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  • PRESS RELEASE : UK and Czechia to lead global race on small modular reactors [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK and Czechia to lead global race on small modular reactors [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 14 July 2025.

    British workers will further benefit from a new generation of nuclear power.

    • Golden age of nuclear receives a major new boost, as the Prime Minister and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala sign first of a kind partnership at Downing Street today
    • both countries will now work closer together on small modular reactors to seize export opportunities, support highly-skilled jobs, boost economic growth and deliver clean, homegrown energy as part of the Plan for Change
    • follows government backing for new nuclear at the Spending Review, including selection of Rolls-Royce SMR as the preferred bidder to build the UK’s first small modular reactors and £14.2 billion investment to build Sizewell C

    British workers will further benefit from a new generation of nuclear power, as the government signs a landmark agreement with Czechia to kickstart the next chapter in the UK’s golden age of nuclear and secure high-skilled jobs.

    Today’s agreement, set to be signed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala at Downing Street, will unlock new opportunities for industrial collaboration and the potential for the UK and Czechia to export small modular reactors to other countries in Europe.

    It will also support the delivery of up to six new reactors in Czechia by Rolls-Royce SMR, potentially worth billions of pounds.

    It comes after Rolls Royce SMR and the Czechia’s largest public company, ČEZ, agreed last year to partner on SMR, with ČEZ acquiring a 20% stake.

    The leaders will also host a business roundtable as part of the visit to drive closer trade and investment links between the UK and Czechia to support working people.

    Building more nuclear will help drive the UK’s energy security, as part of the government’s mission to protect family finances by replacing the UK’s dependency on fossil fuel markets controlled by dictators with clean power that we control.

    Small modular reactors are also smaller and quicker to build than traditional nuclear plants, with costs likely to come down as units are rolled out, helping to delivering clean, homegrown energy for British billpayers.

    The government’s clean energy mission is the only route to energy security, lower bills and good jobs for the country. Investment is already booming, with over £40 billion of private investment in clean energy announced since last July.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    This agreement is about delivering for Britain – cleaner energy, better jobs, and greater security.

    By working with our Czech partners on small modular reactors, we’re backing British engineering, strengthening our industrial base, and putting the UK in a leading position to export the technologies of the future.

    This is our Plan for Change in action, taking practical steps to rebuild our economy, bring down bills, and give working people a stake in our clean energy transition.

    Petr Fiala, Prime Minister of Czechia, said:

    Nuclear energy holds significant potential for the coming years, as the sector is undergoing a true renaissance. That is why I am especially pleased that ČEZ and Rolls-Royce will cooperate on the development and production of small modular reactors. This collaboration will bring tangible benefits to both Czech and British economies, including job creation.

    The Czech Republic and the United Kingdom share a common approach to energy policy, and we have a very similar vision of what the future of energy should look like. We see the ideal energy mix as a combination of large nuclear power plants, small modular reactors and renewable energy sources.

    I am confident that this partnership with the United Kingdom will help us ensure energy security and affordable energy for future generations — a key priority of our government.

    UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

    This government is driving to make the UK a clean energy superpower, replacing our dependence on fossil fuel markets controlled by petrostates with clean homegrown power we control.

    Nuclear power is an essential part of that, which is why this government is ending years of a no-nuclear status quo to seize the benefits of a nuclear golden age for Britain.

    This agreement will put the UK back where it belongs – at the very forefront of the global race on nuclear, working in lockstep with our Czech partners to deliver economic growth, clean energy and highly-skilled jobs for both nations.

    According to the International Energy Agency, the global SMR market is projected to reach up to nearly £500 billion by 2050, with today’s announcement giving the UK and Czechia the competitive advantage as frontrunners in the global race to build and export new nuclear technology.

    This follows Rolls-Royce SMR being selected as the preferred bidder to partner with Great British Energy – Nuclear to develop small modular reactors, subject to final government approvals and contract signature – unlocking a new golden age of nuclear in the UK.

    As part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy to revive Britain’s industrial heartlands, the government has pledged over £2.5 billion for the overall small modular reactor programme – with this project potentially supporting up to 3,000 new skilled jobs and powering the equivalent of around 3 million homes with clean, secure homegrown energy.

    Great British Energy – Nuclear is aiming to allocate a site later this year and connect projects to the grid in the mid-2030s. Once small modular reactors and Sizewell C come online in the 2030s, combined with the new station at Hinkley Point C, this will deliver more nuclear to the grid than over the previous half century.

    Last week, during the President Macron’s State Visit to the UK, French energy giant EDF confirmed it will take a 12.5% stake in Sizewell C, taking the project one step closer to being given the green light. At peak construction, Sizewell C will support 10,000 jobs, and thousands more in the nationwide supply chain, and create 1,500 apprenticeships.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Trade win unlocks £250 million for British firms in Vietnam [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Trade win unlocks £250 million for British firms in Vietnam [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 14 July 2025.

    Trade win unlocks £250 million in exports for British pharmaceutical firms in Vietnam.

    • Major pharmaceutical trade barrier with Vietnam removed as bilateral trade increased by £1.2 billion in current prices to £8.1 billion in 2024 in boost to UK economy
    • Pharmaceutical sectors given boost making it faster and cheaper to sell UK medicines to Vietnam
    • Trade Strategy in action as UK continues to eye fast deals across the globe for key industries to create jobs and boost innovation as part of our Plan for Change

    British pharmaceutical companies are set to gain up to £250 million over the next five years as part of a Vietnamese law change that makes it easier to sell UK-made medicines to the country.

    The announcement comes ahead of the latest Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) today [14 July] co-chaired by Trade Minister Douglas Alexander and Vice Minister Nguyen Hoang Long.

    The meeting aims to deepen trade ties – which have risen to more than £8 billion – and remove barriers for UK businesses in key sectors like healthcare, finance, and clean energy – which will boost growth to deliver for working people as part of the Plan for Change.

    It follows the launch of the UK’s landmark Trade Strategy which aims to secure more nimble deals while promoting sectors like financial services and renewable energy which drive the most economic growth.

    Thanks to UK government efforts, Vietnam has changed its laws to streamline the registration of new medicines and vaccines, now recognising approvals from trusted international regulators such as the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

    It opens to the door to more commercial opportunities for UK companies who can avoid time-consuming paperwork and expensive legal processes if their products have been approved in the last five years by the MHRA, making it cheaper, quicker and easier to sell products to Vietnam.

    The JETCO will reflect the UK’s goal of deepening ties with fast-growing economies in Asia while supporting key sectors like life sciences, education, and green energy – core pillars of the UK’s Industrial Strategy.

