Category: Press Releases

  • PRESS RELEASE : Knife crime homicides fall to 35-year low [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Knife crime homicides fall to 35-year low [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 5 August 2026.

    Knife-related homicides have dropped to their lowest level in 35 years as the government’s surrender drive takes more than 15,000 knives off Britain’s streets.

    Knife-enabled homicides have fallen to 26% while knife crime overall has dropped by 11% under this government.

    More than 14,500 knives and weapons including ninja swords, zombie-style knives, machetes, swords and kitchen knives have been taken out of circulation through Home Office funded surrender bins since July last year.

    The bins managed by the charity Word 4 Weapons are located in London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. A further 783 knives and weapons were handed in at a mobile surrender van operated by FazAmnesty, which supported the Home Office’s dedicated surrender scheme last summer. Blades like those surrendered have been used in violent crimes and caused devastation to communities across the country.

    Building on last year’s success, the government is now making it possible for more people to surrender their weapons by providing new bins across South and West Yorkshire.

    The mobile surrender van operated by FazAmnesty will also visit a series of locations across the West Midlands before travelling to London – where it will stop off at 24 boroughs, providing another trusted route for people to anonymously surrender their weapons this month.

    Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones said:

    Every dangerous weapon that has been surrendered so far is a weapon off our streets and a community made that little bit safer.

    That’s why we’re going further and making it easier for more people in more places to do the right thing and hand over their knives.

    Knife crime is down by 11% since the general election but we will not stop until we meet our commitment of halving knife crime in a decade.

    The location of the 45 surrender bins, including the 8 new ones, and the stop off points for the mobile surrender van have been agreed with local violence reduction partnerships, policing and community safety partners. This helps ensure support is focused in areas most affected by knife crime and serious violence.

    The surrender bins and van operate on a ‘no questions asked’ basis in order to encourage people who may otherwise be reluctant to hand over their weapons in fear of the consequences. The weapons, which must be wrapped and sealed in a box or bag, will be disposed of safely and securely.

    Faron Paul, CEO of FazAmnesty, survived a knife attack in which he was stabbed 18 times. He has now turned his experience into a mission to prevent others suffering similar harm. Through FazAmnesty, he works with communities across the country to encourage people to safely surrender weapons and has become a leading voice on tackling knife crime and preventing violence.

    Faron Paul, CEO of FazAmnesty and member of the Government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, said:

    We are proud to continue supporting the Home Office’s National Surrender Scheme and to play our part in removing dangerous weapons from our streets. Every weapon surrendered is one less weapon that could be used to seriously harm or take a life.

    The introduction of our mobile surrender van has given direct surrender opportunities into some of the hardest-to-reach communities. By engaging with residents, we are helping to remove barriers that might otherwise prevent someone from surrendering a knife.

    Seeing more than 15,000 weapons removed through the government’s surrender bins is a significant milestone and demonstrates what can be achieved when government, policing and community organisations work together with a shared purpose.

    The surrender activity also builds on the wider action being delivered through Ronan’s Law, named after 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who was killed in 2022 with a ninja sword bought online.

    Following campaigning by his mother, Pooja Kanda, the government introduced tougher measures to restrict access to dangerous weapons and close loopholes in online sales.

    Weapons surrenders have played an important role in supporting those changes.

    Pooja Kanda OBE, founder of the Justice for Ronan Kanda campaign and member of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime said:

    Every knife handed into a surrender bin is one less weapon that could end a life or devastate a family like mine. I lost my 16-year-old son, Ronan, in a mistaken identity knife attack. He paid the ultimate price because someone else chose to carry a knife. There are no winners in knife crime.

    The removal of more than 15,000 knives from our communities is a significant achievement and demonstrates what can be accomplished when government, charities, police and communities work together.

    As we mark one year since the introduction of Ronan’s Law, this surrender scheme is another important step in preventing dangerous weapons from causing further harm. It provides young people, and anyone else carrying a dangerous weapon, with a safe and anonymous opportunity to surrender it.

    Sandra Campbell, CEO of Word4Weapons and member of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, said:

    We are proud to work in partnership with the Home Office and our wider coalition partners to help remove knives and other dangerous weapons from our streets and communities. Every weapon safely surrendered is one fewer weapon that could be used to destroy lives.

    Everyone can choose safe disposal through our Home Office-funded surrender bins, alongside Word 4 Weapons’ established network of bins, which has quietly served communities since 2007.

