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  • PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of the Suffragan Bishop of Grimsby [December 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of the Suffragan Bishop of Grimsby [December 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 10 December 2025.

    The King has approved the nomination of the Venerable Jean Ann Burgess, MA, to the Suffragan See of Grimsby, in the Diocese of Lincoln.

    Background

    The King has approved the nomination of the Venerable Jean Ann Burgess, MA, Archdeacon of Bournemouth, in the Diocese of Winchester, to the Suffragan See of Grimsby, in the Diocese of Lincoln, in succession to the Right Reverend Dr David Court following his retirement.

    Jean was trained for ministry via the East Midlands Ministry Training Course, accredited by Nottingham University.

    She served her title at St George and St Mary’s Church, Gresley, in the Diocese of Derby, and was ordained Priest in 2004. Jean served as Interim Minister at St Alkmund’s and St Werburgh’s from 2008 and was appointed Priest-in-Charge in 2013 and incumbent in 2018. Jean served as Archdeacon of Bolton and Archdeacon of Salford, both in the Diocese of Manchester, from 2018.

    In 2023, Jean took up her current role as Archdeacon of Bournemouth, in the Diocese of Winchester.

  • NEWS STORY : Inquiry Launched into Blackpool Anti-Poverty Charity Over Governance Concerns

    NEWS STORY : Inquiry Launched into Blackpool Anti-Poverty Charity Over Governance Concerns

    STORY

    The Charity Commission has opened a formal investigation into a Blackpool anti-poverty charity after persistent failures to file legally required financial information and concerns about how the organisation is being managed.

    Blackpool’s Voice, founded in 2020 to help residents struggling with hardship, has never submitted its accounts or annual returns. The regulator also discovered the charity has been operating with too few trustees, raising doubts about whether it has adequate oversight. Earlier efforts by the Commission to secure compliance were unsuccessful, prompting the escalation to a statutory inquiry.

    The investigation will assess whether trustees have met their legal duties, whether the charity is functioning in line with its governing document, and whether any conflicts of interest or personal benefit issues have arisen. The Commission has said the inquiry’s scope may expand if further concerns come to light.

    A full report will be published at the end of the investigation. The charity has not commented publicly, but the inquiry highlights the regulator’s continued push to strengthen governance and accountability across the sector.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Thousands to get free digital training [December 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Thousands to get free digital training [December 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 10 December 2025.

    Free support to get people online is rolling out in communities in every region of the country.

    • 80 innovative digital skills and support schemes receive government funding to help most vulnerable in communities get online with confidence
    • People in every region of the country will benefit, from disadvantaged young people to elderly people and the homeless, through expanded fund as part of the government’s push to close the digital divide
    • Community-led initiatives to get people the skills and access to devices they need – delivering national renewal by boosting employment opportunities, saving people money, improving health and making life easier

    Free support to get people online is rolling out in communities in every region of the country, so they can book a doctor’s appointment on the NHS app, shop around for better deals on things such as home insurance and food, or stay in touch with loved ones.

    Today (Wednesday 10 December), Minister for Digital Inclusion, Liz Lloyd is unveiling 80 local schemes receiving backing from the first-of-its-kind £11.7 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund.

    From Leeds to London, Bristol to Nottingham this fund will support projects in communities across the UK, helping people at risk of being left behind get the access, skills and confidence they need to get online, improve their living standards and deliver national renewal.

    Research suggests there are currently 8 million adults in the UK who lack basic digital skills1 and 1.6 million who live offline altogether2. This prevents them from accessing convenient digital government services online, managing their finances on their phone, or searching for job opportunities.

    These people are locked out from some of the most basic opportunities that modern life offers, whether that’s mastering the essential digital skills for work – like setting up an email account and sharing files – or facing higher costs for things like home insurance, train travel and food – with people without internet access paying on average 25% more than consumers who are online3.

    These new innovative schemes, tailored to suit the needs of local people, will change that. Disadvantaged young people across the North and Midlands will use e-sports to learn new digital skills and develop safe online behaviours; over 7,000 older people will learn how to use the NHS app to manage their health; and people experiencing homelessness will be able to access devices and data to get online to help them find accommodation and other essentials.

    The success of these projects will help inform future initiatives to help get more people online and open up doors for them to make the most of the opportunities technology can bring – boosting employment, improving health and making life more convenient.

    Minister for Digital Inclusion, Liz Lloyd said:

    This government is tearing down the barriers to success and making the future work for all, not just the fortunate.

    Being online is something many of us take for granted, but for millions it could mean a new job opportunity, quicker access to healthcare or a lifeline to the local community.