    Renewable energy will be on today’s agenda as both countries pledge to work together to support the development of Vietnam’s renewable energy sector, particularly around offshore wind, with the industry in the UK forecast to support 100,000 jobs by 2030.

    Trade Minister Douglas Alexander said:

    Vietnam is today a dynamic, fast-growing economy.

    The removal of pharmaceutical barriers with one of our closest trading partners in Asia is a boost for the UK pharmaceutical industry and proof our Industrial and Trade Strategies are already delivering.

    The UK is committed to strengthening its relationship with Vietnam, which is witnessing rapid economic growth and fast becoming a major global manufacturing base for electronics, textiles, and renewable energy.

    Discussions will also celebrate the good news for our world-leading financial services sector as the government commits support for Vietnam to design its first International Finance Centre in Ho Chi Minh City which is expected to streamline regulations and encourage international investments, making it simpler for British firms to trade with Vietnam.

    The swift removal of pharmaceutical barriers and progress on financial and energy collaborations with Vietnam demonstrates the government is securing quick wins through nimble, targeted interventions and delivering on the key ambitions of the newly launched Trade Strategy.

    Miles Celic OBE, Chief Executive Officer, TheCityUK, said:

    There is great potential for British firms and other international investors in Vietnam; it is a rapidly growing market with increasing demand for sophisticated financial products. There are also mutual benefits to be gained through sharing expertise in areas such as green finance, innovation, and digital transformation.

    We’ve been working closely with the UK Government and British Embassy in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to help lay the groundwork for the development of an international financial and business centre in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang and are very supportive of the government’s commitment to support its creation and its contribution to Vietnam’s economic growth and net-zero agenda.

    Dr. Stephen Wyatt, Director – Strategy and Emerging Technology, ORE Catapult said:

    Viet Nam’s ambitious Net Zero targets include up to 100GW of offshore wind by 2050, positioning it as one of the most exciting new markets for offshore wind globally.  We are pleased to be able to support the Vietnamese offshore wind sector by sharing knowledge and experience gained through over 20 years of offshore wind development in the UK.

    We look forward to continuing our involvement in Viet Nam over the coming year, building strategic relationships with key supply chain and local development partners to open mutually beneficial opportunities for UK and Vietnamese companies to work together in the future.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Backing British Industry – Government launches £2.5bn DRIVE35 programme to power UK auto investment and jobs [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Backing British Industry – Government launches £2.5bn DRIVE35 programme to power UK auto investment and jobs [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 13 July 2025.

    UK auto firms will benefit from a £2.5 billion commitment over the next decade that will support thousands of jobs and help ensure the UK remains at the forefront of zero-emission vehicle development.

    • UK auto sector boosted by £2.5 billion under DRIVE35, as government launches new and improved funding competitions, supporting projects which help the transition to zero-emission vehicle manufacturing.
    • Package forms part of the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy, which takes bold ambition to significantly increase business investment in the advanced manufacturing sector by 2035.
    • Government also announces over £300 million of investment for specific auto projects, supporting the UK’s thousands of high-value manufacturing jobs and delivering on the Plan for Change.

    UK auto firms will benefit from a £2.5 billion commitment over the next decade that will support thousands of jobs and help ensure the UK remains at the forefront of zero-emission vehicle development.

    Government is today announcing the launch of DRIVE35, comprising new and improved funding competitions that will support UK businesses. The programme will fund a wide spectrum of projects which help the transition to zero-emission vehicle manufacturing – targeting established high-volume manufacturing and multi-billion-pound gigafactories, all the way to start-ups, prototypes and cutting-edge automotive innovation.

    The new programme was announced in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, part of the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy. It will commit £2 billion in funding to 2030 alongside an additional £500m for research and development to 2035, signalling a ten-year commitment to UK automotive innovation.

    The cash will provide certainty to the sector, give innovators the confidence to invest in the UK and will support the latest in research and development, unlocking capital investment in zero emission vehicles, batteries and their supply chains.

    The automotive sector contributed £21.4 billion in GVA to the economy in 2024 and currently employs 132,000 people across all parts of the UK – including many highly-skilled, highly-paid roles, and apprenticeships. The transition to zero emissions is the biggest opportunity of the 21st century to attract investment, harness British innovation, and deliver growth for generations to come.

    The UK was also the largest EV market in Europe in 2024 and the third in the world with over 382,000 EVs sold – up a fifth on the previous year. There are now more than 82,000 public chargepoints in the UK – with one added every half an hour – ensuring that motorists are always a short drive from a socket.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    We’re helping British carmakers get to the front of the pack by working hand in hand with investors to build a globally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK as we deliver our Plan for Change.

    We’re taking action to back the industry for the future with the biggest set of announcements for the sector in the last decade. This includes securing a landmark trade deal with the US to bring down tariffs for British car manufacturers, measures in our modern Industrial Strategy to lower electricity prices and updating the ZEV mandate, supporting UK manufacturers to safeguard jobs, and secure the future of the sector.

    Economic growth is our number one priority, and by funding our world leading auto sector we are creating the right conditions for increased investment, bringing growth, jobs, and opportunities to every part of the UK.

    The funding announced today forms part of government’s bold ambition to significantly increase business investment in the advanced manufacturing sector by 2035, giving British firms an edge in the frontier industries of the future and driving growth across the UK.

    DRIVE35 will build on previous successes with the Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) and the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) R&D competitions, which between them leveraged over £6 billion of investment from the private sector, creating thousands of jobs across the UK economy.

    The Department for Business and Trade today also announces over £300 million for specific UK automotive manufacturing firms and projects. This includes over £100 million of capital investment for UK automotive manufacturing via the ATF, approximately £140 million in combined Government and industry R&D investment, and £18 million from the new £150m Connected & Automated Mobility (CAM) Pathfinder programme.

    With Government support, Bolton is set to benefit from over £100 million in investment from Astemo Ltd., which will be vital to the production of electric vehicle (EV) components in the UK. This investment will produce new generations of electric inverters, supporting over 220 direct high-value jobs in the region and hundreds more in the wider UK supply chain.

    The West Midlands will also welcome a recent £15 million investment from Dana to produce parts that are crucial for EV manufacturing. Dana’s investment will ensure skilled jobs in the region, supporting over 100 direct jobs over the long term.

    Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive said:

    The creation of this dedicated automotive programme is further evidence of the sector’s importance to economic growth. Delivered as part of the Industrial Strategy, DRIVE35 has the potential to unlock investment and innovation in the UK, supporting jobs and creating wealth across the country. The importance of a long term, cross-government strategy with specific measures for automotive cannot be understated given the challenges facing the sector amid geopolitical uncertainty and fierce global competition. DRIVE35, and the wider measures identified in the Industrial Strategy, must now be implemented at pace to ensure the UK is amongst the leaders in next generation automotive technologies.

