Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : £1 billion to cut costs for businesses, drive growth and clean up UK roads [March 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 25 March 2026.

The Zero Emissions Truck and Van grants and the Depot Charging Scheme aim to help businesses make the switch to electric vans and trucks.
- £1 billion boost for British businesses to roll out clean trucks and vans and install new EV chargers at depots – helping to build resilience against fuel price uncertainty
- companies will save up to £81,000 off the heaviest zero emission trucks – covering up to 40% of the cost – and up to £5,000 off new zero emission vans, cutting costs, supporting jobs, and slashing emissions
- Businesses and public authorities will also save up to £1 million when installing chargers for vans, coaches, and HGVs
Businesses across the UK are being backed to roll out electric vans and trucks with £1 billion of funding – saving them cash, cleaning up millions of journey miles, and helping hauliers become more resistant to global price changes.

The Zero Emissions Truck and Van grants and the Depot Charging Scheme (DCS) aim to tackle two of the biggest barriers to businesses making the switch – upfront costs and access to charging.

Global fuel price uncertainty is challenging for businesses, and these grants will support industry to switch to electric, helping to reduce exposure to fuel price uncertainty.

The truck grant will offer savings of up to £81,000 off the heaviest zero emissions trucks, covering up to 40% of the cost. The van grant will continue to offer discounts of up to £5,000 off the cost of electric vans.

On top of that, businesses and public authorities could save up to £1 million, covering up to 70% of the cost, when installing charging infrastructure for vans, coaches, and eHGVs, thanks to a £170 million boost to the government’s Depot Charging Scheme.

Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister Keir Mather, said:

This £1 billion investment cuts cost for British businesses, supports jobs, cleans up our roads, and gives operators protection against shifting global fuel prices.

The logistics sector is the backbone of the UK economy, worth £170 billion and supporting 2.7 million jobs. We’re helping them expand and decarbonise their fleets whilst saving them cash, driving growth up and down the country.

The new funding comes after the government announced an £18 million uplift in January to slash up to £120,000 off the cost of green lorries, making it cheaper for businesses to go electric, with companies like M&S and Wren Kitchens and Bedrooms taking advantage of funding to decarbonise their fleets and reduce operational costs.

Lee Holmes, Transport and Logistics Director at Wren Kitchens and Bedrooms, said:

Government investment gives businesses like Wren the confidence to accelerate fleet decarbonisation while maintaining operational stability, even in periods of economic uncertainty.

With this support, we’ve brought a number of 44-tonne e-trucks into our fleet alongside a rapid charging infrastructure, reducing our reliance on traditional fuels and strengthening resilience and reliability against ongoing market volatility.

Julian Bailey, Head of Group Transport at M&S, said:

In 2021, we set ourselves the ambitious target of becoming a net zero business across our value chain by 2040. Since then, we’ve made some great progress, which includes the onboarding of 24 battery electric vehicles across our transport fleet.

We welcome this investment which serves as a reminder of the importance of the logistics sector in the UK and its role in decarbonisation.

Alongside support for operators, the government is also helping families make the switch through the Electric Car Grant which has helped over 80,000 drivers buy an EV, by saving them up to £3750 in the process. This is tackling upfront costs which is one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption.

With 1 in 4 cars sold now electric, it’s crucial to expand the UK’s charging infrastructure and so the government is spending over £600 million to rollout hundreds of thousands of EV chargers across the country, giving drivers the confidence they’ll be able to charge up whether at home, at work or on the go. This will build on the over 118,000 chargers already available.

Toby Poston, BVRLA Chief Executive said:

The Depot Charging Scheme is playing a vital role in helping fleet operators and rental companies to install affordable, reliable charging infrastructure at their depots.

The vehicle rental sector faces one of the most challenging paths to decarbonisation, and this additional support for depot charging will play a major role in building confidence. It will encourage more rental operators – particularly SMEs – to electrify at scale, reduce costs, and contribute to the UK’s net zero goals.
March 26, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman [March 2026]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 March 2026.

The Prime Minister spoke to His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, this evening.

The Prime Minister opened by wishing the Crown Prince, and those celebrating across Saudia Arabia, a very happy Eid, despite the circumstances in the region.

