Labour

Gordon Marsden MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Minister, commenting on the IFS report on tuition fee reforms, said:

“This report shows that any argument that the current fee system is progressive is absolute nonsense. From scrapping the maintenance grant to freezing the repayment threshold, this Government has increased the debt burden of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who will graduate with debts in excess of £57,000.

“Under the Tories, student debt continues to rise with no end in sight, and students in the UK will now graduate with a shocking average of over £50,000 in debt.

“After Labour pledged to scrap tuition fees, the First Secretary of State has called for a national debate on tuition fees, and he is right to do so. The Government must decide if they want to carry on funding our higher education system through a lifetime of debt and a tax on aspiration, or deliver a debt-free education system run for the many not the few.”

Commenting on residents’ concerns about the inquiry into the Grenfell disaster, Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party said:

“Victims demand judicial inquiries because of the need for independent and impartial scrutiny. To earn the trust of the community and the wider public, the Grenfell inquiry must:

– Swiftly set wide-ranging terms of reference, after consultation with local residents.
– Be delivered in two parts: the first on the incident itself, and the second on the wider national issues it raises.
– Operate with the highest level of transparency, putting the residents’ interests at its heart.
– Broaden the inquiry team to include greater expertise and engage fully with victims, residents, the emergency services and local community.”

Commenting on the Key Stage 2 SATs results, Labour’s Shadow Schools Minister, Mike Kane MP, said:

“Congratulations to all the pupils, parents and teachers receiving results today. This is a culmination of all their hard work and they should be very pleased with all they have achieved.

“However we cannot overlook the fact that the number of pupils meeting the expected standard is lower than it was before Tory changes were introduced. Ministers still have questions to answer about whether their constant tinkering with assessment really is benefiting our children.”

“Only Labour will deliver a world-class education for every child starting by giving schools the funding they need and launching a commission to look into curriculum and assessment.”

Owen Smith MP, Labour’s Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, commenting on the Northern Ireland Secretary’s update on political talks, said:

“The news that the talks process in Northern Ireland is now, effectively, to be put on hold over the summer comes as no surprise, but it will be greeted with disappointment and concern. It is never a good idea to have a political vacuum in Northern Ireland, especially through the summer months, and it is regrettable that the Government has not been able to bring about agreement between the parties after more than six months of stasis.  

“For some weeks now that the political parties have felt under little pressure to come to a deal and that is why it has been frustrating that the Prime Minister has so steadfastly refused to engage properly in the talks process. I share the Secretary of State’s hope that a deal can be done when the parties return in the Autumn, but if that hope is to materialise into a reassembled executive, the Conservative Government will need to engage with greater energy and focus.”  

Andrew Gwynne MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, commenting on Sajid Javid’s speech at the LGA Conference, said:

“Sajid Javid’s speech to local councillors at the LGA conference took no responsibility for the Tory-made crisis that local government is currently facing.

“There was no acknowledgement of the Tories’ 40 per cent cuts to local authorities since 2010, no mention of local government finance reform and still no clarity on the government’s plan for reform of business rates.

 “Local government need leadership that will stand up for them and invest in local public services. This Tory Government has continually failed local communities – it is now time for a Labour Government that will stand up for the many not the few.”

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