Comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 19 August 2020.
The news of the death of a 16-year-old boy in the Channel is heartbreaking and our thoughts are with his loved ones.
The Government’s response to the situation in the Channel has been lacking in compassion and competence.
Ministers urgently need to step up work with international partners to find a humanitarian solution to this crisis, which is costing lives.
The comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 13 August 2020.
While we support evidence based measures at the border, it’s vital that the Government has a joined-up strategy, and recognises the impact of this on travel-related businesses. It is vital that a sector-specific deal is put in place urgently.
That the Government has still not put in place an effective track, trace and isolate system has made matters far worse and made it more likely that we are reliant on the blunt tool of 14-day quarantine.
The Government should publish all of the scientific evidence its decisions are based on and details of any work being done to reduce the time needed to isolate through increased testing and other measures.
The comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 5 August 2020.
The findings of this Home Affairs Select Committee report are a stark warning to the Government that it needs to learn lessons, and fast.
The Government’s decision to lift self-isolation guidance on 13 March and create a situation where no border protections were in place for three months is described as “inexplicable” and there is harsh criticism for the mixed messaging on recent border measures.
The Government needs to get a grip of its communication, be open and transparent about the quarantining measures it needs to take, by publishing the evidence it is based on, and develop a properly functioning testing system.
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.
Text of the comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 27 July 2020.
Labour has made clear that it supports evidence-based protective measures at the border.
We have long called for all the scientific evidence to be made public and for a ramped-up track trace and isolate system to be in place so as to avoid the need for the blunt tool of 14-day quarantine.
The Government’s policy regarding travel restrictions has lacked grip and coherence from the outset.
This latest decision-making process regarding Spain and the short-notice for travellers has created a sense of panic and loss of control.
The Government should have proper contingency plans to support people coming home where there is no guarantee their employers will allow them 14 days of work flexibility.
And it is high time that a sector-specific deal for aviation is introduced as quarantine measures continue to affect the travel industry.”
The comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 25 July 2020.
The news will be deeply concerning for families who are in caught Spain or are planning travel – the Government needs to come forward now with full details of how people affected will be supported.
The text of the comments made on Twitter by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 15 July 2020.
Very pleased to see that the good sense of the Intelligence and Security Committee members has prevailed and that they overruled the Prime Minister by appointing Julian Lewis as Chair, rather than the hapless Chris Grayling.
The text of the comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 13 July 2020.
We will look closely at the full details of what the Ministers bring forward. However, if the Government had listened to Labour MPs like Chris Bryant and Holly Lynch in 2018 the principle of a two-year sentence for attacks on frontline workers would already be in place.
Police officers have faced some appalling attacks in recent weeks while going about their work to keep people safe – this is unacceptable and we should do all we can to protect them, including tougher sentences for those who attack them.
Below is the text of the comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 12 July 2020.
We will scrutinise the proposals on visas very carefully. The Government has rushed through immigration legislation with very little detail in the middle of a global pandemic.
There are real concerns that this will cause major problems for our NHS and our care sector, at a time when we are still waiting for the Government to make good on their promise to scrap the unfair immigration health surcharge for workers who were being charged to access the very services they were keeping going to help others during the toughest of times.
Below is the text of the comments made by Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 10 July 2020.
The decision by the Prime Minister to nominate Chris Grayling as Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee is truly astonishing. This is an appointment to a vital national security role at a critical time.
It beggars belief that the apparently strongest Conservative candidate has overseen disasters such as the botched privatisation of probation services, a ferry agreement with a firm with no ferries, and the mishandling of the East Coast rail franchise.
Yet again this is an example of the Prime Minister seeking to work in his own interest, rather than the national interest. The work of the ISC is vital and the country will accept no further delays in the publication the long-awaited Russia report.