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  • Rishi Sunak – 2024 Speech on Welfare

    Rishi Sunak – 2024 Speech on Welfare

    The speech made by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, at the Centre of Social Justice on 19 April 2024.

    Today I’d like to talk about the growing number of people who have become economically inactive since the pandemic…

    …and the moral mission of reforming welfare to give everyone who can, the best possible chance of returning to work.

    The values of our welfare state are timeless.

    They’re part of our national character – of  who we are as a country.

    We’re proud to ensure a safety net that is generous for those who genuinely need it – and fair to the taxpayers who fund it.

    We know there are some with the most severe conditions who will never be able to work.

    And some who can no longer work because of injury or illness.

    And they and their loved ones must always have the peace of mind that comes from knowing they will always be supported.

    But we also have a long-standing and proudly British view that work is a source of dignity, purpose, of hope.

    The role of the welfare state should never be merely to provide financial support…

    …as important as that will always be…

    …but to help people overcome whatever barriers they might face to living an independent, fulfilling life.

    Everyone with the potential should be supported…

    And not just to earn, but to contribute and belong.

    And we must never tolerate barriers that hold people back from making their contribution…

    …and from sharing in that sense of self-worth that comes from feeling part of being something bigger than ourselves.

    That is why this is a moral mission.

    And why the value of work is so central to my vision for welfare reform.

    And it’s fitting to be setting out that vision here, at the Centre for Social Justice.

    Over your 20-year history, you’ve inspired far-reaching changes to welfare.

    I want pay tribute to you and of course your founder, Iain Duncan-Smith…

    …who began the journey of reform in 2010…

    …a journey carried through so ably today, by Mel Stride.

    Because when we arrived in office in 2010, people coming off benefits and into work could lose £9 for every £10 they earned…

    …by far the highest marginal tax rate.

    That was morally wrong.

    So we created Universal Credit to make sure that work always pays.

    We introduced the National Living Wage – and increased it every year, ending low pay in this country.

    We’re rolling out 30 hours of free childcare for every family over 9 months of age.

    We’ve halved inflation, to make the money you earn worth more.

    And we’ve cut workers’ National Insurance by a third.

    A tax cut worth £900 for someone earning the average wage…

    …because it is profoundly wrong that income from work is taxed twice…

    …when other forms of income are not.

    For me, it is a fundamental duty of government to make sure that hard work is always rewarded.

    I know – and you know – that you don’t get anything in life without hard work.

    It’s the only way to build a better life for ourselves and our family; and the only way to build a more prosperous country.

    But in the period since the pandemic something has gone wrong.

    The proportion of people who are economically inactive in Britain is still lower than our international peers.

    And lower today than in any year under the last Labour government.

    But since the pandemic, 850,000 more people have joined this group due to long-term sickness.

    This has wiped out a decade’s worth of progress in which the rate had fallen every single year.

    Of those who are economically inactive, fully half say they have depression or anxiety.

    And most worrying of all…

    …the biggest proportional increase in economic inactivity due to long-term sickness came …

    …from young people.

    Those in the prime of their life, just starting out on work and family – instead parked on welfare.

    Now, we should see it as a sign of progress that people can talk openly about mental health conditions…

    …in a way that only a few years ago would’ve been unthinkable.

    And I will never dismiss or downplay the illnesses people have.

    Anyone who has suffered mental ill health or had family or friends who have, knows that these conditions are real and they matter.

    But just as it would be wrong to dismiss this growing trend…

    …so it would be wrong merely to sit back and accept it…

    …because it’s too hard; or too controversial; or for fear of causing offence.

    Doing so, would let down many of the people our welfare system was designed to help.

    Because if you believe as I do, that work gives you the chance not just to earn…

    …but to contribute, to belong, to overcome feelings of loneliness and social isolation…

    …and if you believe, as I do, the growing body of evidence that good work can actually improve mental and physical health…

    …then it becomes clear: we need to be more ambitious about helping people back to work.

    And more honest about the risk of over-medicalising the everyday challenges and worries of life.

    Fail to address this, and we risk not only letting those people down.

    But creating a deep sense of unfairness amongst those whose taxes fund our social safety net…

    …in a way that risks undermining trust and consent in that very system.

    We can’t stand for that.

    And of course, the situation as it is, is economically unsustainable.

    We can’t lose so many people from our workforce whose contributions could help to drive growth.

    And there’s no sustainable way to achieve our goal of bringing down migration levels, which are just too high…

    …without giving more of our own people the skills, incentives, and support, to get off welfare and back into work.

    And we can’t afford such a spiralling increase in the welfare bill…

    …and the irresponsible burden that would place on this and future generations of taxpayers.

    We now spend £69bn on benefits for people of working age with a disability or health condition.

    That’s more than our entire schools budget; more than our transport budget; more than our policing.

    And spending on Personal Independence Payments alone is forecast to increase by more than 50 per cent over the next four years.

    Let me just repeat that: if we do not change, it will increase by more than 50% in just four years.

    That’s not right; it’s not sustainable and it’s not fair on the taxpayers who fund it.

    So in the next Parliament, a Conservative government will significantly reform and control welfare.

    This is not about making our safety net less generous.

    Or imposing a blanket freeze on all benefits, as some have suggested.