    This fund will both empower community organisations to help those most at risk of being left behind get the skills, access and confidence they need – while also informing how we can help even more people in the future.

    Some of the projects funded

    The Bromley by Bow Centre’s Connected Lives project, visited by the Minister this week. This will support residents who attend the Centre’s Welcome Hub programmes, like its community food pantry, by providing digital skills training and devices to use for practical life tasks like managing benefits and paying bills online.

    A project run by Age UK will help thousands of older people through events and skills sessions, to learn how to use the NHS app to manage health matters. Helping improve their physical and digital health at the same time.

    Sheffield United’s Community Foundation will trial using e-sports video gaming to help 400 young people build digital skills and confidence, and raise awareness on being safe online. The Safe to Play project will adapt e-sports as a vehicle for digital inclusion in their existing Football Club charities youth programmes. Each club will deliver a 6–8 week programme of weekly workshops and esports play sessions, combining practical digital learning for young people, within a fun, safe and trusted environment.

    The University of Bristol’s Future IDEAS project will bring together digitally excluded members of the community, and digital design experts to co-create a chat bot that will be used to facilitate digital skills and confidence building for the public. The co-creation will ensure the chatbot is built to understand the needs and capabilities of the people it’s being built to support. The chatbot will then be trialled in a rollout in community hubs alongside trained digital champions to measure its success. 

    The fund is being directed at community organisations as the best placed to determine how to support the needs of their communities. Each organisation will report back on their project, with the findings used to work out what works best when it comes to helping people to get online, and using this to shape digital inclusion initiatives across the country in the future. 

    Portions of the fund have been allocated to the devolved governments in:

    • Scotland (£764,020)
    • Wales (£400,368)
    • Northern Ireland (£267,249)

    This ensures that it is a UK-wide digital inclusion drive.  

    The Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund is a key part of government’s drive to ensuring everyone has the digital skills needed to use technology to make life better and more convenient, and to access the jobs of the future. The Fund is one of government’s first 5 actions committed in this year’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan.

    This fund will underpin the focused approach to society-wide skills development and access being implemented by Secretary of State for Technology, Liz Kendall. This includes the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s work with industry and civil society to get 7.5 million UK workers essential AI skills by 2030. DSIT is also preparing to launch government’s hallmark £187 million TechFirst skills programme in 2026, which will reach 1 million school students in classrooms across the UK, and develop the essential tech skills needed for our future workforce.

    Elly De Decker, CEO of Bromley by Bow Centre:

    Technology is ever-present in all aspects of our lives. Too many people, for a variety of reasons, are not able to engage with the growing influence of this technology, leading to more exclusion and inequality.

    The reality in our community is that many people do not have the skills and access to the right tools to engage in the digital economy with confidence. We see this every day and we are working alongside local residents to help them improve their skills and confidence in practical and meaningful ways. This funding is absolutely crucial to reducing the digital divide.

    Paul Farmer, CEO, Age UK, Mehfuz Ahmed, CEO, Age UK Westminster and Mary-Ann Foxwell, CEO, Age UK East London said: 

    While many older people embrace the digital world, too many remain locked out of essential services. Age UK, Age UK East London and Age UK Westminster, welcome the government’s recognition of older people’s needs through the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund.

    This vital support enables us to build on proven work in local communities: breaking down barriers, and empowering older people to use digital services confidently – improving health outcomes and fostering healthier, more connected, and independent lives

    Debbie Cook, Director of Community at the English Football League (EFL) said: 

    The Safe to Play campaign is an exciting and innovative way to support young people in our EFL Club communities. Using esports as a vehicle for digital inclusion, online safety, and wellbeing, we’re equipping disadvantaged young people with essential skills for the modern world.  

    The project, that will run in 10 Football Club communities, led by Sheffield United’s Community Foundation, will provide a safe, engaging environment for around 400 participants and empower trained facilitators to deliver guidance informed by the British Esports Federation ‘Duty to Care in Esports’ framework. This project is about creating opportunities, building confidence, and ensuring every young person feels supported online and offline.

    Councillor Liam Robinson, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Innovation, said:

    Digital inclusion isn’t just about providing access to technology – it’s about empowering people with the tools to change their lives.

    Through our Digital Inclusion Initiative, over 5,500 residents can now connect to jobs, education, healthcare, and stay in touch with loved ones. It’s already having a real impact across our communities and proved to government that we know how to tackle digital exclusion. 

    I’m proud that, working with our partners, and thanks to the government’s Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund, we’re now able to build on that success to get even more people online. And this is only the start. We’re committed to closing the digital divide and creating a future where no one is left behind.

