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  • PRESS RELEASE : Yet another brutal attack by Russia against the Ukrainian people – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Yet another brutal attack by Russia against the Ukrainian people – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 December 2023.

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

    Thank you President, and I join others in thanking Assistant Secretary-General Khiari as well.

    Colleagues, it is with deep regret that we find ourselves sitting here to respond to yet another brutal attack by Russia against the Ukrainian people. Last night, Russia launched the largest wave of missile and drone attacks since the war started, using over 158 weapons of different types.

    This was not a push on the front lines. These missiles were aimed at population centres across Ukraine:  Kyiv, Lviv, Dnipro, Odesa, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi and many more cities. They struck homes, apartment buildings, shopping centres, and metros. A maternity hospital and regional oncology centre have been damaged. In short, civilian infrastructure.

    These reports are unfortunately no longer surprising. But they are still shocking. Reports indicate at least 30 people have been killed and hundreds wounded – and the death toll is still rising. This toll would be much higher, if not for Ukrainian air defence systems, which have been supplemented by the international community.

    This war, which Russia alone chose, continues to inflict a devastating human cost on ordinary Ukrainians. Earlier this month, during my visit to Kyiv, I met children recovering from injuries caused by Russian missile strikes in Kherson and at Kramatorsk railway station. These children lost limbs. They lost their parents. They lost their childhood. But these are brave and resilient children and they’re determined to rebuild their lives, their homes and their country. Russia’s illegal and brutal aggression will, however, last long in Ukraine’s history.

    Last night’s attack was, as my Defence Secretary said, a desperate and futile attempt by Russia to regain momentum. They will not succeed. Ukraine has already forced Russia’s Black Sea fleet to retreat from its Crimea base. Ukraine is defending its territory. It has already retaken more than half the land seized by Russia since February 2022. And, as I said,  is pushing back Russia in the Black Sea.

    So again, we praise the bravery and resolve of the Ukrainian people and its armed forces. The United Kingdom continues to stand by them. We are sending hundreds more missiles to restock the air defence systems, which are helping to protect Ukraine’s civilians and its infrastructure from Russia’s brutal attack.

    Our support will remain for as long as it takes and I join the Secretary-General in condemning these attacks in the strongest terms.

    President, as this is likely the final meeting of the year, I want to express my appreciation to the Presidency for their excellent stewardship of the Council this busy month, and I’d also like to extend our gratitude to Albania, to Brazil, to Gabon, and to Ghana and the UAE. You have been excellent partners, you’ve made vital contributions to the Council’s work and each brought your unique perspective, and we will miss you.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Many more will die from attacks, disease and famine if we do not stop the humanitarian catastrophe – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Many more will die from attacks, disease and famine if we do not stop the humanitarian catastrophe – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 December 2023.

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

    Thank you, President, and let me join others in thanking Assistant Secretary-General Khairi, Mr Muasher and Mr Epshtain for their briefings today.

    President, let me start with the humanitarian crisis. The 21 December IPC report records that more people are in ‘phase five’ famine in Gaza than in the rest of the world combined. Yesterday, I spoke to the Save the Children Country Director for the OPTs, he told me that 4 in 10 of those killed in Gaza so far are children. That is close to 8,500 children dead. For those injured and surviving, nearly two thirds of homes and schools are damaged or destroyed. Many more will die from attacks, from disease, from famine if we do not act to stop this humanitarian catastrophe.

    And so, with the adoption of resolution 2720, this Council sent an important signal of our commitment to support the UN to deliver desperately needed aid. And we very much welcome the appointment of Sigrid Kaag as UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza. Our own appointment of a UK Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the OPTs underscores our commitment to address the humanitarian crisis.

    Second, on security, President, we remain resolute in our commitment to Israel’s security and the need to address the threat from Hamas. But too many civilians have been killed. Israel must comply with International Humanitarian Law and differentiate clearly between terrorists and civilians.

    The situation in the Occupied West Bank underlines the urgent need to make progress towards peace. The UK is clear that Israel must stop settler violence immediately and hold the perpetrators accountable. We also continue to call on Israel to adhere to their commitments and cease all settlement activities in the OPTs. Approving further settlement serves only to raise tensions in the West Bank.

    Both Israel and the Palestinian Authority should demonstrate, through their policies, a genuine commitment to the two-state solution. It is vital we all work together to deliver peace, dignity and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike. And in this respect I very much welcome Dr Muasher’s thoughtful briefing earlier.

