The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on 9 July 2021.
Lyra McKee was the very best of Northern Ireland. She dreamt of a future of equality and reconciliation.
Lyra’s partner, Sara Canning has fought a determined campaign for justice. Her determination to build on Lyra’s legacy, and to build a lasting peace, is humbling and demands all our support.
I was honoured to cross the Peace Bridge, a symbol of reconciliation between two communities, with Sara.
The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, on 8 July 2021.
I requested that the data for every country be published so that travellers and the industry could forward plan and know the direction of travel for each country. Simply publishing the data for a limited number of countries after you’ve made a decision isn’t helpful.
It’s clear that Government must hold the data informing traffic light risk assessments for each country, but is choosing to only publish an extremely limited selection. Could you explain why that is, and when will you finally publish – or direct the JBC to publish – the full data for country, which you implied had already been done?
The comments made by Ed Miliband, the Shadow Secretary of State for Business, on 29 June 2021.
There is just one day to go until the Government announces whether or not it will retain crucial steel import safeguards.
This is an incredibly significant decision for our steel industry, and a major test of this Government’s promise to protect and champion British businesses post-Brexit.
The Business Secretary cannot allow our vital UK industries to be thrown under the bus by the Trade Secretary. Failure to maintain these safeguards would be a betrayal of Britain’s steel industry, a betrayal of communities across the country, and a self-defeating hammer blow to our national interest.
The comments made by Kate Green, the Shadow Secretary of State for Education, on 29 June 2021.
The Conservatives have treated children as an afterthought throughout this pandemic and Kevan Collins is right to describe their plans as ‘feeble’.
Parents and schools are crying out for help and they’re just not getting it. The Government cannot simply wait until September to act on self-isolation and other measures we have been calling for.
Ministers must work with their expert scientific advisers now to review the bubbles system ahead of the summer holidays to ensure as many children can be in the classroom as possible.
The comments made by Bridget Phillipson, the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, on 30 June 2021.
There’s a real danger this green bonds announcement is all talk and no action – just like the Chancellor’s long delayed Net Zero Review – and a distraction from the critical job of halting climate breakdown.
We need far more details and a watertight guarantee that these bonds are spent properly on the green jobs and initiatives that will curb climate breakdown.
The Chancellor must stop dragging his heels, and publish his final report into the Net Zero Review which has now been delayed since Autumn 2020.
And he should hardwire his Net Zero targets into his upcoming spending review, as Labour would do.
The statement made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 28 June 2021.
My thoughts are with all those affected by the very serious fire in Elephant and Castle. I am in close contact with the Fire Commissioner.
I want to thank our brave emergency services – the London Fire Brigade, Met Police, London Ambulance Service and British Transport Police, who acted quickly to ensure both residents and passengers at the nearby station were safely evacuated.
The fire is now under control. Two people, one police officer and one member of the public are being treated for smoke inhalation. I wish them and others affected a speedy recovery.
I urge the public to avoid the area whilst our firefighters and emergency services continue their work in the area. There are significant road closures in place and the tube station is shut.
If you live nearby, please follow the advice from London Fire Brigade and close all doors and windows.
The statement made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 29 June 2021.
Tomorrow marks the application deadline for the EU Settlement Scheme and I want to make a final appeal to European Londoners and their families. Speak to your eligible friends, colleagues and family members and make sure they’ve all applied to the scheme.
I remain hugely concerned that with hundreds of thousands of people caught up in the Government’s application backlog, many European Londoners face a real risk of discrimination from Thursday onwards. We know the backlog will take months and months to clear but it is still not too late for ministers to do the right thing and announce an extension to the application deadline to avoid the huge stress and anxiety their application backlog will have created.
I also urge the Government to introduce physical proof of status – their policies mean that immigration checks are being conducted by non-experts – landlords, employers and others who may not know or understand the complexities of EU citizens’ new immigration status, which is digital-only. There is no doubt that the lack of printed evidence creates barriers in accessing work, housing and essential services and we have already seen the harm that these policies have had on many people, including the Windrush generation and their families.
I will continue to do all I can to support European citizens living in the capital – they continue to make a massive contribution to our economic, cultural and social life, and everything that makes our city so great.
The comments made by Alister Jack, the Secretary of State for Scotland, on 29 June 2021.
Scotland is a world leader in shipbuilding and it’s great to see construction of the British military’s latest warship beginning by the River Clyde in Govan.
When complete HMS Belfast – and the rest of the seven strong Scottish built Type 26 fleet – will help protect the UK and our NATO allies 24/7. In the meantime the anti-submarine frigate building programme is boosting our country’s prosperity through the investment and skills footprint defence projects bring.
The comments made by Wendy Morton, a Foreign Office Minister, on 29 June 2021.
The Bab al-Hawa border crossing must remain open so that life-saving humanitarian assistance can reach the most vulnerable Syrians. Between 2020 and 2021, the UK provided clean drinking water to over 225,000 people, health consultations to more than 400,000 Syrians and formal education to over 200,000 children in north-west Syria – all through this vital aid crossing.
The UK, as a force for good in the region, will be voting in favour of maximum humanitarian access at the UNSC so that charities operating in north west Syria can continue their life-saving work. More than 13 million Syrians remain in dire need of support across the war-torn country.
The comments made by Rachel Maclean, the Transport Minister, on 30 June 2021.
With sales of EVs increasing and the government’s net zero ambitions accelerating, I want to make it as easy as possible for EV drivers to charge up their vehicles at public chargepoints right across the UK, regardless of their mobility.
We are taking action to provide accessibility guidance to both operators and drivers to make sure that the transition to zero-emission driving will benefit everyone in society as we build back better.