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Tag: 2021

  • Marsha de Cordova – 2021 Comments on Review into Islamophobia in the Conservative Party

    Marsha de Cordova – 2021 Comments on Review into Islamophobia in the Conservative Party

    The comments made by Marsha de Cordova, the Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary, on 25 May 2021.

    This report is a damning indictment of the discrimination rife in the Conservative Party, and it goes all the way up to the Prime Minister.

    Reports of Islamophobic hate crime spiralled in the weeks after Boris Johnson likened women who wear the burka to ‘letterboxes’ and ‘bank robbers’.

    He must now issue a full and proper public apology that acknowledges the pain and hurt he has caused in the Muslim community, as well as taking meaningful action to rebuild trust, especially among Muslim women.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Local Lockdowns

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Local Lockdowns

    The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 25 May 2021.

    Where is the Secretary of State?

    Communities like mine in Leicester or towns and boroughs like Burnley, Bedford and Bolton bore the brunt of this crisis these last 15 months; often in lockdowns longer than elsewhere, felt abandoned without adequate financial support, and families have struggled.

    Can the minister understand how insulting and upsetting it is to us to have new restrictions imposed – a local lockdowns by the back door – and the Secretary of State doesn’t even have the courtesy to tell us.

    Why was this guidance simply plonked on a website in Friday night and not communicated to anyone?

    Why were local Directors of Public Health and local authority leaders not consulted?

    Why were MPs not informed?

    What does it mean for our constituents?

    The family in Leicester who have booked a few days away by the coast in next week’s half term – do they now have to cancel their break?

    Can University students in Leicester travel home after exams, can prospective students come to Leicester to look around the campus?

    The parents in Bolton taking their children to see their grandparents on the other side of Greater Manchester this bank holiday Monday, do they now have to rearrange their plans?

    The young couple in Burnley who have postponed their wedding for over a year and have invited friends and family from across the country to celebrate their special day, is the message to them that the wedding is delayed again?

    Can he take a message from me the MP for Leicester South to the Secretary of State:

    Withdraw this guidance now.

    And convene a meeting of the relevant Directors of Public Health this afternoon to produce a plan involving isolation support, enhanced contact tracing and – because we know from PHE a single dose of the vaccine is less effective against this variant – the rollout of vaccination for everyone and including bring forward second doses for a larger cohort.

    A year ago minister were defending Dominic Cummings on twitter, Mr Cummings now tweets about the lack of competent people in charge. Based on the handling of this latest fiasco, he has a point doesn’t he?

  • Ellie Reeves – 2021 Comments on Government’s Rape Review

    Ellie Reeves – 2021 Comments on Government’s Rape Review

    The comments made by Ellie Reeves, the Shadow Solicitor General, on 25 May 2021.

    We have been waiting over two years now for the Government’s rape review, and again the date of publication has been kicked into the long grass.

    No more pilots no more consultations, we need action, we need a plan.

    Labour has one – what we’d do has been set out in our Survivors Support Plan and in our Green Paper for ending violence against women and girls. And I urge the minister today to commit to a date for publishing the rape review.

    Labour has also called for the Government to make a commitment to supporting Labour’s Green Paper on ending violence against women and girls, which included measures for rolling out indicators of progress – alongside annual reports – to ensure the Government makes tackling violence against women and girls a priority across every department.

  • Jo Stevens – 2021 Comments on the Tracey Crouch Review

    Jo Stevens – 2021 Comments on the Tracey Crouch Review

    The comments made by Jo Stevens, the Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, on 21 May 2021.

    Of the ten members of this panel only one is a fan representative so this hasn’t got the look or feel of being fan-led.

    There is no information about when, how and in what way fans will be involved in this review and not even a timescale given about when this information will be available.

    Fans are still waiting for ministers to explain how their views and ideas will be listened to so that we can all be confident that this review really will live up to the Government’s promise that it will be led by the fans.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2021 Comments on Global Minimum Rate of Corporation Tax

    Rachel Reeves – 2021 Comments on Global Minimum Rate of Corporation Tax

    The comments made by Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 23 May 2021.

    The Conservatives have a choice: they can join Labour in tackling large-scale tax avoidance or they can allow billions of pounds to leave Britain.

    This global pact will bring in extra tax benefitting Britain, while stopping huge multinationals and online giants from undercutting our businesses.

    By making sure they pay their fair share in Britain, we can level the playing field for our brilliant businesses, and build an economic recovery with thriving industries, strong public services and good, secure jobs for all.

  • Kate Green – 2021 Comments on Teacher Numbers

    Kate Green – 2021 Comments on Teacher Numbers

    The comments made by Kate Green, the Shadow Secretary State for Education, on 23 May 2021.

    Teachers have experienced a decade of neglect under Conservative governments which is driving them out of classrooms.

    Ensuring every child can bounce back from the pandemic should be a top priority but the government has said nothing about the workforce that will deliver the additional support and enhanced offer children need.

    Our dedicated teachers and school leaders have worked incredibly hard to support children and families through the pandemic. We must now recognise their invaluable contribution if we are to deliver the promise of a bright future for every child.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2021 Comments on the Immigration System

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2021 Comments on the Immigration System

    The comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 23 May 2021.

    The Home Secretary talks about a broken asylum system but it’s the Conservatives who have been in power for 11 years and are responsible for that.

    The idea of e-borders has been around for a number of years. Given that hundreds of thousands of items of data were lost from the Police National Computer in January and, four months later, we have no assurance they have all been recovered, there are serious questions about the Home Secretary delivering this digital system.

    The Government’s approach has lacked compassion and competence and now Ministers risk withdrawing support from victims of the heinous crime of people trafficking with their New Immigration Plan.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2021 Comments on CBI’s Seize the Moment Report

    Rachel Reeves – 2021 Comments on CBI’s Seize the Moment Report

    The comments made by Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 24 May 2021.

    British businesses played a crucial role during the pandemic, and they are vital as we shape a fair economic recovery, and look to create the decent jobs that help people and places prosper.

    Today’s report rightly underlines that we face a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the UK economy for a new future.

    Labour will work with businesses to unleash people’s potential and help tackle the shared challenges we face as a society.

  • Ellie Reeves – 2021 Comments on Rape Charges

    Ellie Reeves – 2021 Comments on Rape Charges

    The comments made by Ellie Reeves, the Shadow Solicitor General, on 24 May 2021.

    This government is letting down victims of rape on every front. Many survivors feel the justice system is working against them, not for them and that is completely the wrong way round.

    The Government has no plan to deal with the failings that have happened under its watch, and we have been waiting for its rape review for over two-years.

    Labour have published our Survivors’ Support Plan and Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Green Paper to ensure our criminal justice system works for everyone.

  • Ed Miliband – 2021 Comments on Stocksbridge Liberty Steel Plant

    Ed Miliband – 2021 Comments on Stocksbridge Liberty Steel Plant

    The comments made by Ed Miliband, the Shadow Business Secretary, on 24 May 2021.

    Labour has called repeatedly for the Government to do whatever it takes to protect jobs and our steelmaking capacity, but instead ministers sat on their hands.

    It’s absolutely vital the Government and Liberty secure legal assurances that the Stocksbridge plant, which is a British asset supplying our aerospace and defence industries and providing good jobs, will remain open and the workforce will be protected. Crucially we also need assurances about all of Liberty’s other plants.

    The Government must show it has a plan B to protect the long-term future of our steel industry, including at Liberty – and public ownership must remain an option on the table.