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Category: Speeches

  • Lyn Brown – 2023 Speech on Sudan

    Lyn Brown – 2023 Speech on Sudan

    The speech made by Lyn Brown, the Shadow Foreign Minister, in the House of Commons on 24 April 2023.

    I thank the Minister for advance sight of his statement and for keeping me informed over the weekend. The shadow Foreign Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr Lammy), is returning from Kenya this evening; he continues to discuss developments with African leaders there.

    I join the Minister in paying tribute to the bravery and professionalism of our armed forces involved in the operation to evacuate British diplomats and their families from Sudan. On behalf of the Labour party, I thank the 1,200 UK personnel involved in that very difficult mission, including those from 16 Air Assault Brigade, the Royal Marines and the RAF.

    Our relief at the success of the mission does not alleviate our concern for the several thousand British nationals who are still trapped in Sudan amid growing violence. Many will be frightened and desperate to leave, but uncertain of their next move and of the assistance that the Government will be able to offer. What they need to hear is a clear plan for how and when the Government will support those who are still in danger and communicate with them.

    While we maintain the unified international pressure for a permanent ceasefire, we are clear that the Government should be evacuating as many British nationals as possible, as quickly as possible. None of us is any doubt as to the complexity of the task or the difficulty of the situation on the ground, yet we know that our partner countries have evacuated significant numbers of their nationals already: 700 have been evacuated by France and Germany, 500 by Indonesia, 350 by Jordan, 150 each by Italy and Saudi Arabia, and 100 by Spain. African partners, including Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya, are also planning action, and France included UK nationals in its airlift. We thank it for that, but it raises some serious questions.

    Can the Minister address why partner countries have been able to evacuate sizeable numbers of their nationals so far, as well as diplomats and their dependants, but the UK has not? Can he confirm whether the Government have evacuated any UK nationals who were not employees of the embassy or their dependants? Can he confirm how many UK nationals have been evacuated by our international partners? Were the embassy staff able to complete a full and proper shutdown, including dealing with any sensitive material? Given the communication difficulties, how can we effectively co-ordinate a second phase of the evacuation?

    Naturally, questions will be asked about whether the Government have learned the lessons of the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal. We need to understand why the international community and the UK Government as Security Council penholder were seemingly wrong-footed by a conflict that we know was a clear and recognised risk. Can the Government give us a current assessment of Wagner’s role in supporting the RSF?

    The immediate priority, however, must be to give our nationals a way to escape violence that is not of their making. We should remember that this conflict is not of the Sudanese people’s making, either; the responsibility for it lies squarely with a few generals who are putting personal interests and ambition above the lives of fellow citizens. The resistance committees are organising mutual aid despite terrible risks. People fleeing Khartoum by road are being sheltered and supported in the villages they pass. People who only want peace, justice and democracy are showing again their solidarity and extraordinary resilience.

    Will the Minister detail the steps that the UK will be taking with partners to address the looming humanitarian crisis that this conflict is driving? The international community, including all our partners, needs to send a clear and united message. The generals cannot secure any future that they would want through violence. The fighting needs to stop, and it needs to stop now.

    Mr Mitchell

    I thank the hon. Lady very much for her comments, particularly about the work of the armed forces. She is entirely right about the bravery with which they executed this operation so well, and about its incredible difficulty.

    The hon. Lady asked about the British nationals who are trapped in Khartoum and in Sudan more widely, and I can tell her that we are looking at every single possible option for extracting them. She acknowledged that this had been a complex area, and I can only say to her that it certainly was.

    The hon. Lady referred to our partner countries. As we know, when the French were seeking to evacuate their diplomats and some people from the wider French Government platform, to whom she referred, they were shot at as they came out through the embassy gateway, and I understand that a member of their special forces is gravely ill.

    The hon. Lady asked why the UK diplomats were evacuated. That was because we believed they were in extreme danger. Fighting was taking place on both sides of the embassy, which was why the Government decided that it was essential to bring them out. We have a duty to all British citizens, of course, but we have a particular duty of care to our own staff and diplomats.

    The hon. Lady asked about the destruction of material, and I can tell her that there was time for all the normal procedures to be adopted in that respect. She asked about our role as the penholder at the United Nations. As she will know, we have already called a meeting and will call further meetings as appropriate, and we are discharging our duties as penholder in every possible way.

    The hon. Lady mentioned the comparison with Afghanistan, and asked whether we had learned lessons. We most certainly have learned lessons from Afghanistan, but the position in Sudan is completely different. First, in Afghanistan there were British troops on the ground; there are no British troops on the ground in Khartoum, or in Sudan as a whole. Secondly, in Afghanistan the airport was open and working, whereas the airport in Khartoum is entirely out of action. Thirdly, there was a permissive environment in Afghanistan. We had the permission of the Taliban to take people out. There is no such permissive environment in Sudan and its capital city.

    Finally, the hon. Lady asked about the humanitarian crisis. She is right: humanitarian workers have been shot at, five of them have been killed, and, prudently, those involved in the humanitarian effort are withdrawing their people. This is a total and absolute nightmare of a crisis, in which 60 million people are already short of food and support, and—as the hon. Lady implied—it will only get worse unless there is a ceasefire and the generals lay down their arms and ensure that their troops go back to barracks.

  • Andrew Mitchell – 2023 Statement on Sudan

    Andrew Mitchell – 2023 Statement on Sudan

    The statement made by Andrew Mitchell, the Minister of State at the Foreign Office, in the House of Commons on 24 April 2023.

    With your permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make this further statement to the House about the situation in Sudan on behalf of the Government and the Foreign Secretary, who is attending the funeral of a close family member.