    Ian Constance, CEO, Advanced Propulsion Centre UK and Zenzic said:

    This new investment underlines the commitment from Government to secure advanced manufacturing in the UK. I am pleased that the APC, Zenzic, and its delivery partners are here to facilitate a new wave of funding in the automotive industry, supporting innovation, driving scale-up, and enabling transformation.

    Today, we have announced projects receiving four types of grants that boost the UK’s leadership in automotive manufacturing. They will enable the rapid development of demonstrators featuring cutting-edge technology, accelerate ambitious SMEs, and support vital collaborative R&D innovation. This will encourage further investment in the UK’s growing zero-emission supply chain, safeguarding skilled jobs, building on the country’s reputation as a world-leader for technology.

    Thanks to the wide range of eligible technologies under the new competitions, DRIVE35 funding will benefit UK auto businesses of all sizes and maturities, from small-scale innovators to large-scale established global companies. Through targeted investment for successful project applicants, the programme will create tens of thousands of new jobs, stimulate billions in economic growth and investment, and cut millions of tonnes CO2 emissions.

    The programme will provide a more impactful offering for investors across three streamlined pillars: Transformation, Scale Up and Innovation. Tomorrow the government will open the following competitions across the DRIVE35 programme:

    • Automotive Transformation Fund: A new and improved capital funding offer under DRIVE35’s keystone Transformation pillar, supporting large-scale capital investments in the UK, and now with a widened technology scope.
    • Scale Up Feasibility Studies: R&D funding to support businesses with strategic thinking on opportunities to scale, creating a pipeline of exciting decision-ready auto projects for UK investment.
    • Innovation competitions: Through DRIVE35’s Collaborate and Demonstrate streams, we will build on over a decade of success to support both early-stage and late-stage R&D projects involving innovative technologies and processes.

    DRIVE35 will continue the successes of the UK’s world-leading achievements in R&D. As an example, this government has recently committed a combined £70 million of R&D grant funding for over 50 innovative automotive projects. The programme will be delivered by DBT in partnership with APC UK and Innovate UK.

    Combined with industry funding, this totals £140 million in new investment for UK R&D. These projects will support technologies including batteries, energy storage, lightweighting and power electronics. Successful applicants include Mercedes and JLR.

    Notes to editors:

    The winners of the R&D competitions are as follows:

    Mobilise: An SME accelerator programme for zero-emission vehicle-related technology, as well as innovations in connected and automated mobility (CAM), and automotive software.

    • Allye Energy – London
    • Antobot – South East, Chelmsford
    • Cellmine – Scotland, Livingstone
    • Drisq – West Midlands, Malvern
    • ELEVEN – West Midlands, Worcester
    • Evie Autonomous – West Midlands, Stoke-On-Trent
    • High Temperature Material Systems (HTMS) – South West, Bristol
    • Infiniti Recycling – South East, Cambridge
    • Kuasasemi – Wales, Cardiff
    • Lightning Tree Advanced Materials – London
    • Minimal – London
    • Muon Tech – West Midlands, Leamington Spa
    • Otaski Energy Solutions – North East, Gateshead
    • Saif Autonomy – South East, Cambridgeshire
    • Senergy Innovations – Northern Ireland, Carryduff
    • Super6 – London
    • Talos Technology – South East, Banbury

    Collaborate: Grants fund projects where companies, and academic institutions, form a consortium to take a product or process to commercial readiness. Please note, these are the lead partners only – there are several partners in each consortium.

    • Ionic Technologies International – Northern Ireland, Belfast
    • Mint Innovation – West Midlands, Coventry
    • Mercedes Amg High Performance Powertrains – East Midlands, Northamptonshire
    • Jaguar Land Rover – West Midlands, Coventry
    • Phinia Delphi UK – South West, Gloucestershire

    Demonstrate: Grants are for companies that are earlier in their product or process development or need a short, sharp sprint to get where they want to be. Please note that these are the lead partners.

    • Cummins UK – Yorkshire And The Humber, Huddersfield
    • Oxlid – East Midlands, Nottingham
    • Thermulon – London
    • Expert Tooling & Automation – West Midlands, Coventry
    • Cool Van Ltd – North West – Barnoldswick
    • Jaguar Land Rover – West Midlands, Warwick
    • Batri – Wales, Bridgend
    • Magnetic Systems Technology – Yorkshire and the Humber, Rotherham
    • Leyland Trucks – North West, Leyland
    • Project Four Design – West Midlands, Warwick
    • Fluorok – South East, Oxford
    • Hydrostar UK – South West, Exeter
    • Lorillion – West Midlands, Coventry
    • Talos Consulting Services – South East, Banbury
    • Ford Motor Company – South East, Essex
    • Advanced Electric Machines – North East, Washington
    • Maeving – West Midlands, Coventry
    • Fering Technologies – London
    • Green Lithium Refining – North East, Teesside
    • Mercedes Amg High Performance Powertrains – East Midlands, Northamptonshire
    • Watt Electric Vehicle Company – South West, Worcester
    • Electrified Automation – South West, Bridgwater
    • Ulemco – North West, Liverpool
    • Clean Air Power Gt – East Midlands, Melton Mowbray
    • Donut Lab Development UK – South West, Chippenham
    • Electric Aviation Group – South West, Bristol
    • Project Four Design – West Midlands, Warwick
    • Altilium Metals – South West, Plymouth
    • Inetic – Southampton
    • Morris Commercial – West Midlands, Evesham
    • Ilika Technologies – South East, Hampshire
    • Mcmurtry Automotive – South West, Wotton-Under-Edge
    • Yasa – South East, Oxford
    • Phoenix Carbon – East Of England, Stowmarket
  • PRESS RELEASE : New £63 million boost for Britain’s electric vehicle revolution [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : New £63 million boost for Britain’s electric vehicle revolution [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 13 July 2025.

    Funding will help to build a fairer, cleaner future where every family can benefit from cheaper, greener transport.

    • major boost to charging investment to break down barriers to electric vehicle ownership and boost charging infrastructure across the UK, cutting costs for families, businesses and the public sector
    • £63 million package to support at-home charging for households without driveways, transition NHS fleets to save millions for the health service in England, create thousands of chargepoints at business depots across the UK
    • builds on £400 million invested in charging infrastructure and recent Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate updates to kickstart economic growth, create thousands of green jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets as part of the Plan for Change

    Drivers across England are set to benefit as the government today (13 July 2025) announces a £63 million investment package to supercharge Britain’s electric vehicle infrastructure, driving down charging costs and putting money back in the pockets of working people as part of the Plan for Change.