    I’m not prepared to balance the books on the backs of the most vulnerable.

    Instead, the critical questions are about eligibility…

    …about who should be entitled to support…

    …and what kind of support best matches their needs.

    And to answer these questions, I want to set out today five Conservative reforms for a new welfare settlement for Britain.

    First, we must be more ambitious in assessing people’s potential for work.

    Right now, the gateway to ill health benefits is writing too many off…

    …leaving them on the wrong type of support…

    …and with no expectation of trying to find a job, with all the advantages that brings.

    In 2011, twenty percent of those doing a Work Capability Assessment…

    …were deemed unfit to work.

    But the latest figure now stands at 65 per cent.

    That’s wrong.

    People are not three times sicker than they were a decade ago.

    And the world of work has changed dramatically.

    Of course, those with serious debilitating conditions should never be expected to work.

    But if you have a low-level mobility issue, your employer could make reasonable adjustments…

    …perhaps including adaptations to enable you to work from home.

    And if you are feeling anxious or depressed, then of course you should get the support and treatment you need to manage your condition.

    But that doesn’t mean we should assume you can’t engage in work.

    That’s not going to help you. And it’s not fair on everyone else either.

    So we are going to tighten up the Work Capability Assessment…

    …such that hundreds of thousands of benefit recipients with less severe conditions…

    …will now be expected to engage in the world of work – and be supported to do so.

    Second, just as we help people move from welfare into work…

    …we’ve got to do more to stop people going from work to welfare.

    The whole point of replacing the Sick Note with the Fit Note was to stop so many people just being signed off as sick.

    Instead of being told you’re not fit for work…

    …the Fit Note provided the option to say that you may be fit for work…

    …with advice about what you could do; and what adaptions or support would enable you to stay in, or return to work, quickly.

    11 million of these Fit Notes were issued last year alone.

    But what proportion were signed “maybe fit for work”?

    6 per cent.

    That’s right – a staggering 94 per cent of those signed off sick…

    …were simply written off as “not fit for work.”

    Well, this is not right. And it was never the intention.

    We don’t just need to change the sick note – we need to change the sick note culture…

    …so the default becomes what work you can do – not what you can’t.

    Building on the pilots we’ve already started..

    …we’re going to design a new system…

    …where people have easy and rapid access to specialised work and health support…

    …to help them back to work from the very first Fit Note conversation.

    And part of the problem is that it’s not reasonable to ask GPs to assess whether their own patients are fit for work.

    It too often puts them in an impossible situation where they know that refusal to sign someone off…

    …will harm their relationship with that patient.

    So we’re also going to test shifting the responsibility for assessment from GPs…

    …and giving it to specialist work and health professionals…

    …who have the dedicated time to provide an objective assessment of someone’s ability to work…

    …and the tailored support they need to do so.

    Third, for those who could work with the right support…

    …we should have higher expectations of them in return for receiving benefits.

    Because when the taxpayer is supporting you to get back on your feet…

    …you have an obligation to put in the hours.

    And if you do not make that effort, you cannot expect the same level of benefits.

    It used to be that if you worked just nine hours a week, you’d get full benefits without needing to look for additional work.

    That’s not right. Because if you can work more, you should.

    So we’re changing the rules.

    Anyone working less than half a full-time week will now have to try and find extra work in return for claiming benefits.

    And we’ll accelerate moving people from legacy benefits onto Universal Credit, to give them more access to the world of work.

    One of my other big concerns about the system…

    …is that the longer you stay on welfare, the harder it can be to go back to work.

    More than 500,000 people have been unemployed for 6 months…

    …and well over a quarter of a million have been unemployed for 12 months.

    These are people with no medical conditions that prevent them from working…

    …and who will have benefitted from intensive employment support and training programmes.

    There is no reason those people should not be in work, especially when we have almost 1 million job vacancies.

    So we will now look at options to strengthen our regime.

    Anyone who doesn’t comply with the conditions set by their Work Coach…

    …such as accepting an available job…

    …will, after 12 months, have their claim closed and their benefits removed entirely.

    Because unemployment support should be a safety net – never a lifestyle choice.

    Fourth, we need to match the support people need to the actual conditions they have.

    And help people live independently and remove the barriers they face.

    But we need to look again at how we do this through Personal Independence Payments. I worry about it being misused.

    Now its purpose is to contribute to the extra costs people face as they go about their daily lives.

    Take for example, those who need money for aids or assistance…

    …with things like handrails or stairlifts.

    Often they’re already available at low cost, or free from the NHS or Local Authorities.

    And they’re one-off costs…

    …so it probably isn’t right that we’re paying an ongoing amount every year.

    We also need to look specifically at the way Personal Independence Payments support those with mental health conditions.

    Since 2019, the number of people claiming PIP citing anxiety or depression as their main condition, has doubled…

    …with over 5,000 new awards on average every single month.

    But for all the challenges they face…

    …it is not clear they have the same degree of increased living costs as those with physical conditions.

    And the whole system is undermined by the way people are asked to make subjective and unverifiable claims about their capability.

    So in the coming days we will publish a consultation on how we move away from that…

    …to a more objective and rigorous approach that focuses support on those with the greatest needs and extra costs.

    We will do that by being more precise about the type and severity of mental health conditions that should be eligible for PIP.

