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Tag: 2020

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2020 Comments on Care Home Testing Pledge

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2020 Comments on Care Home Testing Pledge

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 3 August 2020.

    With infections rising, it’s frankly negligent ministers have failed to deliver on their promise to regularly test care home residents and staff. And to brief newspapers that over-50s may need to shield on the day shielding has been paused causes yet more unnecessary confusion and anxiety.

    Ministers have been too slow to act and explain their strategy throughout this pandemic. Test and Trace is costing £10 billion but is nowhere near the ‘world beating’ system we were promised.

    It’s critical measures are now put in place to control the virus including rapidly improving testing and locally-led contact tracing teams. The Government failed to protect care home residents and staff early on in this pandemic. They mustn’t make the same mistake again.

  • John Major – 2020 Comments on Death of John Hume

    John Major – 2020 Comments on Death of John Hume

    The comments made by John Major, the Prime Minister between 1990 and 1997, on 3 August 2020.

    John Hume was an advocate for peace in Northern Ireland for the greater part of his life.

    Few others invested such time and energy to this search, and few sought to change entrenched attitudes with such fierce determination.

    Those whose communities have been transformed into peaceful neighbourhoods may wish to pay tribute to one of the most fervent warriors for peace.

    He has earned himself an honoured place in Irish history.

  • Keir Starmer – 2020 Comments on Death of John Hume

    Keir Starmer – 2020 Comments on Death of John Hume

    The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on 3 August 2020.

    It is deeply saddening to hear of the death of John Hume.

    Life across the island of Ireland is peaceful and more prosperous today because of his courage, vision and determination. He guided away from violence and towards justice, tolerance and democracy. He takes his rightful place in the pantheon of leaders whose legacy is of creating a better world for the next generation.

    My thoughts, and those of the Labour movement, are with Pat, John, Mo and the Hume Family.

  • Lucy Powell – 2020 Comments on HSBC and DW Sports Job Losses

    Lucy Powell – 2020 Comments on HSBC and DW Sports Job Losses

    The text of the comments made by Lucy Powell, the Shadow Minister for Business and Consumers, on 3 August 2020.

    We are seeing a wave of job losses across the high street which is not just a tragedy for the individuals and families concerned but underlines the real challenges facing retail, hospitality and leisure in our towns and cities.

    With many businesses struggling, Boris Johnson’s jobs squeeze threatening those still on furlough in fully and partially shut down sectors, and the lack of support for areas facing local lockdowns, it’s vital that Ministers step up. That’s why Labour has called for a flexible furlough and a Hospitality and High Street Fightback Fund to support businesses and workers in areas and sectors in distress.

  • Andy McDonald – 2020 Comments on Confidence of Employees Returning to Work

    Andy McDonald – 2020 Comments on Confidence of Employees Returning to Work

    The comments made by Andy McDonald, the Shadow Employment Rights and Protections Secretary, on 3 August 2020.

    The Government’s guidance on working with Covid-19 is vague, and years of cuts to inspectors mean rules on health and safety are difficult to enforce.

    Following confused public messaging and the failure to set up a working track and trace system, it is no surprise that many employers and employees do not feel safe to return to places of work.

    The Government must work closely with workers and trade unions to implement clearer rules and a plan for how they will be enforced in order to give workers and businesses confidence they will be safe.

  • Lucy Powell – 2020 Comments on Hays Travel

    Lucy Powell – 2020 Comments on Hays Travel

    The comments made by Lucy Powell, the Shadow Minister for Business and Consumers, on 3 August 2020.

    It’s devastating to hear that Hays Travel is faced with having to make almost 900 employees redundant, months after stepping in to save the jobs of those impacted by the collapse of Thomas Cook.

    The government’s illogical decision to withdraw furlough support from businesses across the board, regardless of sector or circumstance, is putting so many jobs at risk.

    With forecasts of a 10% unemployment rate and regular mass redundancies, it is clear the government must urgently target support where it is needed and protect people’s livelihoods.

  • Sarah Jones – 2020 Comments on Knife Crime

    Sarah Jones – 2020 Comments on Knife Crime

    The comments made by Sarah Jones, the Shadow Minister for Policing and Fire, on 3 August 2020.

    Knife crime has risen as a result of Tory cuts to the Police and preventative services. The Government have spent years announcing summits, strategies, and taskforces – but they have failed to act, with knife crime continuing to rise across the country on their watch.

    More warm words from ministers will not help communities across the country that are blighted by knife crime.

    This Conservative Government needs to explain how it will fix the national knife crime crisis that was born on their watch.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2020 Comments on NFU Rural Crimes Report

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2020 Comments on NFU Rural Crimes Report

    The comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 4 August 2020.

    These figures show the large and growing impact crime has in rural areas.

    The Tory cuts to policing have seen officer numbers fall sharply across the country, often leaving rural communities feeling abandoned.

    These figures are yet another example of the Tories failing on crime.

  • Lucy Powell – 2020 Comments on Pizza Express and Job Losses

    Lucy Powell – 2020 Comments on Pizza Express and Job Losses

    The comments made by Lucy Powell, the Shadow Minister for Business and Consumers, on 4 August 2020.

    The jobs crisis is clearly accelerating with redundancies being announced every day. It’s only Tuesday and just this week we’ve heard of mass redundancies in the hospitality, retail and travel sectors.

    The Government is pulling the rug out from beneath businesses by ending furlough support indiscriminately and prematurely.

    They must end their damaging blanket approach urgently, and target support at the hardest-hit sectors – or be responsible for more people losing their jobs.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2020 Comments on the Government’s Track and Trace Scheme

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2020 Comments on the Government’s Track and Trace Scheme

    Comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 4 August 2020.

    For months Labour has warned ministers that, without a vaccine, an effective locally delivered test, trace and isolate regime would be critical to safe easing from lockdown.

    Instead Boris Johnson is handing multi-million pound contacts to firms like Serco and claiming his approach is ‘world beating’ when it is far from that and showing no signs of improvement. He should be honest with the public about his government’s failings.

    Given infection rates are rising and some areas have had restrictions tightened, it is no wonder local authorities are abandoning Johnson’s failed approach and setting up their own systems. Local Directors of Public Health, primary care and NHS labs were always better placed to do this vital work effectively and should be given the resources and data to get on with it.