Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : UK steps up aid and security support in Lebanon and Egypt [November 2025]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 November 2025.

Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer visits the region to support peace efforts and humanitarian initiatives.
- New UK-funded operating bases and training help the Lebanese Army deliver regional security
- Support for vulnerable civilians and refugees in Lebanon announced by Minister to be delivered by the Lebanese Red Cross
- Minister supports humanitarian efforts across the Middle East as he visits Egyptian hospital conducting UK-backed training of Egyptian doctors to support the treatment of Palestinian patients
The UK is continuing to step up and support peace in the Middle East and humanitarian efforts as Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer makes his first official visit to Lebanon.

Visiting a newly built UK-funded Forward Operating Base for the Lebanese Armed Forces, the Minister saw how the UK is supporting the Lebanese Army’s ability to increase their presence in the south and bolster regional stability. UK support to Lebanese security forces helps to maintain stability for the wider region.

Announcing £500,000 for the Lebanese Red Cross via the British Red Cross, the Minister emphasised how the UK will support them to boost crisis preparedness and disaster response. This is part of a broader package of UK aid to Lebanon that will provide humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable communities, including displaced civilians and refugees, to help them meet their basic needs.

Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer said:

Across the region, the UK is supporting efforts towards a lasting peace through tireless diplomacy, humanitarian support, and security cooperation.

In Lebanon, I saw the devastating impact of conflict and how UK support is strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces through new Forward Operating Bases and training. Our humanitarian programmes are helping communities to meet their basic needs and children return to learning.

In Egypt, I was privileged to see UK support in action. Delivered through WHO Egypt, UK funding is providing medical staff with the training required and vital equipment needed to deliver lifesaving care for Palestinians evacuated from Gaza.

The UK is determined to work with regional partners to build stability and hope for the future. It is these partnerships abroad that make us stronger at home.

During his visit to Lebanon, the Minister held talks with President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, and Chief of Defence General Rudolph Haykal around the importance of security and advancing Lebanese state reforms.

In a trip that reflected on conflicts in the wider region and the current situation in Gaza, Minister Falconer also visited a hospital in Egypt which is treating medically evacuated Gazan patients and training Egyptian doctors to continue supporting future waves of medical evacuees from Gaza.

After healthcare provisions in Gaza have been decimated by bombardment and aid restrictions, the UK has supported those who have been medically evacuated to the wider region by providing funding to the WHO.

The £3m in funding over the conflict has helped to improve care for Palestinian patients evacuated from Gaza, and includes equipment and training for staff in hospitals treating complex injuries and long-term conditions.

The Minister also represented the UK at the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, a landmark cultural project showcasing Egypt’s heritage, and where the UK supported the Museum in achieving EDGE certification which recognises excellence in green building standards and sustainability.

The UK is working intensively with regional partners to prevent further escalation in the region. This includes pressing for humanitarian access into Gaza, and long-term security cooperation with Lebanon through development of infrastructure, training, and equipment for the Lebanese Armed Forces.

The goal is clear: we must turn these ceasefires into lasting peace and create the conditions for recovery and reconstruction across the region.
November 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : New law to restrict protests outside public office holders’ homes [November 2025]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 4 November 2025.

A new law will restrict protests outside the homes of public office holders, in response to growing harassment and intimidation of those in British politics.

Public officer holders, including MPs, peers and local councillors, will be better protected from harassment and intimidation under a new law to restrict protests outside their homes.

Under changes set out in the Crime and Policing Bill, the police will be given strengthened powers to stop this form of intimidation and abuse, and help clamp down on toxic behaviour in UK politics. This includes a new criminal offence of protesting outside the home of someone in public office where their intention is to influence them in their role or an aspect of their private life, with perpetrators facing up to 6 months’ imprisonment.

This announcement follows a concerning rise in harassment of those in public office, with the Electoral Commission reporting that over half of the candidates who stood in last year’s general election experienced some form of abuse or intimidation.

A second survey – conducted by the Speaker of the House – found that almost all MPs (96%) had experienced at least one instance of harassment or intimidation which had a corrosive effect on their ability to do their jobs.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said:

The level of abuse faced by those taking part in British politics is truly shocking – it’s a threat to our democracy. People should be able to participate in our politics without fearing for their own or their family’s safety.

