Author: admin

OBITUARY : Lord David Lipsey (1948–2025)

OBITUARY:

Lord David Lipsey, a distinguished political adviser, journalist and House of Lords member, has died aged 77 after swimming in the River Wye near Glasbury, Powys. His body was recovered on 1 July by Dyfed–Powys Police. Born in Dorset in April 1948, Lipsey was educated at Bryanston and gained a first in PPE from Magdalen College, Oxford. He began his career advising Labour politicians including Anthony Crosland and Prime Minister Jim Callaghan in the 1970s. He is credited with coining “New Labour” and the phrase “winter of discontent.”

After leaving Number 10, Lipsey pivoted to journalism. He held prominent editorial roles at The Economist (as the “Bagehot” columnist), The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, also being involved with the co-founding of the Sunday Correspondent and he received a Special Orwell Prize in 1997 for his work. In 1999, Tony Blair appointed him as a life peer, Baron Lipsey of Tooting Bec and in the House of Lords, he served on numerous commissions, including electoral reform and elderly care, and chaired both the All‑Party Group on Classical Music and the Greyhound Racing Board.

Lipsey also supported harness racing and animal welfare, leading the British Harness Racing Club and the Greyhound Trust. He was a patron of the Glasbury Arts Festival and held trusteeships in arts and conservation charities. Keir Starmer described him as “loved and respected by so many” and “worked tirelessly for what he believed in.”

Lipsey was 77 years old and is survived by his wife Margaret.

July 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 59 – UK Statement on Trafficking in persons [June 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 June 2025.

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in persons, especially women and children. Delivered at the 59th HRC in Geneva.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President.

We thank the Special Rapporteur for bringing the important issue of trafficking faced by migrant domestic workers to the Council’s attention.

Migrant domestic workers are particularly vulnerable to labour exploitation and abuse in destination countries. We must recognise the gendered risks of exploitation for migrant domestic workers and ensure these are considered in our prevention, assistance and protection efforts.

In the UK, protections are in place for Overseas Domestic Workers to help minimise the risk of exploitation. However, we remain concerned about the links between visa arrangements for private domestic staff and instances of modern slavery. We are reviewing how the Overseas Domestic Worker route operates, and can share more information in due course.

Internationally, the UK’s Work in Freedom programme has played a crucial role in preventing the trafficking of women and girls along migration routes in South Asia and the Gulf. The programme has supported over 770,000 individuals in local communities. It has worked with governments to shape more than 27 laws and policies aimed at protecting vulnerable migrant workers.

Special Rapporteur,

What more can be done to strengthen reintegration for migrant domestic workers who are victims of trafficking?

July 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 59 – UK statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the Prevention of Genocide [June 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 June 2025.

UK statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

Thank you, Mr President.

We thank the Special Adviser for their ongoing contribution to driving an atrocity-prevention approach across the UN system and raising atrocity risks to the Secretary-General and UN Member States.

Effective early warning systems that escalate concerns before they arise are critical for early action in preventing atrocities. We continue to support the “early warning systems for all” principle laid out in the Pact for the Future.

However, we also need to act on early warning signs. Atrocities continue to be committed across the world.

In Sudan, particularly Darfur, the reports of violence are deeply troubling.

In Myanmar, the military continues to escalate violence, including airstrikes on civilian infrastructure. All parties must protect civilians.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban continue to enforce their inhuman restrictions on human rights, especially for women and girls.

On the eve of the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Responsibility to Protect, we urge renewed global efforts to protect civilians and strengthen human rights in environments at risk. UN offices should continue to play a role in enabling the wider UN system in these endeavours.

What are the challenges to enabling the wider UN system to act on atrocity risks and how can Member States help?

July 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Industrial Strategy to provide over £150m to reinforce UK as services superpower [June 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 24 June 2025.

