Labour

Jack Dromey MP, Shadow Minister for Labour, commenting on the Unpaid Work Experience (Prohibition) Bill 2017-19 to limit unpaid internships to four weeks, said:

“Unpaid internships disadvantage people from poorer families. It’s simply not fair for some to get a leg up in their careers when others cannot afford the opportunity. Labour will ban unpaid internships to ensure no one is prevented from gaining professional experience because of their background.“

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, commenting on a survey by Santander and the Engineering Employers Federation, said:

“This is yet further evidence that the Government’s chaotic handling of the Brexit negotiations is holding our economy back. 

“With the Tory Cabinet too busy negotiating amongst themselves to make real progress in the Brexit talks, it’s no wonder businesses are reluctant to invest. 

“The next Labour government will introduce a bold industrial strategy, work with our European neighbours to provide certainty for businesses and negotiate a jobs-first Brexit that protects jobs, rights and living standards.”

Tracy Brabin MP, Labour’s Shadow Early Years Minister, responding to the poll by Action for Children on Children’s Centres, said:

“Tory cuts to funding for children’s services are making it impossible for councils to provide the support that children and families need.

“It should shame ministers that they’re overseeing such a dramatic fall in these services when nearly half of children fail to meet developmental milestones by age five. It goes to show ‘social mobility’ is nothing but a catchphrase to them.

“With Sure Start Centres closing across the country at an alarming rate, as their funding continues to be slashed, there are more and more children who need support, but are not able to access it because of this Government.

“The next Labour Government will provide these vital services with the funding they need, including a ring-fenced grant of £500 million a year for Sure Start.”

Peter Dowd MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, responding to reports that the Treasury sought to conceal pay statistics, said:

“The Conservative Government’s divide and rule tactics must end.“

“Phillip Hammond has sought to pit private sector workers against public sector workers, to justify a pay cap which has seen real wages slashed in our public services.

“The figures revealed by the GMB today show that last year public sector wages were below the private sector, despite Hammond continuing to publicly demonise our public servants.

“Hammond’s subterfuge on public sector pay cannot be allowed to continue. Labour is committed to seeing parliament and the hard working public sector workers receive the answers they deserve around this Tory stitch-up.”

John Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, responding to Sajid Javid’s comments on the housing crisis on the Andrew Marr Show this morning, said:

“If hot air built homes, Ministers would have fixed our housing crisis. Any promise of new investment is welcome, but the reality is spending on new affordable homes has been slashed since 2010 so new affordable housebuilding is at a 24 year low.

“Rather than set more targets they can’t meet, Ministers should back Labour’s plan to build 100,000 genuinely affordable homes a year, including the biggest council housebuilding programme in more than 30 years.”