When good people choose not to put themselves forward, communities lose out and the country is poorer for it.

As Chair of the Defending Democracy Taskforce, I am leading work across government to drive out harassment and intimidation and strengthen our protections. This measure is a serious but necessary and proportionate step. Targeting public office holders at their homes crosses a line – it’s intimidation, not protest, and we’re putting a stop to it.

Will Fletcher, Interim CEO of the Jo Cox Foundation said:

We welcome measures to improve the safety and security of those in public office. Protesting outside someone’s home clearly poses serious safety concerns and can cause distress for the individual and their family.

Protest and robust debate are important to our democracy, and there are many ways that people can make their voices heard without crossing the line into intimidation at someone’s home.

Through the Jo Cox Civility Commission, we work with a range of partners to address abuse towards politicians, their staff and families, and promote more respectful politics in order to strengthen our democracy.

Samantha Dixon, Minister for Democracy, said:

Intimidation and abuse of any kind is unacceptable, and I’m determined to protect those in public office so we can encourage more people to get involved in democracy.

Alongside our new stronger sentences for those who intimidate campaigners, we are going further to defend democracy and restore trust in politics.

The new protection is a major step in tackling the unacceptable harassment and intimidation faced by many public office holders and their families, and is an immediate recommendation made by the government’s Defending Democracy Taskforce as part of its wide-ranging review into this issue.

The Defending Democracy Taskforce brings together a wide range of partners including government departments, the police, parliamentary authorities, and the Electoral Commission to look at how harassment and intimidation can be tackled head on.

The government is determined to ensure that no one is deterred from representing their community or country because of fear, and today’s announcement builds on strengthened protections for elected representatives already set out in the Strategy for Modern Elections.

This includes giving the courts greater powers to impose tougher sentences on those who threatened elected officials, and removes the final loophole which requires candidates who are seeking election to publish their home address when they don’t have an office address to use.

Together, these measures will ensure greater privacy and safety for those standing for public office.

These measures follow this year’s local elections in which dedicated police officers were in place in all forces across the country for the first time, offering security briefings to support local election candidates under Operation Ford. These force elected-official advisers (FEOAs) remain in place for locally elected representatives, such as councillors, metropolitan mayors, and police and crime commissioners. Meanwhile, under Operation Bridger, a dedicated police contact continues to be provided to MPs when they are outside of the Parliamentary estate.

November 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : UK speech at the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty – High Level Debate [November 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 November 2025.

Chris Elmore MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Multilateral, Human Rights, Latin America, Caribbean) delivered the UK’s speech at the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty High-Level Debate on Mobilising Finance in Doha, Qatar.

Thank you to the Alliance for convening this crucial meeting, and to Brazil for their continued leadership.

Our collective efforts to act against hunger and poverty matter more than ever in a turbulent world.

Let us be honest.

Keeping pace with the scale of the challenge requires a new approach.

That is why the UK is acting and changing how we work.

We’re moving from donor to long-term investor, partnering with countries to unlock agri-food growth, build resilient food systems, and mobilise private capital.

We’re shifting from delivering services to helping countries build systems that last, drawing on UK expertise to support locally led solutions.

And that’s why we are a steadfast supporter of the Alliance and a proud vice chair.

Because it offers a new model for international cooperation – demand-led, country-owned, and focused on delivery.

And at the heart of that model is a razor-sharp focus on delivering better value for money through better coordination, so that every penny is helping those in need.

These fast-track partnerships are already showing what is possible and they are exactly the kind of locally-driven, inclusive and impact-focused partnerships we need more of.

I’m pleased to share that the UK is helping deliver just that.

In Ethiopia, we’re providing technical assistance to boost livestock productivity and rural incomes.

In Zambia, we signed a Poverty Reduction Pledge last year.

And today I’m delighted to announce the launch of a new six-year Zambia Poverty Reduction Programme, worth up to almost 40 million pounds.

This will strengthen social protection systems that build climate resilience and help families find pathways out of poverty.

And that’s not all.

We are delivering on our commitments and leveraging more private funds for agri-business.