Iran’s ongoing attacks, including on critical national infrastructure, were appalling, the Prime Minister added.

The Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s unwavering support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and updated on the deployment of further UK defensive military equipment.

The leaders discussed the need for deescalation, and the Prime Minister updated on planning around the Strait of Hormuz.

Following the UK-led joint statement last week, the UK was now working with partners on what a viable plan could look like to ensure the flow of goods through the key maritime route, the Prime Minister said.

The leaders agreed their teams should continue to work closely to defend the Kingdom and the wider region from further attacks.

The leaders agreed to stay in close touch.

March 26, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : We must preserve the land and the people of Palestine so that a two-state solution remains viable: UK statement at the UN Security Council [March 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 March 2026.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East.

The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned by the conflict in the Middle East and its impact upon civilians.

Together with partners, we continue to strive for a swift resolution to this crisis.

And we cannot let this current period of crisis in the region distract us from the need to make progress on the 20-Point Plan for Gaza, or from the deeply concerning trajectory in the West Bank.

So I will make three points.

First, the parties and this Council, through resolution 2803, have expressed their backing for President Trump’s 20-Point Plan.

But Gaza today remains unacceptably divided.

Repeated violations of the ceasefire are costing lives and undermining progress for peace.

It is essential that swift progress is made to implement Phase 2.

Hamas has no future in the governance of Gaza. It and other militant groups must demilitarise.

And I welcome and fully support High Representative Mladenov’s remarks on the importance of full decommissioning.

Swift progress also means the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza being given full support to lead the day-to-day administration of Gaza during the transition to Palestinian Authority governance, delivering for the Palestinian people’s immediate needs and the crucial recovery efforts needed across the Gaza Strip.

Second, Resolution 2803 is clear on the need for the full resumption of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Yet for weeks, Israel has restricted the delivery of humanitarian aid to one single crossing.

Last week, 1,063 trucks were offloaded, just one quarter of the weekly target of 4,200 trucks.

And Israel’s closure of the Rafah crossing on 28 February for 18 days delayed life‑saving medical evacuations for thousands.

This is wholly unacceptable.

A lack of essential goods is driving up commercial prices, while shelter materials, critical medical supplies, fuel, and repair equipment remain blocked by Israel under long‑standing dual‑use restrictions.

At the same time, the Government of Israel’s de-registration measures are shrinking the space for international NGOs in Palestine

The UN and its partners, including UNRWA and International NGOs, must be able to operate unimpeded in Gaza, with access to all parts of the Strip and the supplies needed to deliver essential and lifesaving services.

Finally, we cannot successfully implement the 20-Point Plan without resolving the situation in the West Bank.

The UK has repeatedly and strongly condemned Israeli steps to expand control over the West Bank.

We have been clear. Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law.

And the severe economic restrictions imposed by Israel are significantly undermining peace efforts.

The UK is appalled by recent killings, reports of sexual assault, torture, and degrading treatment of Palestinians at the hands of violent settlers.

We strongly condemn settler violence and terror, including the spate of attacks on West Bank villages over the weekend.

Since February 28, we have seen 6 Palestinians shot dead by settlers, as well as the killing of Palestinian children by Israeli forces.

This is completely unacceptable, as is the apparent lack of accountability for countless reports of human rights violations at the Sde Teiman facility.

The Israeli government must take concrete steps to prevent any such egregious actions and ensure accountability.

Impunity for such horrific actions is inconsistent with international law.

President, we still have the opportunity to end the cycle of violence and build a better future for the region, a better future for the next Israeli and Palestinian generations.

A two-state solution is the only way to achieve this. There is no alternative.

Together, and urgently, we must preserve the land and the people of Palestine so that a two-state solution remains viable.

To promote peace, security, and stability, the Israeli Government must reverse the Security Cabinet’s decision to expand control over the West Bank and take urgent action to halt the escalating violence and hold perpetrators accountable.

March 26, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : First ever armed forces commissioner selected to champion service personnel and families [March 2026]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 24 March 2026.

Former Air Commodore Polly Perkins CBE has been chosen as the preferred candidate for Armed Forces Commissioner by the Defence Secretary John Healey MP – delivering on the government’s key manifesto commitment to give serving personnel and their families an independent voice to improve service life.