    Third, President, on the wider risk in the region, we are acutely aware of the conflict’s potential to spill over to the wider region. We are engaging at the most senior levels to caution against further escalation along the Blue Line. A full-blown conflict between Israel and Hizballah would be catastrophic for Lebanon and the region.

    We also condemn illegal and unjustified attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea by Houthi militants. These attacks are harming the global economy, threatening regional security and risking innocent lives.

    In conclusion, President, in resolution 2720 we underscored the need for conditions that would allow for a sustainable cessation of hostilities. These include the immediate and unconditional release of hostages held by Hamas and an end to the threat posed to Israel by rocket attacks and other forms of terrorism. Sustainable peace and security for both the Israeli and Palestinian people requires that we then redouble our efforts to deliver a new political horizon towards the delivery of two states: a secure and stable Israel, with a viable and independent Palestine – living side by side in peace and security.

    And I thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The Taliban has a responsibility to meet its international commitments – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : The Taliban has a responsibility to meet its international commitments – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 December 2023.

    Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan.

    Colleagues, I would first like to thank the penholders, the UAE and Japan, not only for their tireless efforts on this important text but also for their creativity and tenacity, which led to the Council mandating the independent assessment on Afghanistan, which was very ably executed by Ambassador Feridun Sinirlioğlu.

    As we’ve said multiple times in this chamber, we should seize the momentum of the independent assessment with the hope of changing Afghanistan’s current negative trajectory.

    At the same time, the Taliban has a responsibility to meet its international commitments, including via the immediate reversal of policies restricting women’s rights and fundamental freedoms.

    So, we encourage all parties, including Afghan and international stakeholders, to take forward the independent assessment’s recommendations, working towards an Afghanistan that is at peace with its people, its neighbours, and the international community.

    Thank you, President.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Welsh Secretary highlights UK Government delivery in 2023 [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Welsh Secretary highlights UK Government delivery in 2023 [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Welsh Office on 29 December 2023.

    Secretary of State David TC Davies says that progress is being made in growing the economy and spreading jobs, prosperity and investment across Wales.

    The UK Government has never been more active in its delivery for Wales than in 2023, Welsh Secretary David TC Davies has said.

    In a New Year message, Mr Davies said that huge progress was being made in growing the economy and delivering major projects to spread jobs, prosperity and investment right across the country.

    The UK Government has stepped up to invest in projects across the breadth of Wales, from Pembroke to Ynys Môn, Monmouthshire to Port Talbot – with a relentless focus on empowering and improving communities and people’s opportunities.

    Funding for levelling up in Wales has now reached £2 billion. In 2023 the UK Government announced two Investment Zones and two Freeports alongside investing in dozens of projects the length and breadth of Wales aimed at restoring town centres, boosting infrastructure and enhancing tourism facilities.

    David TC Davies said:

    As Welsh Secretary I am proud to be part of an administration which is the most active UK Government in Wales since devolution began a quarter of a century ago.

    Through five Welsh growth deals, two freeports, various levelling up funding streams and two new Investment Zones the UK Government is delivering an extra £2 billion in direct investment in Wales, on top of the record funding we are providing to the Welsh Government to deliver its devolved services like health and education.

    I am also delighted that we are investing directly in transport infrastructure including £1 billion on the electrification of the North Wales Main Line, £5 million to improve transport links in Monmouthshire and, earlier this month, it was fantastic to see my Wales Office colleague Fay Jones open the restored Barmouth Viaduct following a £30 million restoration funded by UK Government.

    He added:

    These investments matter greatly to communities and are possible because the UK Government’s economic plan is working. Just a few weeks ago I listened in the House of Commons as more and more good news for Wales was announced in the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement.

    His measures meant that around 1.2 million workers in Wales will benefit from an average of £324 back in their pocket through National Insurance cuts and there was the biggest-ever increase in the National Living Wage announced for 130,000 Welsh workers.

    The triple lock was maintained for pensioners, benefits will continue to rise in line with inflation, alcohol duty was frozen and the Local Housing Allowance increased.

    Specifically for Wales, there was an ambitious commitment to floating offshore wind, £800,000 for the Space Technology Test Centre in North Wales and the much-loved Hay Festival in Powys received £500,000.