    The government continues to push forward with its mission to halve knife crime in the next decade. Knife crime hotspots will see a dramatic surge in police activity to catch knife criminals, including increased police patrols, new CCTV cameras, live facial recognition deployment and the installation of knife arches.

    Action is also being taken to stop young people from ever picking up a weapon in the first place and creating safer environments in which they can grow up. Through initiatives such as Young Futures hubs, mentoring and targeted support for at-risk children, alongside work with schools, youth services and local partners, the government is helping to create safer environments where young people can thrive and reach their full potential.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rape, serious child sex and grooming offences barred from sentencing changes [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rape, serious child sex and grooming offences barred from sentencing changes [August 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 4 August 2026.

    The Prime Minister has ordered that rape, serious child sex and other grooming offences will be barred from upcoming changes to prison sentences, protecting the public from these dangerous criminals.

    • Prime Minister blocks cuts to sentences for rape, serious child sex and other grooming offences
    • Prime Minister wanted to go even further, but can’t without the prison system collapsing, putting the public at greater risk
    • Offenders will now face tougher community supervision and new GPS monitoring for rapists to restrict movements
    • New package to give victims stronger, specialist support and better access to information

    The Prime Minister has ordered that rape, serious child sex and other grooming offences will be barred from upcoming changes to prison sentences, protecting the public from these dangerous criminals.

    This follows the Prime Minister halting planned changes to sentencing and demanding the policy be reconsidered within days of coming into office.

    After listening to victims’ concerns, rape and serious child sex offences, including vile grooming gang offences, will now be blocked from the upcoming sentencing changes, meaning these dangerous criminals will see no change to their custodial sentence and stay locked up for longer. 

    The changes mean rape and child sexual offences will be added to the exclusions that were already in place for 18,000 offenders, including those who have been found by a court to be the most dangerous or anyone serving a life sentence.

    The Prime Minister wanted to go even further, and he recognises that people will be worried about other offenders being released. The significant changes he is making go as far as possible without putting the prison system at risk of collapse, which would put the public at greater risk. 

    The Prime Minister has insisted that offenders face tough new surveillance after leaving prison. There will be a presumption that all offenders are tagged, tougher periods of supervision and robust new rules, including restriction zones for offenders. He has also been clear that victims must be placed at the heart of the justice system, announcing a new package of victim support – backed by £10 million – to provide better, trauma-informed contact. This is alongside a new national helpline and efforts to contact all affected victims to offer information and support. 

    A lack of investment in the prisons estate for over a decade has led to a situation where adult male prisons are now at 98% capacity. That’s why the Government will take decisive action to fix the broken prison system, with prison building moving at the fastest rate since the Victoria era, with 14,000 new prison places expected by 2031.

    The Prime Minister has also asked the Justice Secretary to move rapidly on scoping and accelerating the next generation of prisons, providing a long-term shift in capacity to resolve this crisis. He has also asked the Justice Secretary to look at how we can remove foreign offenders from our prisoners faster and in greater numbers, review outdated Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences and free up space in the women’s prison estate.

    Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

    Keeping the public safe is my top priority. That’s why I asked for an urgent review of the prisoner release scheme. I fully understand the anger, anxiety and distress that’s been caused. I’ve heard that loud and clear. That’s why we’re making significant changes: offenders who have been sentenced for rape, serious child sex offences and other grooming offences will be excluded from the changes.

    I want to be honest – I wanted to go even further as I know there will still be concerns about other offenders having their sentence shortened. But it’s not possible without the prison system reaching capacity and collapsing, which would put public safety at much greater risk. That’s why we will also be introducing much tougher community measures. There will be a presumption that all offenders are tagged, longer periods of supervision and tough new rules, including restriction zones for offenders.

    As a country, we haven’t invested in the prison estate when we should have, going back over a decade. This has created an unacceptable situation, with our adult male prisons now at 98 per cent capacity. For too long, the problems facing our prison system have been ignored – and it’s the victims who have been paying the price. That is not good enough. My government will deliver the fastest prison building programme since the Victorian era and do what’s necessary to fix the prison crisis.

    Justice Secretary Alex Norris:

    The Prime Minister and I have reviewed these reforms, listened to the concerns and gone further to protect victims.

    These are decisions no Minister would ever want to take but it is right these sickening crimes are excluded from these reforms. Victims will also have access to better support and reassurance that offenders leaving prison face tougher supervision and punishment.