    A pioneering £25 million scheme for local authorities will expand access to cheaper at-home charging. This will provide access to cheaper household rates, allowing consumers to save up to £1,500 a year compared to running a petrol or diesel car, transforming how thousands of households without driveways power up their electric cars.

    The innovative cross-pavement technology will allow cables to run safely beneath pavements, connecting homes directly to parked vehicles, enabling more families to tap into cheaper domestic electricity rates for as little as 2 pence per mile even if they don’t have a driveway.

    Standing firmly on the side of British drivers, this latest investment is part of our major plan to support motorists, including a record £1.6 billion invested to tackle potholes and bring down and frozen fuel duty at 5p until Spring 2026, saving the average motorist £50 to £60 over the year.

    This investment underpins the government’s Plan for Change mission to kickstart economic growth and make life easier for working people, ensuring the transition to net zero delivers for working families whilst creating good jobs and driving economic growth across all regions of the UK.

    Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:

    We are making it easier and cheaper to own an electric vehicle. We know access to charging is a barrier for people thinking of making the switch, so we are tackling that head on so that everyone – whether or not they have a driveway – can access the benefits of going electric.

    Our investment is about more than just charging points – it’s about charging up Britain’s economy. I’m proud that through this boost, we are helping deliver cheaper bills for families, massive savings for the NHS to reinvest in patient care, and thousands of new green jobs.

    This is what our Plan for Change mission to kickstart Britain’s economy looks like in practice. We’re not just boosting charging infrastructure, we’re building a fairer, cleaner future where every family can benefit from cheaper, greener transport, whilst creating thousands of good jobs across the country.

    In a pioneering move to help EV drivers plug into the rapidly expanding charging network, government is also modernising EV charging signage on major roads. EV charging hubs have more than doubled since the beginning of 2023 and immediate changes will allow larger EV charging hubs to be signposted from major A-roads for the first time. Government is committed to boosting charging for long journeys, with £400 million announced in the Spending Review to support charging infrastructure, including on the strategic road network.

    Alongside the boosts for electric car drivers, the government is also launching a major new grant scheme to help businesses install charging points at depots nationwide, supporting the nation’s heavy goods vehicles, vans and coach drivers in the transition to zero emissions.

    The action follows recent updates to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate to make it easier for the sector to switch to electric as part of government’s ongoing work to back British manufacturing. With over 1.2 million people employed in the freight and logistics sector in the UK alone, today’s announcement is the latest move to keep industry at the forefront of international competition in the face of global economic headwinds.

    Over 1,200 new charging sockets will deliver a more efficient, modern health system whilst generating millions in cost savings over the next two decades for the taxpayer on maintenance and fuel costs – valuable savings that can be prioritised for patient care and help rebuild the NHS.

    Owning and buying an EV is becoming increasingly cheaper, with 2 in 5 of used electric cars sold at under £20,000 and 34 brand new electric cars are available from under £30,000.

    The UK was also the largest EV market in Europe in 2024 and the third in the world with over 382,000 EVs sold – up a fifth on the previous year. There are now more than 82,000 public chargepoints in the UK – with one added every 30 minutes – ensuring that motorists are always a short drive from a socket.

    Health Minister Karin Smyth said:

    This is a win-win: cheaper travel for the NHS and cleaner air for our communities.

    As part of our Plan for Change, we’re investing in green energy to build an NHS fit for the future — cutting pollution and saving millions in fuel costs.

    Edmund King, AA president, said:

    There are more public chargers than people realise, but they are often hidden in plain sight. Increasing signs for the public network is vital to help the EV transition as it will create confidence for drivers both now and in the future.

    It is great to see more support for those without off-street parking so that they can also benefit from the EV revolution.

    Delvin Lane, CEO, InstaVolt said:

    We are pleased that the government has taken the crucial step of delivering official EV charging signage on the strategic road network – a move we believe will improve consumer confidence and bolster EV adoption. This marks a major milestone for the EV industry and drivers across the UK.

    At InstaVolt, we have been relentless in our campaigning and have built a strong, collaborative relationship with the government to push this initiative forward. Our opinion research suggests that the rollout of clear, official signage will make a significant difference—helping EV drivers easily locate public charging points while on the move, and reassuring those considering making the switch to electric vehicles.

    For years, we have emphasized that the UK’s public EV infrastructure, so critical to mass adoption, is already largely in place, and now this signage will finally showcase it to drivers in a visible, accessible way.”

    As the UK’s largest ultra-rapid public charging network with over 2,000 chargers nationwide, InstaVolt is proud to be at the forefront of this transformation and excited to see how these signs will accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.

    Ian Johnston, CEO, Osprey:

    Signage impacts all the UK’s drivers because consumers need to see it to believe it. Osprey have tirelessly highlighted the benefit that clear EV road signage would bring to drivers looking to make the switch and to the charging businesses installing the critical infrastructure underpinning transport decarbonisation.

    This is a welcome first step and we look forward to continuing to work closely with ministers and officials to achieve clear signage for the hundreds of high-quality EV charging hubs being opened across the nation.

    NHS Chief Sustainability Officer Chris Gormley said:

    The NHS has already implemented hundreds of projects that reduce emissions and drive significant cost savings, all while improving patient care.

    This new £8 million investment, across 62 NHS Trusts and around 224 sites, supports the renewed commitment in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan to deliver a more sustainable NHS while also helping hospitals to save millions on fuel and maintenance costs and reducing air pollution. These savings can be reinvested directly into frontline care, ensuring the NHS continues to deliver for our patients and communities.

    Vicky Read, CEO of ChargeUK said:

    With 82,000 public charge points already installed across the UK, this positive action on strategic road signage will help more drivers see the extensive charging network that’s rapidly being built across the country. This has been a priority for our industry and will boost consumer confidence in making the switch to electric vehicles.

    Our members are investing £6 billion to ensure the deployment of charging infrastructure stays ahead of demand. Today’s announcement shows government recognising the vital role charging plays in the transition, and we look forward to working together to maintain the UK’s position as Europe’s leading EV market.

  • David Lammy – 2025 Speech on Diplomacy in the Digital Age

    David Lammy – 2025 Speech on Diplomacy in the Digital Age

    The speech made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, at the British High Commission in Singapore on 12 July 2025.

    It’s great to be here today.

    As you have heard, I recently marked 25 years as a member of Parliament and this week one year as Foreign Secretary. It’s a pleasure to visit your great country following your sixtieth birthday as a nation.

    Whenever I’ve come to Singapore and the wider ASEAN region, I’m struck by the innovative spirit, the creativity and the optimism.