    And as a result of England-only announcements in the Autumn Statement, there was also an additional £305 million in Barnett Consequentials for the Welsh Government, on top of its record block grant, to spend on devolved responsibilities. Despite some claims to the contrary, the Welsh Government is well funded and is currently receiving over 20% more funding per person than equivalent UK government spending in other parts of the UK.

    The Welsh Secretary also looked back at significant events in Wales and the UK during 2023.

    He said:

    It was a proud personal moment to attend the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in May and to be present at such a significant moment for the country. The new King has a well-established and strong relationship with Wales and I know the links between the Royal Family and the people of Wales will continue to grow stronger.

    There will also be a new First Minister in Wales in 2024 and I look forward to working constructively with Mark Drakeford’s successor.

    Looking ahead to 2024, Mr Davies added that Wales could approach the New Year with optimism.

    The Welsh Secretary said:

    The Prime Minister and I are determined to do all in our power to ensure that Wales’ prosperity is increased and its potential realised.

    This year I look forward greatly to seeing our new Investment Zones and Freeports getting up and running and the completion of many of the levelling up investments we have made in every one of the 22 local authorities in Wales.

    It was incredibly important that the UK Government acted to preserve steelmaking in Port Talbot last year with a £500 million package for Tata Steel and I will continue my work as the chair of the £100 million Transition Board throughout 2024.

    Finally, we recently saw Wales’ men’s team finally play at a football World Cup and I hope to see the team travel to Germany next year for Euro 2024 following their incredible success in the 2016 tournament.

    I am certain that we have a bright year ahead in Wales and I look forward once again to travelling to every part of the country to see the delivery of UK Government investment in our communities.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Secretary of State – Returning Executive can unleash Northern Ireland’s potential [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Secretary of State – Returning Executive can unleash Northern Ireland’s potential [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 29 December 2023.

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris wrote in the Belfast Telegraph about his hopes for a restored executive and what it could mean for Northern Ireland.

    I was hoping that as I wrote this, Northern Ireland would have just seen its devolved Government start working again in Stormont. Alas, as we move into 2024 Northern Ireland will have been without a fully functioning executive for 23 months.

    That’s just under two years without the locally elected politicians you voted for delivering for you. That’s meant hundreds of decisions and opportunities haven’t been taken by the people you voted for and the issues facing your public services haven’t been addressed.

    Earlier this month the UK Government held intense discussions with the political parties in an attempt to get them to agree how the Northern Ireland Executive can return on a stable financial footing and ensure public services are able to meet the needs of people here. I put a fair and generous package on the table worth over £3 billion.

    It’s a package that provides solutions to many important issues raised by the parties, including a new method for deciding how much money Northern Ireland receives from the UK Government; hundreds of millions of pounds of assistance for public sector pay; and over £1 billion to stabilise Northern Ireland’s public services.

    It’s disappointing that the discussions concluded without the return of a devolved government in Northern Ireland, but this funding remains on the table for a returned Executive to take up on day one, and really would set Northern Ireland on a sustainable footing with a bright future ahead.

    Some are now looking to the 18th of January as a deadline. It is a matter of fact that this is the date when I will once again fall under a legal duty to call a new election at Stormont and it will no longer be legally possible for an Executive to form. I am considering all options carefully, however, I want Stormont to return as soon as possible so I am not treating this date as a target and will be relentlessly working with all parties to find a way forward.

    January 18 is also the date when thousands of public sector workers will go on strike over pay. A returned Executive could stop these strikes and the disruption it brings to people across Northern Ireland. By getting back to work they will unlock the £584 million made available by the UK Government to address public sector pay.

    People in Northern Ireland expect and deserve devolved government back as soon as possible, to make use of the financial package we have put on the table. In its absence however, the UK Government cannot and will not just stand by and allow public services and finances to decline further. Which is why, just like last year, we are preparing a pragmatic and reasonable approach to support the Northern Ireland Civil Service in stabilising public finances and services via a sustainable budget, should the Executive not be back in place to do so itself.

    But we are clear that there must be a limit to how far the UK Government can go without an Executive in place. That is because the financial package we have offered requires decisions on how to improve and modernise the public services and these must be taken by locally-elected politicians with the mandate to do so. It should not just be for local politicians to dispense funding from the UK government. They should take active and sometimes difficult decisions about where priorities lie, because they know the place and the needs of their constituents better than anyone else.

