10 Feb Government’s growth plans are ‘too unambitious’ says Labour
SHADOW Treasury Secretary Tulip Siddiq has criticised the Government economic policies for being ‘too unambitious’.
She was commenting after Ashley Dalton won a by-election in West Lancashire and easily held the seat for Labour.
Commenting on the election success Ms Siddiq told GB News: “All in all, it was a good result for the Labour Party.
“I’ve already heard Ashley, our latest MP, on the radio talking about how she’s going to fight for the children’s A&E which was closed in her constituency before Covid and she wants it to reopen.
“She’s going to be a champion for her constituents in Parliament. But it does feel like people are disengaging from politics a little bit, because the turnout was so low.”
In a discussion during Breakfast with Rhiannon Jones and Stephen Dixon, she said: “There’s a couple of factors. First of all, people do have election fatigue.
“We have had election after election after election and I think in a sense, people are sick of the snap elections and voting, it’s not so much a novelty.
“By-elections do tend to have less of a turnout than the national election because less people know about it. And don’t forget, it’s also very cold.
“It’s very cold and people don’t want to go out and vote, but if you’re asking me if I’m disappointed that more people didn’t vote, of course I am.
“I’m a politician. I think people should go and exercise their democratic rights, so in a sense, it is a bit disappointing about the turnout, but it is a great success for Ashley and for the Labour team out there who fought so hard to make sure we not only retained the seat but got it with a huge swing to the Labour Party.”
On new figures showing the UK economy is not in recession, she said: “We are not in a recession technically, but that’s only by the skin of our teeth.
“If you ask my constituents in Hampstead and Kilburn how they’re feeling about the cost of living crisis, they will tell you they very much feel that they are in recession, even though we’re technically in economic terms, not in a recession, because they’re struggling to make ends meet.
“They can’t put the heating on, they can’t buy basic food. Items like eggs, milk, like bread, so for me, I’m very worried. I want the Conservatives to come up with a proper plan for growth.”
She added: “I looked at the figures and the OECD has said that we are predicted to have the lowest growth of any country in the G7 this year. Our economy has been stagnant for the best part of last year, for six months we have had zero percent growth.
“That’s not something to be applauding and talking about. I’ve also mentioned the plan for growth. The Conservatives have come up with eight plans for growth since 2010.
“Four in this Parliament, and they’ve achieved nothing. They’re even losing the confidence of businesses…
“Our constituents are struggling, the economy is not growing. We have to do something.”
