UKPOL.CO.UK

Author: admin

  • PRESS RELEASE : Charity Commission Statement on the Heaton Park Synagogue [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Charity Commission Statement on the Heaton Park Synagogue [October 2025]

    The press release issued by the Charity Commission on 2 October 2025.

    Charity Commission Chief Executive, David Holdsworth, said:

    Our thoughts are with those directly affected, and the wider Jewish community, after this abhorrent attack on a holy day. This attack is all the more abhorrent as it targeted people of faith and those serving in a charity simply for attending their place of worship. Violence and hatred have no place in our communities and society. Violence can never be justified and can never be excused.

    Charities are at the heart of communities across the country improving millions of lives daily. We as the regulator will robustly defend their right to do so and stand ready to support charities as they do what they do best – bring communities together, protect society’s most vulnerable and work to make our country and world a better place.

  • Helen Whately – 2025 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    Helen Whately – 2025 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Helen Whately, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, in Manchester on 6 October 2025.

    Good afternoon, Conference.

    Craig is an extraordinary inspiration.

    I remember back in 2015, he turned up in an ancient Land Rover to campaign with me in a housing estate in Maidstone.

    Back then Craig had a no nonsense, pull your socks up attitude.

    He’s been through a lot since then, and he still has it.

    I asked Craig to kick off this session, not only because I knew he would do a great job, but because his attitude is what the whole country needs.

    Everyone goes through hard times.

    I am sure all of you have, one way or another.

    I bet you have always done your best to find your own way through.

    That’s the Conservative way.

    And it’s not just us. That is how most people think.

    But not everyone.

    We are here because we know we have a really important job to do – if not us, who?

    But millions of people right now, are sitting on the sofa at home.

    Millions have got themselves a sick note from the GP and signed onto sickness benefits with just a form and a phone call.

    Millions are getting benefits for anxiety and ADHD, along with a free Motability car.

    TikTok videos tell you how – and some people even pay for VIP services to boost their chances of a successful benefits claim.

    Yes, there are people with serious illnesses and disabilities,

    But one in four people now describe themselves as disabled, so what does the term even mean?

    We’ve got 10 million people of working age now claiming benefits

    1 million young people not in employment, education or training.

    Just when they should be getting going. Getting experience, and that feeling of having money in your pocket that you’ve earned yourself.

    I genuinely feel we’re at risk of a wasted generation.

    And our economy needs people – not just migrants imported to fill the gap.

    The right answer has to be: get British people into work.

    Last week I went to Teeside, and I visited a great British family business, Pickerings Lifts.

    They install lifts, all round the country, and they have a great apprenticeship scheme.

    There are 5,000 people unemployed there, in Stockton-on-Tees.

    And right on their doorstep is an estate which was in the infamous Benefits Street documentary.

    We were talking about the jobs situation, and the MD of Pickering said “Actually, we’ve got lots of vacancies, it’s really hard to get people to do these jobs – and stick at them”.

    And I’m sitting there thinking, what an earth. People tell me the problem is all the jobs now are in social care or the gig economy – or need skills people don’t have. But here you have exactly the sort of jobs people say they want, along with training, a decent salary, and good career prospects.

    So, what are people doing instead of working at Pickerings?

    The problem is, you can get 5,000 pounds more a year on sickness benefits than a minimum wage worker.

    So, no surprise that’s what many people are choosing.

    And it’s wrong. Our welfare system should be a safety net, not a lifestyle choice.

    Keir Starmer has said he wants to make welfare savings.

    Back in the summer he tried.

    But he failed so catastrophically, that instead of saving money, he ended up forking out 300 million pounds of your money to get his backbenchers to vote for his bill.

    That’s what a weak leader looks like, Keir cowering in fear from his left-wing backbenchers.

    In a few weeks’ time, Rachel Reeves will be putting up our taxes again.

    We will all be paying more because Labour MPs would rather hike your taxes than get a grip of their welfare system.

    So would the Lib Dems, the Greens, the SNP, Plaid and even Reform.

    All of them want the Government to spend billions more on welfare.

    £3.5 billion more, just to end the two-child benefit cap.

    Where will they find that money?

    And it’s not fair.

    People in work make tough decisions about whether they can afford to even start a family, and they don’t get paid more if they have an extra child.

    Believe me, I am all for encouraging people to have kids.

    But people on benefits should face the same decisions as the rest of us.

