Tag: Sajid Javid

Below is the text of the speech made by Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, in the House of Commons on 7 January 2019.

With permission Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement about the number of migrants trying to cross the English Channel in small boats and what the government is doing in response.

But before that, I know the whole House will want to join me in sending our thoughts and prayers to those injured in the attack at Manchester’s Victoria station on New Year’s Eve and to all those affected by this cruel and senseless act.

I would also like to thank the emergency services for their courageous response.

Thankfully Mr Speaker there were no fatalities.

And I am pleased to say that all three victims have now been discharged from hospital.

Mr Speaker, let me now turn to the issue of English Channel migrant crossings.

Over recent weeks, we saw a sharp increase in the number of migrants attempting to cross the Channel to the UK in small boats.

Over 500 migrants – mostly Iranian – attempted to travel to the UK on small vessels in 2018.

80% of them attempted this in the last three months of the year.

Around 40% of the attempts were either disrupted by French law enforcement or returned to France via French agencies.

Since 1 January, a further 25 have attempted to cross the Channel but they were disrupted.

In addition, just this morning, a dinghy was discovered along the Kent coast.

A number of individuals are now going through UK immigration procedures and 1 person has been arrested.

Mr Deputy Speaker, I’m sure the House will want to join me in thanking all the law enforcement agencies and all those involved in the response for their tireless efforts over Christmas and the new year.

This includes: Border Force, Immigration Enforcement, the Coastguard, the National Crime Agency, and the RNLI many of whom I met in Dover last week.

I would also like to thank our French law enforcement partners for their efforts to date which have been collaborative, swift and thorough.

The English Channel contains some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world the weather conditions are often treacherous and the inflatable boats that are being used are woefully ill-equipped to make such dangerous journeys.

The migrants who choose to make the trip are putting their lives in grave danger and can, at times, also create dangerous situations for our rescue services.

The reasons behind the increased crossings are diverse – and in many cases, are outside of our control.

First, instability in the regions such as the Middle East and North Africa are driving people out of their homes in search of better lives in Europe.

Second, organised crime groups are preying on and profiting from these vulnerable and often desperate people.

They are falsely promising them safe crossings to the UK – even though the journey is one of the most hazardous and the most dangerous possible.

Third, strengthened security at the French / UK border has meant it has become increasingly difficult for stowaways to illegally enter the UK in trucks and cars leading to more reckless attempts by boat.

I have been very clear that robust action is needed to protect people, our borders and to deter illegal migration.

Over the festive period, I took the decision to declare the situation a ‘Major Incident’.

I appointed a dedicated Gold Command and I stepped up the UK’s response.

As part of joint action agreed with the French, I have ordered two UK Border Force boats to be redeployed from overseas to patrol the Channel.

This is in addition to the two already undertaking enhanced patrols in these waters.

This will mean 4 Border Force Cutters in total.

And this is in addition to the 2 Coastal Patrol Vessels currently operating and aerial surveillance of the area.

Last week, I also requested additional help from the Ministry of Defence while we await the return of the 2 boats currently overseas.

I am grateful that the Royal Navy has kindly offered the use of HMS Mersey which started patrols on Friday.

I am also continuing to discuss with the French, what more they can do to stop people from attempting to make these crossings from France in the first place.

I welcome the action plan that the French have outlined just this Friday which includes a commitment to increased surveillance and security in maritime areas prevention campaigns in French coastal areas to stop people from setting off in the boats in the first place and a reinforced fight against smuggling gangs.

I’m also pleased to say that The National Crime Agency has also redoubled its efforts.

Last week, two men were arrested on suspicion of the illegal movement of migrants.

In addition, we’re doing important work in the home countries of the would be migrants to reduce factors which compel them to make these dangerous journeys in the first place.

For example, we’re helping to create jobs, to build infrastructure, tackling modern slavery, providing education and delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance in response to conflicts and natural disasters.

We’re also doing important work to undermine organised crime groups and we’ve committed £2.7 billion to the humanitarian response in Syria making us the second biggest unilateral donor to the region.

We are also on track to resettle 20,000 refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria by 2020 as well as up to 3,000 of the most vulnerable people from the Middle East and North Africa, including children at risk of exploitation and abuse.

In 2017, the UK resettled more refugees under national resettlement programmes than any other EU state.

Let me reassure the House that I am continuing to monitor the issue of Channel crossings daily.

Rt Hon and Hon Members will know that these crossings have also provoked a debate.

But I’m not afraid to say that I think there are some legitimate questions that need to be asked.

Why, for instance, are so many people choosing to cross the Channel from France to the UK when France itself is a safe country?

The widely accepted international principle is that those seeking asylum should claim it in the first safe country that they reach – be that France or elsewhere.

Indeed, many asylum seekers do just this.

Domestic legislation from 2004 clearly states that if an individual travels through a safe third country and fails to claim asylum, it will be taken into account in assessing the credibility of their claim.

Following these recent events, I have instructed my officials to look at how we can tighten this further and ensure these provisions are working effectively.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Britain has a proud tradition of welcoming and protecting asylum seekers.

We also have a long history of accepting economic migrants too – people like my very own parents.

But all these routes need to be safe and they need to be controlled.

Getting in a rubber dinghy is not.

That is why I will not accept these Channel crossings as just a matter of a fact of life.

Safeguarding lives and protecting the UK border are crucial Home Office priorities.

And while we have obligations to genuine asylum seekers and we will uphold we will not standby and allow reckless criminals to take advantage of vulnerable people.

Encouraging people to dangerously cross the Channel to come here is not an act of compassion.

So I will continue to do all I can to stop these dangerous crossings.

I commend this statement to the House.

Below is the text of the speech made by Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, to the APCC and NPCC Joint Summit held on 31 October 2018.

It gives me great pleasure to be here today at the APCC and NPCC Partnership Summit.

Let me just start by saying a thank you.

Thank you to all of you Police and Crime Commissioners, friends who could not make it today, for all the work that you do.

Some of you may know that before I came into politics, I was in business.

I travelled the world. I visited many countries on the continent.

Policing people would very often say – and perfectly understandably – you, people in Britain, we have the best police in the world.

They say that because we do have the best police in the world. And that is recognised by everyone.

And that starts with leadership – that means you, so thank you for what you do and how you do it.

You will always have my admiration and my support for what you do.

Now, one thing I can say about becoming Home Secretary, is that it is indeed a very sharp learning curve.

When I took up the job, I thought policing was an area that I knew a little bit about, something I would understand quite quickly.

But one thing that I realised is that it’s an area of course that every Home Secretary takes very seriously.

And that’s because public safety is the number one priority of the government, and the public need to be able to rely on a resilient and effective police service.

But what I’ve learnt since taking on the job, is that crime is changing faster than we could ever have anticipated.

As crime changes, so do the demands on police.

Previously under-reported crimes such as sexual abuse, domestic abuse, modern slavery – these are being reported to the police more than ever before.

In the last 5 years, we have seen the number of recorded child sexual offences, for example, increase by more than 200%.

It was when I visited the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation Online Protection Command, that the full horror of the scale of child sexual abuse was really brought home to me.

The National Crime Agency estimates there are some 80,000 people in the UK at present that are committing some kind of sexual threat to children online.

And the NCA also believes this is a conservative estimate.

I know that investigating these types of crimes – it doesn’t just take a lot of resources, they are not just complex – but it can also be a very harrowing experience for officers that are involved.

Then of course there’s other forms of online crime.

You’re now more likely to be the victim of crime online than offline.

I welcome, for example, the work of the Police and Crime Commissioners from Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria, who have been working together to help prevent the elderly and vulnerable from becoming victims of online crime.

There’s of course also been a worrying and unacceptable recent rise in serious violent crime and it’s something that the government is determined to work with you to crack down on.

Then there’s of course the risk from terrorism which has also escalated and evolved, with the threat level to the UK from international terrorism currently being set as ‘severe’.

We know also that the police are being asked to respond to hostile state activity, and of course top of my mind is the deadly nerve agent attack that took place earlier this year.

The police response of course was exemplary, but it wasn’t without risk.

How can we forget what happened to Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey for instance?

So what is clear is that the challenges that the police are facing have changed and are continuing to change.

Yet, when crime changes, we do expect our forces to adapt, while also covering everything else that they usually cover – the burglaries and murders, all the things people also care very much about, as well as dealing with these increases in these more complex crimes.

So today I want to talk to you about what more you can perhaps do – as leaders in policing – to tackle modern day crime and to respond to the changing crime landscape.

As well as to talk about what we – the Home Office, and more broadly in government – can do to support you.

First of all, I know that you are feeling stretched.

I recognise that demand has risen and that you’re grappling with your budgets.

And I want to do something about it.

While resources are not the whole answer, they are of course a vital part of it.

That’s why we’re now investing over £1 billion more in policing than we did three years ago, including money raised through council tax.

You will have also been pleased to hear from the Chancellor on a couple of issues this Monday.

First is the increase in funding for counter-terrorism policing for 2019-20, an increase of £160 million.

But also a commitment from the Chancellor that he and I will be working together to ensure that the police have the resources that they need for 2019/20 in time for the police settlement which is due in December.