    Ministers are also delaying wider releases from prison under the Sentencing Act from September to October, giving probation staff have time to plan for releases and that victims can have a say in the restrictions placed on offenders.

    The Sentencing Act will restore order to the prison system and make sure we have cells available for dangerous criminals. This will put an end to the use of repeated early release schemes prior to July 2024, which were emergency, temporary measures forced upon successive governments because of repeated capacity crises.

    The changes also introduce a new progression model which will end automatic release for badly behaved offenders. Those who break the rules or are violent behind bars face spending 100% of their sentence locked up.

    Additional information:

    Under tough new probation measures, a stricter punishment package in the community will create a prison outside prison for offenders, to better protect the public, including:

    • Near real-time electronic monitoring data for probation staff to track offender movements. 
    • Alerts warning offenders if they risk breaching an exclusion zone. 
    • Random drug testing for 1,000 offenders every month. 
    • Moves to double the number of regions using chemical suppression to help manage the drivers of sexual offending.
    • We are also giving probation the power to ban offenders from driving, pubs and events such as football matches.

    To further boost victim protection, offenders convicted of rape or serious child sex offences who have served their full time in prison will now face stronger surveillance after leaving prison, including:

    • GPS trail monitoring for 12 months, giving probation constant access to their location via GPS tag.
    • Strengthened community supervision, keeping them in the highest probation supervision tiers, with close contact and oversight
    • Mandatory consideration of referral to Approved Premises, probation’s most secure community accommodation.
    • Offenders flagged as having links to organised child sexual exploitation, such as grooming gangs, will be subject to tougher management. They will now face stricter supervision, including elevated risk assessments, stronger multi-agency plans and robust licence conditions.

    The stronger package of support for victims includes:

    • Increased and improved contact to all affected victims, regardless of sentence length, offence or if they are in the Victim Contact Scheme. Previously just victims who opted in to the Scheme were able to be contacted.
    • A £10m boost for victim support to fund extra local frontline services for victims to get trauma-focussed support. 
    • A pause in commencement to ensure more victims are informed and, where they can be reached, have a say on licence conditions, including exclusion zones and restrictions to make them feel safer.
    • A dedicated victim helpline available by October for all those affected by the reforms to provide emotional support and practical guidance. 

    The Government has already announced £100m of additional funding so prison leavers are tagged on release, and are banned from attending public events, pubs and clubs. This is all part of a record £700m investment into probation and community punishment, with 1,300 extra probation officers.

    The changes introduced in the Sentencing Act are part of a new framework which balances the need to keep the system in balance and protect the public.

    The Progression Model, a measure introduced in the Sentencing Act, is now due to come into force on 1 October 2026, and will bring forward the following changes:  

    • Offenders serving standard determinate sentences with an automatic release of forty or fifty percent, the earliest release point will now be one third.   
    • For those serving standard determinate sentences with an automatic release point of two thirds, their earliest possible release will now be one half. Until 2020 release at two-thirds for these offenders was not possible and the release point for all standard determinate sentences was halfway.
    • Rape and child sexual offences will be excluded. 
    • Offenders found by the court to be the most dangerous – those on indeterminate sentences like life or Extended Determinate Sentences – are excluded.  
    • They will not be released any earlier than they are now and will remain subject to Parole Board review.     
    • Over 18,000 offenders serving more serious sentences will not be released early. 
    • For others, the earlier release point is theirs to lose: if they break the rules and behave badly, they will stay locked up for longer and potentially for 100% of their sentence. 
    • The number of individuals released in each tranche will depend on the makeup of the prison population, which will continue to evolve between now and implementation.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe: Gill Lever [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe: Gill Lever [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 August 2026.

    Mrs Gill Lever OBE has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe in succession to Mr Peter Vowles.

    Mrs Gill Lever OBE has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe in succession to Mr Peter Vowles, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mrs Lever will take up her appointment during September 2026.