    Helen Milner OBE, CEO of Good Things Foundation said: 

    The funding from DSIT is a welcome and vital step that places digital inclusion firmly on the national agenda, demonstrating the government’s commitment to addressing exclusion. Support through the Fund is enabling Good Things Foundation to work alongside our trusted community partners to capture the real life barriers that people face.

    Our evidence-led work with councils will create a blueprint that any local authority can use. We must ‘bake in, not bolt on’ digital inclusion to ensure everyone can participate in our digital society.

    Councillor Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Economic Growth and Prosperity, Essex County Council said:  

    We’re thrilled that Essex has been recognised nationally for its commitment to digital inclusion. Securing this funding is a fantastic achievement and will allow us to make a real difference in the lives of those groups who can sometimes be left behind in today’s digital world.  

    By focusing on older adults, young people who are not in education or employment, and individuals with disabilities, we’re helping improve their computer skills and access exciting new opportunities, whether that is gaining employment, learning new skills or better connecting with their local community.

    Rachel Kelly, Chief Executive of Women’s Health Matters said: 

    At Women’s Health Matters in Leeds, we are delighted that this funding for our DigitALL Women project will help women build confidence and skills to use technology safely and independently.

    Sitting alongside our support work for victim-survivors of Domestic Abuse, women whose children live in the care of others, and women seeking asylum, the project will provide support to help get women online, stay safe, provide suitable hardware, and make the most of digital tools in everyday life.

    Andrew Morter, Chief Executive of Vision Norfolk said: 

    We’re delighted to receive support from the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund for this vital project. For people with sight loss, digital technology can be truly life-changing – and is as important today as braille was 100 years ago – opening up access to information, services, and social connection – but only if they have the right support to use it safely and confidently.

    This funding will enable us to recruit and train volunteers who can provide that crucial one-to-one support to help our clients navigate the digital world independently.” 

    Andria Birch MBE, Bassetlaw Community and Voluntary Services CEO said: 

    We are absolutely delighted to be leading the Tackling Technology Together partnership project. It is built on years of learning and partnership work with local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations and our NHS and wider public sector colleagues and will enable us to deliver local solutions to local problems for those in greatest need.

  • NEWS STORY : UK Economy Unexpectedly Shrinks Again as Growth Stalls

    NEWS STORY : UK Economy Unexpectedly Shrinks Again as Growth Stalls

    STORY

    The UK economy unexpectedly contracted in the latest monthly figures, raising fresh fears about the country’s economic direction and undermining hopes of a stable recovery. Official data showed that output slipped by 0.1 per cent, defying predictions of modest growth and extending a period in which the economy has failed to build any sustained momentum.

    Weakness in services, construction and manufacturing all contributed to the downturn, with consumer spending and business confidence appearing to falter in the run-up to the winter period. Analysts warned that the combination of hesitant investment, stubborn costs and subdued demand could push the UK uncomfortably close to a technical recession if the trend continues.

    The unexpected economic announcement will also cause concern to Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has been accused of not doing enough to help employers create jobs. A spokesperson for Reeves said:

    “We are determined to defy the forecasts on growth and create good jobs, so everyone is better off, while also helping us invest in better public services.”

  • NEWS STORY : Prolific Swindon Shoplifter David Mundy Convicted

    NEWS STORY : Prolific Swindon Shoplifter David Mundy Convicted

    STORY

    Prolific shoplifter David Mundy, of Farndale Close, Penhill in Swinson, has been convicted of a series of crimes which have caused economic damage to the local community.

    Mundy has caused numerous issues to the community and has multiple previous convictions, with his offences this time leading to losses in Swindon shops. The conviction of Mundy has come at a time when national losses from shoplifting are causing significant economic concern.

    Wiltshire Police said in a statement:

    “We appreciate the significant impact that shoplifting has on local businesses and shoppers and we are determined to make Swindon a hostile place for shoplifters. Mundy is a prolific offender and the CBO bans him from a number of his most targeted stores in Swindon.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government unveils ambitious plan to tackle youth isolation crisis and deliver real life opportunities [December 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government unveils ambitious plan to tackle youth isolation crisis and deliver real life opportunities [December 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 10 December 2025.

    Government plans will offer young people somewhere to go, something meaningful to do, and someone who cares about their wellbeing in moves to strengthen their connections in real life.