    Sixty years ago, Prime Minister Harold Wilson talked of the “white heat of technology” transforming British society and industry. Today, the whole world is being radically reconfigured by technology, but nowhere faster, or more successfully, than here.

    I’m particularly pleased to be here after my second ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in Malaysia. In Laos last year, I promised to reconnect Britain to the Indo-Pacific and that is well underway.

    In just over a year, I’ve made 5 visits spanning 10 countries to the region. I’ve no doubt this will rise during my time in this job.

    The Indo-Pacific matters to the UK. ASEAN will be the world’s fastest-growing economic bloc over the next decade. Your investments into Britain like Malaysian firm SMD Semiconductor’s new R&D hub in Wales, your market of 700 million consumers are a huge part of our growth ambitions.

    Over the past year, we have been delivering on our promise to bring our economies closer together. Our CPTPP membership now ratified, our free trade agreement with India now signed our Industrial and Trade Strategies now published all speak to a hugely ambitious future for Britain in the Indo-Pacific.

    But we want to go much further.  We’re working with ASEAN on their Power Grid and economic resilience.  We support CPTPP widening, deepening, and starting dialogues with trading blocs like ASEAN and the EU.

    We are exploring other agreements, too, like a deeper FTA with South Korea or accession to the Digital Economic Partnership Agreement which Singapore co-founded. Today’s ‘digital trade’ will tomorrow simply be ‘trade’, and Britain is committed to making it faster, cheaper and easier.

    As you in Singapore know very well this region is the crucible for global security. Partner countries like Britain must stand up for an open, stable and rules-based international system because our region’s security and your region’s security are inextricably linked.

    Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine drove market turbulence in Asia. Any major supply chain disruption in Asia could push prices up in Britain. If we have learnt one lesson over the past decade, it is that economic security does not respect borders.

    That is why Britain’s new National Security Strategy recommitted to the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Our Carrier Strike Group recently sailed through your waters – a deployment involving 12 other nations.

    We’re deepening our many regional security partnerships including AUKUS and the Five Power Defence Arrangements.

    HMS Prince of Wales, as we’ve heard, is participating in Exercise Bersama Lima in September and the Malaysian chair kindly invited me to the ASEAN Regional Forum just yesterday, where I underlined British support for ASEAN centrality and our growing cooperation against transnational crime and illicit finance.

    In Singapore, you have proven over generations that it is not size which determines success it is strategic clarity. This is true of technology more than any other area. Singapore has shown what’s possible when digital innovation is matched with long-term thinking and national purpose.

    Back in 1981, when most of us were still working out what a computer was, your leaders set up a National Computerisation Committee. In 2014, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong launched the whole-of-government Smart Nation initiative. Then in 2019, Teo Chee Hean unveiled a National AI Strategy.

    Each time, your leaders were ahead of the game. Each time there was a broader lesson. Singapore didn’t get ahead by throwing money at the private sector and hoping for the best.

    Instead, you built serious public capability like SingPass, thanks to deep technical expertise inside government and investments in areas like compute and data infrastructure.

    Starting in this job, I said that Britain needed to do more listening and less lecturing. A huge part of my trip this week has been to listen and, I hope, learn lessons on how we can pursue a similarly long-term strategy embracing technology. That vision must include specific focus on the intersection of AI and diplomacy.

    This is not yet a staple of foreign ministry and foreign ministers’ discussions at least in my experience. But I believe that unless we lift our heads above the rat-race of crises and summits and examine the longer-term trends reshaping our world we will be boiled like the proverbial frog.

    AI is not just the next rung in the technological ladder. It will deliver a paradigm shift in the distribution and exercise of power. It will redefine how nations project influence how threats emerge and how we defend ourselves. It will therefore transform how diplomacy is conducted.

    As Prime Minister Wong said earlier this year: “The once-rising tide of global cooperation that defined the past decades is giving way to one of growing competition and distrust.  As a result, the world is becoming more fragmented and disorderly”.

    There is much evidence of emerging technology catalysing the deterioration of both domestic and international norms. AI is at the spearhead of hybrid threats like disinformation. It is not enough for responsible states to complain about others’ reckless behaviour.

    If we do not invest in gaining technological edge then our influence will inevitably decline. So today I want to outline a more hopeful vision of a sovereign, AI-enabled foreign policy.

    I am proud of the role British diplomacy played at the Bletchley AI Safety Summit, our creation of the AI Security Institute, our plans for a new counter-hybrid taskforce in the FCDO to ready us for this new age.

    I’m pleased also to see our work with Singapore in areas such as Responsible AI in the Military Realm and with ASEAN on AI for development.

    But there has been little discussion between Britain and partners in the Indo-Pacific and beyond on how to use AI and advanced technology to make our diplomacy more effective.

    I am determined to address this gap as Foreign Secretary, bringing AI to the centre of the FCDO’s policy machine. Like most foreign ministries, too many Foreign Office practices have changed little over the past half century. But the old levers of government – briefings, memos, lengthy debates on drafting – are too slow and cumbersome for the pace of modern statecraft.

    In an age of ever-accelerating speed and complexity we need the tools to match. Let me be clear: AI will obviously not solve foreign policy. It will not eliminate risk, nor remove the need for careful human judgement and the ability of people to build trusting relationships, as I have been doing with ASEAN partners this week.

    Diplomacy in 2025 needs machine speed and a human touch. It can help us to make better decisions amidst rising uncertainty. It can improve our ability to detect early signals of crisis, to simulate the likely effects of policy choices and to respond with speed and confidence.

    Imagine for a moment an AI-powered unit at the heart of a foreign ministry. That could catalyse patterns of military movement, energy flows, and online narratives, model how a diplomatic crisis in one part of the world will have ripple effects elsewhere, red-team our response to a crisis – attacking our own policies before others can. Or flag emerging risks that human analysts might miss, especially when they emerge in grey zones favoured by adversaries.

    These capabilities are not science fiction. They are already being employed. The United States’ DARPA and KAIROS projects already simulate complex political developments and anticipate conflict escalation. Estonia’s STRATCOM Centre uses AI-enabled systems to detect disinformation campaigns in real time.

    Of course, Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry uses predictive analytics to flag risks to critical supply chains.

    The question before us is not whether AI will shape foreign policy. It is who will shape it, and how.

    In the British Foreign Office, this government is investing £290 million in reforming our Department, helping to equip our teams with the capabilities and technologies that the modern era demands.

    But outside of the United States and China, no country has the scale to deliver all the capabilities we need independently.

    My call today is therefore for more collaboration, more AI diplomacy within a perimeter of values. I want partners such as Britain and Singapore to align standards, share tools and develop models that reflect our shared principles.

    Deep bilateral partnerships will be at the core of Britain’s approach. For us, our special relationship with the United States will remain foundational rooted in particular on our deep security links.