    Curriculum vitae

    Full name: Gill Joanna Lever

    DatesRole
    2023 to 2026Abuja, Deputy High Commissioner 
    2022 to 2023Juba, Deputy Head of Mission 
    2018 to 2022FCDO, Head of Overseas Health and Welfare 
    2014 to 2018Vietnam, President of Hanoi International Women’s Club and Hue Help Drowning Prevention Programme Manager 
    2011 to 2013Special Unpaid Leave (SUPL) accompanying FCO husband on overseas posting 
    2009 to 2011FCO, Deputy Head of South-East Asia Department 
    2006 to 2009FCO, HR Business Partner for Africa, Asia, Europe and Global Issues 
    2001 to 2006Tokyo, First Secretary Management 
    1997 to 2001FCO, UN Department, Africa Peacekeeping Team 
    1994 to 1997Mumbai, Entry Clearance Officer 
    1991 to 1994Bucharest, Third Secretary Political 
    1990 to 1991FCO, Hong Kong Department, Administration Section 
    1989 to 1990FCO, Research and Analysis Department, Asia Pacific Section 
    1989Joined FCO
  • PRESS RELEASE : Hundreds of UK jobs supported with million-pound contract to secure Royal Navy torpedo weapons [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Hundreds of UK jobs supported with million-pound contract to secure Royal Navy torpedo weapons [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 4 August 2026.

    Britain will be better protected from undersea threats and hundreds of jobs will be secured through a new £135 million contract to maintain and repair Royal Navy torpedo weapons.

    • Around 315 jobs across the UK, including highly skilled engineering roles, sustained by new £135 million contract. 
    • BAE Systems will maintain and repair the Royal Navy’s Spearfish and Sting Ray torpedoes, keeping Britain’s underwater defences combat-ready. 
    • Part of Government’s commitment to use defence spending to deliver jobs and opportunities for local communities across the UK. 

    Britain will be better protected from undersea threats and hundreds of jobs will be secured through a new £135 million contract to maintain and repair Royal Navy torpedo weapons. 

    Torpedoes are one of the Royal Navy’s most important tools for keeping the UK safe at sea. Without them, Britain’s ability to defend its waters, protect trade routes and maintain its nuclear deterrent would be at risk. The contract will ensure sailors and submariners always have reliable, battle-ready equipment when they need it. 

    Awarded to BAE Systems, the Torpedo Repair and Maintenance (TRAM) contract directly supports 150 highly skilled engineering and technician jobs at the company. This includes 100 in Portsmouth and 50 more across Edinburgh, Chelmsford and near Glasgow, while a further 165 jobs are supported through BAE’s UK supply chain. 

    The investment – part of the £298 billion over four years announced under the Defence Investment Plan – furthers the government’s commitment to using defence spending to drive economic growth in every postcode, creating well-paid, long-term jobs in advanced manufacturing and engineering across the UK.

    Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard MP said: 

    This is defence spending doing exactly what it should – keeping our country safe while securing 315 skilled jobs and creating new opportunities across our country.

    We are proud to be backing British jobs, British skills and British industry.

    The three-year contract runs from July 2026 to June 2029. It covers the Spearfish and Sting Ray torpedoes used by submarines, surface warships and maritime patrol aircraft to protect UK waters.  

    The contract bridges to a longer-term programme, WHITEHEAD2, which will deliver a modernised torpedo support solution from 2029 onwards, keeping the Royal Navy ahead of future threats.

    Rear Admiral Matt Stratton, Royal Navy Director Naval Acquisition, said: 

    This contract extension ensures the Royal Navy retains a safe, reliable and continuous torpedo support capability.  

    It is a critical enabler of our operational readiness and directly supports the UK’s Continuous At Sea Deterrent.

    Richard Murray, Director Lethality and Protect, at the National Armaments Director Group – Materiel, said: 

    This contract extension secures continued, reliable support to the UK’s torpedo capability.  

    Bringing together the Navy, National Armaments Director Group and industry as a single team has delivered real, tangible results for UK defence.

    Scott Jamieson, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Maritime and Land Defence Solutions, said:  

    Since 2019 we have delivered consistently high levels of torpedo availability for the UK Armed Forces, supporting both the successful entry into service of Spearfish and the ongoing operational readiness of Sting Ray.

    As a trusted partner to UK Defence, we are proud to underpin the nation’s Continuous at Sea Deterrent and anti-submarine warfare capability through exceptional reliability, availability and performance.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to South Sudan – Rebecca Fabrizi [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to South Sudan – Rebecca Fabrizi [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 August 2026.

    Ms Rebecca Fabrizi has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan in succession to Mr David Ashley. Ms Fabrizi will take up her appointment during October 2026.