    • Ambitious 10-year plan to give 500,000 more young people access to a trusted adult outside their home and equip them with skills to boost their resilience and stay safe online
    • National Youth Strategy to deliver up to 250 new or refurbished youth centres, 50 Young Futures Hubs, and new support for youth workers, backed by over £500 million of investment

    Young people across England will benefit from over £500 million of government investment as the first National Youth Strategy in 15 years is published today, setting out an ambitious delivery plan to rebuild youth services over the next decade. 

    ‘Youth Matters’ has been co-produced with more than 14,000 young people across England through a landmark ‘State of the Nation’ survey. It represents a fundamental shift in how the government will support young people over the next decade – turning the tide from isolation online, to real life connections. 

    Local government spending on youth services fell by 73% between 2010/11 and 2022/23, with more than 1,000 youth centres closing and over 4,500 youth worker roles being lost. The Prime Minister has spoken of young people being “collateral damage” over the past decade and how this must be turned around, with the government investing in the potential of young people – offering them the chance for real life connections to support their talent and potential. 

    A centrepiece of the National Youth Strategy centres around additional investment to transform youth services. The government is committing over £500 million of new funding, which will:

    • Build or refurbish up to 250 youth facilities over the next four years, as well as providing equipment for activities to around 2500 youth organisations, through a new £350 million ‘Better Youth Spaces’ programme. It will provide safe and welcoming spaces, offering young people somewhere to go, something meaningful to do, and someone who cares about their wellbeing.
    • Launch a network of 50 Young Futures Hubs by March 2029 as part of a local transformation programme of  £70 million, providing access to youth workers and other professionals, supporting their wellbeing and career development and preventing them from harm.
    • The first eight hubs to be operational by March 2026 are in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, County Durham, Nottingham, Bristol, Tower Hamlets, and Brighton and Hove.
    • Support organisations in underserved areas to deliver high-quality youth work and activities through a ‘Richer Young Lives Fund’ worth over £60 million.
    • Boost young people’s wellbeing, personal development, and essential life skills through a new £22.5 million programme of support around the school day in up to 400 schools.
    • Recruit and train youth workers, volunteers and other trusted adults with £15 million of investment. 
    • Strengthen youth services through £5 million to improve local partnerships, better information sharing, and digital infrastructure, ensuring young people receive high-quality, safe, and effective support in their communities.

    Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said:

    “As a dad and as Prime Minister, I believe it is our generation’s greatest responsibility to turn the tide on the lost decade of young kids left as collateral damage. It is our moral mission. 

    “Today, my government sets out a clear, ambitious and deliverable plan – investing in the next generation so that every child has the chance to see their talents take them as far as their ability can.” 

    “That is also why we will ensure that if you choose an apprenticeship, you will have the same respect and opportunity as everyone else, as we get two-thirds of young people in higher-level learning or apprenticeships.”

    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

    “The challenges facing young people today are urgent and demand a major change in direction. For too long, youth policy has been an afterthought. This generation deserves better.

    “Young people are the most digitally connected but also the most isolated in generations with many wanting more meaningful real life connections. Young people have been crystal clear in speaking up in our consultation: they need support for their mental health, spaces to meet with people in their communities and real opportunities to thrive. We will give them what they want. Today’s National Youth Strategy puts young people at the heart of decision-making and begins to rebuild the youth services that were decimated over the past decade.

    “From Young Futures Hubs in local communities to hundreds of millions of pounds invested in youth facilities to transforming the services that support them – we will give young people somewhere to go, something meaningful to do, and someone who cares about their wellbeing. They have spoken – now we’re delivering for them.”

    Over the next decade this strategy will also reverse the decline in local government spending with plans for: 

    • Half a million more young people to be given access to a trusted adult outside their home, helping equip them with essential skills, such as resilience or how to manage their online safety, to help them transition to adulthood and adapt to a digital world. 
    • The government aims to halve the gap in who gets to do meaningful activities between richer and poorer families. This covers after school activities, as well as those in the evenings, weekends and holidays
    • It delivers on key government missions within the Plan for Change: spreading opportunities, making streets safer and taking pressure off the NHS.

    What young people said

    The measures respond directly to the landmark ‘State of the Nation’ survey commissioned by the Culture Secretary, and published alongside the strategy today. It sets out the reality of what it is like to grow up in England in 2025, painting a vivid picture of their experiences growing up in a world shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic, the cost of living crisis, an always-on digital world, and ongoing global uncertainty.

    It reveals stark concerns from young people about a lack of mental health support, growing social isolation and an absence of youth services in their communities. 

    While young people today are the most digitally connected generation, the report highlights that they face unprecedented levels of isolation, among the highest globally. They want more opportunities to connect in person safe spaces to go to, better mental health support, guidance for their education and careers, greater access to enriching activities and opportunities, and tools to engage positively online and offline. 

