John
McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, responding to the Chancellor’s
comments on public sector pay, said:

“This
represents yet more division at the top of government. The Chancellor’s remarks
show that he is more interested in fighting with his fellow Tory cabinet
colleagues, than for better incomes for working families in our country.

“The firefighters, police
officers, nurses, and ambulance drivers who put their lives on the line every
day to keep us safe have been abandoned by a Tory government intent on holding
down their pay, while ploughing ahead with tax giveaways to a wealthy few.

"It is now time for this
out-of-touch Chancellor and shambolic Government to stand aside. Only a Labour
Government will give our public sector workers the pay rise they deserve and
end austerity in the national interest.”

Ends

Emma
Lewell-Buck MP, Shadow Minister for Children and Families, commenting on
the Children’s Commissioner’s report on measuring the number
of vulnerable children, said:

“The shocking
findings of this report should serve as a wake-up call to this Government who
have so far refused to even measure the scale of the problem let alone come up
with effective policy solutions.

“From the 800,000
children suffering from mental health difficulties, the 46,000 thought to be in
gangs, or the 119,000 homeless or in unstable housing, these figures lay out
the startling facts about the lives of vulnerable children who have largely
been ignored by this Government.

“The
Government should be taking action now to support every child and ensure that
they are safe, secure, and have a roof over their head.

“Labour will
enshrine the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into law, as we tackle
the root causes of vulnerability, such as housing, crime, and poverty, deliver
universal infant free school meals to address food poverty and school based
counselling in secondary schools to support vulnerable children, as we ensure
every child gets the best possible start in life.”

Ends

John
McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on the Report to the Office of Manpower
Economics, which shows that growth in public sector pay since 2005 was
eradicated by 2015 as a direct result of the Tories’ pay freeze, said:

“This a damning report that reveals the harsh and unfair reality of the Tories’
pay freeze on hard working public sector workers. The fact that some of the
pillars of our community and the public sector such as teachers, doctors and
police officers are seeing their pay cut exposes the double standards of a
government that likes to praise their work but will not actually truly reward
it.

“It further highlights why it is so vital that we need action immediately from
the Government. We cannot continue with more empty words or infighting from
members of the Cabinet while those in our public sector, such as nurses, are
being forced to rely on food banks to make ends meet. 

“Only Labour has a costed plan that would end the public sector pay freeze, and
introduce a £10 per hour real living wage, so that we build the high wage, high
skill economy of the future. And if the Tories are not prepared to meet this
basic test of fairness, then they should step aside and let us lead in the
national interest.”

Ends

Following
Labour’s advances in the general election and increased number of MPs, Jeremy
Corbyn is today announcing 20 appointments to the shadow front bench. These
include new and returning MPs.

Jeremy
Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, said:

“I’m
delighted to be filling Labour’s shadow front bench with a wealth of talent.
Our new shadow ministers will bolster the excellent work of Labour’s shadow
cabinet and departmental teams.

“These
appointments are further evidence that Labour is not just the opposition – we
are the government in waiting.”

The
new appointments are:

DEFRA

David
Drew

Holly
Lynch

Home
Affairs

Nick
Thomas Symonds

Chris
Williamson

Afzal
Khan

Louise
Haigh

Scotland

Paul
Sweeney

Justice

Gloria
de Piero

Imran
Hussain

International
Development

Roberta
Blackman Woods

Transport

Rachael
Maskell

Karl
Turner

Treasury

Anneliese
Dodds

Housing

Tony
Lloyd

Melanie
Onn

Women
and equalities

Carolyn
Harris

Defence

Gerald
Jones

Local
Government

Yvonne
Fovargue

Education

Tracey
Brabin

Wales

Chris
Ruane

Further
appointments are expected in due course.

Rebecca
Long-Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy, responding
to Ofgem’s announcement on an energy price cap, said:

“Ofgem’s watered down proposals go nowhere near the promise made by the
Prime Minister to adopt Labour’s principle of a price cap. In the general
election, she pledged unequivocally to knock £100 off the bills of 17 million
customers but then didn’t include the promise in the Queen’s Speech.

“After reports that the Prime Minister has been lobbied by senior
cabinet members and the big six energy companies to drop the price cap
commitment, ministers must tell the British people why they treat
fair pricing for energy consumers as such a low priority and if they are
going to make yet another u-turn. “

Ends

Editors Notes

1.       Theresa May made a strong declaration to an energy price cap for 17
million customers, saving £100 in The Sun – link below:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3512895/theresa-may-energy-cap-promise/

2.       Ofgem’s press release

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/ofgem-announces-plans-deliver-fairer-more-competitive-market-all-consumers