    Curriculum vitae

    Full name: Rebecca Jane Fabrizi

    DatesRole
    2025 to presentFCDO, Deputy Director, Africa Directorate
    2025Lilongwe, Acting British High Commissioner
    2022 to 2025FCDO, Special Envoy for Small Island Developing States and Head of Caribbean and SIDS Department
    2021FCDO, Head of Joint Afghanistan Casework Unit
    2019 to 2021Belgrade, Deputy Head of Mission and HM Consul General
    2018 to 2019Pre-posting training, including Serbian language Training
    2014 to 2017Canberra, Associate Director of the Australian Centre on China in the World, Australian National University
    2012 to 2014Brussels, Head of the China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Mongolia Division, European Union External Action Service
    2011 to 2012FCO, China Department
    2010 to 2011FCO, European Union Department (External)
    2005 to 2009Rome, Political Counsellor
    2002 to 2005Geneva, First Secretary (Trade and Development)
    1997 to 2002Beijing, Second Secretary (Commercial) then First Secretary (Political)
    1995 to 1997London then Beijing, Mandarin language training
    1994 to 1995FCO, Africa Department (Equatorial)
    1994Joined FCO
  • PRESS RELEASE : Robot revolution hits the fields as £20 million funding announced [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Robot revolution hits the fields as £20 million funding announced [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 3 August 2026.

    New funding will help develop robots and innovative technologies that can plant, tend and harvest crops, giving farmers a helping hand at busy times of year, Farming Minister Stephen Morgan announced today (Monday 3 August). 

    Innovative agri-tech businesses can now bid for a share of £20 million to collaborate with researchers and farmers to develop the next generation of farm automation and robots. 

    The cash boost will fast-track the development of automated technology that can do everything from planting seeds to picking fruit, easing the pressure on farms that struggle to find enough seasonal workers at harvest time. 

    The latest cash injection from the government’s Farming Innovation Programme forms part of a recent £53 million boost and takes total funding available this year to £123 million for cutting-edge farming research and technology. 

    Companies such as Fieldwork Robotics are already developing robots that are transforming English farming. The firm has built a raspberry-picking robot and is now using government funding to make it tougher and more reliable so it can be rolled out commercially. 

    Farming Minister Stephen Morgan said: 

    Farmers work incredibly hard to put food on our tables, often battling to find enough seasonal workers when the pressure is on.  

    This funding will help put cutting-edge robots and technology into their hands, easing that burden while boosting yields and profits. 

    It’s a vote of confidence in British ingenuity, and a big step towards the kind of modern, resilient farming we set out in our Farming Roadmap.

    Chris Danks, Head of Agrifood at Innovate UK, said:  

    Robotics and automation are becoming increasingly important tools to help farmers improve productivity and build more resilient businesses. 

    Working in partnership with Defra, we’re supporting businesses, researchers and farmers to work together to develop technologies that address real-world challenges across agriculture. 

    This competition will help accelerate innovations from concept to on-farm application, supporting solutions that can improve productivity, sustainability and resilience across the sector.

    This round is open to livestock applications too, building on work such as Roboscientific’s DETECT project to develop technology that can sniff out illness in dairy cows before it takes hold. Using breath analysis, the system aims to catch bovine respiratory disease early, an illness that costs farmers dearly in lost animals, vet bills and extra work. 

    It also casts the net wider than the previous automation round which ran in 2023, welcoming applications from ornamental plant propagation, growing and monitoring, where the technology could equally be put to work in food-producing horticulture, as well as forestry projects covering tree nursery and planting operations and woodland monitoring and management systems. 

    Delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, the government’s Farming Innovation Programme backs bright ideas that solve real problems on English farms. The programme is part of a government pledge to invest at least £200 million in farming innovation by 2030. 

  • PRESS RELEASE : Sovereign AI invests in UK startup reinventing AI chips [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Sovereign AI invests in UK startup reinventing AI chips [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 3 August 2026.

    Government’s Sovereign AI invests in UK startup reinventing the chips that make AI possible.

    • UK Government’s Sovereign AI backing OLIX – one of Britain’s newest unicorns and most ambitious tech firms, developing the next generation of AI computer chips
    • Sovereign AI is the government’s big bet on promising AI companies to help them grow, scale and succeed from Britain, driving the modern reindustrialisation of Britain
    • OLIX is the fifth company to receive equity investment from Sovereign AI since it launched – with the venture fund moving fast to back ambitious founders growing promising AI businesses in the UK

    OLIX, a British company designing the next generation of AI chips has secured backing from the UK Government’s Sovereign AI venture fund as part of a nine-figure fundraise announced today (Thursday 30 July).