    It’s about taking responsibility for the choices you make.

    That’s the Conservative way.

    Labour doesn’t get it – and Nigel doesn’t either.

    We need a government with the courage to do what’s right, not just what sounds nice.

    That leaves us as the only party who can fix welfare.

    That’s why I’ve got my common sense plan for savings.

    Fix the ‘sick note’ system, bring back face-to-face assessments, end sickness benefits for low level mental health problems, stop the abuse of Motability, and put British citizens first in our benefits system – just living here is not a reason to get money from taxpayers.

    And that’s not all.

    We will change our sickness benefit system, so it helps those who really need help and stops turning people into victims.

    We will make the benefits cap do what it should, so that families on benefits aren’t better off than those in work.

    And we’ll tackle the massive hike in housing benefit.

    All that gives you billions of savings off the benefits bill.

    Savings that can help us balance the country’s books and money to help people into work.

    Because this isn’t just about savings, it’s about turning people’s lives around.

    And for us to succeed as a country, we need everyone to put their shoulder to the wheel.

    Conference, it’s time to return to the Conservative principles we know are the secret to our country’s success.

    Personal responsibility, aspiration, fairness, real compassion, living within our means.

    Labour have only one playbook. Handouts and higher taxes.

    Reform, in the words of their newest MP, will spend like drunken sailors.  

    The job of fixing welfare falls to us. All of us.

    I have a plan but there’s more to do.

    The hard yards, the hard thinking, the tough decisions to turn this country around.

    From stagnation to growth, from envy to aspiration, and from despondency to hope.

    Thank you, Conference.

  • Victoria Atkins – 2025 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    Victoria Atkins – 2025 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Victoria Atkins, the Shadow Environment Secretary, in Manchester on 6 October 2025.

    Thank you, everyone, and welcome to the Conservative Party Conference.

    I extend a particular welcome to Oli and all the farmers here today.

    We have invited farmers from across the country to our conference to see for themselves that we care, we are listening, and we have their backs.

    You may have noticed that we are doing things a little differently this year.

    I am not up on the main stage.

    We are having a rally, in honour of the rallies that have happened across the country.

    Over the past 12 months, Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer, the farmer harmer, have caused a nightmare for farming.

    Just a year ago, she stood up and announced the family farm tax and the family business tax.

    You have heard from Oli today about some of the problems this is already causing.

    Under Kemi’s leadership, we opposed that policy immediately because we knew it would stop business investment.

    It has done.

    It would cost people’s jobs.

    And It has done.

    It was snatching families’ futures away.

    We have marched with tens of thousands of farmers up and down Whitehall.

    We have climbed into their tractors.

    Two hundred and sixty-five thousand people have signed our petition to axe the tax.

    We have done everything we can in Parliament to hold this socialist government to account and try to get them to U-turn.

    We forced a vote.

    We gave Labour MPs the chance to vote this tax down.

    How many of them voted to axe this tax?

    Zero, a big fat zero.

    That is what we are dealing with.

    I love dragging Labour ministers to the despatch box.

    We do not have to put up with quite the same microphones in the chamber.

    When I see Labour MPs sent out by their whips to defend the indefensible, hiding behind their AI-generated speeches like some sort of trade union automaton, I know they know they are wrong.

    It is because of the pressure that farmers have kept up over the past 12 months, and us working together, that they are beginning to feel the pressure.

    We must keep it up.

    If Rachel Reeves tries a fudge at her budget in a desperate bid to save their rural seats, should this happen, be in no doubt: it is because of the campaigns of farmers across the country and the pressure we have put on them together.

    However, if she does try to fudge it, it is too late.

    The harm has already been done.

    Unlike Keir Starmer, we have been listening to the heart-wrenching stories of family farms and farmers across the country.

    The distress of families who simply do not know how they are going to pay these gigantic tax bills is palpable.

    I was speaking to Joss today, 18 years old, desperate to carry on his farm, yet at that age, he is already worrying about the tax bill when, God forbid, his parents die.

    That is not right.

    That is shameful.

    Cancer patients are genuinely refusing treatment now to avoid the deadline of next April because they know what it will cost their families if they live beyond that date.

    Just think of that for a moment.

    Then there are families already mourning the loss of loved ones who have taken the tragic step of taking their own lives to protect their farms and families from the clutches of Labour.

    This is happening, and Labour are ignoring it.

    These people’s lives and dreams have been shattered by this government.