    We’ll consider linking that assessment more closely to a person’s actual condition…

    …and requiring greater medical evidence to substantiate a claim.

    All of which will make the system fairer and harder to exploit.

    And we’ll also consider whether some people with mental health conditions should get PIP in the same way through cash transfers…

    …or whether they’d be better supported to lead happier, healthier and more independent lives…

    …through access to treatment like talking therapies or respite care.

    I want to be completely clear about what I’m saying here.

    This is not about making the welfare system less generous to people who face very real extra costs from mental health conditions.

    For those with the greatest needs, we want to make it easier to access with fewer requirements.

    And beyond the welfare system, we’re delivering the largest expansion in mental health services in a generation…

    …with almost £5 billion of extra funding over the past 5 years, and a near doubling of mental health training places.

    But our overall approach is about saying that people with less severe mental health conditions…

    …should be expected to engage with the world of work.

    Fifth, we cannot allow fraudsters to exploit the natural compassion and generosity of the British people.

    We’ve already cracked down on thousands of people wrongly claiming Universal Credit…

    …including those not reporting self-employed earnings or hiding capital

    And we’ll save the taxpayer £600 million by legislating to access vital data from third parties like banks.

    Just this month, DWP secured guilty verdicts against a Bulgarian gang caught making around 6,000 fraudulent claims…

    …including by hiding behind a corner shop in North London.

    And we’re going further.

    We’re using all the developments in modern technology, including Artificial Intelligence…

    …to crack down on exploitation in the welfare system that’s taking advantage of the hardworking taxpayers who fund it.

    We’re preparing a new Fraud Bill for the next Parliament which will align DWP with HMRC…

    …so we treat benefit fraud like tax fraud…

    …with new powers to make seizures and arrests.

    And we’ll also enable penalties to be applied to a wider set of fraudsters through a new civil penalty.

    Because when people see others in their community gaming the system that their taxes pay …

    …it erodes support for the very principle of the welfare state.

    Now, in conclusion some people will hear this speech and accuse me of lacking compassion.

    Of not understanding the barriers people face in their everyday lives.

    But the exact opposite is true.

    There is nothing compassionate about leaving a generation of young people to sit alone in the dark before a flickering screen…

    …watching as their dreams slip further from reach every passing day.

    And there is nothing fair about expecting taxpayers to support those who could work but choose not to.

    It doesn’t have to be like this.

    We can change. We must change.

    The opportunities to work are there…

    …thanks to an economic plan that has created almost a million job vacancies.

    The rewards for working are there…

    …thanks to our tax cuts and increases to the National Living Wage.

    And now, if we can deliver the vision for welfare I’ve set out today…

    …then we can finally fulfil our moral mission, to restore hope…

    …and give back to everyone who can, the dignity, purpose and meaning that comes from work.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Minister travels to China – Shanghai, Tianjin, Beijing and Hong Kong to engage on world’s biggest challenges [April 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Minister travels to China – Shanghai, Tianjin, Beijing and Hong Kong to engage on world’s biggest challenges [April 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 April 2024.

    UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan will begin a multi-stop visit to China on Friday to further and protect British interests.

    The Minister will be visiting Beijing and Hong Kong, as well as Shanghai and Tianjin – holding meetings with the authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong, as well as engagements with a cross section of society including UK businesses, academics, journalists and civil society.

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan will be raising topics across the breadth of the UK-China relationship, including the importance of cooperation on global issues such as ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, helping to restore stability in the Middle East and tackling climate change. China is the world’s largest investor in sustainable energy and the largest emitter of carbon, demonstrating the importance of engaging with them on such topics.

    The Minister will also raise areas of concern, including human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet, and the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.

    Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

    We need China to play a constructive role in the biggest foreign policy issues of the day like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.

    In Hong Kong, I will raise concerns on the passage and implementation of national security laws as well as discussing our important trade links. In Beijing I will be clear about our right to act when China breaks its international commitments or violates human rights.

    I will also look to strengthen UK-China cooperation on issues across the world that affect us all – from improving AI safety to tackling climate change.

    It is right we have discussions face to face and raise these issues directly with the centre of the Chinese system, making clear the UK’s position with the decision-makers in Beijing and Hong Kong.

    Background

    The UK takes a multifaceted approach to China over three pillars, which are set out in the Integrated Review Refresh:

    • first, to protect national security whenever the Chinese Communist Party poses a threat to UK people or prosperity
    • second, to align cooperation with friends and allies in the Indo-Pacific and across the world to uphold international law, and
    • third, to engage directly with China to promote stable relations   Robust action has been taken to protect UK interests and values, including creating new powers to block any Chinese investment that risks national security, and the new powers in the National Security Act will help ensure that the UK remains the hardest operating environment for malign activity.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Landmark childcare rollout on track [April 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Landmark childcare rollout on track [April 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Education on 19 April 2024.

    Government publishes new data showing 195,355 children benefitting from government-funded childcare for 2-year-olds in successful April launch.

    Hundreds of thousands of parents will be able to more easily manage their career and childcare over the next two years following the successful launch of the largest ever expansion of childcare in England’s history.

    This month, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds were given 15 hours of government-funded childcare for the first time, as part of the government’s long-term plan to build a brighter future for families and help grow the economy.

