Labour to develop childcare plan to help mums and families trapped on benefits

Stephen Twigg MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary will visit the Carousel Children’s Centre in Braintree, Essex at 11am tomorrow to launch Labour’s review of childcare provision.

Launching a major review of childcare policy, Labour warns that the numbers of mums who are trapped on benefits because the Government’s failed approach to childcare is totally unacceptable.

New figures from the Office of National Statistics show that in the last quarter, 34,000 women have given up work altogether. This is the fastest rise in female worklessness for almost a year – since the 4th quarter of 2010 when it went up by 50,000.

Over the past 18 months, an additional 32,000 women have chosen to stay at home to look after their families, because they cannot afford to work, according to research by Aviva. This is in part because of the rising cost of childcare, particularly for part-time workers.

Labour backs a fully elected Lords

Sadiq Khan asks: Why is Nick Clegg afraid of Referendum? – Let public decide.

Sadiq Khan, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, commenting ahead of the publication of the report of the Joint Committee on House of Lords Reform, said; “The Deputy Prime Minister placed great store by the Joint Committee’s report into his draft Lords reform bill, so their assessment of his proposals have real weight and importance.

“It’s encouraging that reports suggest that the Joint Committee share our view that reform of the House of Lords must be put to the public in a referendum.

“It’s now widely accepted that major constitutional change should go directly before the people for their approval. Labour embraced referenda for devolution in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and London, and we don’t see any reason why reform of our second chamber, which represents a fundamental change to our constitution, should be any different.

“Nick Clegg needs to explain why he is scared to give the public a say on the biggest change to the second chamber in our history. At the same time as this government has stuffed the House of Lords with 117 new unelected peers, held a referendum on AV last year and is wasting millions of pounds having delayed elections for police commissioners to this November, they’re unwilling to allow the public a say in a referendum.

Questions Cameron must answer on Aircraft Carriers and Joint Strike Fighter

Jim Murphy, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, today released a letter he has sent to David Cameron demanding answers to serious questions about Britain’s future defence capability. The full text of letter is:

Dear Prime Minister,

The aircraft carrier programme is one of the most strategically important elements of national defence. Having the ability to deploy jets from carriers at sea enables Britain, a proud maritime nation, to project power and defend our interests. The Government’s handling of the carrier programme has, regrettably, been shambolic and has downgraded our nation’s power.

There has been much speculation about the future of the carrier programme and the Joint Strike Fighter and I believe there are serious questions to answer.

Gove destroying Jamie Oliver’s healthy legacy of nutrition in school meals

Sharon Hodgson MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Children and Families, responding to reports in today’s Observer on school meals said:

“Ministers know that children concentrate and learn better when they have had a filling and nutritious meal, and for many children their school lunch might be the only hot meal they get that day, yet Michael Gove has purposely set about destroying the healthy legacy that Jamie Oliver and everyone in the sector worked so hard to build.

“First they scrapped the dedicated school lunch grant to subsidise healthy and fresh meals, and then they exempted thousands of primary and secondary schools from having to provide them.

“Michael Gove is throwing away years of hard work, research and achievement to improve our children’s health for purely ideological reasons, and without any mandate from parents.”

Boris Johnson must now distance himself from Tory donor’s attack on cyclists

Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle MP, responding to Tory donor and Addison Lee founder John Griffin’s comments on cyclists, said; “Boris Johnson must immediately distance himself from the appalling remarks about cyclists made by Tory donor John Griffin who claims that London’s Mayor entirely endorses his view that cyclists are responsible for the numbers killed and injured on the roads.

“Cyclists in London are increasingly worried about the threat to their safety from the thousands of Addison Lee cars that John Griffin has ordered to illegally use the capital’s bus lanes. Considering this is a man who has given Boris Johnson’s campaign £25,000 in 2008, and a further £250,000 direct to the Tory party, there are real fears that the Mayor will not take the tough action needed to protect cyclists.”