The Chancellor has also promised that, for example, mental health services will receive an additional £2 billion a year.

I hope that this money will also make a big difference to police forces.

Because I know that all too often, you’ve been asked to step in and deal with mental health issues, mental health crises when in fact, of course, we should be looking to the NHS.

And I’ve also been very clear – I’ve just talked about 2019-20 but I want to look further – and I’ve been very clear since I’ve been Home Secretary, that when it comes to the Spending Review next year, my priority will be policing.

But if we are to make the case for more funding, then this does have to go hand-in-hand with further reforms and to look and see what more we can do together to improve policing.

Because we all know, and I said a moment ago, that money is not the only issue, it’s not all about resources.

That’s why I’m also making sure, for example, that police have the right powers.

One of these powers, for instance, is Stop and Search.

I want officers to feel confident, I want them to feel trusted and supported when they are using Stop and Search, and I will be looking at ways to reduce bureaucracy and increase efficiency in the use of this power.

I’m also committed to making sure that police get the right protection.

That’s why this government supported a new law which doubles the maximum prison sentence for assaults against emergency workers from six to 12 months.

This Act comes into effect next month.

Finally, I’m supporting plans to improve wellbeing across all levels in the police.

We’ve already pledged £7.5m for a new national police welfare service.

And I was pleased to announce at the Police Superintendents’ Conference that £400,000 of this money will fund the proposal by Chief Constable Andy Rhodes and the College of Policing to get wellbeing buses outside local police stations.

These will offer information and support to anyone that needs it.

But all of this is just a snapshot of some of the work I’m doing at the Home Office alongside your teams, to try and help in different ways.

But I want to turn now to what I think you can do to improve policing and what my vision for policing is looking ahead.

Because we all know that not all forces are where they need to be.

Some could be more effective.

The most recent inspectorate report on effectiveness for instance, judged that a significant minority of local forces were struggling to manage demand and were unable to give the public the service that they were expecting.

In some cases, they said there are changes taking place, but they are too slow, especially when they are compared with other forces who seem to make same changes at a much faster rate.

They said standards are inconsistent.

That innovation hadn’t spread widely enough.

Some forces are far behind where they need to be in seizing the opportunities in terms of how they use data and how they work in the digital age.

These problems cannot all be blamed on funding levels.

The inspectorate is clear that there is considerable scope for improvement in how police leadership anticipates and manages demand.

As leaders in policing, as the experts, I look to you and look at how you can take a long hard look at what your forces need and are you asking the right questions to make them more effective.

And today I thought I’d share with you four areas that as leaders I think you could be focusing on – perhaps a little more in some cases – to make your forces even more effective than they already are.

Firstly, more needs to be done to increase the capacity for police.

Extra investment will help, of course – and I’m pleased that some of you have started recruiting again.

Capability gaps need to be plugged.

Where we can help we will.

For example, when the inspectorate highlighted national gaps in detectives and relevant cyber expertise within forces, we responded by funding Police Now to develop a new national detective programme.

We’ve also committed £50 million over the next year to boost cyber capabilities within law enforcement.

But as PCCs and Chiefs, you also have a very important part to play.

That’s why I welcome the inclusion of Force Management Statements.

Let’s use these to be smarter in anticipating and managing demand.

We need to make sure that most of our officers spend most of their time on core policing and providing a better service to the public.

The best forces are already doing just that.

Secondly, there needs to be more support for frontline officers.

That’s a message you’ve been telling me loud and clear – and I’m listening.

We know that the most important assets in our police system are human, and that for our police to be productive and as effective as they should be, officers need to be fully engaged and they need to feel very positive about their work.

That’s why I’m supporting a range of measures – some of which I described earlier – to support officer physical and mental health and wellbeing.

We’ve also launched our Frontline Review to hear what frontline officers and staff really think.

I’m really pleased with the level of engagement so far.

But the work on this doesn’t start and end with the government.

In fact, you are instrumental in ensuring your teams have their say on what matters to them.

You can also help to make sure your staff have access to the best training opportunities, and that your forces are supportive environments.

I know that many Chief Constables are doing just that, providing excellent support to frontline officers.

For example, Chief Constable Kier Pritchard in Wiltshire made sure that officers affected by the Salisbury incident received the support they needed.

He also encouraged staff to come forward by being open and vocal about the trauma support he had received himself during this difficult time.

You also have the power to build forces which better reflect the communities they serve by increasing diversity.

Forces including Bedfordshire, West Midlands and Greater Manchester have already been leading the way.

Thirdly, we need to build a smarter and better police system which is more collaborative, more innovative, more tech-savvy and less fragmented.

We have 43 different forces and all too often it can feel like each has a different way of working and that there is sometimes a lack of join-up.

Together, we can change this.

The College of Policing is critical in building better standards of collaboration.

Collaboration is important to make smart use of better resources.

So I’m pleased to see we have two Police, Fire and Crime Commissioners in Essex and Staffordshire, and more to follow, who are well placed to drive even greater collaboration between police and fire.

We also have joint dog units and shared major crime and road policing teams.

And furthermore, tomorrow we’ll be publishing our new Serious and Organised Crime Strategy which promotes collaboration between Regional Organised Crime Units, the National Crime Agency and local forces.

All of this is the sort of work that I would like to see more of and I will be working with you all on in the coming months.

Finally and most importantly, I think there needs to be more of an emphasis on crime prevention.

You’ve told us that the police system is becoming too reactive and not prioritising prevention as much as you would like to see.

The 2017 inspectorate report stated that too many forces did not see crime prevention as a priority and some did not have a plan.

We should remind ourselves of Sir Robert Peel’s words back in 1829 about the objectives of policing.

He said “it should be understood at the outset that the object to be obtained is the prevention of crime”.

His words, of course, are still very relevant today.

I’m pleased to say there has already been some fantastic collaborative work on prevention.

For example, we all worked together – the government, police, industry, civil society groups and other partners – to develop a comprehensive action plan to prevent moped crime here in the capital.

Thanks to this, moped crime is down by a half since its peak in July 2017.

You’ll now be using the same methods to tackle vehicle crime all over the country.

Prevention is also a part of our approach to tackling serious violent crime.

And I encourage you as leaders to work with us to get our police system prioritising crime prevention wherever you can.

I’ve spoken quite a bit about the important role that I think you can play in future policing.

I truly believe that good leadership can make a real difference.

People voted for you in elections and they supported your careers all the way to the top.

Now I want you to press on with making the changes needed to make our police system more effective.

This government will help and support you all the way.

I believe everything I’ve said today is consistent with your vision 2025.

We need a fresh look at resources.

We need more proactive crime prevention.

We need to more police capacity.

We need to better support frontline officers.

You have my full support and you always will.

Thank you.

Below is the text of the speech made by Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, at the Conservative Party Conference held in Birmingham on 3 October 2018.

Thank you conference for that welcome.

It’s a huge privilege to be standing here as Home Secretary.

Now I know the question on your mind.

So let’s just deal with it upfront.

Yes, I did watch Bodyguard.

No, it wasn’t very realistic…

For a start, my codename is not Lavender…

And she didn’t even do the power stance!

But let me tell you about another story.

A story which started in the 1960’s.

Abdul-Ghani Javid left Pakistan and landed in Heathrow.

He spent what little he had on a coach ticket…

had his first night here in Birmingham,

then continued up north to Lancashire to find work in a cotton mill.

After standing outside the mill for weeks, he got that first job, and started a family.

Eventually, there were seven of us living in a two-bedroom flat…

on what the papers called “Britain’s most dangerous street”.

That’s my story.

And if you’d have told me back then what I’d be doing now…

…I’d have told you that it was less believable than any TV drama.

That makes me proud not just for myself and my family – but for my country.

So, what does the Conservative party offer a working class son-of-an-immigrant kid from Rochdale?

You made him Home Secretary.

This new challenge is one that I am giving absolutely everything to.

So I’m especially grateful to have one of the best ministerial teams.

We’ve got Caroline Nokes, Ben Wallace, Nick Hurd, Victoria Atkins, and Susan Williams.

Backed up by our parliamentary team Simon Hoare, Rachel Maclean, Paul Masterton, Paul Maynard, and Zahida Manzoor.

So thank you to my whole team at the Home Office.

There is something profound about that word ‘home’.

Most of my counterparts around the world run ‘Ministries of the Interior’.

Interior ministry – it has a cold, brittle feel to it.

Home – is where you feel safe, comfortable and in control.

It reflects your identity and your values.

And it is your base for going out into the wider world.

That’s exactly the kind of place we want the UK to be.

Here’s the pledge of this Party:

Britain, a home for all its citizens.

Together, we will build a stronger home.

Beyond Britain, outside our home…

the winds of division and extremism are blowing strong.

All over the world,

we see the appeal being made to intolerance,

to closed societies,

to aggressive nationalism,

to autocracy.

Well not here.

Not in Conservative Britain.

It might not always feel like it, but our mainstream cultural values unite us all.

We are – and will continue to be –

the home of the rule of law,

of civil liberties,

of firm but fair immigration rules,

of racial equality,

of respect for every citizen.