Today, I am pleased to announce a new UK match-fund – through the Common Fund for Commodities – to support small, sustainable agribusinesses across sub-Saharan Africa.

This is part of an exciting portfolio of UK agrifood innovative finance.

These are not isolated projects, but part of a broader shift towards smarter, more strategic partnerships and investments.

Now, while the UK remains a major ODA provider, we know that public finance alone will not be enough.

So the UK is supporting reform of the global financial system and better integration of funding streams.

We co-sponsored the Sevilla Platform for Action on financing for Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2 and are providing senior expertise to design pooled mechanisms, so we all get more for our money, in the right places.

Let me end by once again applauding Brazil for their leadership in driving global action on hunger and poverty.

It is now up to all of us to build a system that works for the poorest and keeps hunger and poverty at the heart of our global agenda.

November 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Kyiv region bridge reopens following UK-funded reconstruction [November 2025]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 November 2025.

A bridge in the Kyiv region that was destroyed following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 reopened following a UK-backed reconstruction.
- Bridge near Vyshhorod, north of Kyiv, reopens to traffic following its destruction during the invasion in 2022
- UK Export Finance (UKEF) provides £26.3m loan guarantee for the Ukrainian Government, directly involving British companies in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
- Underlines UK’s commitment to rebuilding Ukraine under the 100-Year Partnership.
A vital bridge in the Kyiv region that was destroyed following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 reopened today following a UK-backed reconstruction project.

Vyshhorod Bridge is of particular importance to civilians and businesses in the region. It provides a vital transport link for thousands of residents living in a remote area into Ukraine’s capital, and allows Heavy Goods Vehicles to more easily travel towards Kyiv.

The UK allocated a £26.3 million loan guarantee via UKEF, enabling the Ukrainian government to secure financing for the project privately from Citibank. The initiative also enabled UK manufacturers to contribute essential materials and expertise. British companies are supplying steel components, critical materials and design services to the project’s main contractors.

Charlotte Surun, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy, said:

The reconstruction of the Vyshhorod Bridge is proof of the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership in action. Steel made in the UK is rebuilding vital Ukrainian infrastructure, making a real impact on the lives of people here.

Now local residents can cross the river and travel into Kyiv more easily and businesses have a more efficient route for transporting goods around the region.

The UK has supported Ukraine since day one of the invasion and we will continue backing projects that help Ukraine rebuild and recover.

The bridge was destroyed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in February 2022 to disrupt the advance of Russian troops towards Kyiv – a fate shared by many bridges and roads around Kyiv at that time. Until now, local residents had to use a temporary crossing which could not handle heavy traffic across the river.

Following the Russian army’s withdrawal, Vyshhorod Bridge became one of the six bridges in the Kyiv region being reconstructed under a pilot project supported by the British government.

Scottish company Cairnhill played a key role in the construction of Vyshhorod Bridge, supplying approximately 400 tonnes of steel for core structures from its facility in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire.

Vyshhorod Bridge is the fourth bridge completed under the project, while the reconstruction of two more is still underway.
November 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Huntingdon Train Attack Compensation

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 3 November 2025.

We offer our sympathy to all those who have been affected by this horrific attack.

Victims injured in this attack can apply to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) for compensation.

Compensation is payable to applicants who meet the eligibility criteria of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.

You do not need a paid representative, such as a solicitor or claims management company, to apply for compensation. Free independent advice may be available from the Victim and Witness Information website or other charitable organisations.

If you have been directly affected by this attack you can find out more about the Scheme and apply online.

November 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government reappoints 3 Trustees to the National Heritage Memorial Fund [November 2025]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 3 November 2025.

The Prime Minister has reappointed Carol Pyrah, Julian Glover and Taryn Nixon as Trustees of the National Heritage Memorial Fund for terms of 4 years.

Carol Pyrah, Chair of the North Committee

Carol is an experienced heritage professional with a background in both charities and the public sector.

Since December 2024, she has been Chief Operating Officer at Ripon Cathedral. Prior to this, she was Chief Executive of Urban Green Newcastle, an independent charity set up to manage the city’s 33 parks and 60 allotment sites, and Executive Director of Historic Coventry Trust, finding innovative ways to sustain historic places and to inspire, involve and connect people with the city’s history.

