Hammond is clinging to an old economic model that fails the many - McDonnell

John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, responding to Philip Hammond’s speech at the Conservative Party conference today in Manchester, said:

“After 40 wasted minutes speaking, and seven wasted years of Tory economic failure the country expected to see the Chancellor change course. But instead, after a year, in the job he is continuing down the path of his predecessor and clinging to an old economic model that fails the many. It was a speech that contained more baseless smears on Labour than Tory policy announcements. But it betrays how fearful the Tories are of the challenge posed by Jeremy Corbyn.

"There was nothing of real substance on infrastructure, on tackling the housing crisis, the funding shortfall in our NHS and care system, and nothing at all for hard working families who are struggling to keep up with rising prices.

"The Chancellor this morning admitted he will borrow £10 billion for a housing policy that will only help a few, and which is derided by many of his predecessors even in his own party. Yet he will do nothing for the low paid struggling under the Tories Universal Credit mismanagement, or hard pressed public-sector workers. Real wages are lower today than when the Tories first came to power.

"On infrastructure spending, he has no plans to end the north-south divide on infrastructure spending. Philip Hammond has announced a mere drop in the ocean compared to what has already been cut, with government investment spending £19 billion lower than in 2010. Communities in the North of England will not be fooled when this Government plans to invest in transport just one-fifth in the North of what it will spend in London.

"The next Labour government will bring an end to the Tory economy built on debt, and create a country of high wage, high skill jobs, for the many not the few.”

Seven years of Tory rule has been catastrophic for both nurses and patients - Ashworth

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to Jeremy Hunt’s announcement at Tory party conference, said: “Seven years of Tory rule has been catastrophic for both nurses and patients. "Our NHS faces a 40,000 shortfall of nurses because of reduction of training places, seven years of capped pay, and the scrapping of the nurses’ bursary. On top of this record of failure, Theresa May’s shambolic handling of Brexit means more EU national nurses could leave the NHS. "Today’s announcement won’t reverse the damage this Government has already done. "Our NHS needs what Labour pledged in our manifesto - bring back the nurses’ training bursary and give nurses the pay rise they deserve.”

Jeremy Hunt's speech failed to address the crisis in social care, created by this Government - Keeley

Barbara Keeley MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Social Care, commenting on Jeremy Hunt’s speech to the Conservative Party Conference, said: “In his speech Jeremy Hunt failed to address the crisis in social care which his Government has created. “Tory cuts to local authority budgets have led to falling care quality, cuts to care services and people stuck in hospitals because there is no care available for them in their community. “The next Labour government will deal with the crisis by investing £8 billion in this Parliament, with £1 billion up front this year, and further develop our plans to build a National Care Service.“

Hammond has added £5,380 per household to the national debt since becoming Chancellor

Labour research reveals that during Philip Hammond’s first year as Chancellor, he has added £145.8 billion to the national debt – the equivalent of £5,380 per household. 

The eye watering increase of £145.8 billion over the first 12 months of Philip Hammond’s tenure at the Treasury was the largest cash terms increase in the national debt in the first 12 months of any Chancellor for which records are available.  

John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, said: “The lack of any plan from this weak Tory government is exposed when it comes to the national debt. After just one year into the job and Philip Hammond has managed to borrow a record amount of money compared to any of his predecessors’ first years. 

“These figures highlight the continued failure of the Tories on the economy, following seven years of falling wages and austerity cuts.

“Only a Labour government would be prepared to strategically invest in our economy, while setting out a serious plan for the public finances, underpinned by our Fiscal Credibility Rule; in order to build the high wage, high skill jobs of the future for the many not the few.” 

Today's speech was meaningless bravado from the government's most policy-light minister - Gardiner

Barry Gardiner MP, Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade, responding to Liam Fox’s Conservative Party speech said:

“Today’s speechwas an opportunity for the Secretary of State to allay business and industry’s fears about the structure of our future trade relations. A serious politician would have addressed the threat to 4,000 jobs in Northern Ireland by the American decision to impose a 220 per cent tariff on Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft.

