Labour

Labour Pledges to Defend International Development

Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Kate Osamor will today say a Labour Government would defend international development, clampdown on tax havens and end the self-regulation of DFID private contractors.

In a passionate defence of international development, Kate Osamor will say: “Development aid is not a dirty word… it is not a blank cheque. It is a question of social justice and human rights.”

Speaking to an audience at Chatham House, in London, Kate Osamor will say a Labour Government would:

• ‘Remain profoundly committed’ to spending 0.7% of Gross National Income on international development

• Take decisive action on tax havens. All territories which enjoy the protection of the UK for their financial stability, foreign policy and/or security policy must adhere to a minimum standard of transparency in relation to company and trust ownership

• End the self-regulation of DFID private contractors

• Reinstate the Civil Society Challenge Fund, abolished by the Tories. This fund supported trade unions, women’s associations and other civil society organisations in the Global South to mounting their own advocacy challenges in defence of human rights, including workers’ rights

• Pledge to put conflict resolution, human rights and social justice at the heart of British Foreign Policy

Kate Osamor will tell the audience:

“Labour and the UK have a proud record on International Development. But I’ve seen the Tory approach to international development and it’s not Priti. 

“This Tory Government has turned aid into a dirty word. Its agenda is to politicise, privatise and securitise development aid.

“The Tories and their friends in the right wing press are doing to development aid what they did to welfare. They highlight isolated case studies of bad practise to whip up public anger against the poor. These countries are not ‘benefit cheats.’ They’re our partners and friends.

“Development aid has become a punch bag for the conservative media and Brexiteer Tory MPs. The same people who campaigned to take us out of the EU now want us to exit out of our commitment to the developing world.

“Labour made meeting the UK’s aid obligations a permanent feature of British politics, and the development and improvements in hundreds of millions of peoples’ lives has been a credit to humanity.

“But for an incoming Labour Government, under Jeremy Corbyn we will go further and have pledged to put conflict resolution, human rights and social justice at the heart of British Foreign Policy.

“So there is a stark choice at this imminent general election for the direction of development and Britain’s role on the global stage.

“Labour’s approach to international development is the same as our approach to economic development at home. Tackle poverty, uphold human rights and deliver social justice.

“Labour will not only defend development aid… but our approach will advance development assistance. Because poverty is political. Human rights are political and must be fought for.

“Development aid is not a dirty word… it is not a blank cheque. It is a question of social justice and human rights.”

Ends

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, responding to reports that the Prime Minister will reject any TV debates, said:

“Elections and democracy are about public debate. So it’s rather strange that only a couple of hours after calling for a General Election, the Prime Minister is saying she’s not going to take part in TV debates. 

“I say to Theresa May, who said this election was about leadership: come on and show some. Let’s have the debates. It’s what democracy needs and what the British people deserve.”

Ends

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, said:

“I welcome the Prime Minister’s decision to give the British people the chance to vote for a government that will put the interests of the majority first.

“Labour will be offering the country an effective alternative to a government that has failed to rebuild the economy, delivered falling living standards and damaging cuts to our schools and NHS.

“In the last couple of weeks, Labour has set out policies that offer a clear and credible choice for the country.  We look forward to showing how Labour will stand up for the people of Britain.”

Labour analysis of Government figures shows:

· London and the South-East have accounted for almost half of all net jobs created in the UK since 2010, despite accounting for only a quarter of the population

· The rest of the country has lagged behind with just one net job in 200 created in the North East under the Conservatives.

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, commenting, said:

“New figures show that seven years of failure under the Conservatives is holding most of this country back. Boasts about job creation will ring hollow when there are few jobs being created across most of the country and even then too many are poorly paid and insecure.

“The reality of Conservative failure is that with investment falling and real wages still lower than before the crash, but chief executive pay up 24% to over £5m since 2010, it’s the wealthy elite who are winning out in the Tories’ rigged economy. 

“Only Labour has the ambition needed to deliver investment across the whole country and create decent, well-paid jobs so that people in every part of our country can live richer lives.”

Labour analysis, using House of Common’s Library endorsed modelling, shows that:

Average real earnings are set to fall by £1,200 as a result of rising inflation and lower wage growth

At the Budget last month we saw inflation forecast up this year and average earnings forecasts lowered next year and for the next two years.

The combination of higher prices and lower wages is that living standards are set to be squeezed.

This time last year, at the Budget 2016, the OBR was forecasting real average earnings growth of 9 per cent between 2015 and 2020 (average earnings adjusted for CPI inflation). However, at this year’s Budget, this was revised down to growth of 5 per cent between 2015 and 2020.

Converting this to income values, Budget 2016 was forecasting that real average earnings would be almost £2,500 higher in 2020 than in 2015. However, at Budget 2017 this was revised down to £1,300. This is a difference of £1,200.

Today’s analysis comes on the back of IFS analysis last year which showed that the “outlook for living standards has deteriorated rather sharply”, describing the prospects for real earnings growth as “dreadful”.

The Resolution Foundation has also said that the “outlook for living standards in 21^st century Britain does not look promising” and that “weak and regressive nature of income growth in the years ahead should concern us all”. 

This analysis looks at the effect on living standards resulting from changes to OBR forecasts at this year’s Budget.

Tax and benefit changes, as well as previous OBR forecasts will impact on living standards; however, this analysis focuses just on inflation and earnings outlook.

John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting, said:

“Today’s analysis shows the impact of seven years of Tory economic failure.

“Living standards are being squeezed and working people are being hit hard. This is despite the Tories promising at the last General Election that they would raise living standards.

“The truth is that Theresa May has failed working people and the Tories are taking the country backwards. Labour would make different choices and stand up for ordinary working families.

“Only Labour will take the action needed to end the Tories’ economic failure by introducing a Real Living Wage of £10 an hour by 2020 and by investing in our regions and our local communities.”