    Since January, applications have been open for parents to apply for an eligibility code to access the new 15 hours of childcare, which they take to their chosen childcare provider to validate.

    The latest data, set to be published on Monday, will reveal that 195,355 2-year-olds are already benefitting from government-funded places. This puts the rollout on the same trajectory as the previous expansion of free childcare hours to 3- and 4-year-olds in 2017.

    Today, the government has confirmed that 79% of codes issued have now been validated by providers. In 2017, 71% of codes that had been issued to parents were validated by a similar point in the rollout.

    Thousands more children will have their places confirmed over the coming weeks. The government expects some eligibility codes will go unused as parents change their mind about formal childcare or were issued a code even though they didn’t need one.

    All local authorities have reported they are currently meeting the demand from parents for childcare places.

    Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said:

    We are transforming childcare in this country to deliver the support that hard-working parents deserve.

    As today’s figures show, our plan is working. Thousands of parents are returning to work, and tens of thousands more will be able to do so later this year and next.

    Childcare expansion on this scale is unprecedented in this country, and we will continue providing maximum support to nurseries and all providers to make it a reality.

    Alice Barrett, a mother from Nottingham, applied for the 15 hours from April for her son, Wyatt. Alice and her partner both work full time, and they are already seeing significant savings thanks to the new offer. She says:

    The entire process for me was stress free and very well rolled out. We have recently received the breakdown of our bill for May, and we are saving up to £200 per month.

    We are so grateful to be eligible for the scheme, and the additional funds we now have will help us with allowing a buffer for bills and any unexpected costs, as well as getting Wyatt back on track with his swimming and other activities he enjoys.

    The government has also today published projections for the additional places and staff needed for the wider rollout, which will see eligible working parents able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week after their child turns 9 months old, until they start school. This will save families an average of £6,900 per year.

    The Department for Education estimates that just 15,000 additional places – an increase of 1% – will be needed for this September, with thousands of those expected to become available this summer supported by £100 million of capital investment and additional £12 million of delivery support for local authorities.

    Around 70,000 further places are likely to be needed for September 2025, when the offer expands to 30 government-funded hours for children from 9 months old to when they start school.

    According to the government’s Provider Pulse Survey published today, the largest barrier identified by the sector (45% of respondents) to scaling up for 2025 was future funding certainty. To give providers the confidence to support each stage of the rollout, the Chancellor committed to £500 million of additional funding over the next 2 years, providing a level of certainty which is already unlocking tens of millions in private sector funding.

    Laura Trott, Chief Secretary to the Treasury said:

    Funded childcare means working parents know their children are safe and well looked after. It is such a huge weight off parent’s minds, helping them pursue careers and play a part in growing our economy.

    This month’s rollout alone will help thousands of parents into work. But that is just the start, as our full investment will also mean many more parents can get into work or increase the hours they work.

    Last year, the number of childcare places increased by around 15,000, and the number of staff by around 13,000, even before direct government interventions to increase capacity.

    These numbers have continued to grow over the course of this year, driven by higher average rates paid by government for the new entitlements than parents would have paid and £1,000 cash incentives for new joiners. Our new recruitment campaign has already driven over 73,000 people to find out more about working in early years.

    To further increase capacity, a new pilot is also beginning this summer to explore how unused school space could be repurposed to support childcare settings to offer more places.

    The school space pilot this summer involves matching a small number of private, voluntary, or independent childcare providers with surplus school and college space.

    If the pilot is a success, the government will roll it out widely ahead of September 2025, helping fast-track the process for schools, colleges and childcare providers.

    A total of 40,000 additional staff compared with 2023 are required by September 2025. A total of 170,000 places are required, with around half already available in the system and half needed as new capacity.

    Minister for Employment Jo Churchill said:

    This huge expansion in free childcare means more parents can return to work, boost their earnings and ensure long-tern financial security for their family.

    We have generously increased the support working parents on Universal Credit can receive towards childcare costs, helping remove barriers and allowing parents to give their children the best start in life.

    Parents with a preferred provider are urged to secure their place for September now, ahead of when applications open for eligible working parents of 9-month-to-23-month-olds on 12 May.

    Parents will be able to apply for codes for September until 31 August, and the government has today updated the process to make sure all eligible working parents can apply, regardless of whether they are in work or on parental leave.

    A spokesperson for the National Partnership in Early Learning and Childcare, said:

    We welcome the government’s increased investment in early learning and childcare and have been pleased to work closely with those across the sector to ensure a smooth rollout of the April entitlement, so families can access this vital provision.

    We are committed to continued collaboration with the government, local authorities and parents, working together throughout this process to enable all children to access high-quality and exemplary early learning and childcare.

    Simone Carter, Managing Director, N Family Club, said:

    We welcome the enhanced funding offer and recognise the positive impact this will have on many children and their families.

    Making care more affordable will allow providers the opportunity to reach more families, and enable more children to experience the lifelong benefits of quality early years education.

  • PRESS RELEASE : There is a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza – Gazans need more aid, and they need it now: UK statement at the UN Security Council [April 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : There is a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza – Gazans need more aid, and they need it now: UK statement at the UN Security Council [April 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 April 2024.

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East.

