UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Christopher Pincher – 2021 Comments on Protections for Renters

    Christopher Pincher – 2021 Comments on Protections for Renters

    The comments made by Christopher Pincher, the Housing Minister, on 12 May 2021.

    From the beginning of the pandemic, we have taken unprecedented action to protect renters and help keep them in their homes.

    As COVID restrictions are eased in line with the Roadmap out of lockdown, we will ensure tenants continue to be supported with longer notice periods, while also balancing the need for landlords to access justice.

    Crucial financial support also remains in place including the furlough scheme and uplift to Universal Credit.

  • Priti Patel – 2021 Comments on the Draft Online Safety Bill

    Priti Patel – 2021 Comments on the Draft Online Safety Bill

    The comments made by Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, on 12 May 2021.

    This new legislation will force tech companies to report online child abuse on their platforms, giving our law enforcement agencies the evidence they need to bring these offenders to justice.

    Ruthless criminals who defraud millions of people and sick individuals who exploit the most vulnerable in our society cannot be allowed to operate unimpeded, and we are unapologetic in going after them.

    It’s time for tech companies to be held to account and to protect the British people from harm. If they fail to do so, they will face penalties.

  • Oliver Dowden – 2021 Comments on the Draft Online Safety Bill

    Oliver Dowden – 2021 Comments on the Draft Online Safety Bill

    The comments made by Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on 12 May 2021.

    Today the UK shows global leadership with our groundbreaking laws to usher in a new age of accountability for tech and bring fairness and accountability to the online world.

    We will protect children on the internet, crack down on racist abuse on social media and through new measures to safeguard our liberties, create a truly democratic digital age.

  • Iain Stewart – 2021 Comments on the Draft Online Safety Bill

    Iain Stewart – 2021 Comments on the Draft Online Safety Bill

    The comments made by Iain Stewart, the Minister for Scotland, on 12 May 2021.

    The recent sports social media protest against racist abuse of footballers underscored the need to crack down on harmful content online and hold tech companies to account.

    From protecting children from online dangers to tackling abuse on social media, this UK Government bill represents an important step forwards in making the web a safer place for everyone in Scotland and across the whole UK.

  • Alister Jack – 2021 Comments on the Queen’s Speech

    Alister Jack – 2021 Comments on the Queen’s Speech

    The comments made by Alister Jack, the Secretary of State for Scotland, on 12 May 2021.

    This is a Queen’s Speech which delivers for people in Scotland, and right across the United Kingdom, as we focus entirely on recovering our economy and our public services from the devastating effects of the Covid pandemic.

    The Prime Minister and the UK Government have been working tirelessly on the pandemic, putting in place an unprecedented level of financial support, and securing millions of vaccine doses for people in all parts of the country. At all times we have prioritised both lives and livelihoods.

    The UK Government will continue to lead our recovery from the pandemic, as we Build Back Better and level up opportunities right across the UK.

    We will continue to support top level R&D, encourage our businesses to innovate, and create vital new and green jobs. We will invest directly in Scotland’s communities, building on the success of our £1.5 billion City Deals programme with Freeports, better connectivity, and a new UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

    And Scotland’s businesses will continue to benefit as, outside of the EU, we strike new trade deals around the world.

  • Angela Rayner – 2021 Comments on Covid-19 Inquiry

    Angela Rayner – 2021 Comments on Covid-19 Inquiry

    The comments made by Angela Rayner, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, on 11 May 2021.

    We welcome this commitment and will hold the Prime Minister to it.

    It must be entirely open and truly independent, have the trust and confidence of bereaved families, and cannot be an exercise in the Government marking its own homework.

    We went into this pandemic with the foundations of our public services and our communities weakened by a decade of Conservative governments. We must learn lessons from that, as well as from how the crisis has been handled.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2021 Comments on Government Letting Workers Down

    Rachel Reeves – 2021 Comments on Government Letting Workers Down

    The comments made by Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 11 May 2021.

    To meet the challenges facing us as a country the Government must plan for the future.

    Our economic foundations were not strong enough going into the pandemic and as we thankfully emerge from it, people deserve something better than before.

    We need a transformation of our economy, so all workers have not only the skills they need, but fair pay for a fair day’s work, and greater security and opportunities for the future.

    That’s got to be a major test of this Queen’s Speech and one the Government looks set to fail.

    Labour would deliver a fair recovery, by valuing those who have kept our country moving, helping British industries to thrive and by creating good quality jobs in every community as we decarbonise our economy.

  • Ed Miliband – 2021 Comments on Government Letting Workers Down

    Ed Miliband – 2021 Comments on Government Letting Workers Down

    The comments made by Ed Miliband, the Shadow Business Secretary, on 11 May 2021.

    The Government claims to be serious about tackling insecurity at work. But this legislative programme fails the most basic test of introducing an Employment Bill to improve workers’ rights and tackle the appalling practice of fire and re-hire.

    Once again we see the yawning chasm between government rhetoric which says that the epidemic of fire and re-hire is unacceptable and their deeds which is to fail the workers of this country.

    The key workers in our country have often been paid the least and had the least security. But rather than learn the lessons of this crisis and answer the call to bring something better, the Government is letting down workers and failing to act to protect them.

    Labour would strengthen employment protections including outlawing fire and re-hire, tackling exploitation in the gig economy, increasing the living wage, and transform our unequal, insecure economy. Only Labour will deliver the more secure, fairer economy our country needs.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2021 Comments on Early Years

    Tulip Siddiq – 2021 Comments on Early Years

    The comments made by Tulip Siddiq, the Shadow Minister for Children and Early Years, on 12 May 2021.

    Labour has repeatedly warned that a decade of Conservative neglect and the impact of the pandemic could force thousands of early years providers to shut their doors forever. This worrying data shows that our worst fears are being realised.

    The Government’s rhetoric on early years has not been matched by reality and today’s promises will ring hollow for the thousands of parents struggling to find affordable early years education, childcare and support.

    Ministers need to start listening to families and come forward with a proper plan rebuild this essential infrastructure after a decade of neglect.

  • Jo Stevens – 2021 Comments on the Draft Online Safety Bill

    Jo Stevens – 2021 Comments on the Draft Online Safety Bill

    The comments made by Jo Stevens, the Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on 12 May 2021.

    Over two years ago the Conservatives promised ‘world leading’ legislation in their White Paper. Instead we have watered down and incomplete proposals which lag behind the rest of the world. Even the Government’s press release admits that it’s proposals will only tackle some of the worst abuses on social media.

    Labour backs criminal sanctions for senior tech executives to bring about a change of culture in these companies who for too long have been given a completely free rein.

    As the NSPCC has identified these proposals do very little to ensure children are safe online. There is little to incentivise companies to prevent their platforms from being used for harmful practices.

    The Bill, which will have taken the Government more than five years from its first promise to act to be published, is a wasted opportunity to put into place future proofed legislation to provide an effective and all-encompassing regulatory framework to keep people safe online.