    Based in London and with offices in Bristol, OLIX is developing faster, cheaper and more energy-efficient AI chips and is one of the UK’s newest unicorns – meaning it is valued at more than $1 billion. The investment reflects the UK’s ambition to back homegrown companies developing the critical technologies that will drive the modern reindustrialisation of Britain, and power the next wave of AI innovation.

    As countries around the world race to build the infrastructure needed for AI, supporting British firms developing advanced chips will help strengthen the UK’s domestic AI capability, create high-skilled jobs and ensure more of the economic benefits of AI are realised here in Britain.

    OLIX is reinventing the chips that underpin AI, with a view to making the technology much cheaper and better-performing than it is today. They are doing this by developing a family of ‘inference chips’ – designed specifically with AI in mind – each of which specialises in a particular part of an AI model’s ‘thinking’ process. Specialised chips working together in this way – like how work is coordinated across a factory production line – could pave the way for AI that is cheaper, uses less energy, and performs better.

    Advances in chip technology will be critical to unlocking the full economic potential of AI, strengthening Britain’s domestic AI capability and ensuring more of the value created by the AI revolution is developed here in the UK.

    Sovereign AI is the government’s big bet on promising early-stage AI companies to help them grow, scale and succeed from Britain, offering a range of backing to high-potential AI businesses that are starting out on British shores.  

    Combining the pace and ambition of venture capital with the weight of the state behind it, Sovereign AI is moving fast, backing ambition and cutting through the red tape that so often holds brilliant ideas back, so they can go on to succeed globally.

    AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said:

    The future of AI will be built on chips that power models. Countries that build chips will build leverage.

    OLIX is exactly the kind of ambitious company we want to back through Sovereign AI. In just two years, it has established itself as one of the UK’s most exciting AI startups, developing breakthrough chip technology with the potential to help shape the future of AI.

    If we want Britain to lead in AI, we need to back the technologies that sit underneath it. That’s how we’ll attract investment, create high-skilled jobs and ensure the UK remains a country that builds the future of AI, not just uses it.

    The global AI chips market is expected to reach one trillion dollars in the early 2030s. This is a field with vast opportunities for Britain. If the UK could secure just 5% of this market it would bring fifty billion dollars in revenue to the country, with tens of thousands of highly paid jobs in tech.

    British companies like OLIX are already leading the next generation of AI hardware. As the market shifts from general-purpose chips to bespoke AI hardware, there is a huge opportunity for British firms to lead in the AI infrastructure of the future.  

    Founded in 2024 by James Dacombe, OLIX is one of the UK’s most ambitious young deep-tech companies. Before founding OLIX, James established neurotechnology company CoMind. Earlier this year, at 25, James led Olix as it secured $220 million Series A financing – one of the largest Series A rounds ever raised by a UK technology company.

    This backing brings the number of startups receiving equity investment from Sovereign AI to 5 since it launched, and the overall number of startups receiving Sovereign AI backing – including support accessing compute – to 11.

    Sovereign AI Head of Ventures Joséphine Kant said: 

    I left my first meeting with James convinced he’d be one of the most important founders of his generation.

    OLIX is completely rethinking what an inference chip should be from first principles and doing it from the UK. The company is two years old and already one of the most ambitious hardware businesses in Britain.

    James not only wants to win globally, but he’s also proud of where he’s from. You can see both in the name he chose for his holding company: Bletchley Industries.

    All of the startups Sovereign AI supports have a meaningful presence here in the UK, and create well paid jobs right across the country – supporting the Government’s ambition for good growth in every postcode. These startups are all firmly anchored in the UK with either their founders, leadership, operating headquarters or a large proportion of their talent based here in Britain.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Change of British High Commissioner to Brunei – Mel Barlow [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Change of British High Commissioner to Brunei – Mel Barlow [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 August 2026.

    Ms Mel Barlow has been appointed British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam. Ms Barlow will take up her appointment during September 2026.