“His facile suggestion that “Free Trade in Action” will increase variety for consumers and reduce prices will ring hollow to those who fear what it could mean for British jobs, given the Conservative’s failure on Bombardier.

“Fox has had more than a year to bring forward a trade white paper that sets out a proper road map for business export and inward investment. Today would have been a sensible time to introduce some of its key ideas. Instead we got meaningless bravado from the government’s most policy-light minister.“

This is a direct consequence of the disarray in the Cabinet and the Tories' chaotic approach to negotiations - Blomfield

Paul Blomfield MP, Labour’s Shadow Brexit Minister, responding to the announcement by the EU Commission that it cannot guarantee Horizon 2020 funding for British applicants post-March 2019, said:

“Horizon 2020 has been a vital source of research funding for UK universities. The Government’s failure to agree arrangements with the EU for research funding after March 2019 is undermining our world-class universities. This is a direct consequence of the disarray in the Cabinet and the Tories’ chaotic approach to negotiations. This should have been dealt with months ago and must be resolved immediately.”

This is a direct consequence of the disarray in the Cabinet and the Tories' chaotic approach to negotiations - Blomfield

Paul Blomfield MP, Labour’s Shadow Brexit Minister, responding to the announcement by the EU Commission that it cannot guarantee Horizon 2020 funding for British applicants post-March 2019, said:

“Horizon 2020 has been a vital source of research funding for UK universities. The Government’s failure to agree arrangements with the EU for research funding after March 2019 is undermining our world-class universities. This is a direct consequence of the disarray in the Cabinet and the Tories’ chaotic approach to negotiations. This should have been dealt with months ago and must be resolved immediately.”

Given that the UK Government is Boeing’s second biggest client it is inconceivable that ministers have not been able to negotiate a better deal - Smith

Owen Smith MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, commenting on the announcement that the US Department of Commerce will introduce additional sanctions on Bombardier, said:

“While Theresa May worries about press coverage of the phony P45 she was handed this week, more than 4,000 Bombardier workers in Belfast are worried that they’ll receive a real one unless her Government brings Boeing and its allies at the US Commerce Department to the negotiating table.

"Given that the UK Government is Boeing’s second biggest client - we spend over £1.5 billion with them every year - it is inconceivable that ministers have not been able to negotiate a better deal.  

"The Government must tell the public what pressure it has really placed on Boeing and on the US Administration. Without any evidence of concrete action, concerns will grow that UK ministers have naively accepted Boeing’s assurances about the safety of jobs in Belfast or worse, have negligently accepted Bombardier job losses as ‘collateral damage’ in their post-Brexit strategy.”

“A UK Labour Government would supercharge Welsh Labour’s plans for North Wales” – Carwyn Jones

Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones will today (Monday, June 5th) outline how a UK Labour Government would “supercharge” the Welsh Labour Government’s ability to deliver for North Wales.

Ahead of a whistle-stop campaign tour across North Wales, Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones said:

“The Welsh Labour Government is delivering for North Wales, with huge investment in infrastructure, industry and enterprise – despite huge cuts from the Tories in Westminster.

“The election of a UK Labour Government on June 8th would supercharge our work in North Wales, with a new £1bn investment to transform the transport system in North Wales. But we need to return our superb team of North Wales MPs to Westminster on June 8th to make this happen.

“Ours is a bold and ambitious plan, which would see Labour governments in Wales and Westminster work together to deliver major projects like electrification of the North Wales mainline that would provide the backbone for a new North East Wales Metro and improve transport links to the North of England. The Tories have neglected North Wales for far too long – and Labour is determined to put that right.”

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A UK Labour government would end years of Tory underinvestment in national rail infrastructure, committing over £1bn from its National Transformation Fund to one of the biggest programmes of UK Government transport investment in Wales for a generation, radically improving connections to the North of England and unlocking the potential for billions of pounds of investment.

