Labour

John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, responding to reports that the Bank of England was involved in the Libor rigging, said:

“This is an extremely serious revelation that contradicts past assurances about the role of the Bank of England in the Libor scandal. 

“It goes to the very heart of whether our financial institutions can be trusted. Therefore, it warrants an immediate high level investigation, and the Chancellor must act straight away to ensure this happens.”

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, speaking in response to the US air strikes on a Syrian air base, said:

“The US missile attack on a Syrian government air base risks escalating the war in Syria still further. 

“Tuesday’s horrific chemical attack was a war crime which requires urgent independent UN investigation and those responsible must be held to account. 

“But unilateral military action without legal authorisation or independent verification risks intensifying a multi-sided conflict that has already killed hundreds of thousands of people. 

“What is needed instead is to urgently reconvene the Geneva peace talks and unrelenting international pressure for a negotiated settlement of the conflict. 

“The terrible suffering of the Syrian people must be brought to an end as soon as possible and every intervention must be judged on what contribution it makes to that outcome.

“The British government should urge restraint on the Trump administration and throw its weight behind peace negotiations and a comprehensive political settlement.”

Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, commenting on reports that Britain is looking for ways to scrap its 2020 clean energy targets while maintaining everyday trade in Europe’s energy market, said:

“The Conservative’s reckless Brexit shows they’re prepared to gamble the UK’s ties to EU energy markets simply to wriggle out of their climate change commitments. They’re failing one of Labour’s six tests by watering down environmental and climate change protections, and leading a race to the bottom.

“The fact is that the Tories would risk our lights going out in order to create a low-wage, deregulated, bargain basement Britain.

“Theresa May needs to give Britain’s energy security and our commitment to renewable energy investment the status it deserves. At present it seems that only Labour would guarantee investment in our future energy needs that meet our climate change commitments, and build a new working partnership with the rest of Europe.”

Ends

Diane Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Affairs Secretary, commenting on reports in the Independent that Theresa May blocked attempts to highlight the impact migration can have on the economy and public services during the EU referendum, said:

“This raises serious questions about the Prime Minister’s priorities.

“Exiting the EU will mean reforming our entire immigration system. But doing so should not be at the cost of jobs and the economy.

“Unfortunately, Theresa May seems determined to turn a blind eye to inconvenient facts.

“This report should be published in full.”