    Curriculum vitae

    Full name:  Melanie Barlow

    2023 to presentVientiane, His Majesty’s Ambassador
    2022 to 2023Kathmandu, Deputy Ambassador and Consul General
    2019 to 2022FCDO, Deputy Head, Consular Strategy and Network Department
    2018 to 2019FCO, Lead Trade Negotiator, Third Country Agreements Unit
    2018Illegal Wildlife Trade Joint Unit, Senior Manager, Private Sector Engagement
    2015 to 2018Seoul, Trade Policy and Economic Diplomacy Counsellor
    2013 to 2015FCO, Head, India and Nepal Team, South Asia Department
    2013FCO, Head, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Maldives Team, South Asia Department
    2011 to 2012FCO, Team Leader and Programme Manager, Conflict Department
    2009 to 2011Tokyo, Second Secretary (Trade)
    2006 to 2008Tokyo, Second Secretary (Political)
    2004 to 2005Japanese Language Training
    2003FCO, Project Manager, Department for Strategy and Innovation
    2003FCO, Desk Officer, Iraq Political Team
    2002 to 2003Trade Partners UK, Special Projects Manager Japan and China
    2002Joined FCO
    1996Private Sector
  • PRESS RELEASE : National Grid backs PM’s education reforms with new £5 million jobs programme to help 5,000 young people into work [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : National Grid backs PM’s education reforms with new £5 million jobs programme to help 5,000 young people into work [August 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 2 August 2026.

    National Grid has today unveiled a major new commitment to support 5,000 young people who are not in employment, education or training over the next five years.

    • National Grid launches a new £5 million fund to help 5,000 young people who are not in education, employment or training get into work
    • Follows the Prime Minister’s reforms to ensure every young person has a clear route into skilled work and give technical education the respect it deserves
    • Fund will provide practical training, qualifications, mentoring, and skills support, including routes into careers in energy and infrastructure sectors
    • Supports PM’s ambition to rebuild the skilled workforce Britain needs to drive growth, support reindustrialisation and create opportunity across the country

    National Grid has today unveiled a major new commitment to support 5,000 young people who are not in employment, education or training over the next five years, becoming one of the first major employers to respond to the Prime Minister’s drive to help more young people into work.

    The new £5 million ‘Power Within Employability Fund’ will support up to 1,000 young people a year across the UK starting from the first half of next year, helping them develop the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to access long-term career opportunities, including across the energy and infrastructure sectors.

    The announcement comes less than a week after the Prime Minister unveiled plans to put technical education on an equal footing with academic study, ending the outdated disparity between how vocational and academic pathways are treated, and ensuring every young person has a clear route from the classroom into skilled work.

    The reforms are designed to rebuild the ladders of opportunity that once helped young people move from school into good local jobs. For too long, practical, and technical skills have been treated as a second class, despite growing demand for skilled workers in sectors that will power Britain’s future – from clean energy and advanced manufacturing to construction, engineering and the infrastructure projects that will help modernise the country.

    Under the Prime Minister’s plans, employers, schools, colleges and local leaders will work much more closely together to ensure young people can develop the skills businesses need and access opportunities closer to home. 

    Rather than being designed solely in Westminster, these new technical pathways will be shaped around the industries driving growth in local communities and supporting the government’s mission to reindustrialise Britain and create opportunity in every part of the country. National Grid’s new fund is one of the first major commitments from an employer to back the Prime Minister’s announcement and it builds on the growing movement of employers supporting young people into work.  

    By investing directly in training, qualifications and routes into employment, National Grid will help thousands of young people gain the skills, confidence and experience needed to move into work, while helping address skills shortages in sectors critical to Britain’s future and infrastructure. The fund forms part of National Grid’s wider commitment to powering progress and opportunity in the communities it serves, while helping develop the skilled workforce needed to deliver the energy and infrastructure projects the country needs.

    Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

    Last week, we announced fundamental reforms to the education system to ensure there’s parity between academic and technical routes – giving all young people the chance to a clear path in life.  A key part of this is matching employers to young people to ensure they get the skills, technical knowledge and experience they need.  

    National Grid’s announcement is exactly the kind of response we want to see. Not only are they powering our country every day, but they’re putting real energy behind helping thousands of young people gain skills, build confidence and take their first steps into work.  

    We’re determined to fix the youth unemployment crisis and restore opportunity and hope across the country.

    Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said:

    Demand for skilled workers in clean energy is growing thanks to our drive for clean power, which has attracted over £100 billion in private investment.

    Young people up and down the country will benefit from 400,000 extra clean energy jobs by the end of the decade, and we’re working closely with companies like National Grid to make sure people are trained up and taking advantage of these opportunities.

