Party Lines: November 2nd

By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

Douglas Alexander responded to today’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development report, which suggests that 1.6 million jobs could be lost through government cuts and the VAT rise. Alexander said:

“This new research reinforces the risks the government are taking with growth and jobs. With large-scale cuts to public sector jobs and direct knock on effects in the private sector, there are real concerns that this government is failing to take the action necessary to support the creation of enough jobs in the economy and to get unemployment down.”

“We know that a rising dole queue means a higher welfare bill – even on the more modest OBR figures, the price of the government’s action has already been shown to be an extra £700m spent on Jobseeker’s Allowance alone.”

Jim Murphy requested (and was granted) an urgent statement on today’s UK-France defence and security treaties, in light of defence agreements at today’s Franco-British summit. Murphy said:

“I welcome greater cooperation with France on defence matters; it is crucial for our national security, but it is wrong that Parliament has been kept in the dark on issues with significant constitutional and national security implications.”

“It is right that the Secretary of State is summoned to parliament to tell MPs of all parties detail of this fundamental issue.”