Former Air Commodore Polly Perkins CBE has been chosen as the preferred candidate for Armed Forces Commissioner by the Defence Secretary John Healey MP – delivering on the government’s key manifesto commitment to give serving personnel and their families an independent voice to improve service life.

The Armed Forces Commissioner is a new statutory office that will be an independent champion and direct point of contact for personnel and their families and have unprecedented powers to investigate welfare issues and raise concerns that impact service life, including equipment, housing, and unacceptable behaviours. The office will be up and running from 1 April 2026.

Polly’s appointment is subject to a pre-appointment hearing by the House of Commons Defence Select Committee (HCDC) on Wednesday 25th March 2026 in line with the public appointments process. HCDC will publish their views and recommendations after the session which the government will consider before finalising and agreeing the appointment.

Appointing an Armed Forces Commissioner was a lead defence manifesto commitment by this Government to renew the nation’s contract with those who serve.

Former RAF Air Commodore Polly Perkins served for over 30 years in the Royal Air Force, specialising in logistics and holding senior leadership roles including Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, British Forces Cyprus. She deployed on operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan and worked with NATO partners to improve multinational logistics. She holds an MA in Defence Studies from King’s College London and was awarded a CBE for her service.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

Our Armed Forces are at the heart of our nation’s security. With demands on defence rising, from the conflict in the Middle East to growing Russian aggression, we are asking more of our military, and it is right that we continue to step up our support for them and their families.

I am proud that we legislated in our first year of government to create this new Commissioner role, with powers to challenge Ministers and military leaders and to report directly to Parliament.

Polly brings deep experience of service life and exceptional leadership as this country’s first ever Armed Forces Commissioner, she will be the independent champion and direct point of contact that our Armed Forces and their families deserve. Our message to the Armed Forces community is clear: this government is on your side.

The Armed Forces Commissioner will be able to visit UK Defence sites unannounced, commission reports, and will report directly to Parliament to hold the Government to account. Personnel and their families will be able to contact the Commissioner about issues affecting them, with the Commissioner empowered to investigate these concerns, seek relevant information from the Ministry of Defence, and make recommendations for improvement.

The appointment builds on this Government’s commitment to improve all aspects of service life including a new defence housing strategy to make homes fit for heroes, the biggest pay rise for personnel in 20 years and putting the Armed Forces Covenant into law through the Armed Forces Bill introduced this year.

The move to appoint a commissioner has been inspired and modelled on the Commissioner for the Armed Forces in Germany, who has been received positively by German personnel.

The Commissioner will be able to investigate individual welfare concerns, undertake thematic reviews into systemic issues affecting service life, and report findings directly to Parliament – strengthening transparency and public understanding of welfare matters across Defence.

This appointment delivers on the Government’s commitment to renew the nation’s contract with those who serve, ensuring that welfare, dignity and respect sit at the heart of Defence.

The Interim Commissioner will carry out all the functions of the Commissioner and a permanent appointment is due to be made in the coming months through an open competition. Further details about the role and how personnel and families can engage with the Interim Commissioner will be shared in due course.

The Armed Forces Commissioner role came into law under the Armed Forces Commissioner Act on 3 September 2025. They will take responsibility for the existing Service Complaints Ombudsman and will ensure there is no break in that service.

March 26, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Mann recommendations agreed in consultation on GMC overhaul [March 2026]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 24 March 2026.

The most significant overhaul of the regulation of medical professionals since 1983 will be set out in a consultation on the General Medical Council Order.
- Biggest reform of General Medical Council for over 40 years
- First tranche of Lord John Mann recommendations set out in the consultation
- Boost to NHS patient and staff safety
Major reform to the General Medical Council (GMC) is being put in motion today (24 March 2026) to modernise the regulation of doctors, making the system faster, less bureaucratic and better equipped to protect both patients and NHS staff.

The most significant overhaul of the regulation of medical professionals since 1983 will be set out in a consultation on the draft General Medical Council Order 2026 – the proposed legislation governing the regulation of doctors – which has been launched today.