    As Secretary of State I have focused on getting Stormont back up and running and upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its strands. I will never stand down these efforts. I am confident the support that would be provided by the UK Government to an incoming Executive will allow the devolved institutions to be set up for success rather than failure.

    Now it is time for people in Northern Ireland to see those they elected back in place taking decisions on the issues that matter most to them.

    2024 is the year when Northern Ireland’s potential could be completely unleashed – for that to happen Stormont needs to return.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government exceeds target as over 2,100 more county lines closed [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government exceeds target as over 2,100 more county lines closed [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 29 December 2023.

    Ambitious target to close 2,000 county lines by 2025 exceeded in just a year and a half.

    More than 2,000 county lines have been dismantled in the last 18 months, as the government hits its target of closing thousands of these criminal networks early.

    Data published this month shows the ambitious three-year target, made in the government’s 10-year drug strategy, has been achieved in just a year and a half, with dedicated police taskforces from the County Lines Programme arresting senior line holders and breaking the gangs that terrorise communities.

    Between April 2022 and September this year, over 4,000 arrests have been made, whilst 4,800 vulnerable people caught up in these vile operations have been offered support to turn their lives around.

    Between April and September 2023, over 700 lines were dismantled, 1,300 arrests made and 1,600 victims were supported.

    These results demonstrate the relentless targeting of county lines by the police, who are persistently closing them down as they appear.

    The government is also keeping the dangerous criminals behind these gangs locked up for longer, ensuring they are off our streets and stopping them re-opening drug networks.

    Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

    County lines gangs are some of the most vile, exploitative criminals in this country, lining their pockets at the expense of countless vulnerable lives.

    We set a target of taking down 2,000 lines in three years, which we have delivered in half the time. We will go even further to shut down these criminal enterprises and help victims to turn their lives around.

    The Home Office launched the County Lines Programme in 2019 to tackle the harmful drug supply model which devastates lives through exploitation, coercion and violence.

    County lines gangs often target the most vulnerable people, manipulating and coercing them into debt, and forcing them to transport and sell drugs.

    A key part of the County Lines Programme lies in victim support to ensure that young people and their families have the support they need as they escape these gangs.

    Since the start of the programme, the Home Office has invested up to £5 million in support services like Catch22 and Missing People, who carry out crucial work to help vulnerable individuals and families.

    Catch22 provides specialist support and rescue services for young people and their families who are criminally exploited through county lines.

    One vulnerable young person who has turned their back on county lines criminality due to Catch22’s work is Liam*.

    Liam was referred to Catch22 by social services after a raid at his home found his mother and brother in possession of Class A and Class B drugs, alongside £3,000 in cash. A subsequent raid found 11 bags of cannabis and weapons. Care workers were concerned that Liam was going down the same path as his family and referred him to Catch22 for support.

    Whilst Liam was resistant to support at first, Catch22 were able to build a relationship with him and help him understand the dangers of getting involved in county lines and drug use and how to recognise and avoid criminal exploitation.

    Liam never missed a session with Catch22 and his attendance and performance at college subsequently improved. He has now moved onto a construction college, knowing that support is there if he is struggling.

    Liam is just one of hundreds of young people who have been supported by Home Office-funded victim support services since 2022 and shows that vulnerable, hard-to-reach people can, with support, make different choices and turn their backs on a life of criminality.

    The government has committed to increasing police funding to tackle criminal activity like county lines and this month announced the 2024-25 provisional police funding settlement which will give police forces in England and Wales up to £922 million additional funding next year, should Police and Crime Commissioners choose to take full advantage of police precept flexibility. In addition to this, over £200 million will be invested in priority projects next year, including continued work to tackle county lines.

    The government has also delivered on its manifesto commitment to recruit 20,000 additional officers by March 2023, bolstering police action against these gangs with a record high of almost 150,000 officers across England and Wales.

    *Liam is not the victim’s real name, which has been changed to protect his identity.

  • Keir Starmer – 2024 New Year’s Message

    Keir Starmer – 2024 New Year’s Message

    The message issued by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on 1 January 2024.

    On behalf of the Labour Party, I’d like to wish you all a Happy New Year.

    And I hope you had a wonderful Christmas as well.

    2023 has been a year of pride and achievement.

    For the Lionesses – yet again – so close to doing an unprecedented double.

    And of course a year when our country stepped into a new era.

    With a new King – King Charles III – crowned in the spring.

    It has also, for millions of people, been another tough year economically.

    And, beyond our shores, a time of great insecurity.

