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Tag: 2020

  • Catherine West – 2020 Comments on Belarus

    Catherine West – 2020 Comments on Belarus

    The text of the comments made by Catherine West, the Shadow Minister for Europe and the Americas, on 10 August 2020.

    We are deeply concerned by the evolving situation in Belarus, including alarming reports of stun grenades, rubber bullets and water cannon being used against peaceful protestors.

    Belarusians have the right to decide their own future and to select their own government in free and fair elections. President Lukashenko should commit to an open and transparent process to determine the result and pledge to honour the path chosen by the people of Belarus.

    Any use of force against peaceful protests should be condemned and the UK must work with our international partners to ensure the rights of the Belarusian people are protected and upheld.

  • Michael Ellis – 2020 Comments on Manchester Rapist Sentence

    Michael Ellis – 2020 Comments on Manchester Rapist Sentence

    The comments made by Michael Ellis, the Solicitor General, on 7 August 2020.

    This offender’s actions have brought significant distress and psychological harm to a vulnerable victim and her family. I am pleased that the judge has agreed to increase the offender’s sentence in order to take into account the harm that he inflicted through this attack.

  • Gavin Williamson – 2020 Comments on School Transport

    Gavin Williamson – 2020 Comments on School Transport

    The comments made by Gavin Williamson, the Secretary of State for Education, on 8 August 2020.

    Ahead of delivering on the national priority of all children and young people returning to full-time education in September, I am asking every staff member and student to plan now how they will get to school or college. If it is possible to walk or cycle, please do.

    While our public transport system has almost returned to full service, I know thousands of people will choose to get active and find alternative modes of transport, because with distancing measures still in place it is important that we all play our part to ensure everyone is able to get to school safely, and on time.

    For those that have no other option than public transport, this investment for local authorities will mean more students will be able to travel on dedicated home to school and college transport, creating even more capacity where it is needed most.

  • Mike Amesbury – 2020 Comments on the Developer’s Charter

    Mike Amesbury – 2020 Comments on the Developer’s Charter

    The comments made by Mike Amesbury, the Shadow Housing and Planning Minister, on 5 August 2020.

    This is a Developer’s Charter that will see communities side-lined in decisions and denied vital funding for building schools, clinics and community infrastructure.

    These proposals will only serve to blight communities with a new wave of slum housing – the Government’s own independent report even warned of the poor quality of housing built outside the planning system.

    This Government needs to build the high-quality, genuinely affordable, environmentally sustainable housing that this country desperately needs.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2020 Comments on Mishandling of PPE Contracts

    Rachel Reeves – 2020 Comments on Mishandling of PPE Contracts

    The comments made by Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on 6 August 2020.

    The Conservative Government failed in their duty to fully protect those working on the frontline during those crucial early months of this pandemic. It is astounding that ministers allowed the national PPE stockpile to run down and then spent millions with an offshore finance company with no history of providing vital equipment for the NHS.

    Many health and care workers experienced inadequate protection, relied on community donations and even bought their own PPE from DIY shops. Ministers repeatedly assured the country that things were fine, yet lives of health workers were lost, the infection was spread in health settings while all that time masks bought by the Government could not be used for their intended purpose.

    The case for the National Audit Office to investigate the Conservative Government’s mishandling of PPE is overwhelming and as well as apologise, ministers must urgently learn lessons to save lives in the future.

  • Anneliese Dodds – 2020 Comments on Bank of England Economic Outlook

    Anneliese Dodds – 2020 Comments on Bank of England Economic Outlook

    The comments made by Anneliese Dodds, the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 6 August 2020.

    Today’s assessment by the Bank of England shows that this is a critical moment for our economy. A short-term, post-lockdown rise in spending sits alongside a much more uncertain long-term picture of very low levels of business investment and the prospect of a sharp rise in unemployment.

    The Government has still not got a grip on the health crisis and we won’t recover from this economic crisis until it does. That means fixing test, trace and isolate to give people the confidence they need to go back out and get spending again.

    And the Chancellor is still ploughing on with his one-size-fits-all approach to withdrawing income support, despite calls from businesses to think again. If he won’t, the recovery will be stopped in its tracks and the jobs crisis Britain faces will get much worse. It’s not too late to change course.

  • Seema Malhotra – 2020 Comments on Child Poverty

    Seema Malhotra – 2020 Comments on Child Poverty

    The comments made by Seema Malhotra, the Shadow Employment Minister, on 6 August 2020.

    These figures must serve as a wakeup call to the Government. Labour has repeatedly called on the Government to scrap the benefit cap to avoid the picture we are seeing today.

    This is a policy that is pushing children and families into poverty. With around eight job seekers for every vacancy, rising to 20 per vacancy in some parts of the country, this is a Government totally out of touch with the reality of people’s lives.

    The Government must target support at those most in need, rather than pursuing a one size fits all approach. Ending the benefit cap would put much-needed cash into the pockets of Britain’s poorest families, helping them through this crisis without a devastating increase in household debt.

  • Justin Madders – 2020 Comments on Contact Tracing System

    Justin Madders – 2020 Comments on Contact Tracing System

    The comments made by Justin Madders, the Shadow Health Minister, on 6 August 2020.

    It’s deeply concerning that the numbers are heading in the wrong direction again this week, with so many of the close contacts of people who have tested positive, and over 40 per cent of people in the same households, not being reached.

    We now need a plan of action from Ministers that sets out what they are doing to address these huge holes in the contact tracing system.

    If this means supporting local areas to establish their own local contact tracing systems and ending the failed contract with Serco – as Labour has been calling for, for some time – then Ministers must get on and implement this without delay. We urgently need to get test and trace back on track.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2020 Comments on Privatisation During Pandemic

    Rachel Reeves – 2020 Comments on Privatisation During Pandemic

    The comments made by Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on 6 August 2020.

    The Conservatives have consistently tried to privatise throughout this pandemic and turn to a small number of corporations instead of using public health expertise.

    The Government’s decision to hand SERCO millions for contact tracing has been an expensive mistake in comparison to what can be achieved by local councils and established public health approaches.

    Ministers should swallow their pride, learn lessons and choose to better support the public sector instead of SERCO’s shareholders.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2020 Comments on Dominic Cummings

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2020 Comments on Dominic Cummings

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 6 August 2020.

    Boris Johnson’s failure to confront Dominic Cummings over his lockdown breach was a monumental misjudgment.

    The government rightly asked the British people to make huge sacrifices to drive down infection rates. So to have allowed his most senior advisor to blatantly break the rules undermined vital life saving public health messaging at the peak of this deadly pandemic.