    Ten days ago, fierce fighting broke out in Khartoum. It has since spread to Omdurman, Darfur and other Sudanese cities. As Members of the House will know, a violent power struggle is ongoing between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

    The situation in Sudan is extremely grave. More than 427 people have been killed, including five aid workers, and over 3,700 people have been injured. Before this violence began, the humanitarian situation in Sudan was already deteriorating. We now estimate that approximately 16 million people—a third of the Sudanese population—are in need of humanitarian assistance. These numbers, I regret to inform the House, are likely to rise significantly.

    Although the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces announced a 72-hour ceasefire from 0500 hours London time on 21 April to the mark the holy festival of Eid, it did not hold. Given the rapidly deteriorating security situation, the Government took the difficult decision to evacuate all British embassy staff and their dependants to fulfil our duty as their employer to protect our staff. This highly complex operation was completed yesterday. The operation involved more than 1,200 personnel from 16 Air Assault Brigade, the Royal Marines and the Royal Air Force. I know the House will join me in commending the brilliant work of our colleagues in the Ministry of Defence, as well as the bravery of our servicemen and women for completing the operation successfully, in extremely dangerous circumstances.

    I also pay tribute to our international partners for their ongoing co-operation in aligning our rescue responses, and I express my admiration for the work of the crisis centre in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where more than 200 officials are working 24/7 and seamlessly across Government to co-ordinate the UK response.

    The safety and security of British nationals continues to be our utmost priority. Our ability to support British nationals has not been impacted by the relocation of British embassy staff. The evacuated team will continue to operate from a neighbouring country, alongside the Foreign Office in London, which is working throughout the day and night to support British nationals and push for a ceasefire in Sudan.

    We are asking all British nationals in Sudan to register their presence with us. The roughly 2,000 British nationals registered with us already are being sent, sometimes with great difficulty, at least daily updates by text and email. This step helps enable us to remain in contact with them while we find a safe passage from Sudan. Movement around the capital remains extremely dangerous and no evacuation option comes without grave risk to life. Khartoum airport is out of action. Energy supplies are disrupted. Food and water are becoming increasingly scarce. Internet and telephone networks are becoming difficult to access. We continue to advise all British nationals in Sudan to stay indoors wherever possible. We recognise that circumstances will vary in different locations across Sudan, so we are now asking British nationals to exercise their own judgment about their circumstances, including whether to relocate, but they do so at their own risk.

    Ending the violence is the single most important action we can take to guarantee the safety of British nationals and everyone in Sudan. The Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, the Secretary of State for Defence and I have been in continuous contact with allies and key regional partners since the outbreak of violence to agree a joint approach to both evacuation and de-escalation of violence. Over the weekend, the Prime Minister spoke to his counterparts, including Egyptian President Sisi and the President of Djibouti. The Foreign Secretary was in contact with the Kenyan President, the US Secretary of State and the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Sweden, Turkey, Cyprus and the European Union High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy. The Defence Secretary engaged with counterparts in Djibouti, the United States, France and Egypt. I have spoken to the African Union and the Prime Minister in exile of Sudan, upon whom so many hopes rested. Further escalation of this conflict, particularly if it spills over into neighbouring countries, would be disastrous. As we continue to make clear, there must be a genuine and lasting ceasefire.

    We undertake to keep the House informed as the situation develops. Today, all MPs will receive a second “Dear colleague” letter from the Foreign Secretary and me. This will hopefully help to answer a number of frequently asked questions to assist right hon. and hon. Members in supporting their constituents.

    I will continue to be in close contact with the House and provide updates where possible in the coming days. I commend this statement to the House.

  • Keir Starmer – 2023 Comments on the Hate Speech used by Diane Abbott

    Keir Starmer – 2023 Comments on the Hate Speech used by Diane Abbott

    The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Labour Party, on 24 April 2023.

    In my view, what she said was to be condemned, it was antisemitic.

    Diane Abbott has suffered a lot of racial abuse over many, many years. That doesn’t take away from the fact that I condemn the words she used and we must never accept the argument that there’s some sort of hierarchy of racism.

    I will never accept that, the Labour party will never accept that, and that’s why we acted as swiftly as we did yesterday.

  • Amanda Spielman – 2023 Comments on Improving Ofsted

    Amanda Spielman – 2023 Comments on Improving Ofsted

    The comments made by Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Ofsted, on 21 April 2023.

    In recent weeks there has been much debate about reform of school inspections. The media has carried stories from teachers about their past Ofsted experiences and calls for change from unions and others. I want to acknowledge the continuing debate and the strength of feeling, and I want to set out some of the things we’re doing and reflect on the suggestions of more radical reform.

    The Secretary of State for Education has been clear that Ofsted inspection is a vital part of the school system. As she said, our independent assessments provide important assurance to parents, the wider community and to government that pupils are receiving a high-quality education and are being kept safe. Our current inspection process was introduced in 2019 after extensive consultation with the education sector, and we have had good feedback from the vast majority who have experienced a new-style inspection.

    Looking for ways to improve

    However, Ofsted is always looking out for ways it can improve. Just as every headteacher knows there are always things that can be done better in schools, so our inspectors – mostly former heads – know that about Ofsted. We regularly discuss changes with representative groups, unions, Ministers and others – I met the Secretary of State just this week to discuss our plans. Since the tragic news about Ruth Perry first broke these conversations have intensified, and I want to bring some of that out into the open.