    Let me start by reiterating that the UK condemns in the strongest terms Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel, as well as its violation of Jordan and Iraq’s airspace.

    The UK continues to call for de-escalation and remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting and upholding stability in the region.

    Iran’s actions do nothing to advance the prospects for peace in Israel and Gaza.

    President, the UK condemns the October 7th attacks unequivocally and calls for the unconditional and immediate release of all the hostages.

    The United Kingdom remains resolved to work with international partners to urgently secure an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, and then progress towards a permanent, sustainable ceasefire without a return to fighting and loss of life.

    We also urgently call for the full implementation of resolution 2720, to protect civilians and enable humanitarian assistance.

    There is a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Gazans need more aid, and they need it now.

    We welcome Israel’s commitments to fully open Ashdod port and the Erez checkpoint – and to increase capacity through the Jordan land corridor. We are resolved that the international community will work with Israel to see these vital changes fully implemented.

    As my Foreign Secretary made clear during his visit to the region yesterday, we must maintain our focus on getting more aid into Gaza and getting hostages out.

    For our part, the UK has trebled our aid commitment this financial year. We will keep doing everything we can to get more aid in by land, sea, and air to reach people in desperate need in Gaza.

    President, we support a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people.

    We must give the people of the West Bank and Gaza the political perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new future. And it needs to be irreversible.

    This is not entirely in our gift. However, Britain and our partners can help by confirming our commitment to a sovereign, viable Palestinian state.

    On recognition, this cannot come at the start of the process, but it does not have to be the very end of the process.

    Our long-standing position has been that we will recognise a Palestinian State at a time that is most conducive to the peace process. That pathway must start with fixing the immediate crisis in Gaza.

    President, we must focus collectively on the vital elements for a lasting peace. These include:

    • the release of all hostages;
    • the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package;
    • removing Hamas’s capacity to launch attacks against Israel;
    • Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza;
    • and as I have mentioned, a political horizon which provides a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.

    Finally, President, I would like to address the ongoing settlement expansion and demolition of Palestinian properties in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We are clear that settlements are illegal under international law, and once again urge Israel to halt settlement expansion immediately. The UK remains committed to acting robustly in support of peace and stability in the region.

    President, let me end by reiterating the UK’s commitment to a two-state solution and turning this Council’s words into actions. We must work together to make this vision for peace a reality.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Vienna Mechanism on treatment of prisoners by Russia – Joint Statement by UK, US and Canada [April 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Vienna Mechanism on treatment of prisoners by Russia – Joint Statement by UK, US and Canada [April 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 April 2024.

    UK, US and Canada regret Russia’s lack of response to the Vienna Mechanism of March 2024 on prison conditions and call for immediate humanitarian release of Vladimir Kara-Murza.

    Madam Chair,

    I am delivering this statement on behalf of the United Kingdom, the United States, and my own country Canada. We align ourselves fully with the statement just made by Denmark on behalf of the participating States who invoked the Vienna Mechanism on 22 March 2024, and would add the following views.

    It is evident that Russia continues to completely disregard its international human rights obligations and its OSCE human dimension commitments. Russia’s refusal to respond to the questions posed last under the Vienna Mechanism is yet further evidence of their fear of transparency and accountability.

    Russia today is haunted by fear. Ordinary citizens are afraid of exercising their basic human rights. Russia’s rulers are afraid that their fabricated reality is so weak that it will not withstand examination or comment. With self-centered conceit, the Kremlin finds contrary opinions intolerable, and responds to expressions of political opinion with repression.

    In an effort to silence dissent, Russian authorities have engaged in the harassment, intimidation, and persecution of civil society members, human rights defenders, journalists, opposition figures, and anyone speaking out against Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. This systemic political repression has resulted in many arbitrary and unlawful detentions; subsequently many prisoners, particularly those imprisoned for political reasons, have reportedly been subjected to torture and other mistreatment at the hands of the state.

    States are obliged under international law to treat all individuals deprived of their liberty with humanity and respect for their inherent dignity; they must also respect fair trial guarantees. Yet credible reports indicate that political prisoners in Russia face sexual and gender-based violence, threats of sexual abuse, and prolonged punitive detention in isolation cells. They are often deprived of access to adequate medical care, refused prompt access to their lawyers, and are denied contact with family members.

    The sudden death of Alexei Navalny in a Russian penal colony, following years of detention in poor conditions which, according to UN experts, amounted to torture and ill-treatment, is tragically emblematic of state repression in Russia.

    Our governments also remain deeply concerned about the ongoing detention of Vladimir Kara-Murza, who we spoke of last week in this Council. Russian authorities have callously disregarded Mr Kara-Murza’s declining health, refusing him the urgent medical treatment he needs. His degrading and inhumane prison conditions are clearly designed to inflict further damage to both his physical and mental health. We again call on the Russian authorities to release him immediately on humanitarian grounds.

    We reiterate our call to the Russian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all those unjustly imprisoned in Russia on political grounds, including: Oleg Orlov, leader of the Nobel Prize winning human rights organization Memorial who proudly declared that he opposed the war; journalist Maria Ponomarenko, for telling the truth about the conduct of the Russian Army; Alexandra Skochilenko, who received a seven-year sentence for posting anti-war stickers in a food store; Evgenia Berkovich for anti-war poetry; activists in the Navalny anti-corruption foundation Lilia Chaysheva, Ksenia Fadeeva, Vadim Ostanin, Alina Olekhnovich, and Ivan Trofimov; and also, IIgor Baryshnikov, Alexey Gorinov, and Ilya Yashin. And we reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release of the three OSCE employees detained by Russia: Vadym Golda, Maxim Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov.