We will fight fear with optimism,

prejudice with tolerance,

hate with hope.

That’s our Conservatism.

We choose the path of Modern Britain.

Tolerant Britain.

Global Britain.

That is the opportunity and challenge that leaving the European Union represents.

And to meet our best potential, we need to bring the country together.

The worst way to do that, would be to backtrack on the referendum result.

If Brexit feels like a dividing line in our country now…

just imagine what it would feel like if we didn’t follow-through with the result of the referendum.

There’s something very ‘Liberal Democrat’ about saying…

“That referendum was a total nightmare, let’s have another one!”

We all agreed to honour the result.

So let’s get on with it.

No second-guessing.

No best-of-three.

One vote…

one mandate…

one nation moving forwards together.

This is the time to reaffirm our identity and values as a country.

To renew our sense of citizenship – what it means, who is part of it.

And to do whatever we can to protect our society and its values in the years to come.

So I want to talk today about how we keep our home safe…

How we should and will continue to welcome people into our home…

And how we will make sure that our rules and values are upheld, for the good of everyone.

We are going to get these things right.

We are going to heal those divisions.

And we will build that stronger home.

The first duty of government is keeping our nation and our people safe.

Security underpins our liberty and our prosperity.

Last year, we experienced five terror attacks on British soil.

This year, we’ve seen a brazen attack in Salisbury by a hostile state.

For every successful attempt that makes the news, many other plots are disrupted.

Many cyberattacks neutralised.

Many journeys to radicalisation cut short.

I’ve been deeply impressed by the smart, committed people who spend their careers protecting us.

And I want to pay tribute to both Amber Rudd and the Prime Minister.

What dedication, firmness and integrity they brought to this role.

They deserve our profound thanks.

But I’d like to add something else.

Something that’s a little uncomfortable, but it needs to be said.

Not all threats come from outside.

Anything that undermines our response to threats is a threat itself.

Imagine having someone in no.10 who has voted against vital counter-terrorism legislation.

Someone who refuses to condemn the Kremlin over an attack on our soil.

Someone who seriously suggested sending a nerve agent sample to Vladimir Putin, to see if the Russians could tell us what it was.

Who compared the actions of the US military, our closest ally, to Daesh.

Who voted against banning Al Qaeda.

This is the truth. These are the facts.

And on these facts alone:

Jeremy Corbyn is a threat to our national security.

And let me tell you something else, this isn’t a party political point.

Because a vast number of Labour MPs know this is right.

If Mr Corbyn were ever to be prime minister this behaviour wouldn’t just be naïve,

it wouldn’t just be misguided, it would be downright dangerous.

And it is our duty to stop him.

Keeping our liberal, tolerant democracy safe is about more than national security.

Threats to our law-abiding society are evolving quickly.

We must evolve with them and step-up our response.

Online there are new threats to cyber security and keeping our children safe.

I won’t flinch in responding to these challenges.

That includes standing up to the tech giants and demanding that they take their responsibility seriously.

And they should be in no doubt: we will legislate.

How we legislate will be influenced by the actions they choose to take now.

Offline, the scandal of child grooming gangs is one of the most shocking state failures that I can remember.

I will not let cultural or political sensitivities get in the way of understanding the problem and doing something about it.

It is a statement of fact – a fact which both saddens and angers me – that most of the men in recent high profile gang convictions have had Pakistani heritage.

This behaviour is a disgrace to that heritage.

So I’ve instructed my officials to look into this unflinchingly.

And where the evidence suggests that there are certain cultural factors driving this…

I will not hesitate to act.

Just as there is damage in insensitive words or actions…

these cases have shown the cost of being over-sensitive.

As well as the awful cost to victims, if problems like this are left unchecked, they will also give fuel to those who want to stoke division between our communities.

This is how the seeds of destructive populism are sown.

I’m in a position to deal with this confidently – and I will.

Those who break the law undermine the foundations of our home.

That’s why Conservatives will always be the party of law and order.

I know that some people are starting to feel a sense that law enforcement is becoming too detached from day-to-day crime…

… too distant from rural areas.

Faced with increasing demands and finite resources, our police forces do a fantastic job …

… and I will always support them.

The rise in serious violence in London and our cities is especially worrying.

There’s no time for sitting around when young people are dying on our streets.

We need to bring everything – and everyone – to bear on this.

Through our Serious Violence Strategy we have already brought together all the key parts of government, law enforcement and society.

And now we will do more.

We will take steps to introduce a statutory duty for all agencies to tackle this problem together.

That means those in health, education, social services, local government, housing – the whole lot.

I’m also pleased to announce today a new £200 million endowment fund, that will target young people at risk of starting a life of crime and violence.

We know that one of the causes of the rise of serious violence is changes in the market for illegal drugs.

We need a much better understanding of who drug users are, what they take, how often they take it, and so much more.

So I will launch a major review of the market for illegal drugs.

Armed with this evidence, I will step up our fight against drugs gangs that prey on our children.

On my watch, illegal drug use will never be tolerated.

It is fundamental to our sense of security that the homes and streets we live in feel safe.

I do have a confession to make, though.

It’s a confession I had to tell the Police Federation.

When I was younger, I was in a gang.

A gang of two.

It involved me and my brother Bas.

I was eleven, he was nine.

We called ourselves The Crime Busters.

Our mission: to find crime and stop it.

Our equipment: two knackered old bikes, and two cheapo walkie-talkies.

Years later, my little brother is still a crime buster – only this time, for real.

He’s a Chief Superintendent – right here, in the West Midlands.

I am so so proud of him.

And I know we are all grateful to West Midlands police, and to supporting forces, for keeping us safe here at conference.

So you can believe me when I say:

I will be the champion of giving police the tools and protection they need to do their job.

We must trust our police to do that job.

They are the enforcers of our rules.

If those rules break down then so does a sense of fairness, mutual trust, and security.

It doesn’t matter who you are, how old you are, or where you are from.

In Britain everybody plays by the same rules.

Because we all share the same home.

Sometimes you have to be tough in enforcing shared rules.

But being strong and safe doesn’t have to mean being closed and unwelcoming.

We are so lucky to live in an open, welcoming society.

I’m proud of the welcome we give to people from other countries…

And the openness to the world that has helped us to thrive.

If you look at some countries across Europe, populist, nationalist – even outright racist – parties have won significant numbers of seats.

Not here.

We see people from diverse backgrounds succeeding in all walks of life, and at all levels.

This progress is happening in our politics too.

That requires role models and pioneers.

People on all sides.

Including people we wouldn’t normally praise in our Party conference.

People like Diane Abbott.

Yes, Diane Abbott.

We might disagree with the Shadow Home Secretary on almost all her policies.

But it takes guts and determination to become the first black woman to be elected to the House of Commons.

And we should pay tribute to that.

As Conservatives:

we focus not on where you’re from, but on where you can go.

We believe in opportunity for all.

We believe in respect for all.

And I mean all.

Every individual and every community must feel safe to live their lives in our society.

But at this moment that is not true.

That’s something I never expected to say in 21st century Britain.

It is deeply shocking to see an entire community – our Jewish community – united in their fears and concerns about a major political party.

And to see that party – especially its leader – repeatedly failing to respond to those concerns with the seriousness that’s required.

This party will root out antisemitism wherever and whenever we find it. Anti-Muslim prejudice is also completely unacceptable.

It is a prejudice that is sometimes turning into violence.

I know from many friends, and family, that the Muslim community needs reassurance.

We stand with them too.

Together, for all our citizens, we will build a stronger home.

This is my view of what it means to be British.

Following the decision to leave the EU,

we have both the need and the opportunity…

to define our country once more.

To define ourselves at home and abroad.

So I want to talk about our shared British values.

And what we should be as a country.

Britain at its best is open, welcoming and tolerant.

And Britain has high expectations too of the behaviours, standards and values of which we are all proud.

I stand before you as the first Home Secretary in a generation…

that is actually able to define an immigration system, without being constrained by the EU.

This is an incredible opportunity.

And it falls to us to ensure that these rules are not just a technocratic exercise.

But that they are an expression of our values – our British values.

We shouldn’t brush aside the legitimate concerns that many people – most people – have had about the way immigration has been managed, especially the anxieties of those on low pay or in low skilled jobs.

The irresponsible way Labour increased immigration, without any real mandate, has understandably undermined the public’s trust.

They lost faith that politicians will manage immigration sustainably.

But that doesn’t mean they are hostile to individuals.

Just look at the reaction to difficulties faced by Afghan interpreters who helped our troops.

Or Caribbean families who started coming here in the 1950’s.

When the British public cries out for decency, they’re usually right.

The Windrush scandal was a public policy failure many years in the making.

These were people who rightfully settled here from the Commonwealth decades ago and became pillars of our communities.

The way the system had been treating them – over many years – deeply offended our sense of fairness.

So we are doing everything to put it right.

Our eyes were opened in a different way by the tragedy of Grenfell.

That fire affected a truly diverse community of residents.

For me, even responding to it was the most moving and harrowing experience of my life.

And it laid bare how some communities have not been given the same standards and opportunities that we all expect.