There have been too many recent examples of doctors using intolerably racist and antisemitic language, particularly on social media, without regulators taking swift enough action to effectively protect patients and NHS staff. It is clear that the current regulatory landscape is outdated and too bureaucratic, hampering GMC’s ability to act decisively when doctors contravene their code of conduct.

That is why the government asked Lord John Mann to conduct a rapid review into antisemitism and other forms of racism in the health service in November. Alongside the wider modernisation proposals, the government is consulting on the first tranche of recommendations from Lord Mann’s review.

The GMC Order will consult on delivering these recommendations into law, introducing 3 key changes:
- GMC will retain its existing right to appeal decisions made by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) to the courts, ensuring there remains a robust check on fitness to practise outcomes
- the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) – the body that oversees all healthcare regulators – will receive new powers to challenge interim decisions made by MPTS, and the GMC will receive equivalent powers
- regulators will be required to share information with PSA when requested, strengthening PSA’s ability to scrutinise regulatory decisions and intervene where necessary
These changes will increase oversight of GMC and make it easier for regulators and oversight bodies to act where decisions are not strong enough to keep the public safe.

Beyond the Mann recommendations, in order to drive positive change and strengthen sexual safety in the NHS, the consultation also proposes removing the current rule that prevents regulators from being able to consider fitness to practise concerns involving allegations of historic sexual abuse after 5 years have passed. 

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: 

The NHS is a universal health service, which means that everyone, regardless of race, religion, or belief, should feel safe seeking its care. It is unacceptable that this is not the current reality for many patients and staff, and I will not allow it to continue.

I am grateful to Lord John Mann for his rapid investigation into how we can overhaul the current system and I look forward to setting his common-sense recommendations in motion to ensure NHS patients and staff get the protection they expect.

 Lord John Mann said:

Racism, including anti-Jewish racism, has no place in the health sector or our NHS, and those who engage in it should face swift and meaningful consequences. For too long, the system has been too slow and too cumbersome to deliver that. These reforms will help deliver change.

I am pleased that the government has moved quickly to act on my recommendations, and I look forward to working with it to implement the rest of my review.

The consultation also proposes reforms to make the regulatory system more efficient and fit for the future, including greater flexibility on education and training standards and increased autonomy for regulators to respond to future workforce needs.

This includes overhauling the fitness to practise process to make it swifter, fairer and less adversarial, strengthening public protection and improving the experience for all parties involved. This will further support the work GMC has already done to eliminate bias in its fitness to practise processes.

GMC Chief Executive and Registrar, Charlie Massey, said:

Patients rightly expect assurance that doctors, physician associates and anaesthesia associates are safe to practise and can be held to account if serious concerns are raised. These proposed reforms will allow us to respond more quickly and flexibly when patient safety is at risk.

They will also allow us to further improve our efficiency and effectiveness, while at the same time enabling us to help patients navigate the complaints and concerns process more easily.

This is an important and long-awaited step towards a more responsive and compassionate approach to healthcare regulation.

Together, these changes are designed to reduce bureaucracy, improve patient and staff safety and support the NHS workforce.
March 26, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Update following negotiations on an enhanced FTA with Switzerland [March 2026]

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 24 March 2026.

The tenth round of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Switzerland took place in Geneva between 9 and 13 March 2026.

The round followed the Secretary of State for Business and Trade’s meeting with his counterpart, Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, in January 2026 at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Strengthening the UK’s partnership with Switzerland reflects the UK government’s commitment to economic growth with our 10th largest trading partner, a relationship worth £49.0 billion in the four quarters ending Q3 2025. (ONS, UK total trade, seasonally adjusted).

In 2020, our trading relationship with Switzerland supported 130,000 UK services jobs across finance, consultancy and legal sectors services, transport, and other key sectors (OECD trade in employment database). However, the current UK-Swiss trade agreement, signed in 2019 and based largely on an EU-Swiss agreement from 1972, focuses mainly on goods. It does not include services, investment, digital, or data, even though services account for over 60% of UK trade with Switzerland. Switzerland is the UK’s 6th largest export market for services (ONS, UK total trade, seasonally adjusted).

The enhanced FTA aims to provide long-term certainty for UK services firms, locking in access to the Swiss market, ensuring the free flow of data, and securing business travel arrangements on a permanent basis.