    With war still raging in Ukraine.

    And enormous suffering in Israel and Gaza.

    In the Labour Party we will do everything we can in 2024 to push for a political solution to that conflict.

    A secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state.

    A hope that maybe fragile, but that must be kept alive.

    Because there is always power in that word – hope.

    It is the fuel of change.

    The oxygen of a better future.

    And this year, in Britain, the power to shape the future of our country will rest in your hands.

    In the Labour Party – we’ve been building to this for four years.

    We’re confident we have a plan that will move our country forward.

    End the cost-of-living crisis.

    Take back our streets.

    Get the NHS back on its feet.

    Cheaper energy bills for your home.

    More opportunities for your children.

    But most of all – I’m ready to renew our politics so it once again serves our country.

    I know that politics isn’t held in particularly high regard in Britain.

    But I have spent four years bringing the Labour Party back to service.

    And in 2024 – we can do the same for politics.

    So wherever you are, however you are celebrating: Happy New Year.

    Let’s make sure this is the year where together, we get Britain’s future back.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK celebrates service to others in HM The King’s New Year Honours [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK celebrates service to others in HM The King’s New Year Honours [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 29 December 2023.

    The New Year Honours List 2024 recognises selfless service to others from individuals across the UK.

    More than 1,200 recipients have been awarded for their exceptional achievements, with a focus on those who have given with generosity to others in need.

    Individuals have been recognised for being dedicated community champions, role models in sport, pioneers in the arts, passionate health workers, and supporters of young people.

    The Prime Minister is committed to ensuring that honours are awarded to people across the whole of the UK, so that the honours system captures and celebrates the fantastic contribution of people throughout the country.

    Anyone can nominate someone for an honour. If you know someone who has achieved fantastic things worthy of recognition, go to https://www.gov.uk/honours to find out more about how you can put them forward.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    The New Year Honours List recognises the exceptional achievements of people across the country and those who have shown the highest commitment to selflessness and compassion.

    To all honourees, you are the pride of this country and an inspiration to us all.

    Deputy Prime Minister, Rt Hon. Oliver Dowden CBE MP, said:

    This year’s New Year Honours List celebrates the most selfless, compassionate people in the UK. I send them all my warmest congratulations for what they have achieved.

    Our historic honours system exists to recognise these people and shine a light on their heroic contributions and achievements.

    I hope that the inspiring stories from across the whole of the UK encourage more people to nominate others for an honour in future.

    Community

    Sarah Graham has been awarded an MBE for services to Ukrainian refugees. Based in Buckinghamshire, Sarah has brought together over 50 host families and 155 volunteers across a number of villages through her organisation, Hilltops Ukrainian Support Community.

    Jacqueline Savage from County Durham has been awarded an MBE for services to social care. She has worked in children’s education, children’s social care and adult social care for the last 30 years. She draws on her own experiences of having a neurological condition to develop staff to ensure that people accessing adult social care receive care of a high standard.

    Elizabeth Hall from Kent has been awarded an MBE for services to tackling hygiene poverty. She is the founder of The Hygiene Bank which, during the pandemic, delivered over £300,000 worth of donations. It currently has over 154 active local projects, roughly 2,000 community partners and leads more than 479 volunteers.

    Dr John Morrison (Morris) Brown has been awarded a BEM for services to the community in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. He was instrumental in setting up the Castlederg Patient Comfort and Terminally Ill Fund which has raised more than £500,000 to date and supported around 600 local people and families.

    Felicity Dahl has been awarded a DBE for services to philanthropy, to literature and to young people. She set up Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity in 1991 in memory of Roald Dahl. The charity works in partnership with the NHS to provide specialist nurses and support for seriously ill children living with complex, lifelong conditions.

    Young people

    Tony Hudgell is this year’s youngest recipient. At 9 years old, he has been awarded a BEM for services to the prevention of child abuse. He has raised over £1.8m for the hospital that saved his life after he suffered horrific abuse as a baby. Along with his adoptive mother, he founded the Tony Hudgell Foundation in 2021 to support and help vulnerable children, and has also inspired an English law change to increase prison sentences for those convicted of child cruelty and neglect.

    Camilla Bowry has been awarded an OBE for services to charity. Camilla is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sal’s Shoes, based in Surrey, which donates school shoes to children in need. As of November 2021, she had collected over 2,750,000 pairs of shoes and donated them to 52 countries.

