Emily
Thornberry MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, following news
of the death of Liu Xiaobo, said:

“In
Liu Xiaobo the world has lost a fearless champion of human rights and
democracy, whose non-violent campaigning was an inspiration to many millions in
China around the world.

“It
is tragic and deeply regrettable that he spent so many of his final years in
prison, and that as his health deteriorated he was unable to seek medical
treatment overseas or to share his final hours with those closest to him.

“He
will be sorely missed, and his courage, compassion and unyielding belief in universal
rights will live on.”

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the
Labour Party, following today’s meeting with EU chief negotiator Michel
Barnier in Brussels, said:

“I’m pleased to have
had a friendly and constructive meeting with Michel Barnier today.

“Keir Starmer, Diane
Abbott and I had a frank and informative conversation with the EU’s chief
negotiator and exchanged views about how we see the Brexit process working.

“Labour has extended
the hand of partnership for a new relationship with Europe and we outlined how
our goal of a jobs-first Brexit deal would protect our mutual trading
interests.

“We set out Labour’s
Brexit priorities in contrast to the race-to-the-bottom tax haven threatened by
the Conservatives.

“The General Election
result has clearly changed the context for the Brexit talks and means the
Government will have to listen to Parliament and will not be able to have it
all its own way.

“Labour respects the
EU referendum result, and we will be taking every opportunity to try and
achieve a Brexit which puts jobs, living standards and environmental protection
at its heart.”

Andy
McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, responding to
the fine given to Southern Rail today, said:

“It has taken over a year for the Transport
Secretary to reach this decision. Long-suffering passengers should not
have to resort to crowdfunding for legal action to seek accountability, and the
Secretary of State should not have to be dragged kicking and screaming by the
High Court to do the job he was appointed to do.

“Today’s fine is small change compared with the
£1.2billion Govia is paid to run passenger services and, with crucial parts of
the Gibb report redacted and a lack of detail on today’s decision, the
management of the Southern rail fiasco continues to lack transparency.

“Ultimately, the buck stops with the Government.
Tory ministers, who designed and awarded the franchise, have been ducking their
responsibility for Southern’s abysmal service and for directing this
unnecessary industrial dispute.

“A Labour government would stand up for the
interests of passengers rather than train companies, taking Southern back into
public ownership and creating a new body to have strategic oversight for the
railway to end the chaos and fragmentation that has plagued Southern.”

John
McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on the Office for
Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) Fiscal Risks report this morning, said:

“The
Tories want to blame Brexit for their failures on the economy, but what this
report really reveals is that one of the biggest risks to our economy is Theresa
May’s weak government, and the last seven years of Tory economic failure.

“Given
recent poor economic news, showing a lost decade of productivity growth and
falling real earnings, the risks highlighted today by the OBR of slower
productivity growth, a persistent current account deficit, high level of
household debt, and weak business investment are extremely worrying.

“The
OBR have today put the final nail in the coffin of Tory economic credibility. They have confirmed health spending has been falling
under the Tories, social care is in crisis and local authority budgets have
been stripped to the bone. Rather than invest in our public services, the OBR
notes this government’s shambolic ‘periodic policy reversals’ while at the same
time giving away billions in tax breaks to the super rich.

“It
is a dereliction of duty of this government that the OBR can claim that after
seven years of austerity, the British economy, and working people, are less
prepared for the 50/50 risk of a recession in the next five years.

“Only
a Labour Government will negotiate a sensible jobs-first Brexit which does not
risk long-term damage to our economy and has set out a serious plan for the
public finances. Labour’s strategic investment will be underpinned by our Fiscal
Credibility Rule, to help build the high wage, high skill economy of the future
for the many not the few.”

Barbara
Keeley MP, Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Minister for Social Care, commenting on
the latest delayed transfer of care figures, said:

“Over
the past seven years the Tories have presided over a crisis in social care.
Today’s delayed transfer of care figures show that crisis is still getting
worse on their watch.

“It
is deeply worrying that delayed transfers of care attributed to social care
have increased by almost 10,000 since last year and have doubled in the last
three years.  We know that keeping older and vulnerable patients in
hospital longer than needed poses significant risks to their morale, mobility
and to their likelihood of contracting hospital-acquired infections. Under this
Government these risks are increasing.

“The
Tory solution of threatening to punish those councils struggling with social
care is not the answer. Taking funding away from councils will only lead to
worsening quality and safety issues in care. Rather than threatening councils,
the Tories need to match Labour’s commitment and provide urgent additional
funding for social care.”