The Industrial Strategy will invest over £150 million in five transformative AI and technology programmes to help UK Professional and Business Services.
- UK’s modern Industrial Strategy will drive forward 2035 ambition for UK professional and business services to be most dynamic and innovative in world
- Plan includes five new centres of excellence across country to help services firms grow and adopt new technology
- New international marketing campaign will also be deployed for UK services through GREAT
The UK’s modern Industrial Strategy will invest over £150 million in five transformative AI and technology programmes to help UK Professional and Business Services (PBS) sectors such as legal, management consulting and accountancy soar.

The latest step in the Government’s Plan for Change, the funding comes as part of a wider package of commitments in the Industrial Strategy sector plan for the PBS sector, published this week.

With professional business services worth £300 billion a year and supporting one in every seven jobs, the sector has been put at the heart of the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy, recognising its critical role in unlocking growth and creating jobs across all UK regions and sectors – and the UK’s place as the second largest exporter of services in the world, behind only the US.

Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson CBE will visit the University of Edinburgh on Tuesday where she will meet with the Law Society of Scotland to hear more about AI adoption and how Scotland is a hub for world class PBS firms.

Jonathan Reynolds, Secretary of State for Business and Trade said:

The Professional and Business Services sector is the jewel in the crown of the UK economy, worth over £300bn a year and making up one in every seven jobs.

Our Industrial Strategy and Plan for Change will help the sector soar further through the adoption of new technologies such as AI and increased promotion overseas as we strive to make the industry the most dynamic and innovative in the world by.

The plan sets out the sector’s ambition for the UK to be the most trusted adviser to global industry, with the most dynamic and productive PBS sector by 2035, whilst remaining the world’s second largest exporter of professional business services after the US.

The five programmes will be focused on building on the already high levels of AI adoption in the sector, with major spends on launching a new PBS adapted Made Smarter digital adoption programme and enhancing Innovate UK’s Next Generation Professional Services programme which advises firms to adopt new technologies and support research.

From Birmingham to Glasgow, this will be accompanied by new PBS centres of excellence in five city regions to offer firms advice, with a new national AI skills hub to offer wider support, alongside a new research programme to tackle barriers to innovation – starting with real estate.

By placing innovation at the heart of the plan, it aims to increase business investment in the PBS sector and ensure the UK will not just be an AI taker, but an AI maker in delivering modern Professional and Business Services.

Other measures to boost the UK’s PBS sector in the plan include:
- A new marketing campaign for PBS through GREAT + and more opportunities for PBS firms to join government trade missions.
- Expanded support for regulators to negotiate mutual recognition of professional qualifications agreements, especially with the EU, US, and other key markets.
- A Trade Digitalisation Task Force to advise PBS firms and clients on the productivity and growth benefits of digital trade documents and processes and to break down barriers to adoption.
- UK Export Finance to provide guarantees to PBS firms securing early-stage overseas project contracts for the first time, strengthening the UK’s position as the world’s second largest PBS exporter.
- A new PBS AI Champion by summer 2025 to identify growth opportunities, address adoption barriers, and deliver sector-wide AI Adoption.
Iain Wright, Chief Policy & Communications Officer, ICAEW, PBSC Business Co-Chair, said:

The launch of the Industrial Strategy marks a pivotal moment in the collaboration between business and government to enable the UK economy to grow and we were pleased to work with the government to develop the ambitious sector plan to make the UK the most trusted economy for PBS by 2035.

With targeted support, the plan sets the stage for a more innovative, competitive and growing sector which underscores our position at the heart of the economy. I strongly welcome this renewed partnership, and we see today’s launch as the start of a long-term collaboration with government to turn this vision into reality.

Kirsty Newman, Deloitte UK Market Chair, said:

The PBS sector plan represents an important moment for our sector and sets out a bold and exciting vision for the future. It recognises our impact as a major employer and economic contributor in our own right, but also how we drive growth, innovation and resilience across the economy.

The sector plan will help to ensure PBS is underpinned by the right skills and regulatory framework, is at the forefront of technological innovation and grows its presence internationally and in all regions and nations of the UK.