    Carole Richardson has been awarded an MBE for services to young people. Based in Angus, Scotland, Carole joined the Board of Rossie Young People’s Trust which provides residential care, education, health and psychological services to vulnerable and troubled young people in the UK. Over 650 young people have lived at Rossie since Carole’s involvement.

    Ian Russell has been awarded an MBE for services to child safety online. Since Ian’s daughter, Molly, took her own life as a result of harmful content online, Ian has set-up a charitable foundation in her memory. He has also contributed to the establishment of the Online Safety Bill.

    Amanda Chadwick from Greater Manchester is the Founder and Trustee of Pyjama Fairies and has been awarded an MBE for services to children in hospital. The charity has given over 50,000 handmade pyjamas to children in across 150 hospitals.

    Health

    Lynne Kelly, based in South Glamorgan, Wales, is Chair and Trustee of Haemophilia Wales and has been awarded a CBE for services to people with haemophilia. Lynne was pivotal to the campaign to produce safe recombinant factor VIII and IX concentrates for treatment of haemophilia in Wales, which was the first country in the world to do so.

    Jahangir Alom has been awarded a BEM for services to tackling health inequalities, particularly during COVID-19. His efforts helped build public trust in the national vaccination programme and raise awareness of the experiences of ethnic minorities. He also works at Selfless UK, a charity which alleviates poverty in rural Bangladesh.

    Dr Fenella Wrigley, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Chief Executive for the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust, has been awarded an MBE for services to the NHS. In 2019, she led a collaborative health system which saw Emergency Department conveyance safely reduced by 8% and 70% of mental health patients managed nearer home.

    Sport

    Bronwin Carter from Hampshire is a Paralympic coach who has been awarded a BEM for her services to sport. She has dedicated 30 years to voluntary service in sports at all levels including coaching at the Paralympics. She was 11 times Weightlifting World Champion and 11 times Weightlifting European Champion. She is based in Portsmouth, Hampshire.

    Robert Christie from Angus, Scotland, is Head Coach at Scotland Paralympic Lawn Bowls Team and has been awarded an MBE for services to lawn bowls. He helped Team Scotland three gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2022, and more broadly he has supported people living with a disability to discover and excel in the sport.

    David Finlay from County Antrim, Northern Ireland, has been awarded an MBE for services to Olympic wrestling. He was prevented from boxing after losing an eye in childhood, so took up freestyle wrestling. For over 40 years now he has devoted his life to the development of Olympic Freestyle Wrestling and has volunteered his time to prepare athletes and coaches for competition.

    For her international excellence, Mary Earps has been awarded an MBE for services to Association Football. Mary plays as goalkeeper for Manchester United in the Women’s Super League and for the England national team. She is now officially the world’s best female goalkeeper.

    Sir Bill Beaumont has been recognised with the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire for services to rugby union football and to charity. He has dedicated, and continues to dedicate, his life to the sport of rugby. As well as being a decorated player himself, as Chairman of World Rugby he has led the introduction of governance reforms and measures to improve gender balance within World Rugby governance.

    Arts

    Michael Eavis, founder and leader of Glastonbury Festival, has been recognised with a knighthood for services to music and charity. The Festival contributes more than £2 million to charities and good causes each festival year.

    Author Kate Mosse has been awarded a CBE for services to literature, to women and to charity. She is a champion of diversity and female equality. The Women’s Prize for Fiction, of which she is a co-founder, is now one of the biggest literary prizes in the world.

    Stuart Murphy has been awarded a CBE for services to opera. Under his leadership during the pandemic, the English National Opera manufactured scrubs for NHS staff and initiated a clinical recovery programme for COVID-19 survivors.

    Finally, Dame Shirley Bassey DBE becomes the 64th living member of the Order of the Companion of Honour in recognition of her services to music. This is in recognition of Dame Shirley’s remarkable career which has seen her sell more than 135 million records.

    The honours system strives to be inclusive of all of the UK society. Of the 1,227 people who receive an award:

    • 1,073 candidates have been selected at BEM, MBE and OBE level:
      • 377 at BEM
      • 460 at MBE
      • 236 at OBE
    • 811 (66%) of the recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity;
    • 770 (63.4%) of the recipients live outside of London and the South East
    • 588 women are recognised in the List, representing 48% of the total:
      • 42.2% of recipients at CBE level and above are women;
    • 13.8% of the successful candidates come from an ethnic minority background:
      • 7.4% of recipients are from an Asian ethnic group;
      • 4.8% of recipients are from a black ethnic group;
      • 0.8% of recipients with a mixed ethnic background;
      • 0.6% of recipients come from another ethnic background;
  • PRESS RELEASE : Record number of offenders facing sober Christmas and New Year [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Record number of offenders facing sober Christmas and New Year [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 29 December 2023.

