMF downgrade of UK growth forecasts, said:

“Today’s report from the IMF is yet another blow for
the Government and its continued austerity agenda that is holding our country back.

“It further reveals that this government has no
real plan for Brexit and no real plan to deal with the problem of earnings not
keeping up with prices, which is undermining growth and risking living
standards.

"Only a Labour government will end austerity and
provide the vital programme of investment to boost growth in our economy,
underpinned by our Fiscal Credibility Rule, which our country desperately
needs.

Rebecca
Long-Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy, commenting
on the Government’s industrial strategy announcement, said:

‘’Today’s
‘announcement’ is something of a damp squib. The Government’s promise of
investment in battery technology is simply a re-announcement of funding
promised back in April as part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, and
their record of supporting emerging green industries is abysmal.

“Labour’s
plans for energy market reform would see consumers’ bills slashed by £120 and
our industrial strategy to create one million good jobs and ensure that we find
60 per cent of our energy from renewable sources by 2030 has real teeth, backed
up our £250 billion National Transformation Fund.

“This
scale of vision and investment is what is needed to transform the UK economy,
not a re-announcement of the same small pot of funding.’’

New analysis by the House of Commons Library has revealed that
7.6 million people will lose out by nearly £10,000 each under the Government’s
plans to bring forward changes to the state pension age. 

The change will affect all men and women currently between the
age of 39 and 47, who will be forced to work a year longer before they can
access their state pension entitlement.

The Government’s announcement of their plans to bring forward
the state pension age last Thursday came more than two months after their legal
deadline, 7 May 2017, evading debate on the issue leading up to the General
Election.

The announcement was heavily criticised, as it followed evidence
from the renowned expert on life expectancy, Professor Sir Michael Marmot, who
just days before had described how a century-long rise in life expectancy
was “pretty close to having ground to a halt.” Professor Marmot pointed
to 2010 as the turning point, when the Government began its austerity
programme.

Just over a week ago, the Government’s own advisory body, Public
Health England, had published data showing significant disparities in Healthy
Life Expectancy. For example, it showed how on average a man living in
Nottingham would be only be expected to live in good health until the age of
57, a full eleven years earlier than the Government’s newly timetabled state
pension age increase to 68.

A Director of Public Health England described how the average
pensioner will now have to deal with a “toxic cocktail” of ill health
throughout their whole retirement, and for some years before.

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

“This is a disgraceful and unjustified attack on the state
pension by this Government, who are asking millions of people to work longer to
pay for their failing austerity plans.

“The latest research on life expectancy, published days ago,
shows that there is no evidential basis for bringing the state pension age
further forward.

“That’s why Labour want to take a measured approach, leaving the
state pension age at 66 while we review the evidence emerging around life
expectancy and healthy life expectancy, considering how we can best protect
those doing demanding jobs and the contributions they have already made.”

Andy McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport
Secretary, commenting on Chris Grayling’s comments that the
full electrification of the Leeds to Manchester train line won’t go ahead,
said: 

“This is a slap in the face for commuters
and businesses in the North.

"Just six weeks ago the Tories promised the
electrification of the Trans-Pennine route as an integral part of the
government’s ‘Northern Powerhouse’. 

"For years the Tories have promised
electrification for the North, delivering faster, greener and more reliable
services along with the significant economic benefits brought about by improved
connectivity. 

"The Tories have gone from Northern Powerhouse
to Northern Powercut! Another broken promise from a Government that’s hit the
buffers.

"Chris Grayling had to be forced to come to
parliament to give his HS2 statement and has sneaked this out in an interview
after the Commons has risen.

"Voters won’t be fooled by Grayling’s claim
that the same benefits will be realised without electrification. 

"With our commitment to deliver a Crossrail
for the North, it’s clear only Labour has the ambition to transform the
economies of the North of England for the many not the few.”

Ends

Richard Burgon MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, following the appointment of Lady Hale as President of the UK Supreme Court,said:

“I congratulate Lady Hale on her appointment. It is a welcome step forward to have the first female president of the Supreme Court.

“Such positive change is far too slow across the judiciary. Labour will review the judicial appointments process to ensure a judiciary that’s more representative of society.”