The commitments from government and long-term engagement with the sector can solidify the UK’s reputation as a global centre of excellence for PBS.

Tamzen Isacsson, Chief Executive of the Management Consultancies Association (MCA), said:

Consulting is one of the UK’s great economic success stories, with firms helping clients to grow, innovate, and tackle complex challenges. The Industrial Strategy and PBS sector plan is a blueprint to go further – accelerating tech adoption, opening procurement to SMEs, upskilling our workforce, and cementing the UK’s global leadership in services.

As a sector with over 300 offices across the UK, we look forward to supporting the regional agenda of the Government as well as partnering with it to promote the skills and expertise of UK consulting globally.

Richard Atkinson, President of the Law Society of England and Wales, said:

The government’s new Industrial Strategy can be a game-changer for the UK economy and the legal sector. Putting legal services at the heart of the country’s economic engine will fuel sustained growth.

Our legal industry is the second largest in the world, the biggest in Europe and brings all other sectors together. By opening global markets for UK lawyers, investing in our courts’ infrastructure, supporting technology in legal services and upholding the rule of law, we ensure the UK remains a global jurisdiction of choice. The Law Society looks forward to working with the government to deliver its long-term vision for growth in our sector.
July 3, 2025
NEWS STORY : MPs Vote to Proscribe Palestine Action by Large Majority

STORY

The House of Commons has voted 385 to 26 to formally proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000, marking it as a terrorist organisation alongside neo‑Nazi groups Maniacs Murder Cult and the Russian Imperial Movement. The proscription was prompted by Palestine Action’s break‑in and red‑paint vandalism targeting two RAF Brize Norton aircraft in late June. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the designation was necessary to safeguard national security, declaring that violent or destructive acts have “no place in legitimate protest”. Security Minister Dan Jarvis echoed that the move demonstrated the government’s zero‑tolerance stance toward terrorism, irrespective of ideology.

Critics, such as Labour MP Zarah Sultana and legal groups including Amnesty International, warn the ban may criminalise non‑violent dissent and equate symbolic actions, like red‑paint sprays, with terrorism. Sacha Deshmukh of Amnesty described it as “a disturbing legal overreach” that risks suppressing free speech. Following Commons approval, the order moves to the House of Lords. If endorsed, proscription will take effect immediately, after which membership, support or fundraising for Palestine Action could incur up to 14 years’ imprisonment.

July 3, 2025
NEWS STORY : £16 Million Lost to Ticket Scams as Gig-Goers Warned to Stay Vigilant

STORY

Fraudsters have stolen over £16 million from music fans in the past year, exploiting the demand for tickets to sold-out concerts by artists like Taylor Swift, Coldplay and Beyoncé. The Home Office and Action Fraud have issued a warning urging the public to take extra care when buying event tickets online, as reports of scams have surged dramatically.

According to data released this week, more than 8,700 people reported falling victim to ticket fraud between May 2023 and May 2024, with the average loss per person coming in at a steep £350. Many victims believed they were purchasing legitimate tickets through unofficial channels, only to be left empty-handed at the gates. The government campaign, launched in conjunction with UK Finance and the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (STAR), is promoting three key rules: always buy from trusted, authorised ticket sellers; beware of deals that seem too good to be true; and take your time before parting with personal or payment details.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat called the scams “heartless crimes” and emphasised that “we want every music fan to enjoy the experience of seeing their favourite artists live, without being duped by scammers.” Criminals have used increasingly sophisticated methods to target victims, including fake websites that closely mimic official sellers, fraudulent social media accounts, and online marketplaces. In some cases, entire groups of fans were tricked into buying non-existent tickets for the same event, only realising they’d been scammed upon arrival.

July 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : £1.6m lost to gig ticket scams as public urged to take caution [June 2025]
The press release issued by the Home Office on 24 June 2025.

Gig-goers have been urged to be wary of scams when purchasing last-minute tickets on social media after £1.6 million was lost to ticket fraud in 2024.