Electrification from North Wales to Crewe, linking the region with HS2, and capacity for new, more frequent services into Liverpool and beyond to the North of England will provide a step-change for the North Wales economy. New, state-of-the-art track and facilities to support the North East Wales Metro will dramatically ease congestion on existing road capacity and support growth right across North Wales through stronger cross-border links.

Improving transport connections between North Wales and the North of England could help create 70,000 jobs and boost the economy by £25bn with improved connectivity providing a much-needed boost to high-potential local businesses.

Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones added:

“Welsh Labour’s commitment to North Wales is absolute – unlike Plaid and the Tories who duck the big challenges, either out of lack of clout with their London bosses or naked political expediency.

“Our recent announcement that the headquarters of the new Development Bank of Wales will be located in North Wales underlines our commitment - we want to put North Wales in the driving seat for powering our nation’s economy.

“Welsh Labour is playing its part in delivering the £14billion Wylfa Newydd project on Ynys Mon, and we recently announced £20m to establish an Advanced Manufacturing and Research Institute which will support key employers in the region like Airbus and help develop game changing new technologies in areas such as aerospace, nuclear and automotive.

“Our Welsh Labour Government plans to invest more than £200m in the A55/A494 corridor, we’re backing a third crossing over the Menai straight to support the economy of North West Wales and we’re ploughing £1m of funding into a new business hub in Wrexham, supporting 100 new businesses.

“The last time the Tories came to North Wales the only imprint they made on the region’s transport system were the tyre marks they left just outside Wrexham as the Prime Minister delivered her screeching u-turn on social care.  Only Labour will invest in North Wales communities and deliver the transport network the region’s economy needs to thrive.”

Boost for North Wales as Welsh Labour announce new Development Bank HQ to be based in Wrexham

Welsh Labour Economy Secretary Ken Skates has today announced that the new Development Bank of Wales, which will provide over £1 billion of investment to Welsh business over the next five years, will be based in Wrexham.

The Development bank will bring more than 50 jobs to the area and will support small and medium businesses across Wales with greatly improved access to finance, support services and management advice.

It will create and safeguard over 5,500 jobs a year by 2022 and will be tasked with increasing annual direct investment to £80m by that date.

Welsh Labour Economy Secretary Ken Skates said:

“Welsh Labour is committed to delivering better jobs, closer to home. The new Development Bank of Wales will be a huge boost to the north Wales economy and support jobs and business growth the length and breadth of Wales.

“My decision to   locate  the headquarters of our new Development Bank in North Wales is part of a wider commitment we have as a Welsh Government to spread prosperity and jobs across to every region of Wales. Having the bank in North Wales will mean it is ideally located to make the most of the huge opportunities associated with the growth of the cross border Financial and Professional Services sector.

“Finance Wales is already doing great work in the North Wales area and has just confirmed that last year was its busiest yet in the region.

“We are now actively considering two potential sites in and around the Wrexham area for the Development Bank’s headquarters which we believe will allow us to build on this success.”

ENDS

Welsh Labour Manifesto comment

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said:

“Reports of leaked manifestos relate to an old, draft version of a UK document. 

“It is not Welsh Labour’s manifesto and contains many England-only proposals. Welsh Labour will be publishing its own distinct manifesto, building on the success of our five pledges for Wales.

“Welsh Labour takes a responsible approach to finance – we have made tough, but fair spending decisions throughout the last decade of shrinking budgets.

“Were a new Labour Government in Westminster to reverse the years of damaging Tory cuts, and once again invest in vital public services, we would undertake a spending review with a view to allocating any Welsh consequential funding to our key priority areas – creating jobs, investing in the NHS and maintaining the new momentum in education.

“One of the most important tenets of devolved politics, is the right for the Welsh Labour Government to make decisions, set priorities and spend money based on the needs of the people of Wales.”

 Ends

I actually like the leaked Manifesto and cannot see why Welsh Labour would not endorse no tuition fees,public ownership of transport, royal mail. I support investing in the NHS creation of high paid jobs and the 10.00 per hour minimum wage.