    Farmers will not forget, and neither will we.

    It is shameful.

    It is enraging.

    It is an assault on the countryside.

    We will not stand for it, and we will not back down.

    I make this solemn promise to any farmers watching: we will axe the family farm tax and the family business tax when we are back in government, and we will keep fighting for you, because we know that a strong countryside makes a strong country.

    In our first year, my fabulous team of Conservative Shadow DEFRA Ministers, Robbie, Neil, Massey, David, Ashley, Jerome, and Afra, have started as we mean to go on.

    We have already dispatched one useless set of failing Labour ministers.

    Goodbye, City Steve.

    I shall almost miss him, but he has been reshuffled off to go and mess up housebuilding.

    Instead, City Steve has been replaced with the City Minister from the Treasury, who is imposing these taxes.

    You could not make it up.

    They have gone from City Steve to Urban Emma, the tax inspector.

    We know that these death taxes are not the only assaults on the countryside and the coast.

    Eighteen months ago, many in rural, agricultural, and fishing communities lent their vote and gave Labour a chance.

    My goodness, that Labour Party has completely let you down.

    Apart from raising inheritance tax, they are raising so many other taxes I have not got time to list them.

    They have cancelled SFI and other farm payments.

    They have sunk the UK fishing industry with their EU deal.

    They are ignoring food and water security, delaying biosecurity investment.

    They are making rural services even harder to deliver by getting rid of the rural services grant.

    They are bringing pubs and the hospitality sector to their knees, and much more.

    You have told us that it is getting harder to pay the bills, to grapple with the red tape, to keep your businesses going.

    This matters to us all, whether we live in the depths of the countryside or in the city.

    Funnily enough, we all eat food, and as we know, the cost of food is climbing due to Labour’s policies.

    Labour’s last budget is causing, in part, rising food prices, record farm closures, two pubs or restaurants closing a day, farms facing an SFI and custodianship scheme cliff edge, food producers facing a new tax this month, another one, on packaging, and 80 per cent of farmers fearing their farms will not survive.

    This is a food and farming emergency.

    If this emergency is not dealt with urgently, we will see even more farms, agribusinesses, food and drink manufacturers, and hospitality businesses close.

    We will see workers laid off, tenant farmers evicted, food production tumble, and food prices continue to rise.

    I hate to break it to you, but Labour is coming back for more in their budget.

    We need to act fast and act together.

    I am calling, before the budget, a food and farming emergency summit, where I shall bring farmers, food producers, and fishermen together to come up with the urgent solutions you need to address this emergency.

    I am going to do something different.

    Once we have those solutions, I shall put party politics to one side and offer them to the government at the budget.

    I am doing this because we, as Conservatives, caring deeply about the countryside and our country, will always put our national interest first.

    This will be a test for Labour.

    If they ignore those policies, if they shun them, they will show that they are not to be trusted.

    I put this challenge to the Labour government: you have not listened to the countryside so far.

    Will you listen to us this time?

    This is your countryside, your future, and we have your backs.

    Responding to this Labour-inflicted emergency is only part of my plans for the future.

    We are doing a lot of longer-term thinking for the years ahead and beyond the general election.

    Just like farming, we need to plan in opposition.

    Since the general election, I have been frank: we got some things right in government, and we got some things wrong.

    We did a lot of good in farming and environmental policy, about which we can rightly be proud.

    However, we lost our focus for a while on the primary purpose of farming: to grow food.

    That changes now.

    Food production and food security will be at the heart of Conservative agricultural and environmental policy.

    We will start with DEFRA’s regulations and regulators.

    Did you know DEFRA has one of the highest numbers of quangos in the whole of government?

    However well-intentioned, this system of 34 quangos that regulate our land, our water, and our food, led by Natural England, is outdated and now seems to work against rural communities, not for them.

    It is a system built on the best of intentions, but it has morphed into a labyrinth of bureaucracy.

    A farmer told me last week that it feels as though the system of Natural England and the Environment Agency is there to trip you up, not help you.

    Labour wants to make it even worse, because they are pushing through Parliament at this moment greater powers for Natural England.

    They are giving them draconian compulsory purchase order powers to enable Natural England, an arm of the state, to seize private land from us and not pay market value for it.

    You heard that right: they want an arm of the state to seize land from us.

    Agricultural land and gardens are in the frame if Natural England judges it to be in accordance with their plans.