    We are making changes. One of the most critical areas we look at on inspection is safeguarding. Keeping children safe is so important that a school can be graded inadequate if safeguarding is poor – even if everything else in a school is done well. The Secretary of State said this week that safeguarding is vital. We won’t be soft on safeguarding, but it’s an area which isn’t always well-understood. It’s sometimes mis-characterised as an exercise in paperwork, but as everyone who works in schools knows, it’s much more than that. We need to see that schools understand and manage the risks of children coming to harm. We need to know that prompt action is taken when it happens.

    However, we do recognise that some gaps in schools’ knowledge or practice are easier to put right than others. We are looking at how we can return more quickly to schools who have work to do on safeguarding but are otherwise performing well. That should enable us to see fast improvements and reflect them in our judgements.

    It’s also important that when school leaders disagree with our judgements there is a robust system of review. We are currently piloting changes to our complaints process which I hope will make it more responsive – so that issues can be addressed during the inspection rather than considered afterwards, which creates delay and frustration. I also want to ensure that when a complaint is made about our work, people feel that they have had a fair and thorough hearing.

    Supporting school leaders during inspections

    We want to emphasise some of the things that can be done to support school leaders during inspections. We recognise that there is some uncertainty about who can sit-in on meetings between inspectors and school staff, to provide that support. So we want all heads and teachers to know they can have a colleague from the school or trust join discussions with inspectors if they wish. Also, while we strongly recommend provisional inspection outcomes aren’t shared with parents before the report is finalised, headteachers and responsible bodies can share that information with others in confidence. We’ve asked headteacher unions and school trust representatives to help us share this information with their members.

    Now that we can routinely inspect all schools graded outstanding after government lifted the exemption, many are facing inspection having not been through one for some time. To help heads in those schools, we are arranging seminars to talk them through the process, and for those yet to be inspected we will provide additional clarity about the broad timing of their next visit. This builds on many briefings we have given about inspection over the past few years, attended by thousands of teachers and leaders. We really want to de-mystify the process and do what we can to reduce the pressure that we know headteachers feel about inspection.

    Debate around grading

    However, I also want to be honest about some of the more far-reaching suggestions that have been put forward. Four weeks ago I described the debate around grading as a legitimate one. I certainly recognise that distilling all that a school is and does into a single word makes some in the sector uncomfortable, particularly when there are consequences of the grade awarded.

    But as I’ve said previously, the overall grade currently plays an integral part in the wider school system. Ofsted inspects, showcases good practice and, where necessary, diagnoses if there are significant issues at a school. That’s where the role we have been given stops. School improvement is the role of schools themselves, and school trusts, facilitated and supported by government. It can take many forms, and government uses Ofsted’s overall grade to determine how best to support improvement. We also know that many parents find the grading system useful, whether that’s in choosing a school or to understand the one their child attends. So any new approach would need to meet the needs of the whole system.

    I would like there to be as much attention paid to the full report and the 4 sub-judgements as the overall judgement. Taken together, the sub-judgements present a rounded picture:

    • How good is the education at this school?
    • What’s behaviour like?
    • How well does the school support children’s personal development?
    • How well is it led and managed?

    These are the questions parents want answers to.

    I’m grateful for the thoughtful contributions I’ve had from many people within the education world. We are not deaf to the calls for change, or insensitive to the needs of schools and their staff; we will continue to listen carefully to the experiences and views of those we inspect. I’m sure the changes described here do not go far or fast enough for some, but I’ve also tried to explain the complexities and boundaries within which we do our important work.

    Education is the greatest gift any society can give its children – and teachers deserve our gratitude for the invaluable job they do. Inspection doesn’t exist to do teachers down, far from it, it exists to help children get the education they deserve and to celebrate great practice, of which there is plenty. The part we play is small in comparison to those who work in our schools – but it’s in children’s interests that we work constructively together. In that spirit, we will continue to explore ways to make our work as effective and collaborative as it can be.

  • Rishi Sunak – 2023 Message for Eid al-Fitr

    Rishi Sunak – 2023 Message for Eid al-Fitr

    The message issued by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, on 20 April 2023.

    As Ramadan comes to an end, I would like to send my warmest wishes to Muslims in the UK and around the world as they mark Eid al Fitr.

    Eid is a timely opportunity to acknowledge the shared values which bind us together, particularly your compassion and dedication to contribute to charity and philanthropy. This was evident earlier this year, through the community’s outstanding response to support the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

    As families and friends come together to celebrate, I pay tribute to the incredible contribution the Muslim community makes to the country. Whether it be in business, sports, media, our public services, or of course our NHS and armed forces, British Muslims are helping to make the country the success it is.

    Eid Mubarak to everyone observing it today. I look forward to welcoming representatives from the British Muslim community to Downing Street to celebrate.

  • Tom Tugendhat – 2023 Speech to CYBERUK

    Tom Tugendhat – 2023 Speech to CYBERUK

    The speech made by Tom Tugendhat, the Security Minister, in Belfast on 20 April 2023.

    Thank you. It’s an enormous pleasure to be here with you today in Belfast.

    It is also an incredible honour to be here in Belfast on this auspicious occasion. Not just to be here at this conference, but 25 years ago there was the extraordinary moment of the signing of the Good Friday agreement. That wonderful moment that gave hope to a new generation and demonstrated this country, the whole of the UK and the whole of these islands can move on from a difficult past to a much better future.

    It’s a reminder that peace can never be taken for granted, and that service, debate and compromise define what is at the heart of our peaceful and democratic system, and together they must never be neglected.

    It also makes me particularly mindful of my role today. I stand before you as Security Minister of the UK.