    Zoë Yujnovich, Chief Executive, National Grid, said:

    I agree with the Prime Minister that too many young people are being left behind, unable to access the opportunities, skills and support they need to fulfil their potential. That’s why National Grid is launching a new £5 million fund to help around 5,000 young people not in education or work, to develop the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to build long-term careers.

    As the UK invests in the infrastructure needed for a more secure, more resilient and cleaner energy future, we will help thousands of young people build confidence, gain qualifications and take meaningful steps towards employment. By working with expert delivery partners, colleges and employers, we can shape pathways into rewarding careers while helping to strengthen the communities we serve.

    The programme will be delivered through specialist employment and skills partners, helping connect young people to opportunities across the UK and ensuring support is matched up with local needs.

    The fund will invest in practical training, employability skills and qualifications to help participants overcome barriers to employment and build long-term careers. National Grid’s £5 million fund will help participants access a range of support tailored to the needs of young people furthest from the labour market, including:

    • Practical support to access work, including help to gain a driving licence where transport is a barrier to employment opportunities.
    • Industry-recognised qualifications and accreditations, including Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards and other qualifications needed to access jobs across the energy, construction and infrastructure sectors.
    • Dedicated employability coaching and mentoring, providing one-to-one support to help young people build confidence, identify career goals and prepare for the workplace.
    • Job readiness and life skills training, including CV writing, interview preparation, communication skills, workplace behaviours and other support designed to help young people succeed in employment.
    • Direct links to employers and job opportunities across National Grid, its suppliers and the wider energy and infrastructure sector, creating clear pathways from training into work.
    • Access to real employment opportunities, including with National Grid and its UK supplier network.

    National Grid’s commitment shows the difference employers can make when they work alongside local communities to create new opportunities for young people. Many businesses already play an important role in expanding opportunities for young people to get into work, but the Prime Minister has been clear that more needs to be done across the board to ensure every young person has a clear route from the classroom into a good job. 

    The government will continue working with employers, mayors and local leaders across the country to expand work experience, skills support and routes into work, and better connect young people to the industries driving growth in every part of the country. The reforms announced last week are the first step in rebuilding the ladders of opportunity and ensuring more young people can access the good jobs being created in their own communities.

    Whether that’s advanced manufacturing in the North West, clean energy on the east coast, life sciences in the Midlands or creative industries in our cities, the Prime Minister’s reforms will help prepare young people for the future being built around them. As we reindustrialise our regions, new vocational and technical pathways will ensure growing local industries have the skilled workforce they need to succeed, strengthening local economies and helping make working people better off.

  • Churnet Valley Railway – 2026 Statement on Vandalism

    Churnet Valley Railway – 2026 Statement on Vandalism

    The statement made by Churnet Valley Railway on 1 August 2026.

    Whilst we always try to keep our posts positive, celebrating the incredible work of our volunteers and staff, and sharing the wonderful experiences our visitors have, occasionally something happens that simply leaves us shaking our heads.

    Over recent days we have discovered that the fence we erected at the site of the future Leek station has been deliberately dismantled. Rather than being damaged accidentally, the fence has been carefully unscrewed, paling by paling, with the screws removed as well.

    Sadly, that wasn’t the end of it.

    Our small JCB mini digger, generously funded by one of our volunteers some years ago, had been left on our land for just 24 hours awaiting collection back to our maintenance depot. During that short time, someone decided to vandalise it. Controls have been ripped off, electrical components torn out, the dipstick removed and, unbelievably, dirt and grit poured into the engine sump.

    This wasn’t an abandoned machine. It wasn’t causing anyone any harm. It was simply waiting to be collected after helping our volunteers maintain the railway.

    The real victims are our volunteers. They give up their own time, freely and willingly, to preserve and improve this railway for everyone to enjoy. They now find themselves without a vital piece of equipment that makes so many maintenance tasks quicker, safer and easier. We must now either find a replacement or hope that someone with the necessary expertise can repair what has been damaged.

    We simply cannot understand why anyone would choose to do this. It serves no purpose, benefits nobody and only diverts money and volunteer effort away from improving the railway.

    If anyone has seen anything suspicious around the Leek extension or has any information that may assist us, however small it may seem, we would be grateful if you could contact us privately.

    Let’s hope that the vast majority of people, who support and care about the railway, continue to outweigh the actions of the very few who do not