    With the European Union, we can pursue AI cooperation through the prism of foreign policy and security, not just regulation, and I will be discussing this with Kaja Kallas as part of our recently agreed Security and Defence Partnership.

    With India through the ‘Technology Security Initiative’ we agreed last year, we will focus collaboration more sharply in critical and emerging technologies.

    And with other Indo-Pacific partners I hope that we can build on initiatives like the UK-ASEAN AI Innovation Summit later this year and extend cooperation to AI-enabled foreign policy.

    I said that you in Singapore have shown the power of long-term thinking. The importance of a long-term vision, and I hope we can apply that same approach to breaking down the silos between foreign policy and technology.

    We live in a volatile world. Technology is reshaping our societies, making power more diffuse. Nations like Britain and Singapore need to equip ourselves with the tools to navigate these shifts and that means fusing AI and diplomacy, focusing on a long view of change and doubling down on our shared interests.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New panel of young people to shape the Government’s Youth Guarantee [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : New panel of young people to shape the Government’s Youth Guarantee [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 11 July 2025.

    Young people with experience of being out of education, employment and training will help shape policy as part of a new Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel.

    • New panel of young people to advise the Government on shaping employment support for the next generation launched in Youth Employment Week.
    • Group identifies mental health challenges and a lack of focus on apprenticeships in schools as some of the biggest barriers to getting into work or training.
    • Panel marks major milestone in building the Youth Guarantee to give every 18-21-year-old the chance to earn or learn and break down barriers to opportunity as part of the Plan for Change.

    Young people with experience of being out of education, employment and training will help shape policy as part of a new Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel.

    The panel, made up of 17 young people aged 18 to 24, will regularly meet to discuss the biggest barriers they face to building their careers and advise what can be done to break these down.

    It comes as the latest data shows one in eight young people are currently not in education, employment or training – demonstrating the urgent need for reform to ensure the next generation get the support they need to get on in work and in life.

    Officially launched in Youth Employment Week, the step to put young people’s voices at the heart of decision-making marks another major milestone in building the Government’s Youth Guarantee to ensure all 18-to-21-year-olds in England get the chance to earn or learn.

    Panel members were recruited with the help of our partners, Youth Futures Foundation and Youth Employment UK. These key organisations support the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education to run the sessions.

    Early insight from the panel has found that some of the most significant obstacles include mental health challenges and an overemphasis in school on UCAS applications instead of tailored careers advice, including alternative options like apprenticeships and training. Lack of public transport and access to digital tools and devices have also been raised as barriers.

    The Government has already started making changes to address these challenges – including reforming the apprenticeship system, providing access to mental health support in every school and college and maintaining the £3 bus fare cap on single bus fares in England outside of London.

    This comes alongside wider Get Britain Working reforms to transform Jobcentres and roll out eight Youth Guarantee trailblazers across England to test and deliver targeted skills and employment support for young people.

    All views shared in the panel meetings will go on to inform policy to ensure that the Youth Guarantee best serves young people.

    Giving every young person the best start in life is central to the Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity in every part of the country as part of the Plan for Change.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

    Young people know better than anyone the challenges they face – and the support they need to succeed.

    That’s why their voices will shape how we will deliver a Youth Guarantee that truly works, opening up real opportunities for every 18-to-21-year-old to be in work, training or education.

    Backed by our £45 million investment in targeted youth employment support, this is about unlocking potential, tackling inequality and transforming lives.

    Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

    For too long, young people have been talked down to and had their opinions dismissed. The Youth Advisory Panel’s contributions so far have been incredibly insightful, and we are already starting to implement some of their suggestions.

    We have started to reform the apprenticeship system, reprioritising funding to young people, cutting red tape to make it easier to start or complete an apprenticeship and introducing foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors. We are also committed to improving careers advice, as well as delivering two weeks’ worth of work experience for every secondary school pupil and providing access to mental health support in every school and college.

    We will ensure the Youth Advisory Panel’s views continue to be taken into account as we continue to break down barriers to opportunity to help young people thrive through our Plan for Change.

    Barry Fletcher, CEO, Youth Futures Foundation and Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE, CEO, Youth Employment UK said:

    We are proud to jointly support the launch of the Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel and welcome the decision by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education to involve young people from the outset in the design of this policy.

    This partnership is about ensuring young people have a meaningful role in shaping the Youth Guarantee, and it’s encouraging that trailblazers are actively exploring how to do this locally.

    Panel members are already highlighting barriers to education and employment and offering critical insights into the support young people need to succeed.

    We look forward to continuing this work to build a system that works for all young people, regardless of their background or circumstances.’

    Shana Fatahali, Youth Advisory Panel member and Future Voices Group Ambassador, Youth Futures Foundation said:

    It has been empowering to be a member of the Youth Guarantee Youth Advisory Panel.

    I’ve had the opportunity to make connections with other young people who share my passion for creating a better future. Since we are the ones using the system, we are aware of its challenges and where it needs to be improved. For this reason, youth voices are important.

    I’m honoured to be a member of an organisation that is influencing actual decisions and introducing alternative perspectives. I can’t wait to keep advocating for a system that genuinely hears, involves, and supports all youth.

    Brewster, Youth Ambassador, Youth Employment UK said:

    During the time I have spent with the Youth Advisory Panel, it has been amazing to see others engage in the activities and discussions. I really love how committed my fellow Youth Ambassadors, Youth Employment UK, Youth Futures Foundations, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education are to change things for the better for the youth. I’m really proud to see this happening with my own eyes. I can’t wait to see what things will happen that will positively affect young people. I can’t wait to learn more and work towards making a positive difference to young people.’’

    In May, the Government officially launched eight Youth Guarantee trailblazers across England.

    Backed by £45 million, the trailblazers are testing a new form of local delivery, matching young people to local job or training opportunities. The trailblazers will provide all-important learnings to inform the national roll-out of the programme.

    This comes alongside record investment in skills and apprenticeships, providing a more personalised system for employers and those looking for work.

    The Government has also taken further action to boost employment and drive-up living standards through boosting the National Living Wage, creating more secure jobs through the Employment Rights Bill and overhauling jobcentres as part of the Get Britain Working White Paper.