On the eve of Glastonbury, British music lovers are being urged to take caution over last-minute tickets for sale on social media, after new figures revealed that the amount lost to ticket fraud more than doubled to £1.6m in 2024.

The government has issued the warning as part of its wider crackdown on scammers and online fraud, designed to ensure money is kept in working people’s pockets, as part of the Plan for Change.

With a host of tours and festivals due to take place this summer, including the Oasis reunion tour kicking off in July, new Action Fraud data released by the Home Office today finds the public lost more than £1.6 million in scams related to concert tickets in 2024 – more than double the figure from the previous year.

Around 3,700 gig ticket fraud reports were made to Action Fraud in 2024, with almost half of them referring to offers made on social media platforms. The government has called on tech companies to go further and faster to protect the public from the fraudulent offers being advertised on their platforms.

The data shows that people in their twenties were most likely to become victims of ticket fraud last year, accounting for 27% of all victims, and the government has urged people to follow the government’s Stop! Think Fraud campaign advice to ensure they are protected from scams ahead of a busy summer of gigs and festivals.
1. If you’re offered tickets for something in high demand don’t let the fear of missing out rush your decision. Take a moment to stop, think, and check if the offer is genuine.
2. Only buy tickets from the venue’s box office or an official ticketing website.
3. Never move away from an official payment platform to make a direct payment via bank transfer or virtual currency. Use the site’s recommended payment methods to stay protected.
With fraud the most commonly experienced crime in the UK, affecting 1 in 15 adults each year, the government is taking further steps to crack down on the scammers behind the surge in fraud over the last decade, including through a new ban on SIM farms, technical devices which facilitate fraud on an industrial scale.

The UK is also driving the response to fraud internationally through the adoption of the first ever UN resolution on fraud and has launched the first ever Insurance Fraud Charter to reduce fraud against the sector and consumers. The government will go further by publishing a new, expanded fraud strategy before the end of the year, which will place raising public awareness and working with tech companies at its heart.

This follows government plans to tackle greedy ticket touts through new measures announced earlier this year which will put a cap on the price of resold tickets for concerts, live sport and other events, to put the power back in the hands of fans.

Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said:

Fraud is an absolutely shameful crime and today’s data shows that anyone can be a victim.

While millions of Britons are getting ready to attend concerts this summer, the scammers are getting ready to exploit the desperate search for tickets, posting fake messages on social media sites offering to resell tickets they can’t use, or making last-minute offers from fake ticket companies.

That is why our campaign is called Stop! Think Fraud, so no matter how real a deal looks, we all need to take a moment to think: am I being ripped off? So, let’s all stay cautious, stay alert, and stay protected from fraud. Don’t let the scammers ruin your summer.

Tor Garnett, City of London Police Commander for Cyber and Economic Crime, said:

People go to gigs for that ‘once in a lifetime’ experience – especially at sold out concerts and festivals, where the atmosphere is unmatched. But the excitement can vanish in an instant when fans discover their tickets are fake or they’ve been scammed through social media or resale sites. The loss isn’t just financial – it’s deeply emotional, turning anticipation into heartbreak.

Criminals are targeting those looking to snap up last minute or resale tickets for sold out and highly in-demand concerts this year, and Action Fraud reporting data highlights this increasing issue. That’s why we encourage everyone to stay alert and recognise the tactics fraudsters use to commit ticket fraud this summer.

Key signs of ticket fraud include unsolicited messages with ticket offers and deals, or requests for payment via bank transfer. When buying tickets, use a reputable or official ticket-selling site. Always take a moment to double check offers for tickets and pay using a credit card. Follow the advice from Stop! Think Fraud site on how to protect yourself from fraud.

National Coordinator for the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, Mike Andrews, said:

Every summer music fans desperate to see their favourite artists at festivals or stadium tours are left distraught and considerably out of pocket at the turnstiles as they discover the tickets they bought in good faith are in fact part of a fraudulent scam.

Recent National Trading Standards prosecutions have led to serious jail time for ticket touts, which should send a message to all those who choose to engage in fraud that there are severe consequences.