    If that is not modern-day Marxism, I do not know what is.

    This is what we are up against.

    We must stop these powers.

    When we are in government, we will review the regulations and regulators to ensure that we can get cracking, fixing the regulators and the regulations.

    Some will say that to speak in these terms, to question the current system, is to be against nature, that to protect our rural communities and the environment is a binary choice, and the only answer is to maintain the status quo.

    Such arguments ignore the reality of flooded communities, stifled rural economies, and villages desperate to attract young people and families.

    They ignore the fact that the status quo is not working as we would wish for nature recovery either.

    If we want to recover nature, we will need to reform our current approach.

    We are going to work out a system that is fair to rural communities, fair to the environment, and works for us all, for the greater good of our countryside and coast.

    This also means looking after rural and coastal economies.

    I know from my beautiful constituency of Louth and Horncastle in Lincolnshire, and I am pleased we have some yellow bellies in the audience, that it is, I shall annoy other MPs by saying, clearly the best constituency in the country.

    It is an incredibly rural constituency but also has wonderful miles of coastline.

    I know, from my own constituency, from friends and neighbours there, that if local areas prosper, that is for the benefit of the whole of society.

    What we are worried about in rural areas is the threat of stifling rural economies and a youth drain away from our countryside.

    We do not want that.

    You do not want that.

    Part of the work we are going to do is to ensure that we bring the rural economy back to life.

    I say this very conscious that I am standing in front of, perhaps, the shiniest tractor we have ever seen, a magnificent JCB tractor.

    JCB is the epitome of a rural family business.

    It was started in the market town of Uttoxeter.

    It now employs 8,500 people in the UK alone and is an international brand, known all over the world and sold in 150 countries.

    We are so lucky this year that they have driven their tractor into our conference because they are celebrating their 80th anniversary.

    What an amazing achievement.

    What a great rural business.

    The rural economy accounts for some 3.8 million jobs and 500,000 businesses, and then, of course, even more in the coastal economy.

    The Shadow Chancellor, as we heard this morning, is confronting some of the hard truths of the inheritance that we will have from this dreadful socialist government.

    Mel and I, I promise you, will be working together in the coming months to draw up plans for a truly revitalised and exciting rural economy and coastal economy offer.

    Please, feed in your ideas because we want you as our members to be a part of this.

    We want to ensure that with all of this, our values are at the heart of what we do.

    I am going to finish where I started, with the family farm and the family business tax.

    The reason we were able to oppose this immediately is precisely because of our values.

    We have that love of family, that belief in community and citizenship, that trust in personal freedom and responsibility.

    We have fidelity to the rule of law.

    We believe that we should be passing on a better country than that which we inherited, whilst respecting what has gone before.

    We, as Conservatives, believe in the very conservation of Great Britain, and these values will inform our policies and the values of rural and coastal communities.

    You might not think this matters, as I say, if you live in the city, but of course it matters because this is the fabric of our country.

    We want to ensure that we are not only doing the hard work now in opposition to create the policies of the future but doing so with those values at the very core of everything we want to achieve for Great Britain in the future.

    We, as Conservatives, will not let this socialist government destroy our countryside and our communities.

    We, as Conservatives, believe in the countryside and rural Britain and coastal Britain.

    Join us to axe the family farm tax, to fix the regulators, to save British farming, and to help make our countryside a stronger countryside for a stronger country.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Stephen Hardy announced as the new Certification OfficerStephen Hardy announced as the new Certification Officer [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Stephen Hardy announced as the new Certification OfficerStephen Hardy announced as the new Certification Officer [October 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 2 October 2025.

    Hardy will be responsible for statutory functions relating to trade unions and employers’ associations.

    The Department of Business and Trade has today (1st October) announced the appointment of Stephen Hardy as the new Certification Officer. 

    The independent Certification Officer is responsible for statutory functions relating to trade unions and employers’ associations. 

    Stephen Hardy will take up his role on 1 October 2025, replacing Sarah Bedwell, who has held the post since 2017. 

    Biography 

    Stephen Hardy is a Professor of Employment Law and formerly the Dean of the Faculty of Business, Law & Politics at the University of Hull (2020-2024). He has over 3 decades experience in higher education and was a practising Barrister, specialising in Employment and Public law, instructed in complex trades union, equality, redundancy, dismissal and judicial review cases; including being appointed Regional Treasury Counsel and on the Panel of Preferred Counsel of the Equality Human Rights Commission. Since 2011, he has been a Fee-paid Judge of the First-Tier Tribunal and was a member of the Judicial Pensions Board (2019-2023). Currently, he is a member of the Social Security Advisory Committee. In 2021 he was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and since 2022, has been a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of three new Non-Executive Directors to the National Wealth Fund [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of three new Non-Executive Directors to the National Wealth Fund [October 2025]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 2 October 2025.