Next Steps on FTA negotiations

The government will only ever sign a trade agreement which aligns with the UK’s national interests, upholding our high standards across a range of sectors, alongside protections for the National Health Service. Ministers will continue to update Parliament on the progress of negotiations.

March 26, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Gareth Davies Appointed as New Home Office Permanent Secretary [March 2026]

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 24 March 2026.

The Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister, has announced the appointment of Gareth Davies CB as the new Permanent Secretary at the Home Office.

Gareth is currently Permanent Secretary at the Department for Business and Trade. He has previously held senior roles across government in business, transport and Downing Street. He started his career in the private sector, and has worked across Europe and south east Asia.

Gareth set up the Department for Business and Trade and has led it over the last three years. During this time, the department secured major trade deals including with India and the United States, landed major investments, hosted the International Investment Summit, launched the Industrial Strategy, and passed the Employment Rights Act.

Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP, said:

Gareth Davies brings decades of experience in senior government and private sector roles, and a strong record of delivery supporting British trade and industry and transforming departments.

I look forward to working with Gareth as we drive forward the most significant reforms to policing and migration in generations, and deliver our mission to keep the British public safe and restore order to our borders.

I would also like to thank Dame Antonia Romeo for her exceptional leadership of the department, and Simon Ridley for his valuable counsel while serving as Acting Permanent Secretary in recent months.

Cabinet Secretary, Dame Antonia Romeo, said:

This is an important appointment for the Home Office and the Civil Service. Gareth is a brilliant permanent secretary who brings a wealth of experience of delivery and innovation from the public and private sectors. The Home Office is charged with delivery of some of the Government’s highest priorities, and Gareth is strongly suited to grip delivery and productivity in support of the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister.

I would also like to thank Simon Ridley for his strong leadership of the department in the interim period.

Gareth Davies CB said:

It’s an honour to be appointed Permanent Secretary of the Home Office – one of the great offices of state. There’s no more important agenda in government than keeping the country safe and secure.

I’m looking forward to working with the amazing team of civil servants to deliver the Home Secretary’s priorities and build a department that is even more innovative and productive.

I would like to thank the incredible team at the Department of Business and Trade. They should be very proud of the difference they make to the lives of families and communities across our country.

The appointment has been agreed by the First Civil Service Commissioner and the Prime Minister.

Gareth Davies will start as Home Office Permanent Secretary on the 6th April. The Cabinet Secretary will announce arrangements for his replacement as Permanent Secretary at the Department for Business and Trade shortly.

March 26, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Chancellor sets out plan to crackdown on profiteering and drive Britain’s energy security [March 2026]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 24 March 2026.

Households across Britain set to benefit as Chancellor acts on food prices, energy bills and profiteering – taking action on cost of living pressures while securing Britain’s long-term energy independence.
- New measures to protect working people through anti-profiteering framework to ensure the CMA and other regulators can clamp down on price gouging if it takes place.
- Powers to progress nuclear energy, with legislation to stop red-tape and vested interests holding back our energy security and indemnities to keep projects moving where they face legal challenge.
- Options for targeted reductions in import tariffs that could bring down food prices at the till for families across Britain to be assessed.
Today (Tuesday 24 March) the Chancellor set out measures to protect working people from any companies seeking to exploit this crisis, to take on vested interests holding back our energy security and to assess specific import tariff reductions to bring down food prices.

A new anti-profiteering framework will be introduced to protect working people to deal with businesses unfairly putting up prices to profiteer during this crisis. As part of this, the government will not hesitate to introduce time-limited, targeted powers if needed to ensure the CMA and other regulators can clamp down on price gouging if it takes place.

Decisive new legislation in the next Parliamentary session will help secure Britain’s energy future, ensuring all reforms that speed up nuclear delivery are in place by the end of 2027 which will streamline approvals, reduce unnecessary delay and bring new, reliable domestic power sooner, cutting exposure to volatile gas prices. New government-backed guarantees will also be assessed to keep priority infrastructure projects moving where planning consent is legally challenged. Targeted cuts to agri-food tariffs will be explored to help bring down food prices, focusing on the areas where consumers would benefit most.