Questions that Boris Johnson must answer:

1. Addison Lee has contributed £250,000 to the Conservative Party. Has any of this money been allocated to his campaign to be re-elected Mayor of London?

Lansley’s regional pay plan for NHS flawed on every level

Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, in response to the Department of Health’s plans to introduce regional pay variation in the NHS, said:

“Andrew Lansley’s proposal for ‘market-facing pay’ in the NHS is flawed on every level.

“First, it fails the economic test, making it harder to control costs and reinforcing the North-South divide.

“Second, it fails the heath policy test. Differential pay will bring instability to the NHS, with the risk of one area poaching staff from another. It makes it harder to bring the best staff to the more deprived parts of the country where the health challenge is often greatest.

“Third, it fails the fairness test. Paying people differently for the same work is difficult to justify. Indeed, it is often harder to work on the NHS front-line in more deprived parts of the country.

Labour set to vote against ‘granny tax’ as new figures show pensioners on modest incomes will be hit

Labour will today vote in the House of Commons against the tax rise on pensioners – the ‘granny tax’ – announced in last month’s Budget.

Ahead of the vote actor Richard Wilson will join shadow chancellor Ed Balls MP and shadow chief secretary Rachel Reeves MP to meet workers soon to turn 65 who will be hit by up to £323 a year from the ‘granny tax’.

Labour is also releasing new figures from the House of Commons Library showing that “well over half” of the pensioners affected by the ‘granny tax’ will be well below the average taxpayer income – contradicting the Government’s claims that wealthy pensioners will bear the burden of the change.

Someone turning 65 after 5 April 2013 will be hit if they have an occupational or personal pension of as little as £67 a week, while existing pensioners with an occupational or personal pension of just £92 per week will be affected, according to the House of Commons Library figures.

Joan Bakewell’s call to action on ‘Granny Tax’

Broadcaster, journalist and Labour peer Joan Bakewell has asked Labour Party members to join her in calling on David Cameron and George Osborne to think again on their ‘Granny Tax’ – the controversial Budget measure which will see, from next April, pensioners who pay income tax losing on average £83 a year – while 14,000 people earning over £1 million receive a tax cut.

On Thursday, Labour will force a vote in the House of Commons on the Tory-led Government’s controversial ‘Granny Tax’.

Joan Bakewell said; “David Cameron is making an unfair attack on pensioners. Surely it can’t be right to be putting taxes up for pensioners, while giving millionaires a tax cut. In tough times like these, we should all be doing what we can to help. But David Cameron is making things harder not easier for pensioners and hard working people to play their part.

“This week Labour is forcing a vote on this issue, calling on the government to think again and change course.”

Ed Miliband determined to learn the lessons of why Labour lost in Bradford

Ed Miliband visited Bradford this afternoon to hear from voters first hand about the reasons for Labour’s defeat in a parliamentary by-election two weeks ago.

Speaking to an audience of around 100 people at a community centre in the constituency, the Labour leader said:

“I am determined to learn the lessons of why we lost here in Bradford. I may not agree with everything that is said but I guarantee you I will listen.

“There are factors local to Bradford but there are factors which are relevant nationally and internationally too.

“There are huge issues of injustice in this country and I passionately believe in the Labour Party being able to change people’s lives for the better. We can only do that if we are rooted in the communities we serve.

“We are not going to put everything right today. But we can at least make a start.”

“We can only restore trust in Labour if we restore trust in politics”

Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, in a speech today in Derby said:

Today I want to talk to you about how Britain needs to change — and how Labour can be the people who bring that change.

Nobody will be in any doubt that change is necessary for our country.

Unemployment rising.

1 million young people out of work.

Living standards squeezed for all but a few at the top.

Irresponsibility still being rewarded in huge pay rises and bank bonuses.

And there are problems that go beyond one government.

Long hours.

Wages not going up.

Costs rising.

Strains on families.

Worries about the future.

An economy not working for working people.

But at the same time, we have a political system that too many people believe can’t change it.

It makes people believe that things can’t be any better than they are.

That it doesn’t matter who is in charge.