    A record number of offenders with alcohol problems will be forced to stay dry this festive season in a bid to cut booze-fuelled crime over Christmas.

    • Around 2800 offenders wearing alcohol tags to stop them drinking over Christmas period
    • Mulled wine and eggnog off the menu to cut booze-fuelled crime
    • Offenders banned from alcohol have stayed sober for 97% of the time on average

    Statistics released today (Friday 29 December) show around 2800 offenders have been made to wear an alcohol tag during Christmas and New Year, with the devices able to detect if an offender has been drinking by analysing their sweat.

    This is an increase of around 1000 offenders from the same time last year and follows the Government’s drive to double the number of people on tags at any one time by 2025 and protect communities from the violence and disorder often caused by alcohol.

    If an offender has had a drink an alert will be sent to the probation officer who can take action. The tags are so accurate they won’t be triggered by foods that contain alcohol –but boozy drinks will raise the alarm and offenders face being sent to prison.

    The Government’s investment will nearly double the number of defendants on tags at any one time from 13,500 in 2021 to 25,000 by 2025.

    Around 39% of all violent crime in the UK involves alcohol, including domestic abuse which can rise during the festive period as figures provided by charities such as Women’s Aid have often demonstrated.

    Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk KC, said:

    “The festive season is a time of celebration but a small minority can take it too far. We’re keeping communities safe by tagging a record number of offenders this Christmas period.

    “These innovative alcohol tags act as an important deterrent to offenders and come with a clear message: step out of line and you could end up behind bars.”

    Alcohol tags are part of the Government’s unprecedented £156 million investment in tagging technology which means the UK has remained among the world leaders in the use of tags to fight crime and keep people safe.

    The tags were first rolled out in 2020 as a punishment for alcohol-fuelled crimes and are also used to help keep the public safe from offenders considered likely to commit crimes when drunk.

    Roughly 20% of offenders on probation are classed as having a drinking problem, so these tags play a part in helping to cut alcohol-fuelled crime, which causes untold misery for victims and lands society with a £21 billion bill each year.

    Offenders banned from alcohol by the courts have stayed sober for 97% of the time on average, showing that these tags are successfully working as a deterrent.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Media freedom in Hong Kong – Media Freedom Coalition statement [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Media freedom in Hong Kong – Media Freedom Coalition statement [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 December 2023.

    The Media Freedom Coalition gave a statement on media freedom in Hong Kong on the second anniversary of the closure of Stand News and arrest of its staff.

    On the second anniversary of the closure of Stand News and arrest of its staff, whose prosecution remains ongoing, the members of the Media Freedom Coalition issued the following statement on media freedom in Hong Kong.

    The undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) remain deeply concerned at the Hong Kong and mainland Chinese authorities’ continued attacks on freedom of the press and their suppression of independent local media in Hong Kong.

    Local media have intensified self-censorship since the imposition of the National Security Law in June 2020. Prosecutions of media workers in connection with sedition legislation have increased. Use of these laws to suppress journalism undermines Hong Kong’s autonomy and the rights and freedoms of the people in Hong Kong as promised in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and guaranteed in the Basic Law.

    The Hong Kong authorities’ prolonged prosecutions of journalists like the Stand News team and publishers such as Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai creates a chilling effect on others in the press and media. They come against the backdrop of loss of editorial independence, the barring of journalists seeking to cover government press briefings and the removal of material from public broadcasting archives.

    Freedom of the press has been central to Hong Kong’s success for many years. Curtailing the space for free expression of alternative views weakens vital checks and balances on executive power. The free flow and exchange of opinions and information is vital to Hong Kong’s people, business and international reputation.

    We urge the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities to abide by their international human rights commitments and legal obligations and to preserve Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and respect for universal rights and freedoms.

    The member countries of the MFC will always defend media freedom and freedom of expression. The member countries of the MFC will continue to stand up for those who are targeted simply for exercising their human rights.

    Signed by:

    Australia, Austria, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States.