    In one respect, that is quite a simple job: keep Britain safe. Of course, that clarity marks a complexity of the challenges we face from terrorism and state threats to organised crime and distributed attacks.

    Those attacks are more your field and its there in the cyber world that the UK faces some of its sternest tests.

    A quick look at the basic figures is enough to bring home the scale and severity of the issue we face.

    New findings released just yesterday from the Cyber Security Breaches Survey show that 32% of businesses experienced at least one cyber breach in the last 12 months.

    This year, for the first time, the survey also tells us how many of these breaches resulted in a cybercrime being committed.

    We can now estimate that 11% of businesses were victim to at least one cybercrime. That cost each of them around £15,000 in the past year.

    We must never lose sight of the fact that behind each of these online statistics is a real-world victim.

    Each is a grandparent defrauded, and stripped of their savings.

    Each is a small business held to ransom, and jobs lost.

    Each is public money stolen, and the taxpayer short-changed.

    The cyber-threat doesn’t just come from criminals. The ongoing war in Ukraine is a constant reminder of the threat we face from hostile actors. Russia has been trying to invade Ukraine’s cyberspace as much as its physical space, threatening critical information, critical services, and critical infrastructure.

    The threat of further cyber fallout from conflict is very real to the United Kingdom and to all our allies.

    At home we are seeing the overlap of state threats, terrorism and organised crime brought together online and off.

    Against this troubling background our mission is clear. We must crack down on cybercrime, we must protect the United Kingdom from the most capable cyber adversaries – states, criminals and terrorists – all are trying to hurt us and all have made the online world work for them, delivering offline political gain and criminal profit.

    That is no small brief, and it is not one any department, certainly not one Minister, can achieve alone.

    That’s why this event is so important to me. This is why I’m so grateful to Lindy for inviting me and so grateful for the opportunity to speak to you. Because what we can achieve together is an all round ecosystem of cyber security built on the UK’s world class foundations of education, expertise, technology and capability.

    The task of cyber security falls to government of course, but also to individuals, law enforcement, and to you, business.

    Now today, I’d like to reflect on how far we’ve come, and where we need to go. Above all, I want to stress the core message, exemplified by those extraordinary events of 25 years ago – that only by working together can we collectively be safe.

    I’d like to briefly outline my priorities in cyber policy, before affirming areas in which government and industry partnerships must go further if we are all going to succeed.

    The government has already made phenomenal progress in building resilience and countering the threat from our adversaries.

    The latest iteration of the National Cyber Strategy set out the UK’s role as a responsible and democratic cyber power, and laid down the framework on which the UK’s security and prosperity can depend.

    It’s the bedrock of everything we do to keep the UK cyber safe.

    It also important that our laws, the software of our society, are updated.

    That’s why we recently published a consultation on improving the Computer Misuse Act, which is an important part of deterring those who would commit crime, and equipping law enforcement to carry out their duties.

    That consultation is for you to contribute to and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

    We are proposing to include powers to take control of domains and IP addresses used by criminals and enable action against individuals in possession of or using data obtained through the criminal actions of others.

    But I say again, your thoughts matter and I’m looking forward to your input.

    We’re building the National Cyber Crime Unit to take on serious cyber criminals.

    Its operational resources must deliver arrests and disruption, and build on the NCA’s enhanced intelligence picture to target criminals where they are most vulnerable.

    We recently helped to dismantle Genesis Market – one of the biggest online marketplaces selling stolen logins and passwords to criminals across the world.

    We’ve built a network of Regional Cyber Crime Units, ensuring that police units have access to specialists and capabilities.

    I must also mention Ransomware attacks, where the National Cyber Security Centre assesses to be in the top tier of online threats to the UK.

    Ransomware criminals cause harm and hurt. They cost more than cash. Hospitals and their patients in a pandemic were targeted, putting people and lives at risk.

    Now this is a global problem, we are working with global partners.

    With the US and others, the UK is a leading member of the international Counter Ransomware Initiative, and together we are going after these criminals.

    Recently we sanctioned seven Russian cyber criminals who were behind some of the most damaging ransomware attacks in the UK in recent years.

    With those priorities in mind, let me now turn to your role in the cyber community. Against this array of challenges, collaboration between government, law enforcement and industry is key.

    I’d like to propose three areas where we must go further and faster, together.

    First, prevention is always better than a cure.

    Sometimes cyberattacks are sophisticated – but the vast majority are in fact simple, and can be easily prevented by a few simple steps.

    Our aim is to make the UK the safest place to be online, and that starts with all of us working to ensure that everyone understands how to protect themselves.

    The NCSC’s Cyber Aware campaign and the work of City of London Police leading this work, is I hope, of use to you all in providing advice that is simple, consistent and based on our collective latest understanding of the threat picture.

    This room is filled with experts so please be active in shaping the guidance so that your staff and customers can avoid becoming victims in the first place.

    Second, our most capable adversaries will only get better.

    Malign states and crime gangs will look for chances in an open internet. We’ve got to do the same to protect ourselves.

    Five years ago, WannaCry wreaked havoc in the NHS, leading to cancelled appointments and postponed operations on a huge scale.

    North Korea’s cyber weapon was heralded in a new business model for criminals around the world.

    Today, Ransomware is a chronic threat and is sold as a service to groups without cyber skills. The barriers to entry have come down. This is a democratisation of crime, just as much as any other.

    The question that we should all be asking is: what next?

    Breaking the future cyber-criminal business model – and understanding tomorrow’s state action in cyber space is key to pushing for more responsible, democratic behaviour.

    The enemy will evolve and so must we.

    Third, new technology will change the world we think we know.