An archaeologist by training, Carol had a senior career at English Heritage and Historic England, where she was Assistant Director of Planning and a member of the Executive team. She has a track record in place-based regeneration projects and is passionate about the role of local places to foster civic pride and community cohesion.

Carol has been a Commissioner of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England and a Trustee for the Churches Conservation Trust.

She has lived in the Yorkshire Dales for over 25 years.

Julian Glover, Chair of the Midlands and East Committee

Julian is an author and journalist with extensive experience of working with the Government.

He led the Landscapes Review for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) – which created better ways of running England’s protected areas – and has been a special advisor for both Number 10 and the Department of Transport. He also advises a range of organisations, especially on transport and sustainability.

Julian has been Associate Editor of the London Evening Standard and a columnist and reporter for the Guardian. He is the author of Man of Iron: Thomas Telford and the Building of Britain, a biography of one of the UK’s most prolific engineers.

He lives in Derbyshire, where he is a board member for the Buxton International Festival.

Taryn Nixon, Chair of the London and South Committee

Taryn Nixon OBE MCIfA FSA is an archaeologist and independent heritage management adviser.

She has a background of leadership in the historic environment sector. From 1997 to 2016, she was the Chief Executive of Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA). She is a former Chair of her professional body, the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and has served on a number of boards and committees including for Historic England, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, the Society of Antiquaries, and the founding Board of National Trails UK. A champion of values-based archaeology, she has published on the contribution archaeology and heritage make to economic growth, regeneration and social cohesion, as well as construction industry guidance on managing archaeology within planning and development. She was awarded an OBE for services to archaeology and heritage in the King’s Birthday Honours in 2025.

Taryn was first appointed as a Trustee of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and National Lottery Heritage Fund in May 2022, and chairs the Committee for England, London and South. She lives with her family on the edge of Dartmoor National Park in Devon.

Remuneration and Governance Code

These Trustees of the National Heritage Memorial Fund are remunerated at £20,749 per annum. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

November 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government announces preferred candidate for the Charity Commission for England and Wales Chair [November 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 3 November 2025.

Dame Julia Unwin is the Government’s preferred candidate for the Charity Commission for England and Wales Chair, the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced today.

Dame Julia Unwin

Dame Julia Unwin has had a long career largely in the voluntary sector, and has also served on the Boards of a number of regulatory and government bodies, including five years as a Charity Commissioner in the late 1990s. She was a member of the Board of the Housing Corporation for 9 years. She served as Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation from 2007-2016. She has had experience as a consultant, adviser, mentor and speaker in the voluntary and broader public sector.

Dame Julia chaired the Civil Society Futures Inquiry which reported in 2018, and was awarded a DBE in 2019 for her services to civil society. As well as chairing the Board of Governors of York St John University, she is also the Inaugural Chair of Smart Data Foundry, a subsidiary of Edinburgh University engaged with using private sector data for public good.

Dame Julia will now appear before MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee for pre-appointment scrutiny on 25 November.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

“Dame Julia brings a wide range of experience and expertise to the role having worked across both civil society and regulation. It makes her an outstanding candidate to be the chair of the Charity Commission.

“This will be a vital, public role to ensure that the Charity Commission’s independent regulation delivers high levels of public trust and confidence in charities.”

Under the terms of the Charities Act 2011, the appointment of the Charity Commission for England and Wales Chair is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

Ministers were assisted in their decision making by an Advisory Assessment Panel which included a departmental official and a Senior Independent Panel Member approved by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Mark Simms has been extended as interim Chair of the Charity Commission from 24 October 2025 to 24 January 2026 allowing for the ongoing process to complete.

Notes to editors
- The Chair of the Charity Commission is remunerated at £62,500 per annum for a time commitment of two and half days per week.
- This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
- Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Dame Julia Unwin has not declared any significant political activity.
November 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Universal Periodic Review 50 – UK Statement on Belarus [November 2025]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 November 2025.