    Experts in investment, risk management and local and central government have been appointed to the National Wealth Fund Board, as it moves into a new chapter.

    Catherine Cripps, Tom Riordan, and Joseph Schull have been appointed as new Non-Executive Directors by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves as the National Wealth Fund focuses on scaling up delivery: increasing the capital it deploys, expanding into new sectors, and building stronger regional investment pipelines. 

    Over the past year, the National Wealth Fund (NWF) has been at the forefront of investing public money in the UK’s future,  supporting the government’s mission to put more money into the pockets of working people through our Plan for Change. It is now set to move into a new chapter under the leadership of Oliver Holbourn, who takes up the role of CEO on 1 November.  

    The National Wealth Fund Board, chaired by Chris Grigg, has been central to the organisation’s progress to date, and the appointment of Catherine, Tom and Joseph will significantly add to its capabilities.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said:  

    I would like to congratulate Catherine, Tom and Joseph on their appointments as Non-Executive Directors of the National Wealth Fund.

    They bring exceptional track records to the NWF’s Board, spread across Investment, Risk Management and Local and Regional Government. Each of them will further strengthen an already capable and experienced Board as it supports our mission to boost economic growth and living standards through our Plan for Change.

    Chair of the National Wealth Fund, Chris Grigg said: 

    I am delighted to welcome Catherine, Tom, and Joseph to the Board. Each brings vital expertise and perspective that will strengthen our ability to deliver on the NWF’s ambitious objectives, as we scale up our investment activity to support the government’s growth and clean power missions.

    Catherine Cripps said:

    It is a privilege to take up this role and support the NWF on its critical mission to drive growth and investment in the UK.

    Tom Riordan said:

    I’m delighted to be joining the team at the National Wealth Fund at such an exciting time and I’m looking forward to helping them deploy capital and create jobs that benefit the whole country.

    Joseph Schull said:

    I am delighted to join the NWF Board as it begins a new chapter and I look forward to supporting its mission to act as a catalyst for the growth of the UK’s digital businesses and green economy across the country.

    Biographies

    Catherine Cripps is a seasoned investment management professional, having held senior leadership roles at major institutions and smaller, entrepreneurial businesses. She has built a diverse board portfolio, serving on listed company boards, private equity backed businesses, government agencies and major international subsidiaries. Catherine currently Chairs Polar Capital Technology Trust plc and is a Non-Executive Director of Pool Re Insurance Company Ltd, Goldman Sachs International & Goldman Sachs International Bank 

    Tom Riordan brings extensive experience across central and local government. He began his career in government, subsequently serving as Chief Executive of a regional development agency. He later became Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, overseeing significant regeneration and public service transformation. Tom currently serves as Second Permanent Secretary at the Department for Health and Social Care and will undertake the NED role alongside this position. 

    Joseph Schull is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of private equity firm Corten Capital. Previously, Joseph was Head of Europe at Warburg Pincus and a member of the firm’s Executive Management Group, responsible for overseeing investments in multiple sectors, with a focus on technology.  Joseph is an experienced board member, having served as both an investment director and a non-executive director.  He brings over 25 years of investing and business building expertise as well as strategic insight to NWF’s Board.

  • NEWS STORY : Government Plans Sweeping Reforms to Weddings

    NEWS STORY : Government Plans Sweeping Reforms to Weddings

    STORY

    The Government has announced sweeping reforms to modernise wedding laws across England and Wales, aiming to give couples far greater freedom over how and where they get married. The proposals, described as the biggest overhaul of marriage law in over 180 years, are expected to boost the economy by £535 million over the next decade, support up to 12,000 jobs and bring in more than £100 million in additional tax revenue.

    Under the plans, couples will be allowed to hold weddings in a much wider range of venues, from beaches and gardens to historic sites, provided the location meets certain standards of dignity and appropriateness. The reforms will also make the officiant, rather than the building, the focus of regulation, simplifying the process and reducing costs for couples. Religious ceremonies, including those for Sikh, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu couples, will be able to gain legal recognition more easily, while for the first time humanist and other non-religious organisations will be permitted to conduct legally binding marriages.