    Dawn has broken on the age of Artificial Intelligence. We’ve only just begun to wake up to the opportunities that will be unlocked in the coming years, and can only guess at the ways in which they’ll transform our world.

    This speech wasn’t written by ChatGPT as you can probably tell. You’re not supposed to laugh at that. Very soon we are going to see Large Language Models such as Open AI’s ChatGPT which are already able to ace the bar exam and indeed write better speeches than this, and suggest new avenues for drug discovery. They’re not thinking yet, it is more pattern recognition and repetition than real thought, but the game is changing already.

    The goal that many are working towards – an Artificial General Intelligence, or AGI – is looking more open and more possible.

    It’s difficult to overstate what this would mean to all of us. Super intelligent computers that learn and develop autonomously would transform our society and our world, and more than almost any other advancement in human history.

    Even in these early stages, AI can enhance our security but it can also threaten it. Our AI capabilities will be at the heart of our mission to protect the UK.

    In Ukraine, AI is already being used to identify malicious Russian behaviour by analysing patterns of activity at huge scale, they are not just finding needles in the haystack but finding out what the haystack itself is saying.

    At home and across our homes in the UK, AI could protect children from predators, unlocking advanced tools and techniques to identify potential grooming behaviour at scale and uncover rings of offenders right across the net.

    However, in our line of work opportunity often comes hand in hand with risk, and AI is no different.

    We already know because we’ve seen it, the cost of the advancement of technology and the challenge it has brought in biological space and we know because we’ve seen it the risks that a pathogen can cause to our world. We need to make sure that we do not see the same risk from AI.

    It’s not hard to see future AGI coding weapons, even now there are threats we must guard against.

    Cyberattacks work when they find vulnerabilities. AI will cut the cost and complication of cyber attacks by automating the hunt for the chinks in our armour.

    Already AI can confuse and copy, spreading lies and committing fraud. Natural language models can mimic credible news sources, pushing disingenuous narratives at huge scale. And AI image and video generation will get better – so called ‘deepfakes’ – which make the danger to our democracy even greater.

    Given the stakes, we can all understand the calls to stop AI development altogether. But the genie won’t go back in the bottle anymore than we can write laws against maths.

    As Robert Oppenheimer once said, ‘technology happens because it is possible’.

    Putin has a longstanding strategic interest in AI, and has commented that ‘whoever becomes leader in this sphere will rule the world’. And China, with its vast data sets and fierce determination is a strong rival.

    But AI also threatens authoritarian control.

    Other than the United States, the UK is one of the only a handful liberal democratic countries that can credibly help lead the world in AI development.

    We can stay ahead but it will demand investment and cooperation and not just by government. Only by working together can we keep Britain in the front rank of AI powers and protect ourselves and our businesses.

    As for the safety of the technology itself, it’s essential that by the time we reach the development of AGI we are confident that it can be safely controlled, and aligned to our values and interests.

    Solving this issue of alignment is where our efforts must lie – not in some King Canute like attempt to stop the inevitable, but in a national mission to ensure that when super intelligent computers do arrive, they make the world safer and more secure.

    Before I finish let me say again what a huge pleasure it is to join you for this outstanding event.

    Last night at dinner I wasn’t with you in the Titanic Hall but instead at Hillsborough castle hearing those that had negotiated the complexity of the Good Friday agreement. I heard about the uncertainty and recriminations and the fear but I also heard about hope and the individual efforts by millions across Northern Ireland, and indeed across the islands of Ireland and Great Britain that changed our lives for the better.

    This morning I’ve heard from others who are taking on a different challenge with its own complexity and uncertainty and indeed its own risk. But I’ve also heard the hope for a better future for us all. As we can cooperate to contain and confront the challenges, I am grateful to you all for everything you have done and continue to do in the name of keeping people safe online.

    This is a ferociously difficult task. But I am constantly inspired and reassured by your talent, expertise and dedication.

    I am very grateful for everything you do and I look forward to us working together to make sure that this revolution, the next revolution, serves us all and keeps us all safe.

  • Rishi Sunak – 2023 Speech on “Fulfilling the promise of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement”

    Rishi Sunak – 2023 Speech on “Fulfilling the promise of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement”

    The speech made by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, in Belfast on 19 April 2023.

    The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement will always be remembered as one of the most extraordinary political achievements of our lifetimes.

    Because step by step, faltering at first, people on all sides began to do things that were once unthinkable, in the search for peace.

    But you don’t need me to tell you that because many of you in this room created it.

    It is humbling to be with you today.

    And with the people of Northern Ireland, who have endured so much.

    After three long decades where violence and terror were part of everyday life…

    …a generation has grown up in a place that is vastly more peaceful, more prosperous, and more at ease with itself.

    Of course, we meet here today in circumstances that are far from perfect.

    But my argument today is this: the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement remains the best and only foundation for peace and prosperity.

    And if we can take inspiration and instruction from the way peace was achieved 25 years ago…

    …we can fulfil the true promise enshrined in that Agreement.

    The promise of: Stable devolved government. A prosperous economy. And a more united society.

    That’s the future for Northern Ireland we must build.
    Now to do that, we must first ask why.

    Why did peace talks succeed in 1998 when so many failed before?

    I believe that’s because people on all sides showed courage, imagination, and perseverance.

    First, those who worked for peace had the personal courage to keep going in spite of daily threats to them and their families.

    And the political courage to take risks in pursuit of a higher goal.

    John Hume, over his entire career, never relented in his insistence on non-violence.

    David Trimble took enormous risks to do what he thought was right for the union.

