John Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State
for Housing, commenting on new government statistics showing
that there are four million leasehold dwellings in England, said:

“These new figures confirm for the first time the
scale of leasehold ownership in England.

“Home-owners who own their home as leaseholders are
currently unprotected from rip-off rises in ‘ground rents’ from developers or
management companies.

“At its worst this is little better than legalised
extortion and too many leaseholders are having to pay hefty bills as a result.
Under a Labour Government this sharp practice would end.

“This is unfinished business for Labour – we gave
leaseholders more protection in government, but the continuing problem now
means we must do more.

“A Labour Government would give leaseholders
security from rip-off ground rents and end the routine use of leasehold
ownership in new housing developments.”

Andrew Gwynne MP, responding to Theresa May’s speech at
the launch of the Tory local elections campaign, said:

“The Tories cannot give Britain the change we need. Theresa
May talks of a country that works for everyone, but for the last seven years
the Tories have failed ordinary working people and plunged our public services
into crisis.

“When Theresa May says she has a plan for Britain, what she
means is a plan to run the NHS into the ground, squeeze people’s living
standards, reintroduce unfair selection in our schools and drive us towards a
risky Brexit which threatens jobs, growth and workers’ rights.

“Theresa May’s claims on Council Tax are misleading. The
truth is that where Labour controls the local council, households will pay on
average £336 less next year than those living in Tory areas. People are better
off with a Labour council.

“Working people deserve better than Tory failure – only
Labour will stand up for them and their families.”

Kate Osamor, Labour’s Shadow International
Development Secretary, responding to the
publication of ODA statistics for 2016, said:

“Britain is rightly acclaimed around the world for
our commitment to poverty reduction and helping the world’s poorest. It is
vital that we uphold this reputation and that the attempts that are underway
within the Tory party to undermine the aid budget are opposed.

“The scale of the increase in aid being spent by
non-DfID government departments is concerning. Some of these departments,
including the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence, have consistently
received “Poor” or “Very Poor” ratings in Publish What You Fund’s Aid
Transparency Index.

“The Government must explain what steps it is
taking to address this across all the departments now disbursing the aid
budget. The public rightly want to see full transparency and accountability in
how the aid budget is being spent, and the Government needs to up its
game.”

Diane Abbott, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, responding to Theresa
May’s remarks on freedom of movement, said:

“Theresa May has let the cat out of the bag. Freedom of movement
will continue after we have left the EU.

“But this is not what voters were told either before or since the
referendum.

“This latest broken promise is symptomatic of the Tories’
dysfunctional approach to Brexit.

“EU workers and their UK employers deserve certainty about their
future but are being badly let down by this Government.”

Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party said:

“Ken Livingstone’s comments have been grossly
insensitive, and he has caused deep offence and hurt to the Jewish community.

“Labour’s independently elected National
Constitutional Committee has found Ken guilty of bringing the party into
disrepute and suspended him for two years.

“It is deeply disappointing that, despite his long
record of standing up to racism, Ken has failed to acknowledge or apologise for
the hurt he has caused. Many people are understandably upset that he has
continued to make offensive remarks which could open him to further
disciplinary action.

“Since initiating the disciplinary process, I have
not interfered with it and respect the independence of the party’s disciplinary
bodies. But Ken’s subsequent comments and actions will now be considered by the
National Executive Committee after representations from party members.”

Ends