Labour

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, commenting on the Taylor Report, said: 

“The Taylor Report was a huge missed opportunity to tackle the growing problem of insecure employment.

“In Labour’s manifesto ‘For The Many Not The Few’ we set out a 20 point plan to transform the workplace and protect and improve workers’ rights. By abolishing Employment Tribunal fees, scrapping zero hour contracts and giving rights to all workers from day one, we would halt and reverse the spread of exploitation in the Gig Economy.

“Theresa May says she wants parties to contribute ideas. But when we asked her Government to give its support to Labour’s Queen’s Speech amendment to give millions of public sector workers a much needed pay-rise, the Conservatives voted against it. 

“Only yesterday Theresa May delivered a slap in the face to hard working teachers by giving them another real term cut by maintaining the 1 per cent pay cap.

“The Prime Minister now heads a zombie government that has no ideas, no answers and no leadership. Her premiership has run out of steam and she will soon have to deal with her own insecure employment.

“Only a Labour Government can deliver for the many not the few.”

Andrew Gwynne MP, Labour’s Co-National Campaign Coordinator, commenting on remarks made by Anne Marie Morris, said:

“Anne Marie Morris’ comments are outrageous and totally unacceptable. While the Conservative Party has tabled a debate on Wednesday to apparently discuss and condemn abuse of candidates in the General Election, these comments prove their hypocrisy. 

“Theresa May once spoke about changing the Tories’ ‘Nasty Party’ tag. If she’s serious about that, she will admit it’s not enough for the Tories to ‘investigate’ and will apologise and act immediately. If that means withdrawing the whip, that’s what they should do.”

Ends

Tom Watson, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, commenting on UK Music’s Wish You Were Here 2017 report, said:

“We should all celebrate the huge contribution music makes to our economy. But we mustn’t take it for granted. Without the right Brexit deal it could be harder for overseas visitors to come and experience live music here in the UK, and harder for artists to tour.

“Our music industry wouldn’t be what it is today without the contribution of smaller music venues – the ones that are struggling the most, but are crucial for nurturing up-and-coming talent. We need to make sure they’re protected. Labour’s cultural capital fund would invest in upgrading existing music venues and creating new ones, to make sure that our live music industry remains a success story.”

Emily Thornberry MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, responding to the High Court’s ruling that UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia are legal, said:

“This is a frustrating setback, but that is all it is. It will not for one second stop us fighting for justice on behalf of the thousands of civilians killed by Saudi air-strikes, and working for peace on behalf of the millions of ordinary Yemenis currently living in fear of violence, famine and cholera.

“In particular, we must first redouble our efforts to force the UK Government to support an independent, UN-led investigation into alleged violations of international humanitarian law by the Saudi coalition, one the Government will not be able to circumvent through the presentation of secret evidence in closed sessions of court.

“And second, we must continue to demand that the Government brings forward the peace plan that the UN has been waiting for Britain to present for the last nine months, and does not treat today’s judgement as a green light to continue pushing for a military solution which can only bring more death, misery and hardship to the people of Yemen.”

Rebecca Long Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, commenting on today’s findings that the Government’s industrial strategy targets only 10 percent of manufacturing and 1 per cent of the whole economy and widens regional divides, said,

‘’The Government’s industrial strategy is simply not ambitious enough, focussing on an extremely narrow section of the UK, both economically and geographically, and contains no commitment to the levels of investment necessary to transform the economy.

“Labour’s industrial strategy has real teeth, backed up by our £250 billion National Transformation Fund, the National Investment Bank and a network of Regional Development Banks. It will be wide-reaching, centred around three pillars: national missions to address the societal issues of our time, cross-cutting policies to create a fertile ground for business activity and collaboration at a sector level for both established and potential industries.

“Only Labour has a modern, ambitious and achievable industrial strategy to rebuild and transform the economy in every region of the UK for the many not the few.’’