Speaking in the House of Commons the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves said:

The longer and more severe the conflict, the greater the impact on our economy and our country.

That makes the work we have been doing since the election even more important,

To grow the economy and increase wages, through the plans I set out in my Mais lecture last week,

And to bear down on the cost of living and build resilience in the public finances, through iron-clad fiscal rules.

The Chancellor also said:

I am preparing for the future as this conflict goes on. I know that families and businesses are worried about the impact of rising prices.

I have said that we will be responsive to a changing world and responsible in the national interest

And the Chancellor went on to tell the House:

We did not start this war. But the ongoing conflict in the Middle East affects us, and we are responding to it.

The impacts remain uncertain, but the action we have taken since the election has ensured we are in a strong position to face this latest shock.

The further steps we have taken since the start of the conflict, and the additional action I have set out today, are all focussed on a single purpose – to protect working people and to protect the public finances.

The Chancellor set out how preparations for the future would focus on being responsive to the impact of this conflict and responsible with the public finances. This builds on the extension of the 5p fuel duty cut for 17 months since the election, the launch of the Cheaper Fuel Finder and a push to ensure 100% compliance, £53 million to protect those who most need it with the price of heating oil, and energy bills capped until the end of June saving the average household £117, with £150 for vulnerable households, and tiding families over until the winter.

The Chancellor was also clear on the importance of maintaining stability in the public finances, and lessons must be learnt from previous support packages which saw households in the top income decile receive an average of £1,350 of direct energy bill support (Energy Bills Support Scheme and Energy Price Guarantee), equivalent to 11% of the total spend.

As a result, large increases in borrowing drove up inflation and interest rates, leading to higher costs for people with loans or mortgages.

This week both the Chancellor and Business Secretary will convene an extraordinary meeting of the Regulators Council, including the CMA, to discuss their work to ensure markets continue to function properly and protect consumers. The Chancellor will also meet with supermarkets and banks this week to discuss how they can support consumers as well as Business Representative Organisations to understand what businesses of all sizes need to get them through this conflict.

This comes as the government and regulators step up action to protect consumers from unfair practices. As announced earlier this month, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is stepping up monitoring on petrol and diesel prices and will publish an update as soon as possible. The CMA has also launched a market study on heating oil and is examining concerns from consumers about heating oil, and has made clear it will take enforcement action if it finds potential breaches of consumer law.
March 26, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Government to replace ambulances following charity arson attack [March 2026]

The press release issued by the Department for Health and Social Care on 24 March 2026.

Following an attack on Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green, the Department of Health and Social Care is taking action to support the charity and patients.

In response to the attacks on Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green, north London, on Monday 23 March, the Secretary of State confirmed the government has arranged for replacement ambulances to be provided on loan from the London Ambulance Service and will cover the cost of replacements for the vehicles destroyed.

The loan ambulances will arrive today [24 March] and the replacements will be provided as soon as possible.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

This shocking, cowardly, and despicable act of evil was not only an attack on London’s Jewish community, but on an ambulance service whose sole purpose is to save lives and care for others.

There is no doubt this attack was designed to strike fear into the heart of Jewish people in Golders Green and across the country. And, as a Member of Parliament who represents a significant Jewish community further east in London, I know what’s happened will be felt painfully and acutely by all Jewish people across our country.

The aim of these attackers is clear – they want Jewish people in this country to live smaller lives, to live less Jewish lives, to be less visible as Jewish people, and to fear going about Jewish life – whether that’s attending school or providing the services and support that makes the Jewish community one of the most resilient, strong, and proud communities in the country.

Hatzola’s volunteers represent the very best of public service, providing rapid, life-saving care to anyone in need, and it is appalling that such a service has been targeted in this way.

Of course, the best form of solidarity is practical solidarity, which is why today, our London Ambulance Service colleagues are providing support to the team in Golders Green to make sure that we don’t skip a beat when it comes to responding to emergency call-outs. We will also be providing four replacement ambulances, initially on loan until we can provide permanent replacements. The Jewish community should not bear the cost of this hatred.

This moment demands more than practical support. The Jewish community will not stand alone – the government and this entire country stand with them.

