The comments made by Andrew Adonis on 9 April 2021.
I don’t believe Johnson & his fellow Brexiters actively sought the unravelling of peace in Northern Ireland. In a way, it is worse than that. They were literally careless of the heartbreak and grief.
The statement made by Simon Hart, the Secretary of State for Wales, on 10 April 2021.
Prince Philip was a phenomenal public servant who led an inspirational life of dedicated support to the nation’s longest-reigning monarch.
He leaves a remarkable legacy including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award which will continue to inspire generations of young people across Wales and the United Kingdom for many years to come.
It is with great sadness that we mourn his passing and I offer my sincere condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and the entire Royal Family.
The comments made by Bridget Phillipson, the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, on 10 April 2021.
Every day brings fresh revelations about the culture of cronyism at the heart of this Conservative Government. Through David Cameron, Greensill looks to have had the run of Government from Number 10 down, including access to millions of pounds of public money.
And yet we’ve heard nothing from Rishi Sunak about the role he played in ‘pushing’ his officials to change the rules of Government schemes to suit Cameron and Greensill.
He needs to come out of hiding and make a statement to Parliament at the earliest opportunity and answer questions on this growing scandal. And we need a full and thorough investigation into what happened.
The statement made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 9 April 2021.
I extend my deepest sympathies to Her Majesty The Queen and the entire Royal Family at this sad time.
Today, we mourn the loss of an extraordinary man, who devoted his life to public service and helping others. Not only did His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh devote 70 years to undertaking royal duties, but he also fought for Britain – and for the freedoms we hold dear today – during the Second World War.
As Mayor, I know I can say on behalf of all Londoners that we will forever be grateful for the contribution His Royal Highness made to our city and our country. This includes his charitable work and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which has helped so many young people reach their potential.
There’s no doubt that the legacy of The Duke of Edinburgh’s positive impact on London, Britain and the lives of so many will live on for many years to come.
The statement made by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, on 9 April 2021.
I join with the rest of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in mourning the loss of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, and give thanks to God for his extraordinary life of dedicated service. Prince Philip continually demonstrated his unfailing support and unstinting loyalty to Her Majesty The Queen for 73 years.
He consistently put the interests of others ahead of his own and, in so doing, provided an outstanding example of Christian service. During his naval career, in which he served with distinction in the Second World War, he won the respect of his peers as an outstanding officer.
On the occasions when I met him, I was always struck by his obvious joy at life, his enquiring mind and his ability to communicate to people from every background and walk of life. He was a master at putting people at their ease and making them feel special.
The legacy he leaves is enormous. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which he founded in 1956, has inspired generations of young people to help others and instilled in them a vision for citizenship and a desire to serve their communities. His work with countless charities and organisations reflected his wide- ranging, global interests in topics including wildlife, sport, design, engineering and inter-faith dialogue.
In his powerful advocacy for conservation his was a prophetic voice for over half a century, as he brought people from around the world to a new concern and commitment to action for the future of our planet.
As we recover and rebuild after the terrible trial of the coronavirus pandemic, we will need fortitude and a deep sense of commitment to serving others. Throughout his life Prince Philip displayed those qualities in abundance, and I pray that we can take inspiration from his example.
I also join many people in giving thanks for the marriage of Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip, and for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Theirs was a marriage grounded in friendship and mutual respect and sustained by shared faith in Christ.
I pray that God will comfort Her Majesty and the rest of the Royal Family at this time. May His Royal Highness rest in peace and rise in glory.
The comments made by Vicky Ford, the Children and Families Minister, on 9 April 2021.
Every child or young person with SEND should go to school feeling confident that they will get the tailored support they need at school, and every teacher should be equipped with the right facilities to teach those pupils.
We have already increased the high needs budget by nearly a quarter over the past two years. This additional investment will enable local authorities to invest more in creating excellent school places or enhancing existing provision so that pupils with additional needs and disabilities get the same opportunities as any other.
The statement made by Brandon Lewis, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on 10 April 2021.
Prince Philip lived an extraordinary life of service – the Queen’s loyal consort, a naval hero and a man who inspired so many across Northern Ireland, and the world, through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
As a regular visitor to Northern Ireland, having made 56 official visits in his lifetime, I know there will be many people who will wish to pay their respects and mourn his passing. He will be remembered not only as a truly dedicated public servant but also a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
My deepest condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and the whole of the Royal family as they mourn this tremendous loss.
The comments made by Jim McMahon, the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, on 9 April 2021.
Time and again the UK Government have been devoid of strategy when it comes to protecting our borders against Covid.
At a time when cases are rising across Europe and the threat of variants remains deeply worrying, we need a comprehensive hotel quarantine system, to help protect the gains of the vaccine. The first priority has to be keeping people safe.
Labour will look at these proposals, but proper details and clarity about strategy are vital. This must include the criteria by which the ‘traffic lights’ will be decided, as well as clear information for travellers and industry, about what test will be required and resulting costs.
It will take a long time for international travel to recover from the impact of the virus. The Government must come up with a comprehensive financial support package for the aviation sector and its supply chain which supports almost a quarter of a million jobs and protects the environment and stimulates further decarbonisation of the industry.
The comments made by Kate Green, the Shadow Secretary of State for Education, on 9 April 2021.
The pressure the Conservatives are putting on children to ‘catch-up’ academically ignores the crucial role mental health and wellbeing play in children’s learning and development.
The pandemic has exacerbated a decade of Conservative failure, with more families struggling to pay the bills and living in insecure housing, while specialist mental health support has been cut.
Labour’s Bright Future Taskforce would put wellbeing at the heart of a national strategy to ensure every child recovers from the pandemic and is supported to reach their full potential.
The comments made by Oliver Heald on 9 April 2021.
Ian Gibson, Labour MP of years gone by has sadly passed away. A good MP and one prepared to make common cause across Party.