Labour

Ahead of a vote in the House of Commons today (Wednesday 18 October), Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary has called on Conservative MPs to support a motion to pause the roll out of the embattled Universal Credit programme.

Labour’s call to support today’s motion follows reports that up to 25 Conservative MPs may be willing to rebel against the Government over their flagship social security programme, as evidence continues to mount that it is pushing people further into debt, rent arrears and even evictions. This will be a major test of a key Government reform.

The Department for Work and Pensions’ own data shows that one in four claimants are having to wait over six weeks to receive any funds, with half of those in rent arrears reporting that they went into debt after claiming Universal Credit.

Debbie Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, calling on Conservative MPs to support the motion, said:

“The Government has so far not listened to MPs’ concerns about the mounting issues with their flagship social security programme. We must stand together to make our voices heard.

“I urge Conservative MPs to vote with their conscience and support our motion to pause the roll out of Universal Credit.

“The social security system is meant to protect people from debt and arrears, not exacerbate their situation.

“We must pause and fix Universal Credit now, before millions are made worse off.”

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, commenting on a report from the Committee on Fuel Poverty, said:

“The rise in fuel poverty is simply not good enough – we are going backwards. As the report points out, in 2019 there will still be thousands of fuel poor households living in Band F and G properties. A cold, poorly insulated home doesn’t just mean that lots of heat is wasted resulting in a high bill, it means getting ill, it means repeated visits to the doctor, a much longer recovery time and a greater pressure on the NHS.

“Labour will insulate four million homes as an infrastructure priority to help those who suffer in cold homes each winter. We would also introduce an immediate price cap so an average dual-fuel household energy bills remains below £1,000 per year while transitioning to a fairer system for bill payers”

Ends

John McDonnell MP, Shadow Chancellor, responding to the publication today of the OECD’s Economic Survey of the UK, said:

“The OECD has been damning of the Tories’ bungling of the Brexit negotiations, and they are fearful of what a Tory Brexit could mean for the UK economy.

“They also paint a damning picture of the Conservatives’ economic failure across a range of measures, with forecast growth now expected to be amongst the lowest in the developed world, weak productivity and huge regional inequalities all highlighted as major problems that this government is failing to tackle.

“Like Labour, the OECD recommends a programme of major regional infrastructure investment to unlock the potential of our economy, backed up by increased research spending and improved training. There is now a political consensus on the action needed to turn our economy round after seven years of Tory failure.

“If this weak Tory government continues to refuse to act then the next Labour government will implement the plan needed to build an economy that works for the many, not the few.”

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, commenting on Bombardier partnering with Airbus on C-Series jets, said:

“This partnership is a welcome step in the right direction for Bombardier, Airbus and their workers and the pairing of two cutting edge product lines is exciting for the future of aerospace manufacturing.

“However, this should in no way justify the Government taking its foot off the pedal in the US tariff dispute with Boeing. The Government must ensure that unjust tariffs are removed and existing jobs protected.”

Peter Dowd MP, Labour’s Chief Secretary to the Treasury, responding to today’s inflation figures by the ONS, said:

“Inflation has reached its highest level in five years, while real earnings are still lower than in 2010, following seven years of Tory economic failure.

“Only Labour will deliver a £10 per hour Real Living Wage, investment in infrastructure, and an effective industrial strategy to raise living standards and build an economy for the many, not the few.”