We have to put that right too.

But there is a wider, more positive story here.

It is my strong belief that immigration has been good for Britain.

We have adopted many of the best bits of other countries.

It has made us a global hub for culture, business and travel.

It has broadened our horizons and boosted our economy in so many ways.

It has made our home stronger.

And after Brexit we will still need it to stay strong and prosperous.

We want to welcome people to this country.

And I say to those EU citizens, who have already made the UK their home…

You have benefited our country.

You are part of our country.

Part of many of our families.

Part of our home.

So let me be very clear:

Deal or no deal…

We want you to stay.

We need you to stay.

You can stay.

Thanks to the referendum we now have a unique opportunity to reshape our immigration system for the future.

A skills-based, single system that is opened up to talent from across the world.

A system that doesn’t discriminate between any one region or country.

A system based on merit.

That judges people not by where they are from, but on what they can do.

What people want – and they will get – is control of our own system.

With a lower, and sustainable level of net migration.

And above all, that has to mean one thing: an end to freedom of movement.

A safe home.

An open, welcoming, tolerant home.

And finally, a home of shared values.

A home where all the different residents and guests come together under one roof.

With one common set of values to live by, for everyone’s benefit and comfort.

We welcome newcomers.

In turn, we expect them to live by our British values.

And it is only right that we make it clear to all new citizens what we are for, and what we are against.

The existing “Life in the UK” test for new citizens is not enough.

Maybe it is helpful for people to know the name of the sixth wife of Henry VIII.

But far more important to me, is that they also understand the liberal, democratic values that bind our society together.

Citizenship should mean more than being able to win a pub quiz.

We need to make it a British values test – and that’s exactly what I will bring in.

It’s about signing up to those values that we share and live by together.

It’s about starting as you mean to go on.

It’s about integration, not segregation.

And I’m determined to break down barriers to integration wherever I find them.

Take for example, the most basic barrier of all: language.

When I was the Communities Secretary, we found that over 700,000 people in the UK cannot even speak a basic level of English.

700,000.

How can we possibly make a common home together if we can’t even communicate with each other?

That’s why I created a new Integrated Communities Fund, to work with people already in our country.

And now, as Home Secretary, I will apply these principles to those who arrive in our country.

So not only will there be a new values test…

…but we will also strengthen the English language requirements for all new citizens.

Getting integration right also means breaking down barriers to our values.

I think especially of oppressive, medieval practices affecting women like forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and so-called honour-based violence.

We already have some of the toughest laws in the world against these crimes.

But we need to do more.

So we will consult on making it a mandatory duty for professionals to report forced marriage whenever they come across it.

And when women have the courage to come forward …

… and inform us that they have been forced to sponsor a spousal visa against their will …

… we will not only protect their anonymity …

… but we will do everything we can to deny or revoke that visa.

It is not liberal to stay silent about illiberal practices – that’s just weakness.If we see people undermining our values and don’t do anything about it, we undermine our values still further.

We cannot allow that.

We will not allow that.

And we will not stand back when some people go absolutely against everything we stand for.

If you leave our home to go abroad to join Daesh or other terrorist groups, you are rejecting our values, and endangering our security.

That’s why, in the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill, we will introduce a new Designated Area offence.

This gives the Home Secretary the power to criminalise travel to terrorist hotspots – like Daesh’s so-called caliphate.

You have to have a damn good reason to go somewhere like that.

If you don’t, you will be prosecuted.

And if you are actively engaged in fighting for these groups…

you should also know that you’re putting your citizenship at risk.

The Home Secretary has the power to strip dual-citizens of their British citizenship.

It is a power used for extreme and exceptional cases.

It should be used with great care and discretion – but also determination.

In recent years we have exercised this power for terrorists who are a threat to the country.

Now, for the first time, I will apply this power to some of those who are convicted of the most grave criminal offences.

This applies to some of the despicable men involved in gang-based child sexual exploitation.

So our message to the very worst criminals is clear:

If you grossly abuse the laws of this country.

You will no longer be welcome in our home.

It is when we’re comfortable in our own security, identity, and values…

that we are also comfortable being open with others…

whether at home or abroad.

That means building that safe home…

That tolerant and welcoming home…

That home where everyone plays by the same rules.

We are the party that can make this happen.

Driven by a patriotic belief in what our country is about…

and what we are capable of.

Proud of who we are.

Proud of what we do.

And proud of where we’re going.

I speak with feeling about this country…

because for my family, Britain was a choice.

They came here for freedom, security, opportunity and prosperity.

It is because of these strengths that I have always been an optimist about Britain’s future.

And now it is my duty as their son, and a child of this country,

to help secure for this generation –

and for future generations –

all of the things that make this country a beacon for the world.

Together, we will build that stronger home.

Below is the text of the statement made by Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, in Madrid on 25 September 2018.

Good afternoon.

Estoy encantado de estar hoy aqui en Madrid! (Translation – I am delighted to be in Madrid today.) I’d like to thank the organisers, EFE, for hosting this event.

I’ve been lucky enough to hold various posts within the British government.

But one similarity between them all is that I spend a lot of time trying to convince people to have a warm, open and productive relationship with Britain.

But I’m pleased to say that with Spain, the UK already has a strong and valuable relationship.

We have a proud history of working together…

And I’m not just talking about Gareth Bale helping Real Madrid win the Champions League and David Silva helping Manchester City win the Premier League!

There are strong ties between our nations.

More than 180,000 Spaniards live in the UK, and 2 million visit every year.

19 million Brits holiday in Spain each year and around 300,000 have made their homes here.

We have 5,000 Spanish people working in our National Health Service…

…and another 5,000 working in scientific research, including trying to find cures for illnesses like Alzheimer’s and cancer.

There are also 12,000 Spaniards studying in UK universities and 55,000 students are in British schools in Spain.

That means that British schools have more of a footprint here in Spain than anywhere else in Europe.

We are also allies in business.

Spain is now the UK’s seventh largest trading partner and our total bilateral trade was up 5% last year.

The UK is Spain’s top destination for foreign direct investment.

But perhaps it is our security relationship that is the real jewel in the crown.

Whether it be against Daesh, drugs runners, or human traffickers, we could not ask for more from Spanish law enforcement and intelligence agencies in terms of commitment and collaboration.

Our 2 countries regularly work together to protect our people.

We share tools to crack terror cells.

We stop murderers and rapists slipping over our borders.

We end exploitation by organised crime gangs.

And we bring these monsters to justice.

It’s a sad fact that our countries share many of the same security threats and challenges.

We have a shared history of fighting terrorism – be that in the form of the IRA or ETA.

Our countries have both also been victims of terrorist attacks in recent years.

Last year, the UK was rocked by terror attacks in Manchester and in London.

In Spain, innocent people were mown down on Las Ramblas.

Our countries shared the pain of these attacks.

During the London Bridge attack, it was a Spanish national – Ignacio Echeverría – who sadly lost his life when he confronted terrorists with only his skateboard to try to save others.

He was posthumously awarded Britain’s highest honour – the George Medal last year…

…and I’m pleased to say that his father will collect his posthumous George Medal in Buckingham Palace next month.

In Barcelona, one of the victims was a 7 year old boy with dual British-Australian nationality.

I will pay tribute to all victims of this mindless terrorism later today in the Bosque del Recuerdo.

Both our countries face an enduring threat from Islamist terrorism, which we work together to combat on a daily basis, wherever it manifests itself – be that on our streets or online.

There are other threats which our countries face together too.

For instance, the threat from large scale cybercrime is growing as digital technologies advance.

Cybercrime does not respect borders and this was shown with devastating effect when the WannaCry ransomware attack impacted more than 100 countries around the globe.

We also both face the threat of hostile state activity.

We both have a watchful eye on Russia following on from the despicable nerve agent attack in Salisbury, which left 4 people fighting for their lives and one innocent woman dead.

Following this attack, many European countries stood with the UK to take decisive action, with Spain expelling 2 Russian diplomats in response. We are grateful to Spain for standing with us.

When it comes to our security, we know that when we collaborate we are at our strongest.

We know that sharing tools, sharing data and expertise keeps people safe in Spain, in Britain – and across Europe too.

And that’s exactly what we’re doing.

We’re working together through the EU, through NATO and bilaterally in all sorts of different ways.

For example, in March this year, 39 women were freed from sexual exploitation at the hands of an organised criminal gang here in Spain…

…as a result of a joint operation between the UK’s National Crime Agency and Spanish and Nigerian law enforcement.

In April, the National Crime Agency again worked with Spanish law enforcement to seize nearly 9 tonnes of cocaine in Algeciras … the largest ever haul from a single container in Europe.

And, of course, nowhere is Anglo-Spanish co-operation stronger or more visible than in the joint operation called the Captura campaign … which has seen 81 dangerous British fugitives successfully tracked down and arrested.

Without cooperation between our agencies, these dangerous fugitives, these 81, could still be at large…

…these people traffickers could still be lurking in our communities…

…and these drugs still flooding our streets.

This co-operation is often underpinned by EU law enforcement and criminal justice measures, which we both make use of to our mutual benefit.