    And they were rightly honoured as the preeminent architects of peace, with a joint Nobel peace prize.

    Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness persuaded Republicans to join a constitutional, power-sharing Assembly.

    And, encouraged by the intensive efforts of Mo Mowlam, the leaders of loyalism also lent their weight behind the deal.

    Female leaders from the Women for Peace and the Women’s Coalition worked so hard for peace.

    And Bertie Ahern showed the wisdom and statecraft to see the historic opportunity.

    At a critical moment, he recognised unionist concerns over the proposed North-South arrangements and stepped back.

    Trimble himself, in his last public appearance, at this university, just weeks before he passed away…

    … embraced his old counterpart and thanked Bertie for giving him the space to act.

    These acts of courage were more powerful than a thousand bombs and bullets.

    Because there is nothing glamorous about violence.

    There is nothing glorious about terror.

    Squalid acts are always justified with some false dream about what they will achieve.

    But they have never worked – and they never will.

    Instead, let us glorify moderation; romanticise respect; and make heroes of those with the courage to reject absolutes, not kill for them.

    Second, making peace required leaps of imagination.

    To conceive of a system for sharing power between traditions.

    To design an agreement with three strands of equal importance…

    To enshrine the principle of consent – so that Northern Ireland remains a part of the United Kingdom for as long as its people wish…

    …while protecting the aspirations of those who seek a different future through peaceful means.

    And for the first time…

    …the people of North and South were both given the opportunity to support this deal…

    …and they did so, in overwhelming majorities.

    And let us never forget the crucial work after 1998 to build a broader consensus – helped by the leadership of Dr Ian Paisley.

    Third, the peace took extraordinary perseverance.

    In the aftermath of the Shankill bomb and Greysteel massacre in 1993, many thought the peace process was over…

    …but just two months later John Major and Albert Reynolds delivered the Downing Street Declaration.

    George Mitchell persuaded all parties to sign up to the principles of democracy and non-violence, without which the talks could not have begun.

    In the difficult final hours, President Clinton’s timely interventions helped get the deal done.

    And whenever people walked away, Tony Blair sought to bring them back…

    …always committed, always attuned to the concerns of all parts of the community.

    Together with Bertie Ahern, he showed us what’s possible when the UK and Irish governments work together…

    …a partnership I know will continue alongside my friend, Leo Varadkar.

    And in the spirit of perseverance, it’s also fitting to recognise the contribution of the security forces.

    Like my predecessors, I acknowledge that at times they made mistakes.

    But we must also recognise their bravery, suffering, and sacrifice – and that of the police.

    Without their courageous service, there would have been no peace process at all.

    They created the conditions that ultimately allowed their own presence on the streets to be reduced or entirely withdrawn.

    So: courage, imagination, and perseverance.

    Those qualities brought an imperfect but enduring peace to a place taught to believe no such peace was possible.

    So to all those who led us to that peace…

    …including those here in this hall and those no longer with us…

    …let us take this moment to say to you:

    Thank you.
    For those of us, like me, who inherit this extraordinary, even intimidating legacy…

    …our challenge today is to fulfil the promise of the work that you began.

    To honour your legacy, we need to create a more stable devolved government in Northern Ireland.

    And that means getting the institutions up and running.

    I believe there are two tasks.

    First, to remove the biggest block to the institutions returning.

    That’s why, when I came into office, I made it a priority to fix the Northern Ireland Protocol.

    And we were deeply conscious of the lessons of history as we did so.

    That’s why our aims were to:

    Balance and respect the aspirations of all parts of the community.

    Protect the relationships between East and West as much as North and South.

    And persist through careful, detailed negotiation.

    And I pay tribute to Ursula von der Leyen who I am so pleased to see here today.

    The Windsor Framework is a breakthrough moment.

    It solves practical problems and, crucially, strengthens Northern Ireland’s place in our Union and our UK internal market.

    It gives the Assembly significant new powers – ready for when it sits again.

    And I am confident we can build broad support for it across all communities.

    So I share people’s frustration that the institutions are not back up and running.

    But that points to our second task.

    We must keep working to persuade all parts of the community that returning to the institutions is the best path.

    And we will do that.

    We will talk, we will listen, we will try to persuade – and we will not give up.

    And I want to speak directly for a moment to the representatives of unionism…

    …who include many diverse voices and whose concerns with the Protocol we have focused on addressing.

    I urge you to work with us to get Stormont up and running again.

    That’s the right thing to do on its own terms.

    And I’m convinced that it’s also the right thing to do for our union.

    I am a proud unionist.

    We believe passionately that Northern Ireland is stronger within the UK…

    …and the UK is stronger with Northern Ireland within it.

    But we must also build support beyond those of us who already identify as unionists.

    To do that, we have to show that devolved government within the United Kingdom works for Northern Ireland.

    The fact that the institutions have been down for nine of the last 25 years should be a source of profound concern.

    Over the long term that will not bolster the cause of unionism – I believe that deeply.

    So we need to get the institutions up and running – and keep them up and running.

    And let me also say to those who would seek to reform the institutions right now: I understand your frustrations.

    But history reminds us that nothing in Northern Ireland has ever been achieved by trying to get round one community or another.

    So any conversation about reform can only begin once the institutions are up and running again…

    …and if it attracts widespread consent.

    The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement left us an extraordinary and precious legacy.

    When we look back in 25 years from now…

    …surely we should aspire for our legacy to be nothing less than this:

    That the institutions have been up and running for every single year.
    Because our focus must be on the future.

    Getting the institutions back up and running is our most pressing challenge to honour your legacy.

    But that’s only the beginning.