Fans should avoid buying from unofficial ticket sellers, but we know fans desperate for tickets will try to source them via any means possible. For fans who do risk using secondary sites, always use a credit card and never pay by money transfer or buy tickets on social media channels.

Founder of face-value ticket resale platform Twickets, Richard Davies, said:

We’ve seen firsthand how fraudsters attempt to exploit high-demand tours. In recent weeks alone, we’ve had to warn fans about multiple fake Twickets accounts and websites set up to trick Oasis fans into handing over money for non-existent tickets.

Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often mimicking trusted resale platforms like ours or creating convincing social media profiles. It’s vital that fans stop and think before making a purchase. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Always check that the platform is an official resale partner, never buy tickets from unofficial sellers on social media or marketplaces and avoid anyone asking for payment via personal bank transfer.

Twickets was created to give fans a safer, fairer way to buy and sell tickets at face value, and we’ve already helped thousands of Oasis fans do just that ahead of the band’s upcoming tour. We’re committed to protecting fans and will continue to work hard to ensure ticketing remains transparent, trustworthy and scam-free.
July 3, 2025
NEWS STORY : Kemi Badenoch’s Spokesperson Alleged to have Demanded Rachel Reeves Make Public on Why She Was Upset

STORY

The BBC has alleged that Kemi Badenoch’s spokesperson has suggested that Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, should “make public” the reasons why she was upset in the House of Commons regardless of it being “a personal matter”.

Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s Westminster Leader, said in a statement:

“Like almost all MPs I don’t know why the Chancellor was upset in the Chamber today, but I do hope she is okay and back to her duties this afternoon. Seeing another person in distress is always very difficult, and we are wishing her well.”

July 2, 2025
NEWS STORY : Bob Vylan Dropped From More Festivals After Glastonbury Hate Speech

STORY

The duo Bob Vylan have been dropped from more festivals following alleged hate speech made from the stage at Glastonbury. The duo’s management company has dropped the performers and the United States has withdrawn their visas in advance of a series of gigs in the country. Gigs at Manchester and in France have been cancelled, with Glastonbury condemning the comments made by the duo. The BBC apologised for broadcasting the performance, saying “the antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves” and Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, said “There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech.”

July 2, 2025
Justin Madders – 2025 Speech on the Parental Leave Review

The speech made by Justin Madders, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in the House of Commons on 1 July 2025.

With permission, I will make a statement on the Government’s manifesto commitment to review the system of entitlements to parental leave.

This Government are dedicated to delivering more for working families, and our plan to make work pay is central to achieving that, with the mission to grow the economy, raise living standards across the country and create opportunities for all. It will help people to stay in work, improve job security and boost living standards, which includes helping working parents and supporting them to balance their work and home lives.

Parental leave and pay entitlements play a key role in that. We know that the arrival of a child, whether through birth or adoption, is a transformative time in a family’s life. We also know that the current parental leave system does not support modern, diverse working families as well as it could. Parents’ groups and campaigners have long argued that our paternity leave is too short and compares poorly with other countries. While shared parental leave is available to families where fathers and partners want to take a longer period of leave, evidence shows that take-up is very low, with the parental rights survey reporting that 1% of mothers and 4% of fathers use this entitlement. The survey also showed that 35% of fathers do not take paternity leave for financial reasons.

We are committed to improving the parental leave system and are already taking action. Improving the system will have the added benefit of increasing workforce participation by helping employers to fill vacancies and will contribute to increased productivity, benefiting the economy.

The Employment Rights Bill is one vehicle through which we are improving the parental leave system. The Bill makes paternity leave and parental leave day one rights, meaning that employees will be eligible to give notice of their intent to take leave from their first day of employment. It contains a number of other measures that will improve the support that working families receive. It will put in place legislation that makes it unlawful to dismiss pregnant women, mothers on maternity leave and mothers who come back to work for a six-month period after they return, except in specific circumstances. It will also make flexible working the default, except where it is not reasonably feasible, and requires that all large employers produce action plans that contribute to closing the gender pay gap.