In particular, I welcome the strong co-operation and leadership that the UK and Spain have shown within Europol to drive forward the EU’s efforts to tackle illicit firearms trafficking.

We make extensive mutual use of European Arrest Warrants to arrest criminals, helping to fight trafficking and so much else.

For example, in the last 5 years, the UK arrested over 200 people on behalf of Spain, and the Spanish authorities have arrested over 180 on our behalf.

We are also both a part of the Schengen Information System, which enables the sharing of real-time automated alerts on missing and wanted people with law enforcement agencies across Europe.

We’re working together to tackle child sexual abuse.

Just last year, our Spanish partners assisted in the arrest of one of the UK’s most wanted sex offenders.

This twisted paedophile had been hiding in Spain for nearly 2 years and if he hadn’t been caught, he may well be preying today on more children.

The European Arrest Warrant enabled Spanish authorities to locate him and return him to face justice in the UK where he is now behind bars.

These are just some examples of the collaborative security work that is going on every single day.

In all areas – from counter-terrorism to serious and organised crime, we are working together to keep our citizens safe.

That’s in both our interests.

The nature of the current threat from serious organised crime, cybercrime, terrorism and hostile state activity is truly global.

And it constantly changes, as geopolitics and technology evolve.

To keep pace with this and to ensure we are able to respond effectively, we must continue to work together.

Criminals who seek to harm our citizens, exploit vulnerable people, damage our economies, and challenge our values, are finding new ways to do so – regardless of borders or geography.

We must continue to find new ways to fight back.

That means having seamless operational co-operation, real-time sharing of data, and state of the art technology.

It means ensuring those who would cause us harm know that they cannot escape justice by crossing from the UK into Spain or vice versa.

It means sharing our expertise, experience and intelligence, so we can stay one step ahead.

The UK Prime Minister said earlier this year that the UK is unconditionally committed to European security.

And I want to reiterate that message today – that deal or no deal – we remain committed to ensuring the security of Europe.

I’m pleased that Minister Grande-Marlaska has taken the time today to discuss with me the future of our security co-operation.

Because the benefits of our security cooperation – and its importance – are clear.

And this co-operation is facilitated and enhanced by access to EU tools and measures to the benefit of citizens in both our countries and across Europe.

We want an ambitious security relationship going forward after Brexit, which we have clearly set out.

We accept that outside the EU, our relationship must of course be quite different. But it does not have to be weaker.

We accept that things will need to change.

We will not be carrying on as if we were a member state.

We will be leaving all the various EU institutions.

We will no longer be involved in EU decision-making.

But the point is, we can make these changes and others without undermining the day-to-day operational co-operation which plays such an important role in keeping European citizens safe.

We want our security relationship with Spain – indeed with all our European partners – to be as strong and effective as ever once we have left the European Union.

That’s why the UK government has proposed a comprehensive treaty between the EU and the UK which will allow security co-operation to continue and lives to be saved.

And I will keep putting forward the case for this continued co-operation.

The kind of model we are proposing is one the EU is familiar with.

It’s relatively simple.

But we need the political will to make this happen.

The alternative – abandoning EU co-operation tools – would lead to a damaging reduction in our ability to work together, despite our best efforts.

While we have had some initial conversations with the Commission, we now need to go further and faster to help make sure that all our citizens stay safe and that crooks can’t prosper.

I’ve spoken a lot today about the importance of working together.

Working together in all sorts of different areas.

Indeed, it’s something our 2 countries have been very good at for a great many years.

In fact, UK and Spanish diplomatic ties go back 500 years.

Commercial ties go back even further.

As I’ve said, the security links between the UK and Spain have been going from strength to strength.

But we are now facing an intensive period of negotiations which will define the future relationship between the UK and the EU.

That will of course have implications for our security co-operation in the future.

I very much hope that the negotiations will reach a conclusion which ensures we are able to continue to co-operate effectively with our European partners to keep our people safe.

We have made the UK’s commitment to Europe’s security very clear.

Setting out what we think is the best way to guarantee it.

Today I want to promise you this.

That I will continue to do all I can to make sure that the relationship between our two great nations remains strong…

…that our citizens are kept safe…

…and that we continue to face our common threats and challenges together, long into the future.

Below is the text of the statement made by Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, in the House of Commons on 5 July 2018.

With permission Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement regarding the events that have been unfolding in Amesbury and Salisbury.

This morning, I chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency committee COBR covering the ongoing investigation in Amesbury.

I have been separately briefed by the Security Services and the counter terrorism police.

As many of you will now know, a 45 year old man and a 44 year old woman were found to be unwell at a property at Muggleton Road in Amesbury on Saturday.

Both are British citizens.

Paramedics attended the scene and admitted the pair to the A&E department at Salisbury District Hospital. Here they were treated for exposure to an unknown substance.

Further testing by expert scientists in chemical warfare at the Porton Down laboratory confirmed this to be the nerve agent of the type known as Novichok.

This has been identified as the same nerve agent that contaminated both Yulia and Sergei Skripal. The pair are currently in a critical condition and I’m sure the whole House will want to join me in wishing them a swift and full recovery.

I would also like to express my sincere thanks to the emergency services and staff at the Salisbury District Hospital for their tireless professionalism and for the dedicated way they are providing it. I understand that there will be some concerns about what this means for public safety. In particular, I recognise that some local Wiltshire residents will be feeling very anxious. Let me reassure you that public safety is of paramount importance.

Public Health England’s latest assessment is that based on the number of casualties affected, there is no significant risk to the wider public. Their advice is informed by scientists and the police as the facts evolve. Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer, has confirmed that the risk to the public remains low and has asked that the public follow the advice of Public Health England and the police.

She has also advised that people who have visited the areas that have been recently cordoned off should wash their clothes and wipe down any items they may have been carrying at the time. She has also urged people not to pick up any unknown or already dangerous objects such as needles or syringes. This is not new advice and it follows on from what was said in March.

We have a well-established response to these types of incidents and clear processes to follow.

All the sites that have been decontaminated following the attempted murders of Sergei and Yulia Skripal are safe.

All sites which have been reopened have undergone vigorous testing and any items that may have harboured residual amounts of the agent were safely removed for disposal.

We have taken a very robust approach to decontamination and there is no evidence that either the man or the woman in hospital, visited any of the places that were visited by the Skripals.

Our strong working assumption is that the couple came into contact with the nerve agent in a different location to the sites which have been part of the original clean-up operation.

The police have also set up two dedicated phone numbers for anyone with concerns relating to this incident.

Salisbury District Hospital remains open as usual and is advising people to attend routine appointments unless they are contacted and told otherwise. We are taking this incident incredibly seriously and are working around the clock to discover precisely what has happened, where and why.

Be assured that we have world-leading scientists, intelligence officers and police on the case. Local residents can expect to see an increased police presence in and around Amesbury and Salisbury. All six sites that were visited by the pair before they collapsed have been cordoned off and are being securely guarded as a precaution.

An investigation has started to work out how these two individuals came into contact with the nerve agent. Around 100 detectives from the Counter Terrorism Policing Network are working to support this investigation, alongside colleagues from Wiltshire Police.

Obviously this incident will invoke memories of the reckless murder attempts of Sergei and Yulia Skripal earlier this year. This is the leading line of enquiry.

However, we must not jump to conclusions and we must give the police the space and time to carry out their investigations. The police’s work will take time.

But we are ready to respond as and when new evidence comes to light and the situation becomes clearer. Following the events in Salisbury earlier this year, we rapidly worked with international partners at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to confirm our identification of the nerve agent used.

Through a process of extensive, impartial testing and analysis, our findings were confirmed correct beyond doubt. The use of chemical weapons – anywhere – is barbaric and inhumane.

The decision taken by the Russian government to deploy these in Salisbury on March 4 was reckless and callous. There is no plausible alternative explanation to explain the events in March other than that the Russian state was responsible.

And we acted accordingly.

The British government and the international community immediately and robustly condemned this inhuman action. In light of this attack, the UK expelled 23 Russian diplomats from our shores. And we were joined by 28 of our closest international allies in this action – from the United States to Ukraine – who expelled over 150 of the Russian-state’s diplomats.

We have already seen multiple explanations from state-sponsored Russian media regarding this latest incident. We can anticipate further disinformation from the Kremlin, as we saw following the attack in Salisbury. And as we did before, we will be consulting with our international partners and allies following these latest developments.

The eyes of the world are currently on Russia, not least because of the World Cup.

It is now time that the Russian state comes forward and explains exactly what has gone on so that the most appropriate course of action can be taken. Let me be clear, we do not have a quarrel with the Russian people. Rather, it is the actions of the Russian government that continue to undermine our security and that of the international community.

We will stand up to actions that threaten our security and the security of our partners. It is completely unacceptable for our people to be either deliberate or accidental targets. Or for our streets, our parks or our towns to be dumping grounds for poison. We will continue our investigations as a matter of urgency, and I will keep the House and the public updated on any significant developments.

I commend this statement to the House.

Below is the text of the speech made by Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, at the Police Federation conference on 23 May 2018.

Good morning and thank you Calum.