    These are just a few examples from a very long list. In addition to administrative punishment, foreign agent designations and other restrictions, human rights organization OVD-INFO calculates that there have been 1447 politically motivated criminal prosecutions in Russia since 2022.

    We call on Russia to respond to the Vienna Mechanism and to take due account of the recommendations made by the Moscow Mechanism Rapporteur in 2022 and the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Russia in 2023. The latter expressly called for Russia to ensure an independent and impartial investigation of “all allegations of torture and ill-treatment in custody” and to prosecute and hold accountable those responsible.

    The Kremlin’s utter disregard for its human rights obligations and its OSCE commitments is a legitimate point of discussion for this Council. We call upon the Russian government to respect its human rights obligations, to allow dissenting voices to express their views without fear of persecution, to end the use of arbitrary and unlawful detention, and to ensure that all those detained are treated with dignity and have access to adequate medical care.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Presentation by Chairs of the Three OSCE Committees – UK response [April 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Presentation by Chairs of the Three OSCE Committees – UK response [April 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 April 2024.

    Ambassador Neil Holland thanks the three OSCE Committee chairs for their work to uphold OSCE principles and commitments.

    Thank you, Chair, and thank you to the Chairs of the three Committees for presenting today. Dear Peter, Florian, Anne-Marie: we support the approaches you have proposed. What runs clearly through each is that OSCE Committees strive to uphold the principles and commitments that we have all signed up to as members of this organisation. Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine strikes at the very heart of these commitments and principles. Russia’s war must continue to command our full attention.

    Dear Peter, we welcome your appointment and proposed work-plan, particularly your focus on cyber and online activity. 2024 is an important year for democratic institutions and processes. Millions of voters go to the polls in elections, in the UK and elsewhere across our region. This presents a significant opportunity for interference and influence by malign actors. We must be vigilant and increase our awareness of these threats.

    Dear Florian, we welcome your continued leadership and work plan, particularly your proposal to hold sessions on food security and connectivity. Instability has a significant detrimental impact on the economies and environment across our region, and the UK values the Economic and Environmental Committee’s flexible approach to respond to new threats on the ground.

    Dear Anne-Marie, we welcome your continued leadership and proposed work plan. The UK especially welcomes the work you – with the Chair in forthcoming Supplementary Meetings – continue to lead with civil society. Thematic meetings this year on freedom of the media, torture, and cultural heritage in particular, provide an important platform to review the growing challenges to implementation of our human rights commitments. The UK will continue to work with you, as with the CiO, ODIHR, RFOM and others to defend the OSCE’s vital human dimension commitments and institutions, and to spotlight ways in which internal repression in some participating States has undermined shared security in the OSCE region.

    Madam Chair, we need the OSCE now more than ever. Our shared principles and commitments sit at the heart of Euro-Atlantic security, and we will continue to work in the three Committees, with you as our CiO, and the Secretariat, institutions, and field missions – to uphold them. For Ukraine of course, but also for all of us in this room. Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK’s most lethal tank rolls off the production lines [April 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK’s most lethal tank rolls off the production lines [April 2024]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 18 April 2024.

    British Army soldiers are a step closer to getting their hands on one of Europe’s most lethal tanks – the Challenger 3 – the Defence Secretary has announced.

    • Latest Challenger 3 tanks finalising production.
    • Supporting hundreds of UK jobs in Telford, Gateshead, Bristol and Bovington.
    • 148 cutting-edge Main Battle Tanks to be provided to the British Army.

    With advanced armour and devastating firepower, the Challenger 3 boasts an impressive range of state-of-the-art technology, making it the most lethal and survivable tank ever operated by the British Army.

    The latest of eight Challenger 3 prototypes rolled off the Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land factory production line in Telford as the Defence Secretary had an opportunity to meet the engineers and apprentices who have worked on this crucial programme.

    The first tank is already showing its capabilities on trials. All will be tested under operational conditions to validate their performance and make refinements, before another 140 are built and delivered to the British Army.

    Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, said:

    In a more dangerous world, the need for vehicles such as the Challenger 3 is imperative, as the threats facing the UK evolve. This tank will be at the heart of the British Army’s warfighting capabilities and will be integral to the UK’s deterrence.

    The hard work and dedication on show in Telford and across the country is instrumental in driving forward UK defence innovation and delivering for our forces in the frontline.

    Providing the Army’s Main Battle Tank, the Challenger 3 will remain in service until at least 2040.  This third iteration of the Challenger series includes a state-of-the-art turret with a more capable smoothbore gun, which is compatible with NATO ammunition, as well as improved armour and sensors.

    The Army’s Director Programmes, Major General Jon Swift OBE said:

    Challenger 3 will be at the heart of the Army’s Armoured Brigade Combat Teams, alongside Ajax and Boxer, and is critical to the Army’s warfighting capability and the UK’s contribution to NATO. The delivery of these prototype vehicles, the first of which has already started trials, marks a significant milestone on the Army’s modernisation journey.