Statement by the UK’s Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders, at Belarus’ Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned by the continued erosion of human rights in Belarus. Since the 2020 presidential elections, we have observed widespread repression of civil society, independent media, and political opposition. The use of arbitrary detention, politically motivated prosecutions, and restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly must end.

We recommend:
1. Establish an official moratorium on executions, in line with international human rights standards and the global trend toward abolition.
2. Release all political prisoners and halt the use of arbitrary detention and politically motivated charges.
3. Revise restrictive laws such as the 1997 Mass Events Act and the Law on Associations, which impose burdensome requirements for public gatherings and civil society registration, to align with international human rights standards.
The UK calls on Belarus to engage constructively with civil society and international partners to restore and uphold fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, assembly, and association.

Thank you.
November 7, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : William Bush and Deborah Shaw reappointed to the Arts Council England Board [October 2025]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 28 October 2025.

The Secretary of State has reappointed William Bush and Deborah Shaw as National Council Members for Arts Council England.

William Bush

Bill is Deputy Chair of English Touring Opera and a Trustee of Civic Future. He has recently stood down as Chair of the Alliance for Intellectual Property and as Board member of the Football Foundation.

During Bill’s 20 years at the Premier League as Executive Director and latterly Senior Adviser, he led areas including intellectual property, public policy, relations with government and the EU, relations with fans, communications and the community programme. Before joining the Premier League, Bill worked as a Special Adviser to the Prime Minister and to Tessa Jowell at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and was Head of Research for BBC News 1991-1999. Early in his career, as a local government officer he ran the Office of the Leader of the Greater London Council (Ken Livingstone) from 1981-1986.

Deborah Shaw

Deborah is Chief Executive of the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (Theatre of the Year, Stage Awards 2022). As CEO, she has led on the creation of a new vision and business model bringing together the best of the subsidised and commercial sectors. Her recent focus has been on setting up Marlowe Theatre Productions to make and tour large-scale theatre and the development of the 800 year old Poor Priests’ Hospital into a creative learning centre and heritage destination.

Deborah has worked in regional, national and international theatre for over 30 years, including Associate Director at Watford Palace and Artistic Director at Chester Gateway theatres. She was Associate Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company for 8 years, including Director of the World Shakespeare Festival for London2012.
At Historic Royal Palaces, she commissioned artworks including the Sky/South Bank Award-winning Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red (‘the Poppies’) at the Tower of London; The Lost Palace at the Banqueting House (European Heritage in Motion Best Achievement Award) and East Wall, with Hofesh Shechter Company, East London Dance and LIFT, one of the Guardian’s top 10 dance productions of the 21st century.

She read History at Cambridge and has an honorary doctorate from Oxford Brookes for services to theatre. She chairs Creative Kent, co-chairs The Touring Partnership, is a Kent Ambassador and a founder-member of the Iraqi Theatre Company in Baghdad.

Remuneration and Governance Code

William Bush and Deborah Shaw’s four-year second terms commenced on 15 May 2025.

November 3, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Chancellor appoints Industrial Strategy adviser [October 2025]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 28 October 2025.

A growth and productivity expert has been appointed by the Chancellor, as the government continues its mission to boost economic growth and living standards through the Plan for Change.

Dr Anna Valero, a Distinguished Policy Fellow at the London School of Economics, will advise Rachel Reeves as a sector and industrial policy expert, helping the government deliver its modern Industrial Strategy.

The part-time unpaid appointment starts in October and will last for 12 months.

Dr Valero previously worked as part of the Chancellor’s Council of Economic Advisers, where she was extensively involved in the development and publication of the Industrial Strategy White Paper and Sector Plans. She will now report directly to the Chancellor as a direct ministerial appointment.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said:

I am delighted to welcome Anna back to the Treasury’s top team as we continue in our mission to boost economic growth and raise living standards across every corner of the country through our Plan for Change.

Her wealth of expertise will help us drive forward our plan to make the UK the best country to invest in anywhere in the world.

Anna Valero said:

I’m delighted to return to Treasury as Industrial Strategy Adviser to the Chancellor, where I will help to deliver the strategy to boost investment, accelerate innovation, and generate good jobs in high-growth sectors across the UK.

Established processes for the declaration and management of interests have been followed in respect of this appointment.

November 2, 2025