    Building on recent investment

    The National Youth Strategy marks the start of a decade of sustained investment in young people, building on:

    ENDS

    Additional quotes: 

    Leigh Middleton OBE, CEO of the National Youth Agency: “The National Youth Strategy puts young people at the centre of change, reflecting what they have said they need: safe spaces, trusted adults, and real opportunities to thrive. Youth work is essential in delivering these plans, and the Strategy makes that clear. We look forward to working with the Government to ensure this ambition is matched with action, delivering equity and lasting improvements for every young person.” 

    Alex Holmes OBE, The Diana Award: “For a quarter of a century The Diana Award has shown what happens when you back young people with trust, resources and a platform. It’s been inspiring to see this National Youth Strategy built with young people, not just for them. The next 10 years must be about turning their ideas into action and giving young people the tools and confidence to hold us, as adults and institutions, to the promises we’ve made.”

    Jonathan Hopkins, Centre for Young Lives (member of the DCMS Expert Advisory Group): “This is a strategy by young people, for young people that we all benefit from. It is a generational shift in how young people are seen and heard. Backed by commitments like Young Futures to turn lives around, it will deliver a more confident and close knit society.” 

    Dan Lawes, CEO of My Life My Say: “I’ve seen firsthand that the greatest successes of the National Youth Strategy come from one simple principle: putting young people at the centre. Its strength lies in the fact that youth voices didn’t just contribute to its composition — they shaped its direction, its priorities and its purpose. By listening to young people every step of the way, we’ve created a strategy that is not only credible and representative, but one that I hope will deliver real, lasting change.”

    Paul Lindley, entrepreneur, campaigner, author: “This Youth Strategy puts young people exactly where they belong — at the heart of decisions that shape their lives. By rebuilding the local places, services and relationships that help them feel seen, supported and able to belong, it tackles the postcode lottery of opportunity and invests in a generation whose potential is extraordinary.”

    Sophie Pender, Founder, The 93% Club: “The National Youth Strategy represents hope: targeted investment in the working class communities too often overlooked. It strengthens our mission to show the state schoolers, the kids on the council estates, the ones whose youth has been shaped by limited resources, that they matter too.” 

    Kadra Abdinasir, Associate Director of Policy, Centre for Mental Health: “The National Youth Strategy is an important cross-government opportunity to strengthen young people’s mental health. Trusted adults, safe community spaces and early support are all key to preventing mental health problems escalating. By expanding these opportunities nationwide, the strategy can help ensure every young person feels supported, connected and able to thrive.” 

    Zafeera Karim​, Member of Youth Parliament, said: “From a teacher, I learned, ​’If someone says you are the future, say no. I am the present; I have things to do now.​’ Those words resonate because young people are already acting, supporting one another, and taking on responsibilities that often go unseen. This National Youth Strategy matters because it has the potential to listen to these realities, address structural barriers, center voices too often excluded from decision-making, and provide practical support that engages with the work already happening. My hope is that this strategy will recognise what young people and their communities are already doing today and strengthen this work with sincerity at its origin and soundness in its fulfillment to create responsible, lasting change.​”

    Notes to editors:

    1. The full National Youth Strategy and the State of the Nation report are available at GOV.UK.
    2. Youth summaries of both the main strategy and report are available alongside associated research.
    3. The ‘State of the Nation’ survey engaged 14,134 young people and was conducted in  partnership with Savanta, My Life My Say, the #iwill Movement and Youth Collaborators
    4. The consultation included focus groups, discussions and workshops with Ministers, officials and youth sector organisations.
    5. A Youth Advisory Group of 14 young people from across England was convened to help shape the strategy.
    6. According to the latest statistics from the OECD, 15-year-olds in the UK spend more time on their digital devices than the average OECD country. 
    7. In a study of 40 countries, 11, 13 and 15-year-olds in England ranked among the highest in reporting that they feel lonely most of the time or always (HBSC, 2022).
    8. According to the Office for National Statistics, there are about 10.6 million young people aged 10-24 in England.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Government acts to strengthen fairness and transparency in combinable crops contracts [December 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government acts to strengthen fairness and transparency in combinable crops contracts [December 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 10 December 2025.

    Consultation launched to review contract practices in the combinable crops sector, building on Fair Dealing reforms in dairy, pigs, eggs and fresh produce sectors.

    Arable farmers are set for stronger protections under a new government review into unfair practices in the combinable crops supply chain, Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle has announced.

