John
McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on the Institute for Global Prosperity’s
report on Universal Basic Services, said:

“Rapid
technological changes are a profound challenge for our economy and society.
This report offers bold new thinking on how we can overcome those challenges and
create an economy that is radically fairer and offers opportunities for all.

“It
makes an important contribution to the debate around Universal Basic Income,
and will help inform Labour’s thinking on how we can build an economy that
truly works for the many not the few.”

Tom
Watson, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and
Sport, commenting
on the Government’s Internet Safety Strategy, said:

“Everyone
agrees on the need to deal with abusive and harmful content online. Parents
worry about what their children see on the internet, and too many people
experience cyberbullying and online intimidation.

“We’re
pleased the Government has accepted Labour’s call for compulsory sex and
relationship education in schools, including online safety education, as well
as for codes of practice for social media companies to prevent abuse.

“But this
announcement is short on detail. The Government needs to say more about who
exactly will pay the proposed levy, how much they will pay and how it will be
spent. And they need to explain what transparency information they will be
asking social media companies to provide.”

John
McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on the Institute
for Global Prosperity’s report on Universal Basic Services, said:

“Rapid
technological changes are a profound challenge for our economy and society.
This report offers bold new thinking on how we can overcome those challenges
and create an economy that is radically fairer and offers opportunities for
all.

“It
makes an important contribution to the debate around Universal Basic Income,
and will help inform Labour’s thinking on how we can build an economy that
truly works for the many not the few.”

Barry Gardiner MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade,
commenting on today’s ONS Overseas Trade Statistics, said:

“Today’s record widening of our trade deficit by 36.7 per cent shows we
have a government ill-prepared for the global trading economy post-Brexit.

“The Tory approach of depending on ad hoc commercial deals and the
depreciation of Sterling is not a trade strategy.

“Yesterday’s Trade White Paper has not helped business or moved the
situation on. It contains broad platitudes but no serious detailed proposals
for integrating trade and industrial strategy or for trade defence measures.

“Only Labour has a consistent trade policy integrated with our
industrial strategy that will protect and expand jobs as well as improving
social and environmental standards.”

John
McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting
on the IMF’s report out today, said:

“The
IMF report out today is yet another blow to the Chancellor’s already crumbling
economic credibility – it is no wonder many of his fellow colleagues in his own
party are calling for him to be sacked.

“With
nearly all other advanced economies recovering at a faster rate than the UK, alarm
bells should be ringing at the Treasury. Philip Hammond’s plans to continue the
austerity policies of his predecessor are failing.

“The
IMF’s confirmed downward revision to the UK’s growth has also made clear that
seven years of Tory economic failure has left our economy fundamentally
weakened. On a day when other worrying data and reports have been published
highlighting the failure of Tory austerity, this directionless Chancellor needs
to follow Labour’s lead and urgently change course.

“The
next Labour government will provide the proper investment our country needs,
underpinned by our Fiscal Credibility Rule, to build a high wage, high skill
economy for the many not the few.”