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| PMQs: Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May clash on austerity | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The fatal Grenfell Tower fire exposed "the disastrous effect of austerity" and should act as a "wake-up call", Jeremy Corbyn has claimed. | |
| The Labour leader also cited a "disregard for working class communities" and "the terrible consequences of deregulation" as he clashed with Theresa May during PMQs. | |
| The PM said "calm determination" not "pointing fingers" was needed. | |
| It was the first Prime Minister's Questions since the election. | |
| Later, Labour will attempt to amend the Queen's Speech in what it says is a "test case" of MPs' willingness to oppose further austerity measures. | |
| Mr Corbyn focused all of his questions on the Grenfell Tower disaster, as Mrs May confirmed cladding from 120 high-rise buildings in 37 local authority areas in England had now failed fire safety tests. | |
| To an angry reaction from some on the Conservative benches, the Labour leader said this was because cuts to local authority budgets had led to fewer building control and planning inspectors. | |
| "We all pay a price," he said, saying there were fewer firefighters in place and that the pay cap had affected recruitment. | |
| "What the Grenfell Tower tragedy has exposed is the disastrous effect of austerity. | |
| "This disregard for working class communities, the terrible consequences of deregulation and cutting corners - I urge the prime minister to come up with the resources needed to test and remove cladding, retrofit sprinklers, properly fund the fire service and the police so that all our communities can feel safe in their own homes." | |
| Mrs May said the cladding of tower blocks had began under Tony Blair's Labour government, saying this was an issue that had "developed over decades" under successive governments and different councils. | |
| Queen's Speech vote | |
| Labour's amendment to the Queen's Speech is calling for the 1% public sector pay cap and cuts to the police and emergency services to end. | |
| The Conservatives are expected to win the vote with Democratic Unionist support. | |
| MPs will be asked to approve the Queen's Speech, the government's legislative programme for the next two years, in the House of Commons on Thursday. | |
| This will effectively amount to a vote of confidence in Mrs May's minority government. | This will effectively amount to a vote of confidence in Mrs May's minority government. |
| The Conservatives' deal with the Democratic Unionists - which will see the Northern Ireland party's 10 MPs line up behind the government in key votes - gives them a working majority of 13 and means they are in little danger of losing. | The Conservatives' deal with the Democratic Unionists - which will see the Northern Ireland party's 10 MPs line up behind the government in key votes - gives them a working majority of 13 and means they are in little danger of losing. |
| 'Fair rise' | 'Fair rise' |
| But Mr Corbyn will first seek to increase pressure on the government by forcing a separate vote on the issue of continued austerity - about which some Tory MPs have expressed concerns. | |
| He will say public sector workers have been "denied" a pay rise for seven years and this "must change". | He will say public sector workers have been "denied" a pay rise for seven years and this "must change". |
| Labour's amendment praises the response of the emergency services to the deadly fire in the west London tower block, which killed at least 79 people, as well as to the terror attacks in London and Manchester. | Labour's amendment praises the response of the emergency services to the deadly fire in the west London tower block, which killed at least 79 people, as well as to the terror attacks in London and Manchester. |
| But it calls on the government to recruit more police officers and firefighters and to give the emergency services and other public sector workers a "fair pay rise". | But it calls on the government to recruit more police officers and firefighters and to give the emergency services and other public sector workers a "fair pay rise". |
| Pay rises for five million public sector workers have effectively been capped at 1% since 2013, before which there was a two-year freeze on pay for all but the lowest-paid workers. | Pay rises for five million public sector workers have effectively been capped at 1% since 2013, before which there was a two-year freeze on pay for all but the lowest-paid workers. |
| In its manifesto, Labour pledged to lift the pay cap but said it would be up to the public sector pay review bodies to decide what level of increase was appropriate and financially sustainable. | In its manifesto, Labour pledged to lift the pay cap but said it would be up to the public sector pay review bodies to decide what level of increase was appropriate and financially sustainable. |
| Mr Corbyn rejected suggestions he was trying to make political capital out of the Grenfell fire, pointing out that the party had called for higher pay and an end to cuts before the disaster. | Mr Corbyn rejected suggestions he was trying to make political capital out of the Grenfell fire, pointing out that the party had called for higher pay and an end to cuts before the disaster. |
| "I would have thought the Grenfell fire has concentrated the minds of a lot of people on the wonderful work done by the police, fire and ambulance services," he said. | "I would have thought the Grenfell fire has concentrated the minds of a lot of people on the wonderful work done by the police, fire and ambulance services," he said. |