    The work of the sector, covering crops such as wheat, barley, oilseeds and pulses, underpins domestic food, feed and fuel production. Improving fairness will help ensure resilient domestic production and support the long-term health of the food system.

    An eight-week consultation, launched today (Wednesday 10 December), will seek views on issues such as clarity of standards, sampling and testing procedures, supply volumes, data sharing and dispute resolution, to inform proposals for clearer contracts and fairer treatment for producers.

    The consultation looks to ensure farmers always receive a transparent price for their produce and understand which factors determine it. Fairness within the agricultural supply chain is a key priority for the government and integral to food security.

    Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle said:

    Farmers should have confidence that the contracts they sign are fair and transparent and work as they should.

    Our strong food system needs to be built on solid foundations with farmers treated fairly. This consultation is a chance for growers to tell us where changes are needed in their supply chain.

    By improving clarity and ensuring fair and transparent contracts, we’re backing British producers through our Plan for Change, strengthening our food security and supporting a resilient future for the sector.

    The action forms part of the government’s New Deal for Farmers and builds on Fair Dealing rules already introduced for dairy and pigs, with work under way for eggs and fresh produce. The government is committed to tackling contractual unfairness wherever it exists through its Fair Dealings Regulations, which are enforced by its Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator.

    The launch of the consultation also complements wider work to protect farmers in trade deals, strengthen supply chain resilience, lower costs for consumers, and deliver a thriving, innovative food sector through the Good Food Cycle.

    Following recent reforms and continued collaboration with devolved governments, this latest step will help build a more transparent and competitive supply chain that benefits farmers and the public alike.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government to prioritise UK medical graduates for training places [December 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government to prioritise UK medical graduates for training places [December 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 10 December 2025.

    The government will prioritise UK medical graduates for training places from 2026 as part of efforts to bring an end to industrial action by resident doctors.

    • Substantial offer put to BMA in bid to end resident doctors’ strikes once and for all
    • Includes bringing forward emergency legislation to fix choked recruitment system that overlooks UK graduates, benefiting this year’s applicants
    • BMA refusing to call off Christmas strikes despite an unprecedented government offer to extend their mandate

    The government has put an offer to the British Medical Association (BMA) that would put in place emergency legislation for UK and Republic of Ireland medical graduates and doctors who have worked in the NHS for a significant period of time to be prioritised for specialty training and tackling bottlenecks through an overhaul of recruitment for medical training. Should the BMA accept this offer, the government will accelerate plans to prioritise these medics, addressing the current system that has led to soaring competition ratios – with current applicants set to benefit from the 2026 intake.

    Other measures in the offer include:   

    • creating 4,000 more specialty training places, with 1,000 of these brought forward to this year
    • cost-related measures, such as reimbursement for exam fees, to address the unique costs that resident doctors face
    • increasing the less-than-full-time allowance by 50% to £1,500

    Strikes suck up time, resources and energy, with each round costing the NHS around £250 million. As a result, enacting this emergency legislation is contingent on the BMA and its members accepting this offer, and the government will not be able to deliver its offer of 4,000 more training places if strikes continue.

    The government also offered to extend the BMA’s strike mandate in exchange for cancelling their damaging Christmas strikes, which are designed to cause maximum disruption to the NHS. This would have allowed the BMA to hold a formal referendum on the offer, with enough time to rearrange the cancelled strikes for the end of January should it have been rejected. It is deeply disappointing that the BMA leadership has refused this generous compromise, creating untold anxiety for patients across the country. Latest data shows that at the end of November, there were 1,649 beds occupied by flu patients, which is up 55.6% from this time last year. 

    The BMA will now conduct a short, informal survey before making a decision on the offer next week.

    Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said:   

    Doctors asked me to deliver on jobs, especially unfair competition from overseas, and this comprehensive offer will deliver – providing resident doctors currently applying with more jobs, prioritising UK-trained graduates, and putting money back in the pockets of resident doctors. It builds on a 28.9% pay rise which has already been delivered.

    We have been working around the clock to prepare emergency legislation to prioritise our homegrown talent and halve the competition for jobs that resident doctors currently face – that is now on the table. But it can only happen if resident doctors vote to accept the deal and end these strikes.

    This offer will now go to BMA members, but the BMA has chosen to continue holding the spectre of strikes over the NHS next week. This was entirely avoidable as I offered to give the BMA the chance to reschedule strikes in January after the vote has taken place so that they could cancel the Christmas strikes, which are timed for the most damaging period of the year.

     I am astounded that the BMA’s leadership rejected this. It means their NHS colleagues will this week be cancelling Christmas plans to cover shifts, and patients will have their operations cancelled, as the NHS prepares for the worst. I cannot understand the wilful casualness with which the BMA’s leadership have chosen to inflict this pain on patients, other staff and the NHS itself. It is one of the most shameful episodes in the long history of the BMA.