    Further information

    • The Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel has held some early sessions and will meet every six to eight weeks moving forward.
    • Officials from DWP and DfE may test ideas related to the development of the Youth Guarantee to ensure the policy effectively answers the needs of young people today.
    • Insights will be fed back to relevant senior officials and ministers after sessions.
    • The latest ONS figures showing how many young people are not in education, employment or training were published on Friday 23 May: Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) – Office for National Statistics
    • The eight youth trailblazers are in: Liverpool, West Midlands, Tees Valley, East Midlands, West of England, and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and two in London.
    • The Youth Guarantee is an England only initiative as Skills, Education and Employment support are devolved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
    • We are working closely with the devolved governments to share experiences and lessons learned.
  • NEWS STORY : European Ministers Condemn Georgia’s “Rapid Slide Toward Authoritarianism”

    NEWS STORY : European Ministers Condemn Georgia’s “Rapid Slide Toward Authoritarianism”

    STORY

    European foreign ministers have issued a stark warning to Georgia over what they describe as a deliberate and dangerous slide towards authoritarianism. In a strongly worded joint statement, ministers including the UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the recent detention of opposition leaders, journalists and activists as politically motivated and incompatible with democratic principles.

    The statement, issued on 11 July, said the arrests, which occurred shortly before local elections, appeared to be timed to undermine political competition and silence dissent. Ministers expressed alarm at Georgia’s adoption of repressive laws, including those targeting civil society and independent media, which they claim represent a serious breach of European values. The coordinated crackdown on peaceful protesters and critics of the government was described as deeply troubling and a sign that Georgia’s ruling authorities are turning their back on democratic norms.

    In response to these developments, the foreign ministers announced a recalibration of relations with Georgia. This includes reductions in assistance and cooperation, with further measures such as sanctions not ruled out. The statement emphasised that should the Georgian government continue to erode democratic space and disregard fundamental freedoms, further actions would be considered both individually and collectively by the signatory nations. Despite the severity of the criticism, the ministers noted that it is not too late for Georgia to change course. They called for the immediate release of those detained for political reasons, the repeal of repressive legislation, and a return to genuine democratic dialogue that includes all political stakeholders.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement on recent developments in Georgia [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement on recent developments in Georgia [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 July 2025.

    The Foreign Secretary has released a joint statement on recent developments in Georgia alongside European partners.

    Joint statement of 11 July 2025 by the Foreign Ministers of Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the High Representative of the European Union on recent developments in Georgia:

    We, the Foreign Ministers of European democracies, are disturbed and deeply concerned at the deteriorating situation in Georgia.

    We strongly condemn the recent, politically motivated, imprisonment and detention of the leaders of Georgian opposition, clearly designed to stifle political opposition in Georgia, a few months ahead of the local elections. Their detention, as well as arbitrary arrests and increasing repression of other Georgian authorities` critics, representatives of civil society, peaceful protesters and independent journalists, contribute to dismantling of democracy in Georgia and rapid transformation towards an authoritarian system, in contradiction to European norms and values. Recent legislative changes aim at stifling independent civil society and legitimate protest.

    The course of political repression carried out by the Georgian authorities has led, in reaction, to a considerable downgrading of our relationship, including reduction of assistance and cooperation with Georgian authorities. Today, the authoritarian and anti-European course of the Georgian authorities further threatens Georgia’s democratic achievements and relations with our countries.

    We will continue to call out Georgian authorities’ undemocratic actions and violations of human rights and will not hesitate to make use of the range of unilateral and multilateral tools available to us should Georgian authorities continue to take steps that erode Georgia’s democracy and respect for human rights.

    It is not too late to reverse course.  We call on the Georgian authorities to immediately release unjustly detained politicians, journalists and activists, to reverse repressive legislation and to engage in a national dialogue with all relevant stakeholders to find a way out of the current situation.

  • Yvette Cooper – 2025 Speech at the Police Bravery Awards

    Yvette Cooper – 2025 Speech at the Police Bravery Awards

    The speech made by Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, at the Royal Lancaster Hotel on 11 July 2025.

    Thank you very much, good evening everyone, and thank you as ever to the Police Federation and of course Police Mutual for organising the event this year, and thank you for the invitation to speak and to present this inspirational award.

    I’m very conscious as well of being asked to speak before everyone gets to eat as well.

    I’ve actually been an MP now for 28 years, of which 15 of them I have had the honour to be able to come here to this event.

    It was an early mistake that I tried to learn from in my first years as an MP, where I had been invited to the annual dinner from a local community organisation. I had all of the briefing notes from my new office, and they said, they wanted to speak for three quarters of an hour.

    Three quarters of an hour? And then they asked me to speak before dinner as well – seriously? And I got to 25 minutes into this speech, and I could see everybody just getting really, you know, picking up the glasses, getting increasingly irritable.

    We’ve got a chair next to me, obviously rustling bits of paper, and I’m thinking, and it still says speak for three quarters of an hour. And I kept going. I had said literally everything I could think of about this community organisation. And finally I sat down and the chair said to me, said “right, well, we’ve cancelled the first course. We’re going to move on.”

    I said – what have I done? He said “so we did ask your office if you could speak for four to five minutes.”

    So I will learn from that experience and try not to speak for too long. But I did want to just have a chance to pay some tributes and to say a huge thank you, because it’s many times I have been here in shadow roles, in different roles, and to see a huge amount of work that policing does, the bravery that policing shows.

    But this is my second time here and at the end of just my first year as a Home Secretary, and it has been a huge honour to see every single day this year the incredible work that policing does in so many different parts of the country, so many different ways.

    But I actually wanted to start by paying tribute not to the officers who’ve been nominated, not even to all of the officers and staff that support them, but to all the family members who are here and who do so much to support all of the officers, all of our police family in the work that they do.

    The policing family includes all of those family members who are here, who have to put up with, who have to get the kids to school, who have to sort out everything, and also deal with the stress and the worry and provide the support so that every one of you can do your job. So please join with me in saying a huge thank you and paying tribute to all of the family members.

    I want to say thank you as well to not just all of you, but everyone within policing and the the officers, the officers who’ve had to face the most difficult situations, but also all of the colleagues, all of the PCSOs, the staff, from the forensics officers to the family liaison support officers, everybody within policing who holds policing together, that in turn holds our communities together and keeps all of us safe.

    And we often talk about the way in which you have to run towards danger when the rest of us get to walk away, but you also have to run towards the trickiest, the most difficult situations that the rest of us can’t solve. And when everybody else has given up, it’s you that have to pick up the pieces. And as one officer that I spoke to this evening said, he was saying “well, it’s just the job we do.” He said “who else are you going to call?”

    And it’s true, when everything else goes belly up, you are the ones that we call. So I just wanted to say a huge thank you, because we owe you a huge debt of gratitude for being the ones we call when everything else has gone wrong, and for being the ones who are there to pick up the pieces too.

    So I want to thank you too to recognise the impact and the consequences that that can have for all of you, because I know too that this really isn’t an easy job, and it’s a special job, and you do it with the most incredible dedication, but it also has consequences, and there’s a price to be paid for doing such a difficult job as well.