    Director General Land for Defence, Equipment and Support, Lieutenant General Simon Hamilton CBE said:

    Delivering the capability the Army needs to be more lethal is vital in an increasingly uncertain and dangerous world. The Challenger 3 Programme is a cornerstone of the Army’s Future Soldier modernisation, and I am delighted to see the Army, DE&S and RBSL collaborating together to provide our soldiers with a world-class Main Battle Tank made here in the UK.

    RBSL Managing Director, Will Gibby said:

    RBSL is playing a key part in delivering the Land Industrial Strategy through its Challenger 3 programme, ensuring it benefits from the best of British engineering and manufacturing, whilst also sustaining valuable skills across the country.

    Delivery of the first pre-production Challenger 3 and the commencement of trials marks a critical milestone in our delivery of this impressive capability to the British Army and will provide our soldiers with a world-class Main Battle Tank made here in the UK.

    Challenger 3 is being delivered by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) under a £800 million contract, creating a number of highly skilled roles, with nearly 300 jobs generated within RBSL, including 130 engineers and 70 technicians, with an additional 450 jobs across the UK.

    The contract is also attracting a £40 million inward investment in RBSL’s Telford facility, utilising a UK supply chain that includes companies in the West Midlands, Glasgow, Newcastle upon Tyne and the Isle of Wight.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK and US sanction leading Iranian military figures and entities following the attack on Israel [April 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK and US sanction leading Iranian military figures and entities following the attack on Israel [April 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 April 2024.

    The UK sanctioned a further 7 individuals and 6 entities that enabled Iran’s destabilising activity in the Middle East, including its direct attack on Israel.

    Today (Thursday 18 April) the UK has sanctioned a further 7 individuals and 6 entities who have enabled Iran to conduct destabilising regional activity, including its direct attack on Israel.

    This adds to the 400 plus sanctions already imposed on Iran. Previous sanctions include the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in its entirety and many of those responsible for the attack on Israel.

    In a coordinated package with the US, leading Iranian military figures have been sanctioned in response to Iran’s dangerous direct attack on Israel on 14 April. The UK and US have also announced a range of sanctions to tighten the net on key actors within Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and missile industries and further limit Iran’s ability to destabilise the region.

    The Foreign Secretary announced these sanctions during his attendance at the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in Capri, where the UK and our allies reaffirmed support for Israel’s security and the security of all our regional partners.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    The Iranian regime’s attack against Israel was a reckless act and a dangerous escalation.

    Today we have sanctioned the ringleaders of the Iranian military and forces responsible for the weekend’s attack.

    These sanctions – announced with the US – show we unequivocally condemn this behaviour, and they will further limit Iran’s ability to destabilise the region.

    Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

    At a time of great tension in the Middle East, Iran’s decision to launch hundreds of drones and missiles towards Israel carried with it a serious risk of thousands of civilian casualties and wider escalation for the region.

    The sanctions announced today alongside the US demonstrate our unequivocal condemnation of Iran’s attack on a sovereign state.

    The MSC Aries and its crew should be released immediately, and Iran should halt its reckless and unlawful behaviour. Further escalation is in no one’s interest.

    The UK has condemned Iran’s dangerous attack on a sovereign state, which has further inflamed tensions in the Middle East and served to further isolate Iran on the world stage. Today’s designations have been made under the UK’s new Iran sanctions regime, which enables the UK to target Iran’s hostile behaviour.

    Further sanctions have been imposed on:

    • Armed Forces General Staff: directs and coordinates Iran’s armed forces
    • The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy: 1 of Iran’s 2 naval forces
    • The Khatemolanbia Central Headquarters (KCHQ): responsible for operational command and control of Iran’s armed forces
    • Major General Gholamali Rashid, Commander KCHQ: responsible for operational command and control of Iran’s armed forces, reports directly to the Supreme Leader
    • Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani, Minister of Defence Armed Forces Logistics: Iran’s Defence Minister, responsible for supporting and equipping the Iranian armed forces
    • Seid Mir Ahmad Nooshin, Aerospace Industries Organisation (AIO) Director and 4 further individuals related to AIO

    The individuals sanctioned are subject to a travel ban and asset freeze. The entities are subject to an asset freeze.

    The IRGC Navy was involved in seizing the civilian ship MSC Aries in international waters and has threatened military action against Israel. The UK has continued to call for the immediate release of the ship and its crew.

    In 2023 alone, the UK made 154 new designations. The UK continues to tighten the net on actors involved in the Iranian UAV and missile industries. Last year the UK introduced trade measures prohibiting the export of specific UAV components and services to Iran. The UK has also designated a wide range of companies involved in production of Iranian UAVs, including the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones – models which Iran has supplied to Russia. These types of drones were also used by Iran in its attack on Israel.

    The UK is continuing to work closely with our partners in the G7 as we consider further measures to hold Iran’s regime to account.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK and others condemn treatment of prisoners in Russia, including Vladimir Kara-Murza – Joint Statement to the OSCE [April 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK and others condemn treatment of prisoners in Russia, including Vladimir Kara-Murza – Joint Statement to the OSCE [April 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 April 2024.