Now this conference has quite a reputation.

A reputation for giving speakers a difficult time.

For asking questions that sometimes no one wants to answer.

For having the toughest crowd of any speech in the political calendar.

Anyway, at least that’s what the Prime Minister told me!

Now most Home Secretaries get a bit more run-up time than I’ve had before standing on this stage.

They have time to prepare themselves, cement their views, to hone their points and to maybe think of a few jokes.

I haven’t had that luxury.

I’m still in my first full month on the job.

So there’s still a lot for me to learn.

I know that you might be sceptical about what I’m about to say.

You’ve seen Home Secretaries come and go –

I think I’m the 40th Home Secretary since the Federation was founded 99 years ago.

They’ve come from every point on the political spectrum.

But one thing we’ve all had in common is that not one of us, not one Home Secretary, has ever served as a police officer…

Not one.

And I’ve been told I’m the first Home Secretary with a police officer in my immediate family.

Now I can’t blame you if you’re sitting there thinking to yourself –

“this guy may talk a good game, but he’s just like every other politician.”

And I’m sure some of you, right now, are thinking that there’s no way I can understand policing.

The work you do, the difference you make, the challenges that you face.

That I just don’t – and that I won’t – get it.

But that’s where you’re wrong.

My family grew up on a road in Bristol described by one national newspaper as “Britain’s most dangerous street”.

One journalist referred to it – and I quote – he called it a “lawless hellhole where murder, rape, shootings, drug pushing, prostitution, knifings and violent robbery are commonplace”.

But to us, it was just home.

All my parents wanted for me and my brothers was for their boys to do well – to work hard and to play by the rules.

But today I’ve got a confession.

When I was younger, I was in a gang.

A gang of two.

It involved me and one of my brothers.

I was ten, he was eight.

Our gang was called The Crime Busters.

Our mission was to find crime and to bust it.

Our equipment: two knackered old bikes and two cheapo walkie-talkies.

We had a passion to find and fight crime on Britain’s most dangerous street.

One of us used to patrol the streets the other one used to hang out at a phone box in case there was an incident and he had to call 999.

We didn’t get very far the walkie-talkie had a distance of about three metres.

I hope your equipment is a bit better.

Years later, that brother is still a crime buster, only this time, for real – as a Chief Superintendent – having started as a PC some 25 years ago.

Over the years, I’ve heard what he has to say about policing.

I know the tricky situations that he’s been in.

He’s been hospitalised more times by being assaulted on duty than I care to remember.

I remember him missing Christmas once after having his jaw dislocated.

I’ve seen the impact the job has on family life.

And as you would expect from a brother, he doesn’t shield me from the truth.

Long before I was a politician, he took me out on a ride-along in the back of his police car in Bristol city centre.

I thought it would be an interesting insight into his job.

But I wasn’t prepared for the abuse he and his colleague received that night:

Teenagers giving them the middle finger, swearing and spitting.

And worst of all, at one point when his car approached the lights and slowed down…

…one teenager leaned over and yelled at my brother –

“You Paki bastard”.

That was the first time it really hit me just how hard and horrible it can be being a police officer.

I asked my brother why the police spent so much time in that neighbourhood given that they clearly weren’t welcome.

And you know what he said?

“It’s where we’re needed most”.

Only five words…

…but five words that have summed up for me everything that makes our police officers so special.

That sense of duty is what drives you in everything that you do.

From physically taking on violent criminals, to breaking bad news to bereaved families.

You are there.

From handling tragedies like Grenfell, to providing security and peace of mind at events like the Royal Wedding.

You are there.

There is no greater testament to your bravery and the honour of police than the roll call of those who have fallen in the line of duty in the past year.

We are deeply indebted to these officers who made the ultimate sacrifice serving the public…

… and we must take this moment to remember them and the families they have left behind.

So, I would like to pay tribute to PC James Dixon and PC David Fields.

And PC Steven Jenkins who fell ill whilst on duty and then passed away.

This week, we also remember the extraordinary acts of bravery from police in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena terrorist attack.

We remember those officers who ran in to help and protect the many innocent people who found themselves caught up in that attack.

We remember DC Elaine McIver who lost her life in the attack whilst off-duty.

And we must also remember those officers who got to London Bridge following that attack in just eight minutes. Saving countless lives.

I am also hugely grateful to Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey…

…one of the first at the scene at Salisbury who put himself at great risk so that he could help others.

You see, every single day, you make the brave decision to pull on that uniform and go out to work….

… not knowing what you’ll have to deal with on your shift.

People call policing a ‘job like no other,’ but you simply call it ‘the job’.

For me, this world of policing yes it may be new – but this is my fifth job in government.

And in every single role that I’ve had in government I have seen the importance of the police.

When I was Culture Secretary, I saw how much harder the job was made because of social media.

As Business Secretary, I knew that a strong police force creates the environment that we need for our economy to prosper –

Everything from defending property rights to tackling fraud.

As Communities Secretary, I saw first-hand how you work in some of the most challenging places, where the underlying problems are not of your making.

And in my life before politics, I saw many places in the world where the public suffered from the absence of a professional police force.

I saw how bad things could become when the police are ineffective, corrupt, or too politicised.

That’s why I see the police as one of the institutions we can be – and are – most proud of in our country.

But I’m not arrogant enough to stand here today, stand in front of you, after three weeks in the job and tell you how to do yours.

What I will say is that I am listening and that I do get it.

I get that there’s increased demand.

Yes – traditional crime is down by a third since 2010 – a big credit to your hard work.

But more crimes – like hate crimes and sexual offences – are being reported than ever before.

There’s also been a recent increase in serious violence – including homicides, knife and gun crime.

I am absolutely determined to put an end to the appalling violence that is terminating young lives so soon.

The threat from terrorism has also escalated and evolved.

And crime is increasingly taking place online.

The internet has emboldened criminals to break the law in the most horrifying of ways…

… with platforms that enable dangerous crimes and appalling abuse.

Since becoming Home Secretary, I’ve spoken to frontline officers about your experiences of crime and policing.

You’ve told me that you feel stretched, overburdened and not sufficiently rewarded.

I know how frustrating it is when your days off get cancelled – at very short notice.

And I know your work can take its toll on your mental and physical health.

You deserve to be respected and valued, but all too often what you get is abuse.

So let me say this.

I want you to have the resources that you need.

Since 2010, we have prioritised strengthening the economy and this involves making some difficult funding decisions throughout government.

All of us have played our part in bringing down the deficit.

So we must all continue to live within our means…

…I recognise that we need to prioritise public investment in policing.

We’re giving PCCs the flexibility to increase council tax contributions to policing.

This has helped deliver a £460m increase in total police funding this year.

We’re now investing over £1bn more in policing than we did three years ago, including money raised through council tax.

But we need to think more about the long term funding of the police.

So, my pledge to you is this:

I will prioritise police funding in the Spending Review next year.

But this isn’t all about money.

You have a job like no other.

You never know what you’re going to be faced with.

It might be a murder case, child abuse or a serious car accident.

And it’s not surprising that dealing with all that takes its toll on you.

And has you have rightly said, throughout this conference, and as Calum rightly said, we need to protect the protectors.

The government has already pledged £7.5m for a new national police welfare service – it is a step, one step, in the right direction.

But together, I want us to totally transform the welfare provision for officers.

When you’re out in public trying to do your duty, you should be protected.

That’s why I’m backing the Assaults on Emergency Workers Bill…

…which will include tougher penalties for those who attack police officers and other emergency service workers. That’s why I’m supporting changes to the rules on police pursuits.

To make it clear that a criminal is responsible for their decision to drive recklessly, not the police.

That’s why I’m making sure that you have the right kit and the right technology to do your jobs effectively.

It makes no sense that where many of you change your personal mobiles every two years, at work you’re using some technology that dates back to the 1990s.

That’s why we’ve recently improved fingerprint technology…

… which will allow officers across the country to use smart phones to identify people faster than ever before. That’s why I also support the roll out of body worn cameras…

…which not only capture the evidence first hand but has also made people think twice before assaulting you. And I fully support those officers who want better protective equipment like spit and bite guards.

I find it absolutely ridiculous that anyone should object to you restraining those who physically abuse you.

And of course, tasers are also an important tactical option for officers dealing with the most serious and violent criminals.

If you don’t feel that you’re getting the tools you need to do your job, I want to know about it.

But you don’t just need kit – you need powers.

And to help you tackle violent crime.

I will be bringing forward new laws which will make it harder than ever before to buy and possess guns, knives and acid.

And as Home Secretary, I will continue to look at what other powers you need to do your jobs more effectively.

That means looking at Stop and Search.

Some of you don’t feel comfortable using it.

And that’s not how it should be.

I have confidence in your professional judgement.

So let me be clear,

I support the use of Stop and Search.

You have to do your job and that means protecting everyone.

Evidence shows that if you’re black, you’re more likely to be a homicide victim than any other ethnic group.

If Stop and Search can mean saving lives from the communities most affected, then of course it has to be right.

I am new to my job.

I don’t claim to be a policing expert and I’m not going to claim to have all the answers.