    And so I wanted to just also say we’re drawing up now, and Diana Johnson, the Policing Minister, is here today as well. We’re drawing up now a policing reform white paper that recognises many of the challenges that are faced across policing. And we’re trying to do this in a different way, working with police forces, working with policing in a way that I don’t think governments previously have done.

    But we will also make sure that respect for the workforce and the support the workforce needs is also a part of that white paper.

    And I wanted to particularly to thank everyone for the work that has been done to roll out, based on some of the pilots that’s been done, the first police specific mental health crisis line, to be able to provide that added support that we will need to build on to make sure that we recognise the impact that this has, this incredible job also has on those who do this.

    I want to say a huge thank you to all of them, the award nominees here tonight, and to pay tribute and to honour the huge bravery shown. You will hear the stories later on. And some of those who I’ve spoken to have said, well, I’ve heard everybody else’s stories, but really, you know, I shouldn’t have been nominated, because look at the bravery that everybody else has shown. And I think everybody has, I’ve heard say something similar, and would really just say to all of you, please do, let us pay tribute to you, because the bravery you’ve shown in those split second moments has been truly incredible and has helped save lives and has helped change lives, and has been the crucial things that we depend on you to do. And we are saying thank you, both to you and also to all of your colleagues, through you as well.

    Those stories of total selflessness, where we’ve had people trapped in burning buildings or freezing waters with no hope of survival, until our police officers from Lincolnshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Essex, Manchester and Sussex came running to their rescue.

    The stories of the sheer instinctive courage, where dangerous men were stopped from doing huge harm to others only because officers from Bedfordshire, Cheshire, Dorset, Durham, Hampshire, Leicestershire, Leyton, Suffolk, Surrey, Thames Valley, Tower Hamlets and Wiltshire were willing to put their own lives on the line to keep everybody else safe.

    And the stories of the incredible compassion where people who were ready to end their own lives were pulled back from the brink by the interventions from officers from Kent, from Humberside, from Norfolk, South Wales, West Yorkshire.

    And stories of officers from Cambridge and North Wales, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, dealing with apparently routine cases, issues that they were responding to, suddenly found themselves dealing with the most serious and deadly situations that they had to respond to with the utmost calm as well.

    And if the stories tell us anything, it’s the way in which all of you need to respond and be ready to respond to anything that you face, whether it’s the off duty officers in Lancashire or Southall breaking up fights in the street. Or in Cleveland, Cumbria, West Mercia, West Midlands, dealing with the mobs or gas explosions or speeding vehicles or dangerous dogs. Or in Northumbria, responding to the disgraceful disorder that broke out on the streets last summer.

    I am so sorry that so many of you who had to deal with frankly that disgraceful way, you should never have had to face the attacks on police officers by mobs, by missiles, and I will always back you in the job that you do to keep people safe.

    I think what the awards also show us is the fine line, the close margins between the miracles and the tragedies, and between the lives that you were able to save and the lives that no one could have saved.

    But you were still there, and you still did your best to help them, and the stories that we have this evening from Avon and Somerset, from Dyfed-Powys, from Gwent, from Northamptonshire and Warwickshire of officers trying to rescue individuals trapped in the most terrible of situations.

    So as we celebrate the lives that were saved, we also mourn the lives that were lost, and think of the victims too, and thank every officer for the incredible, incredible courage that was shown.

    And the same is true, perhaps most of all for our colleagues here this evening from Merseyside police, and I know they would give anything not to be in the room tonight and not to have their story be one of those that we once again, remember or be forced to relive that awful day once again.

    But we all know, and we’re all so grateful, because it was if it was not for you, and if it was not for your courage or the instinct that told you and your colleagues to run towards danger that day, there would be many more mums and dads in Southport today without their little girls to hold.

    So it’s a reminder, it’s a recognition of what something Sir Robert Peel said in a speech in Parliament 180 years ago when he talked about recognising the very best of public service, but also recognising you and through you, all of those that you work with too, because the service you have given, in his words, was “remembered, marked and honoured by a grateful country.”

    So I’m hugely grateful, but I say this on behalf of people right across the country. We’re hugely grateful for the bravery that you’ve shown, not just to face the really difficult things, but also then to get back up the following morning and to face it all again.

    So thank you for doing that. Thank you for caring so much for the job that you do, and thank you so much for being part of the amazing thing that is British policing. Thank you for keeping us safe.

  • PRESS RELEASE : School run superheroes to boost cycle lanes and walkways to schools [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : School run superheroes to boost cycle lanes and walkways to schools [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 11 July 2025.

    New junior active travel inspectors will work with teachers and parents to assess local walking and cycling routes around their schools.

    • school children can become junior active travel inspectors for the first time, with a new mission to help more kids cycle, walk, wheel and scoot to schools
    • pupils will audit their school run on a new ‘kid-friendly app’ to boost health and safety, while reducing congestion
    • follows near £300 million government boost to build 300 miles of new cycleways and pavements, leading to 43,000 fewer sick days to ease pressure on the NHS and help deliver the Plan for Change

    Primary school children can now become real-life school run superheroes as the department unveils its new junior active travel inspectors scheme today (11 July 2025)

    A first-of-its-kind initiative, primary school children can now shape their own travel to school, helping all children access safer, greener and more accessible walking and cycling routes to school.

    Around 40% of primary school children and 25% of secondary school pupils are currently driven to school and school drop-offs account for around 25% of peak morning traffic in London – even more elsewhere around the country.

    The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, visited Hollybush Primary School in Hertford to mark the launch of the scheme.

    Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:

    Walking, scooting and cycling to work and school has many benefits, to the economy, to congestion, air quality and physical and mental health. We want to make sure that more children and families can take advantage.

    We’re putting young people at the heart of our Active Travel mission, and delivering this innovative new scheme will help councils make smarter decisions, improve local infrastructure, and support our Plan for Change by boosting local economies and easing pressure on the NHS.

    Each participating school will recruit a team of junior active travel inspectors, who will work with teachers and parents to assess local walking and cycling routes around their schools. They will use this data to identify barriers to healthier journeys and suggest ideas to encourage more active and safer travel to school.

    In collaboration with Active Travel England and Modeshift STARS, the junior active travel inspectors will then report on areas for improvement using a bespoke, child-friendly version of ATE’s inspection checklist, (PDF).

    The new scheme follows the government’s £616 million funding commitment over the next 4 years for active travel in the Spending Review. It is also on top of £300 million announced in February, which is expected to deliver to deliver up to 300 miles of new cycle lanes and pavements across England, expected to save 40,000 NHS sick days and deliver £1.4 billion in economic benefits, all as part of the government’s Plan for Change.