    Together we must fulfil the true promise of the 1998 Agreement.

    That future enshrined in the very words of the text – of “sustained economic growth”, and where we tackle the problems of “a divided society”.

    I will give everything to help deliver that vision.

    Because I talked earlier about learning the lessons from history.

    One thing I took from George Mitchell is the idea that the agreement itself is only 20% of the task – the rest is delivery.

    Once the Agreement was done, people asked of Tony Blair: Would he walk away?

    He didn’t.

    And neither will I.

    Because there is work to be done.

    So let me tell you what I’m going to do.

    First, economic growth.

    Progress has been remarkable – in April 1998, Northern Ireland had the highest unemployment rate in the UK.

    Today – it’s the second lowest.

    But we need to do more.

    In 25 years, when we look back, I want to see that Northern Ireland has changed.

    From an economy too reliant on the public sector…

    To a thriving, dynamic economy built around the power and innovation of private enterprise.

    I talk a lot about the idea of levelling up.

    About making sure young people feel they can fulfil their dreams and aspirations in the place they call home.

    That idea has particular resonance here in Northern Ireland.

    And we won’t achieve it without a cascade of new investment – to create jobs and opportunity.

    That journey has already begun.

    Last week, President Biden came – and told the world to invest here.

    He didn’t say that out of sentimentality.

    He said it because he can see the opportunity for American businesses.

    And because of the enormous potential of this place.

    The potential of the people – resilient, ingenious, determined.

    The potential of your businesses…

    …with world-class strengths in cyber, life sciences, financial services, and the creative industries.

    And one of Europe’s most thriving start-up scenes.

    I know that journey to prosperity won’t be easy – and we aren’t there yet.

    But this is my commitment to you:

    I will use the full force of the UK Government…

    …to help you make this one of the best places in the world…

    …to start and grow a business, create jobs…

    …train and learn new skills…

    …and attract investment.

    And just as we want to look back on a more prosperous, dynamic economy…

    …so in 25 years, I also want us to look back on a more integrated and contented society.

    Of course, we cannot simply wish away those social realities that have been present for decades.

    The tragic loss of Lyra McKee and the attack on DCI John Caldwell remind us how far we still have to go.

    But people are already voting with their feet in the choices they make for their children’s education and their social and sporting lives.

    A growing body of the electorate does not define themselves solely as Unionist or Nationalist, British or Irish.

    A growing portion of people sample life in a different part of these islands but still return.

    And a growing number of local communities are signalling that their patience with thuggery is over.

    But there’s yet more to do.

    In 25 years’, should not the poisonous grip of the paramilitaries…

    …those gangsters and drug dealers who wrap themselves in the fake cloak of legitimacy…

    …be broken once and for all?

    In 25 years’, should not a fragment of a peace wall be nothing more than a stop on the tourist trail?

    In 25 years’, should integrated education not be the norm rather than the exception?

    Of course, we won’t build that better future overnight. And it won’t be easy.

    Every time I visit Northern Ireland, I feel more optimistic and hopeful.

    Because to paraphrase the late David Trimble…

    …there may be hills ahead of us, but there are mountains behind.
    I want to close by reflecting on an extraordinary story.

    Just weeks before the agreement, two lifelong friends, Damien Trainor and Philip Allen, were murdered at Poyntzpass.

    One was a Protestant, the other Catholic.

    The people who murdered them may have hoped to sow chaos and division and derail the peace talks.

    They failed.

    Because the story of this remarkable friendship inspired one of the most decisive breakthroughs of the whole peace process…

    …the agreement to share power between equal first and deputy first ministers, in a co-premiership, with one from each community.

    As Mark Durkan, the SDLP’s lead negotiator, said at the time:

    “The stories of Philip and Damien’s special friendship…

    …could be a parable for the sort of society that we might create if we could reach agreement”.

    And he was right.

    That is the promise of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

    And together we can – and we must – fulfil it.

  • Diane Abbott – 2023 Statement of Apology

    Diane Abbott – 2023 Statement of Apology

    The statement made by Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, on Twitter on 23 April 2023.

    I am writing regarding my letter that was recently published in the Observer.

    I wish to wholly and unreservedly withdraw my remarks and disassociate myself from them.

    The errors arose in an initial draft being sent. But there is no excuse, and I wish to apologise for any anguish caused.

    Racism takes many forms, and it is completely undeniable that Jewish people have suffered its monstrous effects, as have Irish people, Travellers and many others.

    Once again, I would like to apologise publicly for the remarks and any distress caused as a result of them.

  • Oliver Dowden – 2023 Speech at CyberUK in Belfast

    Oliver Dowden – 2023 Speech at CyberUK in Belfast

    The speech made by Oliver Dowden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on 18 April 2023.

    Thank you.

    I’m delighted to be here in Belfast.

    Last year’s CyberUK was held in Wales, and in the years before that, in Scotland and in England.

    So it’s great to complete the full Union set with Northern Ireland – and it’s yet more proof that we have strong cyber talent in every corner of our country.

    Now, Belfast is clearly a very popular destination right now. You had President Biden visiting last week, along with the Prime Minister.

    The Clintons yesterday.

    The Prime Minister liked it so much he’s back again this week.

    And me today – lucky you.

    But of course this city was a natural choice to hold a cyber conference: It has become a global hotspot for cyber and tech companies – including IBM Security, Microsoft and Nvidia…

    …and we’re meeting at a very interesting time for cyber in the UK.

    Interesting because we have a Prime Minister and a government that is deeply passionate about science and tech, and has put it front-and-centre of our agenda.