But as much as possible, I want to hear from you.

I want to hear about your experiences working on the frontline.

No doubt you’ll tell me much more about them as I get out and about and meet many more of you in the weeks and months, and hopefully years, that lie ahead.

And I know that Nick Hurd the Policing Minister has already spoken to all 43 forces, officers in all 43 forces and will be continuing to do that.

I’ll also be setting up a much more formal Frontline Review to get your feedback and learn what you really think. Your ideas and responses will inform what actually happens in policing.

Because I so understand that no-one knows more about policing than you do.

But I also know that the public demand – and quite rightly expect – a high standard of support from their local police.

And ultimately, I want to reach a place where every member of the public is served by a force which is at least rated ‘good’.

But currently, nearly a third of forces are not.

And there is a big gap in efficiency between the top and the bottom.

So I want standards to be raised and to be more consistent.

I want any bad behaviour to be rooted out.

I want victims to get better treatment.

I want to see more collaboration and sharing best practice – at whatever level makes the most sense.

And I want the Federation to lead by example.

Showing greater transparency in the publishing of accounts and expenses, and continuing to show leadership on implementing reforms.

And I don’t want any of you to believe that some changes belong in the “too hard to do” box.

I want you to be bold and ambitious and to change the bits which don’t work – or put pressure on your bosses to make it happen.

It’s often said that British policing is the envy of the world.

Everyone in this room wants to keep it that way.

Let’s reset the relationship between the government and the police.

I will give you the tools, the powers and the back-up that you need to get the job done.

For those of you who stand on the frontline, be in no doubt, I will be standing with you.

Thank you.

Below is the text of the statement made by Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, in the House of Commons on 30 April 2018.

I am honoured to have been asked this morning to become Home Secretary. I start by making a pledge to those of the Windrush generation who have been in this country for decades and yet have struggled to navigate through the immigration system: this never should have been the case, and I will do whatever it takes to put it right.

Learning about the difficulties that Windrush migrants have faced over the years has affected me greatly, particularly because I myself am a second-generation migrant. Like the Caribbean Windrush generation, my parents came to this country from the Commonwealth in the 1960s; they too came to help to rebuild this country and to offer all that they had. So when I heard that people who were long-standing pillars of their communities were being impacted for simply not having the right documents to prove their legal status in the UK, I thought that that could be my mum, my brother, my uncle or even me. That is why I am so personally committed to, and invested in, resolving the difficulties faced by the people of the Windrush generation who have built their lives here and contributed so much.

I know that my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Hastings and Rye (Amber Rudd), felt very strongly about this too. Mr Speaker, please allow me to pay tribute to her hard work and integrity and to all that she has done and will continue to do in public service. I wish her all the very best. I will build on the decisive action that she has already taken. A dedicated taskforce was set up to handle these cases; more than 500 appointments have been scheduled, and more than 100 people have already had their cases processed and now have the necessary documents. We will continue to resolve these cases as a matter of urgency.

We have made it clear that a Commonwealth citizen who has remained in the UK since 1973 will be eligible to get the legal status that they deserve: British citizenship. That will be free of charge, and I will bring forward the necessary secondary legislation. We have also been clear that a new compensation scheme will be put in place for those whose lives have been disrupted. We intend to consult on the scope of the scheme and we will appoint an independent person to oversee it. I hope that I can count on the full support of all hon. Members to make this happen as soon as possible. I end by making one thing crystal clear: we will do right by the Windrush generation.

Below is the text of the speech made by Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on 26 April 2018.

Winston Churchill famously said: “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.”

That’s certainly true for me.

As you may know, I grew up above the family shop.

I lived on a road that has been labelled by one newspaper as “Britain’s most dangerous street”.

Those experiences taught me a lot.

The value of family and hard work.

How few things are more important than feeling safe in your own home and your your own neighbourhood.

And – crucially – how to hold your own against 5 siblings.

Now I know that I’m not alone.

Our homes, for all of us, are the making of us.

That is why today’s event is so important.

And why I’m delighted that so many of you could be here today.

And why I want to say a massive thank you for your interest and support.

I can’t recall when a government last held a conference on design quality.

It’s a measure of our commitment on this vital issue – as not just something that is nice to have.

A bonus that if you are lucky enough to be able to afford it.

But as something that’s fundamental to everyone’s quality of life – regardless of whether you’re buying or you’re renting a place, or whether you’re in the private sector or the social sector.

It’s very fundamental to the way we feel when we get up in the morning and when we go to bed.

To the opportunities that we have and the futures that we can imagine for ourselves.

To people coming together to create, quite simply, great places to live.

Which is why there’s absolutely no question of having to choose between quality and quantity when it comes to building the homes that our country so desperately needs.

As you will have no doubt have heard many times today, the 2 – quality and quantity – go very much hand in hand.

With communities that are much more likely to welcome new development, if it’s attractive, thoughtful and in keeping with the local area.

But the gains are, of course, much bigger than just somewhere that looks good.

It could be a quiet place to study that means you get a better chance at school.

Parks and other outdoor spaces will be good for your health and your mental health.

And public spaces that design in opportunities for people to come together across generations can end up designing out isolation and helping to build those strong communities.

To achieve this, to really raise the bar on design quality, we need to see stronger collaboration right across the whole sector – which is what today’s event is all about.

It sounds like you’ve had a busy and interesting day, with lots of great speakers lots sharing their ideas and expertise.

And excellent examples, such as the University of North Cambridge development, that where they aren’t just aiming to meet short-term targets, but are very much taking that long-term view that we all want to see.

Something that’s crucial for creating homes that are a much-loved part of the fabric of our local areas not just now, but, potentially, well into the next century and beyond.

I’m also pleased to see that today’s conference has thrown up another positive variation of NIMBY – BIMBY or Beauty In My Backyard, from The Princes Foundation.

I’m looking forward to that phrase catching on!

The new technologies on display at the exhibition are also hugely impressive – as are the new technologies highlighted by the Farmer Review that address the need to build at pace and scale whilst still promoting quality and consumer choice.

And it was especially inspiring to see that we focused on the views, talents and aspirations of young people.

We’re remembering one of those young people this week – Stephen Lawrence.

An aspiring architect, whose murder 25 years ago, is still hard to bear.

The work of the Stephen Lawrence Trust – who we heard from today…

…which gives young people the opportunities which he was denied, to pursue a career in architecture…

….is a fitting tribute to his memory.

And I’m deeply grateful for all the efforts of everyone involved.

Their work is a poignant reminder that, in shaping homes, we’re also shaping lives.

And we owe it to this and the generations to come to leave a legacy of places that, whether you’re putting down roots or just passing through, lift the human spirit.

Inspired by a strong vision of what we want for our villages, our towns and cities, what we want them to look like and feel like in the future.

In doing so, we can draw on a rich history of British housing and urban design that is the envy of the world.

The elegant terraces and town houses, squares and crescents of the Georgian period.

Victorian terrace houses, avenues and parks.

Edwardian mansion blocks and flats.

The detached and semi-detached homes and garden suburbs of the 20th century.

What will our legacy be like for the 21st century?

What design approaches are we pioneering that will become the original features of the future?

What new built environments are we developing that meet the challenges of our age?

What trails are we blazing?

Are we truly drawing on the talents of all our people – with their diverse backgrounds and their perspectives – as we build that modern, global Britain?

This is what I want us to be thinking about and aiming for – with all of us doing our bit.

For our part, in government, we’ve strengthened the expectations for design quality and community engagement in the planning system.

This doesn’t, in any way, involve the government dictating what good design looks like, but it makes it clear that it must be rooted in and it must be backed by the local communities.

Of course, local authorities, they too have a leading role to play in setting a vision for their areas and their plans.

And it’s the job of developers and their designers to respond positively to these expectations; harnessing the talents of skilled professionals – urban designers, architects, engineers and landscape designers.

The great projects we’ve heard about today show that we’re already achieving this in many places and creating beautiful, safe, healthy neighbourhoods that command local support.

The challenge, now, is to deliver this consistently right across the country, so that high quality design is the norm rather than the exception.

I’m confident – from the ambition and wealth of talent I see before me – that that prize is very much in our grasp.

It only remains for me to thank you all, once again, for attending and contributing – particularly our speakers and sponsors at the event. Thank you all very much.

Below is the text of the statement made by Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, in the House of Commons on 27 March 2018.

Mr Speaker, with permission, I wish to make a statement about the independent inspection report on Northamptonshire County Council.

Everyone in this House, regardless of party, appreciates the crucial role that local government plays as the frontline of our democracy.

Delivering vital services on which we all depend and helping to create great places to live.

And, in doing so, making the most of every penny they receive from hard-pressed taxpayers to secure better outcomes.

All of which builds confidence and trust between local authorities and those they serve.

Which is why the situation in Northamptonshire is of such concern.

Prior to my instigation of the report, there were signs that Northamptonshire’s situation was deteriorating.

External auditors at Northamptonshire had lodged adverse value for money opinions in audit reports…

…suggesting that the council was not managing its finances appropriately.

The former leader resigning in May 2016, also signalled the need for change.