    Ministers believe the changes will not only modernise outdated rules but also help revive the wedding industry after a challenging few years. Baroness Levitt KC, Minister for Family Law, said the reforms would give couples the chance to “have the wedding day of their dreams” while maintaining the solemnity and dignity of the occasion. Alex Davies-Jones, Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, added that the plans would sweep away unnecessary restrictions and give couples the freedom to celebrate their commitment in a way that reflects their own values.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Major boost to economy through wedding law reform [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Major boost to economy through wedding law reform [October 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 2 October 2025.

    In the biggest overhaul to marriage law since the 19th century, reforms are set to give marrying couples greater freedom and boost the economy by £535 million.

    • Marrying couples to gain freedoms to get married in new locations – from beaches to castles
    • Reforms to deliver £535 million injection into the economy creating up to 12,000 jobs
    • Part of Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth

    Marrying couples to have more freedom over how they say ‘I do’, with reforms allowing them to get married on beaches and at heritage sites.

    Announced today (2 October), it is estimated that the biggest overhaul to marriage law since the 19th century could also open up 12,000 jobs and add over £100 million to the public purse.   

    The reforms will give couples more choice in how they get married, making the process simpler, fairer and less costly, while ensuring the dignity and integrity of marriage is protected.  

    Under the reforms, couples will be able to marry in a wider range of locations provided venues meet strict standards of being appropriate and dignified. 

    These changes will mean marriage law reflects modern Britain, making it more straightforward for couples to have legally binding religious ceremonies – including Sikh, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu weddings – and allow non-religious groups, such as Humanists, to conduct legally binding ceremonies for the first time. 

    This will also be a significant boost to the economy as it is estimated the reforms could lead to a 3% increase in weddings in England and Wales, adding £535 million to the economy over the next 10 years, supporting 1,800 more businesses and delivering on the Plan for Change to kickstart growth.  

    Minister for Family Law, Baroness Levitt KC said:  

    Marriage is one of our country’s most celebrated traditions and our plans will allow couples to have the wedding day of their dreams.  

    Our reforms will protect the solemnity and dignity of marriage while providing more choice for couples and unlocking untapped opportunities for the economy.

    Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones said:   

    Mine and my husband’s wedding day was incredibly special – personal, meaningful and an unforgettable celebration of our love. Every couple deserves the same.   

    Our wedding laws should match our country’s needs. These vital reforms will mean couples from all walks of life can celebrate their commitment without outdated restrictions getting in the way. 

    The reforms announced will see regulation of weddings shift away from buildings and onto the officiants running the ceremony, offering couples greater freedom to shape their big day.  

    ENDS

    Further information:

    • Planned changes follow Law Commission recommendations from July 2022 to modernise marriage law and break down unnecessary barriers to weddings for engaged couples.
    • The Government will undertake a consultation early next year.
    • Legislation to reform marriage law will be introduced when parliamentary time allows.
  • PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 60 – UK Statement for the Item 9 General Debate [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 60 – UK Statement for the Item 9 General Debate [October 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 October 2025.

    UK Statement for the Item 9 General Debate. Delivered at the 60th session of the HRC in Geneva.

    Thank you.

    This October, the UK marks Black History Month – a time to honour the enduring contributions of Black people to British society, reflect on the past, and champion a more inclusive future for all.

    The UK is committed to building a fairer society where everyone – regardless of background – has an equal chance to succeed. While progress has been made in tackling racial discrimination, systemic inequalities still persist in areas like housing, employment, and healthcare. That’s why we are taking action to root out structural racism and level the playing field.

    We will publish a draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, which will include measures to introduce mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting for large employers. This will provide transparency and help businesses identify and address disparities. We are working closely with employers to ensure this leads to meaningful change.

    We have also launched a Race Equality Engagement Group to enable an effective two-way dialogue with ethnic minority communities and guide our efforts to tackle race inequalities.

    We stand firmly against racism and remain committed to taking meaningful action – both at home and abroad – to create a more inclusive and equitable future for all.

    Chair, what actions can be taken to address structural racism in employment and promote inclusive workplaces globally?

  • PRESS RELEASE : Boost to jobs and military capability with new defence equipment system [October 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Boost to jobs and military capability with new defence equipment system [October 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 2 October 2025.