    I am appealing directly to resident doctors, who now have an opportunity to vote for more jobs, better career opportunities, more money in their pockets, and to end the strikes. I urge them to vote for this deal.

    There are currently record numbers of doctors working in the NHS, but training bottlenecks are at all-time high, with UK graduates facing record competition for places due to rising numbers of international applications, and in many cases being left without a job to go into. 

    The last government scrapped the Resident Labour Market Test, which required employers to check first if they can find an acceptable locally trained person to do the job. Medical school places were also expanded in recent years without also expanding postgraduate training, leading to increased competition for jobs.  This has seen NHS-trained doctors forced to compete on equal terms with doctors from around the world for NHS jobs.   

    Competition ratios for postgraduate places have increased by 150% since 2019 – from 1.4 applicants per place in 2019, to 3.5 per place in 2025. There were around 12,000 applicants for 9,000 places in 2019, which has soared to over 30,000 applicants for near 10,000 places in 2025.   

    Government reforms requiring General Medical Council registration at the point of application and limiting applicants to 5 specialty training applications have already reduced applications by 11% this year.

    However, the system is still currently hostage to the previous government’s changes allowing increased overseas applicants. As a result, while applications are down, overall applicant numbers are still 16% higher than last year, making recruitment even more competitive than this year.   

    UK and Republic of Ireland graduates would also be prioritised for foundation training. These reforms would be delivered through emergency primary legislation to be introduced in the new year, so that those applying in this current round are able to benefit from the changes.   

    The plans will not exclude internationally trained staff who will still be able to apply to the roles and continue to bring new and vital skills to the NHS. The UK is fortunate to have exceptional internationally trained graduates, and the NHS will always benefit from their experience. We will be continuing to support and attract talented overseas staff that want to dedicate their time, energy and skills to the health service. That’s why the reforms will also prioritise doctors who have worked in the NHS for a significant period for specialty training.    

    However, at a time when competition for medical staff globally has never been fiercer, we want to ensure we have a sustainable workforce fit for the future that is not overly reliant on international graduates. Taxpayers spend £4.3 billion in training medics every year, and we want to better protect this investment.

    Further details on the changes that will be made to the recruitment system will be set out if the BMA decide to accept the offer put to them.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The UK unequivocally condemns the appalling erosion of women and girls’ rights in Afghanistan – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : The UK unequivocally condemns the appalling erosion of women and girls’ rights in Afghanistan – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 December 2025.

    Statement by Ambassador Archie Young, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan.

    Today, I will focus on three of the key points that were raised by our briefers: first, on the appalling erosion of rights in Afghanistan, secondly, on the dire humanitarian situation, and thirdly, on how the UN process can drive progress. 

    Today, as we observe International Human Rights Day, the promise of universal rights in Afghanistan remains tragically unfulfilled. 

    Over the four years of the Taliban’s rule, repression has intensified. Over a hundred edicts have systematically eroded the rights of Afghan women and girls. Girls cannot attend school after the age of 12, and for more than three months, the Taliban has banned women from working at UN offices.

    The UK Government unequivocally condemns this appalling erosion of women and girls’ rights, and we urge its immediate reversal.

    In October, UK officials travelled to Kabul to press the Taliban to reverse these barbaric decrees.

    The international community must unite against the Taliban’s assault on human rights. We must not abandon half of Afghanistan’s population.

    Second, the humanitarian situation. As winter approaches, the humanitarian needs in Afghanistan remain dire. As today’s briefers set out, in 2026, an estimated 21.9 million people – 45 per cent of the Afghan population – will require humanitarian assistance. 

    The UK continues to work to support the country’s most vulnerable, especially women and girls. We remain a major donor, allocating up to $201 million in the financial year of 2025/26 for vital life-saving and basic services. 

    We are deeply concerned by the deteriorating food security and nutrition situation as evidenced by the recent IPC forecasts. In the context of reducing funding for Afghanistan, we collectively must do everything possible to ensure life-saving assistance is available to the most vulnerable.

    And third, the UN process. The UK continues to engage with the UN-led process, including the “Comprehensive Approach.” Strong UN leadership is essential to drive this process forward, and we therefore hope to see the next SRSG at the earliest opportunity.  

    However, our support for the Comprehensive Approach depends on the Taliban taking meaningful steps and adhering to their international obligations, especially those related to counter terrorism and the rights of women and girls.

