Labour

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, commenting on the closure of Colman’s mustard factory in Norwich, said:

“The closure of Colman’s in Norwich is a blow not only to the workers at Colman’s and their families but to the town and region more generally.

“Despite their claims to the contrary, the Government haven’t done anywhere near enough to stop this closure.

“This highlights exactly why we need a Labour government with a forward thinking industrial strategy to attract and keep firms in the UK.”

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to today’s NHS England stats, said:

“These figures reveal the shocking scale of the crisis in our NHS this winter. Over 75,000 patients have been left languishing in the back of ambulances this winter, something the Government should be deeply ashamed of.

“Labour and clinicians have warned Ministers for months to prepare for this winter, but concerns were casually dismissed out of hand. Theresa May’s boast that the NHS is the best prepared it’s ever been has now been entirely discredited.

“The truth is we are now approaching the 8th year of desperate underfunding and cuts to our health and social care services by the Tories. We’ve seen thousands of beds cut from the NHS and the numbers of days lost to delayed discharge are up by 50% since 2010.

“The NHS is being pushed to the brink under Theresa May and it is patients suffering as a consequence.”

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to the Prime Minister’s comments about the NHS being ‘better prepared for this winter’, said:

“Yet again Theresa May reveals how entirely out of touch she is. Next, she will be trying to lecture patients that ‘nothing has changed’ for patients.

“The reality is we see hospitals at full capacity, ambulances backed up, cancelled operations and patients waiting for hours on trolleys.

“Instead of burying her head in the sand, Theresa May needs to explain why she has allowed underfunding and cuts to health and social care to continue. As Tory MP Sarah Wollaston said this morning, the Government needs to get a grip.”

Ends

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to the news that NHS England has extended the deferral of routine hospital appointments to the 31st January, said:

“Tonight’s news confirms the very worst fears of patients and staff: another winter crisis has arrived.

“Despite the heroic efforts of our fantastic NHS staff, Theresa May’s reassurances have proved meaningless and hollow. Tory underfunding and cuts have left our health service more vulnerable than ever before.

“Jeremy Hunt must urgently tell us how many elective operations he expects to be cancelled and how many more people will be waiting longer in pain and anguish because their scheduled operation has had to be cancelled.

“What’s more, the suspension of sanctions for mixed sex accommodation breaches is just one more humiliating indication of just how shocking the downturn has become. Already, tens of thousands of patients have been left stuck in the back of ambulances, sometimes waiting well in excess of 12 hours in packed hospital corridors.

“As the NHS enters its 70th year, the truth is that Tory neglect has left it underfunded, understaffed and overstretched. Ministers must get an urgent grip of this escalating crisis.”

Labour compared costs on over 180 routes between when the Conservatives came to power and new prices that will be implemented this Tuesday 02 January 2018.

The average commuter will now be paying £2,888 for their season ticket, £694 more than in 2010.

New figures released today by Labour show:

– That some commuters are paying over £2,500 more to travel to work than in 2010.

– The highest increase was on a Virgin Trains season ticket between Birmingham and London Euston which will have risen by £2,539 since 2010 and now costs £10,567.

– The biggest percentage increase identified was between Thame Bridge Parkway near Walsall and Nuneaton, where the cost of an annual season ticket will have risen by 50 per cent since 2010.

– In Theresa May’s own constituency the cost of an annual season ticket from Maidenhead to London Paddington has risen by £732 since 2010.

– Average fares have risen more than three times faster than wages.

 Commenting, Andy McDonald, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, said:

“The Tories’ failure on our railways means passengers have faced truly staggering fare rises of over £2,500 since 2010, with fares having increased three times as much as wages.

“Commuters have repeatedly been told that higher fares are necessary to fund investment, but promised investment has been cancelled and essential works have been delayed by years.

“Decisions taken by government Ministers are making rail travel unaffordable for the many in favour of huge profits for the few.

“The truth is that our fragmented, privatised railway drives up costs and leaves passengers paying more for less. The railways need serious reform that could be achieved if the Tories matched Labour’s manifesto policy to extend public ownership to passenger services, but instead Ministers are persisting with a failed model of privatisation that is punishing passengers.”