The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Transport Secretary, on 14 January 2021.
Nearly a year has passed since the Government promised proper support for aviation to help businesses through the pandemic. Ministers’ incompetence and failure to act is costing jobs.
Labour has repeatedly called for a sectoral deal that supports the whole aviation industry, including securing jobs and protecting the supply chain, while continuing to press for higher environmental standards.
The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Transport Secretary, on 8 January 2021.
The Government promised it had a plan to make sure things ran smoothly for businesses and hauliers post-Brexit.
It’s clear the problems caused by its poor preparation and delaying tactics have not gone away. Ministers have to get a grip on this and make sure essential workers are actually able to do their jobs, or we risk seeing a repeat of the chaos on our roads at Christmas.
The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Transport Secretary, on 5 January 2021.
The Government must ensure that transport services are being run in such a way that the essential workers using them, as well as staff, are kept safe.
The bailout of the rail industry is expected to exceed £9bn and ministers cannot continue to shift the financial burden onto the taxpayer while guaranteeing private companies’ profits.
The Government needs to come up with a long-term plan to ensure the industry can recover, while providing value for money for those who rely on it.
The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Transport Secretary, on 1 January 2021.
This piecemeal approach from the Government appears to do very little to protect the rights of workers, who have suffered as a result of opportunistic fire and rehire policies, and leaves the taxpayer to shoulder most of the risk.
It’s time for the Chancellor to deliver on the full package of support he promised the aviation sector months ago.
The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, on 20 December 2020.
The chaotic scenes at train stations came hours after the Prime Minister ducked the question of whether people should travel.
Weeks ago, Labour proposed a plan to make public transport safe before Christmas. The Government ignored it.
The Prime Minister’s dither, delay and lack of clear guidance mean we have – yet again – failed to control the spread of the virus.
The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, on 16 December 2020.
By allowing yet another fare hike, the government will make rail travel unaffordable for many and discourage people from getting back on to the network when restrictions ease.
The government’s failure means Britain is facing the worst recession of any major economy. This will be yet another kick in the teeth for families struggling to get by.
The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, on 7 December 2020.
What message does the Government feel it is sending, at a time when following Covid rules is critical, when there are one set of rules for those it considers ‘high-value’ and another for everyone else?
If the Government is serious about supporting businesses and saving jobs, it must set out a proper plan to support everyone through this crisis. Labour has been clear we must protect jobs in every part of the country and rebuild business with a support package that reflects the level of need and severity of restrictions in different areas.
The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, on 4 December 2020.
If this Government was serious about supporting the economy and jobs it would bring forward a proper package of financial support for businesses and the self-employed and a comprehensive plan for airport testing.
Instead we have Tory ministers announcing loopholes for those they consider ‘high-value.’
With this Government it is always one rule for some and another rule for everyone else.
The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Transport Secretary, on 24 November 2020.
The Government promised support for the aviation sector in March, this is not it. The Government has again been incompetently slow to react. They’ve had months to set up airport testing and months to sort out the flaws of their quarantine proposals.
It will take a long time to recover from the impact of the virus. The Government must come up with the sector-specific plan it promised for the aviation sector and its supply chain that supports almost a quarter of a million jobs and protects the environment.
The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Transport Secretary, on 14 November 2020.
An inflation-busting rise in rail fares would be completely wrong. It would make travel more unaffordable at a time when it is vital to secure the future of the network.
The Government’s incompetent approach means British taxpayers are paying the profit of rail companies owned by foreign governments. Instead, we should bring the network in house, providing better value for the taxpayer and passengers.