Labour

Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Emily Thornberry MP, responding to the US administration’s updated travel ban said:

“Despite some cosmetic changes, this remains a retrograde step for the United States.

“By abdicating its responsibilities under international law, the administration continues to send a terrible message to the rest of the world on the refugee crisis. While it remains to be seen whether or not this new executive order will stand up in court, nothing in today’s announcement changes the fact that these measures are unnecessary, divisive and wrong.”

A Jeremy Corbyn spokesperson said:

“Jeremy’s tax return is complete and accurate. He has declared all income and paid the appropriate amount of tax.

“The payment he received in 2015-16 as Leader of the Opposition of £27,192 appears on the return as a ‘benefit’ rather than as pay because that is how it is categorised by HMRC.

“This figure is calculated after deducting the waivers Jeremy has made of earlier increases to the benefit. These waivers were also made by his predecessor, Ed Miliband. A parliamentary pension contribution of £3,395 was also deducted (see note).

“We are disappointed the Cabinet Office did not clarify this and explain the figure used on the P60 yesterday in answer to media inquiries they received.

“It is also a matter of concern that some media organisations made entirely false claims without verifying or confirming the facts, and we expect these now to be corrected.

“The owners of the media companies that have attempted to cast doubt over Jeremy’s transparent and accurate tax return are of course among those who could stand to lose from the tax transparency and justice the British people demand.

“Jeremy believes firmly in transparency. These media barons have tax questions of their own to answer. Tax avoidance and evasion deprive the public purse of billions in revenue for vital services and is unfair on those with much lower earnings who pay a higher proportion of their income in tax.”

Barbara Keeley MP, Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Minister for Social Care and Mental Health, commenting on the prosecution in relation to neglect at Mossley Manor Care Home in Liverpool, said:

“The neglect and poor care of the residents at this care home is shocking. With the CQC saying that there was ‘a continued and serious risk’ to the lives, health and wellbeing of residents, it is welcome that the owners have been prosecuted.”

“There are wider questions for the Government on just how this level of neglectful care was allowed to develop unchecked. The Government must ensure our care system does not allow standards to fall to the level found at this care home, leaving residents exposed to harm and neglect.”

“Theresa May must use her first Budget as Prime Minister to provide the NHS and social care sector with the funding desperately needed to provide the very best quality of care. That’s the test on the NHS that her budget must meet this week.

“Theresa May used to make a virtue of her rows with the police and said she had no sympathy with those managing her budget cuts but she can’t take the same unsympathetic, derisive approach to NHS funding. The test of her first Budget this week therefore is whether she will signal a different approach to the NHS.

“At the very least the Government should bring forward £2 billion of emergency funding for social care and make clear as soon as possible how this money is going to be used to increase capacity and take some of the pressure off NHS hospitals, so that patients and their families never have to go through a winter like this again.”