Seven years of Tory rule has been catastrophic for both nurses and patients – Ashworth

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to Jeremy Hunt’s announcement at Tory party conference, said:

“Seven years of Tory rule has been catastrophic for both nurses and patients.

“Our NHS faces a 40,000 shortfall of nurses because of reduction of training places, seven years of capped pay, and the scrapping of the nurses’ bursary. On top of this record of failure, Theresa May’s shambolic handling of Brexit means more EU national nurses could leave the NHS.

“Today’s announcement won’t reverse the damage this Government has already done.

“Our NHS needs what Labour pledged in our manifesto – bring back the nurses’ training bursary and give nurses the pay rise they deserve.”

Andy McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, responding to the Government’s announcement about investment in road and rail in the North of England and the Midlands, said:    

“The Tories have undermined their own boasts of investment in transport infrastructure across the UK by huge disparities in spending by region and a record of delayed, downgraded and cancelled investment.

“By scrapping electrification this summer, the Transport Secretary has condemned much of the country to second-class transport networks, denying passengers in the Midlands, Wales and the North the modern, electric services they were promised and derailing plans for a Crossrail for the North. The Tories seem to think that slow, polluting and unreliable bi-mode trains are good enough for some parts of the country.

“Labour is committed to ensuring each area gets its fair share of investment, including upgrading the rail network across the country and at least a £10 billion commitment to Crossrail for the North. This would reverse decades of underinvestment that has undermined the economic potential of the North of England and would help to deliver 850,000 new jobs by 2050.”

John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, responding to Philip Hammond’s speech at the Conservative Party conference today in Manchester, said:

“After 40 wasted minutes speaking, and seven wasted years of Tory economic failure the country expected to see the Chancellor change course. But instead, after a year, in the job he is continuing down the path of his predecessor and clinging to an old economic model that fails the many. It was a speech that contained more baseless smears on Labour than Tory policy announcements. But it betrays how fearful the Tories are of the challenge posed by Jeremy Corbyn.

“There was nothing of real substance on infrastructure, on tackling the housing crisis, the funding shortfall in our NHS and care system, and nothing at all for hard working families who are struggling to keep up with rising prices.

“The Chancellor this morning admitted he will borrow £10 billion for a housing policy that will only help a few, and which is derided by many of his predecessors even in his own party. Yet he will do nothing for the low paid struggling under the Tories Universal Credit mismanagement, or hard pressed public-sector workers. Real wages are lower today than when the Tories first came to power.

“On infrastructure spending, he has no plans to end the north-south divide on infrastructure spending. Philip Hammond has announced a mere drop in the ocean compared to what has already been cut, with government investment spending £19 billion lower than in 2010. Communities in the North of England will not be fooled when this Government plans to invest in transport just one-fifth in the North of what it will spend in London.

“The next Labour government will bring an end to the Tory economy built on debt, and create a country of high wage, high skill jobs, for the many not the few.”

Debbie Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, commenting on the continuation of Universal Credit roll out announced by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions saying; 

“It is an insult to those being pushed into debt and rent arrears by this Government’s punitive six week wait policy that the Work and Pensions Secretary is suggesting they get another loan to make ends meet.

“The Work and Pensions Secretary could and should immediately end the misery caused by the six week wait for payment of Universal Credit.

“Weeks ago, I wrote to the Secretary of State calling for a pause to Universal Credit roll out. Even 14 Conservative MPs and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have recognised that the programme is failing, yet today Gauke has confirmed he will not act.

“Over a year ago, on the steps of the Downing Street, the Prime Minister claimed she would help those struggling to get by. The Government is failing the many by refusing to help the 13 million people living in poverty in the UK.” 

Andy McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, commenting on the cancellation of Monarch flights, said:

“The Government must do all it can to ensure the safe return of passengers and to make them aware of the compensation to which they are entitled.

“The Government should also look at how they can support Monarch staff, including by helping facilitate alternative employment in the aviation industry.

“With Ryanair recently cancelling thousands of flights, in part because of unfair treatment of staff, and Monarch having ceased trading, the sector is in a period of uncertainty. It is critical that the Government provides greater clarity.

“Our aviation sector is the largest in Europe but it is dependent on agreements secured through our EU membership. A failure to secure an essentially unchanged operating environment post-Brexit will mean grounded planes, cancelled holidays and disaster for UK aviation. The Government must provide the certainty and leadership that has so far been missing.”