I am pleased to announce that the Government are going further and taking another step forward in delivering improvements for working families. I am pleased to launch the parental leave review today, fulfilling our commitment in the plan to make work pay to review the parental leave system to ensure that it best supports working families. The review is part of delivering the plan for change, and links two of the Government’s missions: kick-starting economic growth and breaking down barriers to opportunity. The work of the review will support the Government’s commitments to raise living standards and give children the best start in life, and links to work being undertaken to alleviate child poverty. It presents a much-needed opportunity to consider our approach to the system of parental leave and pay, giving due consideration to balancing costs and benefits to both businesses and the Exchequer. I welcome the opportunity today to provide the House with more detail on the review.

The review will be co-led by the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Work and Pensions, the two Departments with the main responsibility for the current parental leave framework. There will, however, be close working across Government to deliver this review to reflect the wide influence the parental leave system has on policies in other Departments.

The current system has grown up gradually over time. The first maternity arrangements were set out in the Factory and Workshop Act 1891, which introduced the idea that women who work in factories cannot work for four weeks after giving birth. Subsequent entitlements have been added to support specific groups as needs have emerged, which has created a framework that does not always work cohesively as a whole. This piecemeal approach to parental leave and pay means that the system has never had an overarching set of objectives that it should deliver. This review presents an opportunity to reset our approach to and understanding of parental leave and pay, and what we want the system to achieve.

We will use the review to establish what Britain needs from a parental leave and pay system to support our modern economy and deliver improvements for working families. We have set out four objectives as our starting point, which we intend to test as we progress the review to ensure we are truly reflecting the needs of the nation.

Our first objective is to support the physical and mental health of women during pregnancy and after giving birth to a child. Our second objective is to support economic growth by enabling more parents to stay in work and advance in their careers after starting a family. This will focus on improving both women’s labour market outcomes and tackling the gender pay gap.

Our third objective is to ensure that there are sufficient resources and time away from work to support new and expectant parents’ wellbeing. This will include facilitating the best start in life for babies and young children, and supporting health and development outcomes. Our fourth objective is to support parents to make balanced childcare choices that work for their family situation, including enabling co-parenting, and providing flexibility to reflect the realities of modern work and childcare needs.

Three cross-cutting considerations will also be factored into our review. The first is to build a fair parental leave system between parents within a family, different types of parents and parents with different employment statuses. The second consideration is to balance costs and benefits to businesses and the Exchequer, as well as to examine how the system can support economic opportunities for businesses and families. As part of this, the review will consider opportunities to make the process surrounding parental leave simpler for both businesses and parents. The final cross-cutting consideration focuses on improving our society—for example, by supporting the child poverty strategy, and by shifting social and gender norms, including around paternal childcare.

All current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements will be in the scope of the review. This will enable us to consider how the parental leave and pay system should operate as a complete system to improve the support available for working families. This broad scope means that the review will consider the individual existing entitlements, and how best to ensure improvements can be delivered for working families, as well as related wider issues and themes. For example, the review will consider whether the support available meets the needs of other working families who do not qualify for existing statutory leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers and self-employed parents. It will also consider how the pay system works more broadly.

This will be an evidence-based review that reflects and considers the perspectives and experiences of those who engage with the parental leave and pay system. We welcome views from, and intend to engage constructively with, a wide range of external stakeholders, including groups such as trade unions that represent both parents and families, and employers or employer representatives. There will be opportunities for stakeholders to contribute views and expertise throughout the review, including through a call for evidence, which launches today. This call for evidence seeks initial evidence specifically in relation to the objectives that will set the foundation for what we want our system to deliver.

The review launches today. We expect it to run for a period of 18 months. The Government will conclude the review with a set of findings and a road map, including next steps for taking any potential reforms forward to implementation. This is an important step forward to ensure that our workplaces are fit for the 21st century, and I commend this statement to the House.

July 2, 2025