The answer cannot simply be higher walls, thicker doors, more CCTV. We also have to deal with this hatred at its source. We have to confront and beat the evil ideas that are permeating in our society. Anti-Semitism is an old hatred, but it is alive and kicking in our country, and all of us, particularly those who are not Jewish, have to wake up, stand up, and work with our Jewish friends and neighbours in confronting and defeating this despicable hatred.

March 25, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Export bar aims to protect archive of Scottish Enlightenment mastermind [March 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 20 March 2026.

A temporary export bar has been placed on the historically significant archive of James Stirling.
- The archive catalogues revolutionary practices at James Stirling’s Scots Mining Company that ushered in a new era of better conditions for workers
- The export bar will allow time for a UK archive or institution to acquire the collection for the nation
An export bar has been placed on an archive relating to James Stirling’s radical management of the Leadhills mines to allow time for a UK buyer to be found.

The archive charts the development of one of the most extraordinary operations of the Industrial Revolution. In 1736 James Stirling took over a struggling mining business in South Lanarkshire, where miners lived and worked in poverty. Stirling created a programme to radically improve the living conditions of workers as well as their productivity. His success became a blueprint for future socially-minded industrialists like George Cadbury.

The large collection includes 51 bundles of letters between the Scots Mining Company, James Stirling and later company managers, as well as a 1738 book of orders relating to the direction of the company. One of James Stirling’s copy books from 1736-37 is included, featuring his own mathematical notations. Further documents include a catalogue of the Leadhills Miners’ Library from 1800 and a folder of twentieth century research papers relating to Stirling’s role at Leadhills mine.

James Stirling was born into the Scottish landed aristocracy in 1692, during the reign of King William III and Queen Mary II. He was a talented mathematician, but his family’s support for the Jacobite rivals to the English monarchy blocked his academic ambitions. Instead he became a mathematics teacher in London, ultimately meeting and befriending some of the greatest enlightenment thinkers of the day. By 1726, Isaac Newton proposed him for membership of the Royal Society.

The radical changes James Stirling brought to the Leadhills mines site began with cuts to working hours from 72 to 40 per week and the introduction of team leaders, who would negotiate with managers over the pay for each task, thus giving workers more ownership and incentivisation for their labour. Families were supported to build their own cottages, with patches set aside for crops or livestock. A social insurance scheme for the sick and elderly was established, along with a school, church and library – which remains the oldest subscription library in the UK today.

Culture Minister, Baroness Twycross said:

In the eighteenth century it was radical to believe that better conditions would improve the productivity of workers. James Stirling’s reforms were a step towards the progression of workers’ rights and modern social security.

As key historical sources of Britain’s industrial and social history, it’s important that these documents remain available for research. It is excellent that James Stirling’s model village survives at Leadhills and I hope this archive can remain accessible to the public too.

Committee member, Caroline Shenton said:

James Stirling was an extraordinary 18th century employer, creating for his mineworkers at Leadhills one of the first, if not the first, model industrial settlement in Great Britain. The archive of letters he left behind describing his methods and progressive approach at Leadhills in the best traditions of the Scottish Enlightenment is hugely significant and endlessly fascinating. It would be a great tragedy if they were to leave the country, and so I very much hope that a suitable home can be found for them in a UK public institution.

This is the sixth temporary export bar issued since the start of the year by the Government. It follows attempts to protect a bust of John Gordon of Invergordon; Claude Lorrain’s Landscape with Rural Dance; Shock Dog by Anne Seymour Damer; a sculpture of two putti by Michael Rysbrack; and Howard Hodgkin’s Mrs Acton in Delhi.

The Minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA).

The Committee made its recommendation on the basis that the archive met the first and third Waverley criteria for its outstanding connection with our history and national life and its outstanding significance to the study of local, regional, and pioneering social and industrial history of Scotland.

The decision on the export licence application for the archive will be deferred for a period ending on 19 June 2026 inclusive. At the end of the first deferral period owners will have a consideration period of 15 Business Days to consider any offer(s) to purchase the archive at the recommended price of £24,928 (inclusive of VAT of £988 which can be reclaimed by an eligible institution). The second deferral period will commence following the signing of an Option Agreement and will last for three months.
March 25, 2026