    UK and 40 other OSCE States regret Russia’s lack of response to Vienna Mechanism of March 2024 on prison conditions in Russia.

    Mr. Chairperson,

    On Thursday 22nd of March, Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States expressed deep concern regarding severe human rights violations occurring in the Russian Federation.

    By invoking the Vienna (Human Dimension) Mechanism and highlighting the obligations of the Russian Federation under this Mechanism, the aligned countries requested concrete and substantial responses to seven questions regarding arbitrary or unjust arrests and detentions in Russia, the targeting of political opposition members, as well as torture and mistreatment in Russian detention facilities and prisons.

    Regrettably, the Russian Federation has not responded in accordance with the commitments of the Vienna Mechanism within the 10-day deadline. In fact, it has now been 27 days without any response.

    The world does not yet know exactly what transpired in the final hours before the death of Alexei Navalny. Navalny’s legacy of courageous advocacy against corruption and for a free and democratic Russia continues to resonate. Many imprisoned members of the opposition remain incarcerated and their lives are still in grave danger. Among those at risk is Vladimir Kara-Murza, a human rights activist, politician, journalist, and historian who has survived two poisoning attempts and who serves 25-year prison term in inhumane conditions and without access to urgent medical care.

    Another prisoner, Ilya Yashin, was sentenced in December 2022 to eight-and-a-half years in prison for statements he made on his YouTube channel about reported war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Russian armed forces in the city of Bucha in Ukraine’s Kyiv region. In February 2024, Russia’s Ministry of Justice designated Oleg Orlov as a so-called “foreign agent”, citing his opposition to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and accusing him of spreading “false information” about the government’s actions. Later that month, a Moscow court found Orlov guilty, sentencing him to two years and six months in a penal colony for allegedly “discrediting” the Russian army.

    Sadly, these are only a few examples of the continued widespread and systematic suppression of independent voices by Russian authorities. We call on Russia to immediately and unconditionally release all arbitrarily detained persons.

    We remain gravely concerned about reports of escalated and politically motivated prosecution based on ambiguous claims such as “extremism” and “false information”. The growing complexity within the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the Law on Associations, and the Code of Administrative Offences—coupled with credible reports of torture and ill-treatment in Russian places of detention—demands our close attention.

    In reference to relevant OSCE commitments, including the 1989 Vienna Concluding Document, the 1990 CSCE/OSCE Copenhagen Document, the 1991 Document of the Moscow meeting of the conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE, the 2004 Sofia Ministerial Council Decision on Preventing and Combating Torture, the 2006 Brussels Declaration on Criminal Justice Systems, and the 2020 Tirana Ministerial Council Decision on the prevention and eradication of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, we urgently request that the Russian Federation provide concrete and substantial responses to our questions without any further delay. We remind that all OSCE participating States have agreed that commitments undertaken in the field of the human dimension are matters of direct and legitimate concern to all participating States and do not belong exclusively to the internal affairs of the State concerned.

    The silence from the Russian Federation is not in line with the OSCE commitments in the field of the human dimension. Let me therefore emphasize that we will persist in seeking answers to our concerns by exploring relevant meetings, mechanisms, and committees available to us within the OSCE structures and other multilateral arenas.

    I thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Report of the Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje – UK response [April 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Report of the Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje – UK response [April 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 April 2024.

    Ambassador Holland responds to the report presentation by Ambassador Wahl, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

    Thank you, Madam Chair.

    Firstly, I would like to welcome back Ambassador Wahl to the Permanent Council. Thank you for the work of your team over the last year, and for this comprehensive report.

    The United Kingdom highly appreciates the work and added value of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, and the Mission’s support to government reforms. We particularly recognise the important role played by the OSCE Mission in supporting North Macedonia to deliver its priorities as Chair-in-Office last year. I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to North Macedonia for its excellent Chairpersonship of the OSCE in 2023, and as a valued member of the Troika this year.

    Madam Chair, as North Macedonia heads to the polls for presidential and parliamentary elections in the coming weeks, the OSCE – particularly ODIHR and the Mission to Skopje – will continue to have a vital role to play in supporting reforms. We encourage the Government of North Macedonia to follow up on the remaining ODIHR recommendations on electoral reforms, including those highlighted in the ODIHR Election Observation Mission interim report, issued last week.

    We positively note the Mission’s achievements over the past 12 months, set out in detail in your report. We particularly welcome your continued engagement to promote social cohesion and community rights, and your support on integrated education – including work in the last 12 months to baseline standards of education in minority language communities.

    The UK is also pleased to note the Mission’s continued commitment to gender mainstreaming in all programmatic work. Your report highlights some excellent initiatives mainstreaming gender equality into North Macedonia’s law- and policy-making processes – including the development of training on gender aspects of corruption, and through the successful handover of the Mission’s flagship Gender Mentoring Programme to North Macedonia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.

    Madam Chair, the United Kingdom and North Macedonia have developed a strong and supportive bilateral relationship since we established diplomatic relations 30 years ago. The UK will remain a strong supporter of North Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic path, and we look forward to working with the incoming government towards these ends. I have no doubt that the OSCE Mission to Skopje will continue to have an important role to play in supporting the next government to deliver its priorities.

    Thank you, Ambassador Wahl. Thank you, Madam Chair.