As late as last year, the Local Government Association conducted a financial Peer Review…

…which concluded there were issues with delivering the Next Generation reforms and, again, with the mismanagement of its finances.

The then Chief Executive Paul Blantern resigned in October 2017.

These reports, along with the concerns raised by district councils in Northamptonshire…

…and by Hon Members of this House with local constituencies…

…prompted me to act, as I was concerned that there were potentially fundamental issues within the authority.

On 9 January 2018, I informed the House that I had concerns regarding the financial management and governance of the council.

I therefore decided to exercise my powers under section 10 of the Local Government Act 1999 to initiate a Best Value inspection of the council.

And I appointed Max Caller, an experienced former Chief Executive and Commissioner, to conduct this…

…and report on whether the council was complying with its Best Value duty.

Mr Caller submitted his report on 15 March.

And I placed a copy in the library of this House so that everyone could see what he had found and see his recommendations.

And before I go any further, I would like to thank Mr Caller, and his assistant inspector, Julie Parker…

…for their dedication and focus in conducting such a thorough and prompt review.

When I commissioned the Best Value inspection, I asked the Inspector to consider 4 things in particular:

First, whether the council has the right culture, governance and processes to make robust decisions…

…on resource allocation and to manage its finances effectively.

Second, whether the council allowed adequate scrutiny by councillors.

Third, whether there were strong processes and the right information available to managers and councillors…

…to underpin service management and spending decisions.

And fourth, whether the council was organised and structured appropriately to deliver value for money.

Mr Speaker, I have reflected on the contents of the Caller report.

It is balanced, it’s rooted in evidence and compelling.

The Inspector has identified multiple apparent failures by Northamptonshire County Council in complying with its Best Value Duty.

Failures on all counts.

Whilst I recognise that councils across England have faced many challenges in recent years, the Inspector is clear that…

… Northamptonshire’s failures are not down to a lack of funding or because it is being treated unfairly or is uniquely disadvantaged compared to other councils.

In fact, his report says that:

“for a number of years, NCC has failed to manage its budget and has not taken effective steps to introduce and maintain budgetary control”.

Furthermore, the complex structure of financial support meant oversight was difficult and accountability blurred.

This report says that Northamptonshire’s Next Generation approach – which envisaged outsourcing many of the council’s functions – had no:

“hard edged business plan or justification to support these proposals”.

This “…made it difficult to ensure a line of sight over costs and operational activity”…

…and “made it impossible for the council, as a whole to have any clarity or understanding as to what was going on”.

Similarly, the inspector found that Northamptonshire County Council used capital receipts to support revenue spend…

…without documentary evidence demonstrating compliance with the Statutory Guidance and Direction.

Furthermore, until this February, there was no report to full council on the proposed projects and their benefits.

He says that “Savings targets were imposed without understanding of demand, need or deliverability…

…and it is clear that some Chief Officers. did not consider that they were in any way accountable…

…for the delivery of savings that they had promoted.”

On the question of scrutiny, the report says that:

“The council did not respond well, or in many cases even react, to external and internal criticism…

…Individual councillors appear to have been denied answers to questions that were entirely legitimate to ask…

…and scrutiny arrangements were constrained by what was felt the NCC executive would allow.”

Mr Speaker, I want to emphasise that the report also indicates that the hardworking staff of Northamptonshire County Council…

…are not at fault and have worked hard to provide quality services.

With all of this mind, it is clear that I must consider whether further action is necessary to secure compliance with the Best Value duty.

In doing so, I want to reassure the residents of Northamptonshire that essential services will continue to be delivered.

The Inspector is clear that “the problems faced by NCC are now so deep and ingrained that it is not possible to promote a recovery plan…

… that could bring the council back to stability and safety in a reasonable timescale.”

He recommends that “a way forward, with a clean sheet, leaving all the history behind, is required”.

I am therefore minded to appoint Commissioners to oversee the Authority…

…using my powers under section 15 of the Local Government Act 1999.

From day 1, I propose that they take direct control over the council’s financial management and overall governance.

Getting these basics right must be the first step in stabilising this authority.

I also propose giving them reserved powers to act as they see fit across the entirety of the authority’s functions…

…if they consider that they must step in.

My officials are writing to the council and district councils today to this effect and they can make representations on my proposal.

I will consider any representations carefully before reaching a final decision.

The Caller report makes a clear recommendation on restructuring, and notes there are a number of options available.

So, in addition, I’m inviting Northamptonshire County Council and the district and borough councils in the area…

…to submit proposals on restructuring local government.

I would like those councils to think about what is right for their community and the people they serve…

…and to come forward with proposals.

This invitation and the letter to Northamptonshire that I mentioned earlier have been published today and copies placed in the Library.

It is clear to me that any proposals from the councils should seek to meet the criteria for local government restructuring…

…that I have previously shared with the House.

Namely, that proposals should:

improve local government

be based on a credible geography

and command a good deal of local support

I will be particularly interested in hearing how the councils have consulted with their communities…

…to ensure that Northamptonshire’s future is truly locally-led.

Mr Speaker, the findings of Mr Caller’s inspection report on Northamptonshire County Council are extremely serious.

Which is why this government is prepared to take decisive action…

…to ensure that local people receive the high quality services they need and deserve.

And to restore faith in local government in Northamptonshire.

I commend this Statement to the House.

Below is the text of the maiden speech made by Sajid Javid in the House of Commons on 8 June 2010.

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to make my maiden speech. I speak with a particular sense of humility after so many hon. Members have given such admirable maiden speeches, including that just made by the hon. Member for Stretford and Urmston (Kate Green).

I have some worthy predecessors. My immediate predecessor was Miss Julie Kirkbride. She was first elected in 1997, and she was a fine constituency MP. I will never forget the spontaneous tributes that people paid to her, when I knocked on their doors during the campaign, for all the work that she had done on their behalf. I should also like to express my gratitude to her two most recent predecessors, Mr Roy Thomason and Sir Hal Miller, who both helped me in my campaign with great advice.

Bromsgrove is a beautiful, traditional beacon of middle England. I know that many hon. Members have described their constituencies as beautiful, but Bromsgrove truly has breathtaking countryside. It is an old market town which was originally a bit of an industrial hub for the west midlands industrial complex. It still has a very active, traditional court-leet, with lovely traditions. In the east of the constituency we have many beautiful picture-postcard villages, including the glamorously named suburb of Hollywood.

Over the centuries, we have had many heroes from Bromsgrove. I should like to pay tribute on this occasion to two of the most recent-both teenagers, both soldiers in the 2nd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment. The first, Private Robert Laws, was aged 18 when he lost his life fighting for our country in Helmand province last year. He had passed his training only six months previously. The second, Private Alex Kennedy, also aged 18, earlier this year became the youngest soldier since the second world war to receive the military cross. He fought hard to save the life of his commanding officer during a fierce battle with the Taliban. We must never forget the sacrifices that our soldiers-those who have served and those who are currently serving for us-make on our behalf.

A notable person from Bromsgrove is A. E. Housman, whose stirring prose reflected the rural beauty of the heart of England. In Bromsgrove we have a wonderful heritage in the English countryside, and that is why I want to make sure that it is the people who are most affected by planning decisions who make those decisions. That is why I welcome the recent announcements of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on that issue. They have been most welcomed by my constituents.

Perhaps at this point I should say something about my own background, as hon. Members may be able to tell from my appearance and my name that I can hardly be of traditional Worcestershire stock. My parents were both born in British India. Although my father was just six years old in 1947, he remembers full well the tragedy that occurred upon the partition of India-12 million people were displaced and almost a million lost their lives. If we need an example of how political failure can lead to great human tragedy, surely that is one of the most heart-wrenching, and an example of how politics can really make a difference. That is what I say to people who ask me why I gave up a lucrative career in finance to enter this House.

To the dismay of the right hon. Member for Holborn and St Pancras (Frank Dobson), I have to tell him that for 19 years I have been an investment banker. In my case, this is one brain that was sucked up by the City and has now come to serve the people in this Parliament. I worked in London, Singapore and New York. I readily admit that being seen as an investment banker was not the most useful thing on the campaign trail, but it helped prepare me for a profession not well liked by the general public. Let us hope that all of us, on both sides of the House, can work together over the coming years to help restore the nation’s respect for our great Parliament.

In view of my background in finance, I am particularly pleased to give my maiden speech during this debate on economic affairs. There are many global economic uncertainties at the moment, and they have potentially grave consequences for our economy. First, the euro is only just beginning to have problems. It was always a political contrivance that had virtually nothing to do with economics. Secondly, the world’s largest emerging market economies, which have buttressed global demand since the onset of the credit crisis, are about to go through a period of monetary tightening, and we can no longer rely on them for global growth.

Thirdly, industrialised nations, including our own, that have issued vast amounts of sovereign debt over the past three years in particular can no longer go on that way. We have to make sure that when we look at these issues, we never forget the traditional disciplines that have stood Britain in good stead-sound public finances, low and simple taxation, and light and flexible regulation. It is when we forget these disciplines that we put our future prosperity at risk.

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity, and thank you to the people of Bromsgrove for allowing me to serve them in this Chamber.