| There was a clear sense, he added, of the "way in which they are stretched and the trauma with which all workers in those services go through - we think they need more money to be paid into those services and more staff in them". | There was a clear sense, he added, of the "way in which they are stretched and the trauma with which all workers in those services go through - we think they need more money to be paid into those services and more staff in them". |
| During a debate on health, care and security, Labour will also demand a commitment from the government that it will not cut police or fire service personnel numbers in the current Parliament. | During a debate on health, care and security, Labour will also demand a commitment from the government that it will not cut police or fire service personnel numbers in the current Parliament. |
| The opposition, which focused much of its election campaign on the fall in police numbers since 2010, says it would hire 10,000 new police officers and 3,000 firefighters. | The opposition, which focused much of its election campaign on the fall in police numbers since 2010, says it would hire 10,000 new police officers and 3,000 firefighters. |
| It has claimed fire and rescue budgets were cut by 30% between 2010 and 2015, and a further 20% cuts are envisaged between 2015 and 2020. | It has claimed fire and rescue budgets were cut by 30% between 2010 and 2015, and a further 20% cuts are envisaged between 2015 and 2020. |
| The Conservatives went into the election pledging to maintain the public sector pay cap until 2020, but some MPs are now calling for a rethink after the party lost its majority. | The Conservatives went into the election pledging to maintain the public sector pay cap until 2020, but some MPs are now calling for a rethink after the party lost its majority. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, former Conservative minister Sir Oliver Letwin dismissed Labour's amendment to the Queen's Speech as "playing politics". | Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, former Conservative minister Sir Oliver Letwin dismissed Labour's amendment to the Queen's Speech as "playing politics". |
| But he said "carefully judged" tax increases might be needed to raise money, identifying adult social care as a priority. | But he said "carefully judged" tax increases might be needed to raise money, identifying adult social care as a priority. |
| "It may well be that, in one way or another, a large number of people will have to pay a little more tax if we are going to maintain the trend towards reduced deficits and yet spend a bit more on the crucial public services that do need more spending," he added. | "It may well be that, in one way or another, a large number of people will have to pay a little more tax if we are going to maintain the trend towards reduced deficits and yet spend a bit more on the crucial public services that do need more spending," he added. |
| Meanwhile, the latest British Social Attitudes Survey has found an increase in the number of Britons who think the government should raise taxes and increase spending to its highest level since 2004. | Meanwhile, the latest British Social Attitudes Survey has found an increase in the number of Britons who think the government should raise taxes and increase spending to its highest level since 2004. |
| Chancellor Philip Hammond has acknowledged that many people are "weary" after years of pay restraint and falls in their real-terms incomes. | Chancellor Philip Hammond has acknowledged that many people are "weary" after years of pay restraint and falls in their real-terms incomes. |
| He has pushed back his predecessor George Osborne's target for eliminating the deficit to 2025. | He has pushed back his predecessor George Osborne's target for eliminating the deficit to 2025. |
| But he has insisted that the Conservatives need to continue to make the case for sound public finances as the basis for increased spending on the NHS, police and other services. | But he has insisted that the Conservatives need to continue to make the case for sound public finances as the basis for increased spending on the NHS, police and other services. |
| Taking questions at an event in London, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said pay rates were "obviously something we have to consider not just for the army but right across the public sector as a whole". | Taking questions at an event in London, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said pay rates were "obviously something we have to consider not just for the army but right across the public sector as a whole". |
| Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told BBC Radio 5 live any changes would be in the Budget, not the Queen's Speech, and said Labour's proposals were "fantasy economics". | Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told BBC Radio 5 live any changes would be in the Budget, not the Queen's Speech, and said Labour's proposals were "fantasy economics". |
| A Conservative spokesman said the country was "indebted" to the heroism of the police and emergency services, but Labour's proposed tax rises and higher borrowing would threaten investment in them. | A Conservative spokesman said the country was "indebted" to the heroism of the police and emergency services, but Labour's proposed tax rises and higher borrowing would threaten investment in them. |
| "The truth is you can't fund your emergency services without a growing, healthy economy - which only Conservatives in government will deliver," he said. | "The truth is you can't fund your emergency services without a growing, healthy economy - which only Conservatives in government will deliver," he said. |
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