    New £320 million contract for a platform to revolutionise how the Armed Forces manage and maintain defence equipment to help the military make better decisions faster will create 100 new highly-skilled UK jobs.

    The UK’s Armed Forces will be strengthened by a new cutting-edge platform that will revolutionise how the military manages and maintains its equipment, driving efficiency and creating more than 100 highly-skilled jobs.

    The new platform will use artificial intelligence (AI) to help ensure Armed Forces have the right equipment in the right place at the right time, delivering on the ambitions of the Strategic Defence Review.

    The £320 million contract with IBM UK for the Defence Equipment Engineering Asset Management Systems (DEEAMS) will create 100 new highly-skilled jobs in the UK, making defence an engine for growth and delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.

    The new system will replace 17 fragmented, siloed and outdated applications with one enabled modern streamlined platform, using AI to bring over £1 billion in benefits such as savings on support and IT costs. It will provide personnel with real-time information to predict maintenance and repairs, stock availability, and engineering planning across major equipment and platforms.

    It will also enable the adoption of future productivity-enhancing technologies, making sure the UK’s Armed Forces stay at forefront of defence innovation and capability.

    Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP, said:

    This is a major step forward in our commitment to ensuring our military has the very best equipment support available.

    We are revolutionising how we provide our front-line personnel with the kit they need, when they need it, whether they’re operating at home or deployed overseas.

    We are delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change with this £320 million investment, creating 100 new skilled jobs here in the UK and driving defence as an engine for growth.

    This government is delivering the biggest transformation of UK defence in a generation to reshape how the military protects Britain against unprecedented global threats. This is backed with the largest sustained increase to defence spending since the Cold War, rising to 2.6% of GDP by 2027, with an ambition for hitting 3% in the next Parliament.

    Serving over 65,000 users across more than 130 major military platforms and assets, the system will improve the quality and speed of military decision making, boost operational effectiveness, and support the resilience of digital networks.

    Rahul Kalia, Managing Partner, IBM Consulting UKI, said:

    IBM is proud to support the Ministry of Defence to deliver the transformational DEEAMS programme to enable a next generation, full-lifecycle asset management solution for the UK Armed Forces. Working with our ecosystem partners, we will deliver this mission-critical platform with predictive intelligence and real-time data driven insights to improve planning and support strategic decision making.

    This investment follows the launch of the Defence Industrial Strategy and demonstrates defence’s commitment to supporting UK economic growth and maintaining Britain’s position at the forefront of technology innovation.

    The project builds on the Strategic Defence Review’s recommendations for the UK Armed Forces to rapidly modernise and embrace the latest technology. Digital integration, data and digital systems are fundamental underpinnings of all modern military capabilities, making them more capable, resilient, and effective.

    This contract represents defence’s ongoing commitment to digital transformation, ensuring our Armed Forces have warfighting capabilities with cutting-edge systems and innovative technologies that provide modern information systems and processes, streamlining support and enhancing operational effectiveness home and overseas.

  • NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 7 October 1925

    NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 7 October 1925

    7 OCTOBER 1925

    The Liberal Land Report puts forward a suggestion for a revolution in the tenure of agricultural land. It is proposed to transfer the land from the present landlords to the tenants. The landlords would be compensated by means of annuities, and the new tenants would pay a fixed rent to the tax collector. Land would be held subject to the condition that it was well-farmed, and of this representative County Agricultural Authorities would be judges. The report also contains proposals for the extension of State credits to agriculture, and touches on the problems of marketing and transport.

    Edinburgh Presbytery of the United Free Church decided by 88 to 22 votes that the main causes of separation between the Churches have been removed, and that the time has come for entering on negotiations with the Church of Scotland with a view to the framing of a basis of union. The same decision was reached by the Glasgow U.F. Presbytery, the voting being 273 for and 116 against.

    Study of the draft Security Pact was continued at Locarno. Nine of the articles have been virtually agreed upon, but the remaining two—those concerning Germany’s entrance to the League and her Eastern frontiers—furnish the main difficulties with which the Conference is faced.

    According to Sokolnikov, Soviet Commissary of Finance, an agreement has been concluded by the Russian State Bank with a group of the largest banks, by which the latter grant the State Bank a credit of seventy-five million German marks, which, combined with trade credit, will render possible the purchase in Germany of goods on credit to the value of one hundred million gold marks. The shortcoming of the agreement, he admits, is its short term.