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.’’