Labour

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, commenting on the Government’s announcement of new ambulance service standards, said:

“This Government have failed to hit any of their main NHS ambulance targets since May 2015 and an updated system that truly works for patients is clearly overdue. NHS ambulance trusts must now be given every support to build a new system which has the support of paramedics and patients alike.

“The truth is that the Tories’ underfunding and mismanagement of the NHS has pushed ambulance services to the brink and left record numbers of patients suffering and in discomfort. The public will want to know that a new series of standards is truly based on the best clinical evidence and not just on the money which the Government are making available.

“Sir Bruce Keogh has shown great leadership in demanding the best for NHS patients. The Government must now match these ambitions and give ambulance trusts the support and resources they need to deliver the best possible quality of care for ill and injured patients.”

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, commenting on Theresa May’s year as Prime Minister, said: 

“A year ago today, Theresa May stood on the steps of Downing Street, saying she wanted a country that works for everyone.

“One year on, most people are worse off, with vital public services cut to the bone, falling wages and stagnating living standards, soaring classroom sizes and a million more on NHS waiting lists under the Tories.  

“Under her government, the privileged few have benefited from tax give-aways, at the expense of the majority, who have borne the brunt of Conservative cuts.

“Theresa May now heads a zombie government, with no ideas, no answers and no leadership. This is a government in name only, having to ask other parties to “clarify and improve” its policies and delaying most Parliamentary business until the autumn.

“The Conservatives have no plan for Britain. Labour is ready to fight the next election, whenever it may be, to form a government that will build a country for the many, not the few.”

Angela Rayner MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, commenting on UCAS figures for UK higher education applications, said:

“These figures show the worrying impact of a Conservative Government happy to burden young people with over £50,000 of debt just for getting an education.

“From tuition fees rising with no end in sight, to maintenance grants being scrapped, and extortionate interest rates on student debt, this Government’s policies have slammed the door on the aspirations of people across Britain, and now we are beginning to see the impact that will have on university applications.

“The decline in nursing applications is utterly shocking, and shows the results of the Government’s regressive and short-sighted decision to scrap nurses’ bursaries at a time when our NHS will desperately need more staff.

“If the Tories want to see more young people go on to university they would bring back maintenance grants, tackle high interest rates on student debt, and end their plans to see tuition fees rise each and every year.”

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, commenting on Theresa May’s year as Prime Minister, said:

“A year ago today, Theresa May stood on the steps of Downing Street, saying she wanted a country that works for everyone.

“One year on, most people are worse off, with vital public services cut to the bone, falling wages and stagnating living standards, soaring classroom sizes and a million more on NHS waiting lists under the Tories.  

“Under her government, the privileged few have benefited from tax give-aways, at the expense of the majority, who have borne the brunt of Conservative cuts.

“Theresa May now heads a zombie government, with no ideas, no answers and no leadership. This is a government in name only, having to ask other parties to “clarify and improve” its policies and delaying most Parliamentary business until the autumn.

“The Conservatives have no plan for Britain. Labour is ready to fight the next election, whenever it may be, to form a government that will build a country for the many, not the few.”

Angela Rayner MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, commenting on UCAS figures for UK higher education applications, said:

“These figures show the worrying impact of a Conservative Government happy to burden young people with over £50,000 of debt just for getting an education.

“From tuition fees rising with no end in sight, to maintenance grants being scrapped, and extortionate interest rates on student debt, this Government’s policies have slammed the door on the aspirations of people across Britain, and now we are beginning to see the impact that will have on university applications.

“The decline in nursing applications is utterly shocking, and shows the results of the Government’s regressive and short-sighted decision to scrap nurses’ bursaries at a time when our NHS will desperately need more staff.

“If the Tories want to see more young people go on to university they would bring back maintenance grants, tackle high interest rates on student debt, and end their plans to see tuition fees rise each and every year.”