    As our Foreign Secretary recently said, ‘there cannot be peace, security or prosperity without women playing their part, free from violence and free from fear’.

    That is the principle which must underpin Afghanistan’s future.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Political Peerages [December 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Political Peerages [December 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 10 December 2025.

    The King has been graciously pleased to signify His intention of conferring Peerages of the United Kingdom for Life upon the undermentioned:

    Nominations from the Leader of the Labour Party:

    1. Andy (Andrew) Roe KSFM – Chair of the national Building Safety Regulator and former London Fire Commissioner
    2. Dame Ann Limb DBE DL – Former Further Education College Principal and former Chair, The Scouts. Pro Chancellor, University of Surrey, and Chair of City & Guilds Foundation, Lloyds Bank Foundation, and The King’s Foundation
    3. Brenda Dacres OBE – Mayor of Lewisham
    4. Carol Linforth OBE – Lately Labour Party Chief of Staff – Operations
    5. Catherine MacLeod – Former journalist and political adviser, Visiting Professor at King’s College London and Non-Executive Director at the Scotland Office
    6. David Isaac CBE – Provost of Worcester College, Oxford, Chair of the University of the Arts London, Chair of the Henry Moore Foundation, and a trustee of Cumberland Lodge
    7. David Pitt-Watson – Responsible Investment Expert. Co-founder and former CEO of the Equity Ownership Service and Focus Funds at Federated Hermes
    8. Farmida Bi CBE – Chair of Norton Rose Fulbright LLP, Vice-Chair of the Disasters Emergency Committee
    9. Professor Geeta Nargund – Founder and former Medical Director of Create Fertility. Founder and Trustee of Health Equality Foundation
    10. Katie Martin – Lately, Chief of Staff to the Chancellor of the Exchequer
    11. Joe Docherty – Chair of Northern Powergrid Foundation and Trustee, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, former Chair of Council, Durham University
    12. Len (Leonard) Duvall OBE – Chair of the London Assembly and Leader of the London Assembly Labour Group
    13. Matthew Doyle – Former Director of Communications to the Prime Minister and for the Labour Party
    14. Sir Michael Barber – Chancellor, University of Exeter and adviser to the Prime Minister on effective delivery
    15. Neena Gill CBE – Former Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands
    16. Nick (Nicholas) Forbes CBE – Chair, Breaking Down Barriers Commission and former Labour Leader, Newcastle City Council
    17. Peter Babudu – Executive Director of Impact on Urban Health, former councillor in Southwark
    18. Peter John OBE – Former Southwark Leader and former Chair of London Councils.
    19. Richard Walker OBE – Founder and Chairman, Bywater and Executive Chairman, Iceland Foods
    20. Russell Hobby CBE – CEO, The Kemnal Academies Trust, former CEO, Teach First and former General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers
    21. Cllr. Dr Sara Hyde – Fabian Society Chair and Islington council’s Executive Member for Health and Social Care
    22. Cllr. Shama Tatler – Brent Councillor and Vice-Chair of the London Labour Regional Executive, Patron of the Labour Housing Group and Head of the Labour Group Office at the Local Government Association
    23. Dr Sophy Antrobus MBE – Senior Research Fellow and Co-Director of the Freeman Air and Space Institute at King’s College London
    24. Tracey Paul – Chief Communications Officer at Pool Reinsurance and former policy advisor
    25. Uday Nagaraju – Technology Consultant, Politician and Founder of AI Policy Labs

    Nominations from the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party:

    1. Mike Dixon – Chief Executive of the Liberal Democrats. Former charity leader and Government policy adviser
    2. Dominic Hubbard (Lord Addington) – Liberal Democrat spokesperson for disabilities in the House of Lords and Honorary President of the British Dyslexia Association
    3. Rhiannon Leaman – Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Liberal Democrats
    4. John Russell (Earl Russell) – Liberal Democrat spokesperson for energy and climate change in the House of Lords
    5. Sarah Teather – Charity leader, former MP for Brent East and Brent Central and former Minister of State at the Department for Education

    Nominations from the Leader of the Conservatives:

    1. Sharron Davies MBE – Campaigner for Women’s Rights & Olympic Swimming Silver Medallist for Great Britain 
    2. Simon Heffer – Professor of Modern British History at the University of Buckingham and a historian, journalist, author and political commentator
    3. The Rt Hon Sir John Redwood – Former Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament for Wokingham

    Nominations for Crossbench Peerages:

    1. Charles Kinnoull (The Earl of Kinnoull) DL – Convenor of the Crossbench Peers, Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords, former Chair of the House of Lords European Union Committee