STUC responds to Queen’s Speech

December 19th 2019

STUC responds to Queen’s Speech

December 19th 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Responding to today’s Queen’s Speech STUC General Secretary, Grahame Smith said:

“Whilst the Prime Minister is no doubt basking in his election victory, we predict that his popularity in parts of the UK will be short-lived, as his lies unravel and the negotiation of new trade deals proves more complicated than he has pretended. Poverty and inequality afflict all of the nations of the UK and the measures outlined in the Queen’s Speech will do little or nothing to address it.

“The Prime Minister will no doubt trumpet the increase in funding for the NHS, but it is too little to repair the damage of 10 years of Tory austerity. It is also hard to escape the conclusion that this measure is simply designed to fatten up our NHS to make it more attractive for privatisation in a Trump trade deal. To allay fears over privatisation, the Tories could have committed in law not to sell off our NHS.

“The Prime Minister cannot pretend that he does not share the responsibility for the current crisis in the NHS. The Government is nowhere near having the promised plan for the reform of social care and it appears that local authorities will continue to be squeezed.

“The whole trade union movement will resist the attack of one of our basic democratic freedoms – the right to strike.

“We are glad to finally see the promise of reform to the law on tipping which is a response to concerted trade union campaigning, but this measure is a drop in the ocean compared to the real action required to tackle the insecurity and low pay that afflicts millions of workers”

ENDS

For more information, please contact Dave Moxham, STUC Deputy General Secretary on 07891026870 or Rachel Thomson, Campaigns & Communications Officer on 07974966227.