    Interesting because we have a thriving tech sector to match, and because government and industry are building a strong partnership including through the new National Cyber Advisory Board, which I am co-chairing again this afternoon with Sharon Barber from Lloyds.

    But it’s also an interesting time because of the world we live in today.

    The last time CyberUK was held, last May, attendees were gathering in the shadow of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

    And the brutal reality is that a year on, we continue to live in a more dangerous, more volatile world – one that has far-reaching consequences for the British people.

    Now that’s partly a consequence of Russia’s aggression.

    It’s partly because of the growing economic coercion of other countries.

    And it’s also because of the way that climate change and technology continue to transform and disrupt our world.

    All of those things are putting our systems under more pressure than ever before.

    And so in Government, we are devoting a lot of time and energy on how we can improve our overall resilience of the Government in the face of those and future challenges.

    Now many of you will have seen that a few weeks ago the government published a refresh of our defence and national security strategy – the Integrated Review – setting out how we intend to fortify our national defences against the challenges both today and tomorrow.

    And it’s something the Prime Minister has asked me to lead on at the Cabinet Office – particularly when it comes to economic security and bolstering our national resilience.

    So I wanted to use this opportunity to take you through how that applies to cybersecurity;

    where I think we are as a country;

    and what the government intends to do to make sure we stay ahead of our adversaries every step of the way.

    THE CYBER THREAT

    It’s been a couple of months since the world was gripped by the progress of that Chinese balloon floating across the skies of the United States.

    Now I’m sure you will recall, that spy balloon dominated the headlines because it was a very visible symbol of America’s borders being breached by an uninvited guest.

    And yet every day, a combination of criminals, spooks, hacktivists and cyber soldiers silently and invisibly breach our digital defences – both in the UK and in the rest of the world.

    And we saw it earlier this year with Royal Mail, when a ransomware attack disrupted overseas deliveries for weeks.

    And last August when an attack on a third party supplier caused severe disruption to NHS 111.

    So what does the overall cyber threat to the UK look like today?

    Well, according to the latest assessments from the National Cyber Security Centre, the most acute state threats in cyberspace continue to come from those usual suspects – Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

    The NCSC are also devoting a lot of their energy today to defending democracy…

    …including by tackling threats against both the Conservative Party leadership contest last year and the recent Scottish National Party leadership contest – both of which took place online.

    And there is another new front opening, as we see more and more adversaries able to buy and sell sophisticated cyber tools and spyware like Pegasus.

    These are the types of tools that we used to only see in a handful of powerful state actors, and which can cause serious damage.

    So it’s something we are taking very seriously, and to which we are responding with our international partners.

    Meanwhile, cyber crime is estimated to cost the UK billions of pounds each year.

    According to new figures published today, 32% of UK businesses and charities suffered a cyber breach or attack in the past year.

    That is a third of our businesses.

    And ransomware continues to run rampant.

    And as President Biden rightly recognised a few weeks ago, thanks to its scale and impact, ransomware is no longer just a crime.

    It is a national security threat – and our response needs to reflect the severity of that threat.

    These are attacks on our citizens, our businesses and our democracy. They are an attempt to undermine our society.

    And we are determined to stop them, with your help.

    GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

    In the UK we grasped the need for urgent action early, and we’ve been doing a lot over the past few years to strengthen our cyber defences.

    We have published the National Cyber Strategy…

    …and we have a new and effective cyber sanctions regime, which we recently used for the first time against a group of Russian cyber criminals as part of a joint campaign with the United States.

    And we are working closely with international partners to tackle the proliferation of sophisticated commercial cyber tools.

    At the same time, the government itself continues to face a range of attacks, including ransomware and espionage – and so we are constantly looking to strengthen our cyber defences.

    As part of that, today, I can announce that we are launching GovAssure, a transformational new cyber regime for the whole of government.

    GovAssure will be rolled out across Whitehall. It will be used to assess every department’s cyberhealth on an annual basis, against stringent new measures…

    …so that government can better identify the risks we face, and make sure we are protecting systems that help us run public services.

    So with each day, as the threat evolves, so does our response.

    NCSC THREAT ALERT

    But a new adversary has emerged.

    Over the last 18 months, the National Cyber Security Centre has seen the rise of several Russian-aligned groups sympathetic to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

    Now these are fringe state threats – the cyber equivalent of the Wagner group – and initially these groups focused their attacks on Ukraine and the surrounding region.

    But recently, they have begun to turn their attention to the UK and its allies.

    They are now seeking opportunities to compromise our Critical National Infrastructure.

    We have experienced attempted attacks in the past – but these groups operate differently.

    Instead of seeking to profit or spy on us, their primary motive is to disrupt or destroy our infrastructure.

    These adversaries are ideologically motivated, rather than financially motivated.

    Secondly, though these perpetrators are aligned to national actors, crucially, they are often not controlled by those foreign states.

    That makes them more opportunistic, and less likely to show restraint.

    Together, those factors make the current situation particularly concerning.

    And so today I can confirm that the National Cyber Security Centre is issuing an official alert to operators of our critical national infrastructure, to highlight the risk they currently face.

    That alert is now live on the NCSC’s website – along with a number of recommended actions that operators should follow right now, to increase their resilience and help defend our infrastructure against these attacks.

    Disclosing this threat is not something that we do lightly.

    This is an unprecedented warning for businesses.

    We have never publicly highlighted the threat from these kinds of groups attempting such attacks before.

    And I should stress that we do not think that they currently have the capability to cause widespread damage to our infrastructure in the UK.

    But we do believe it is necessary at this point in time, if we want companies to understand the current threat they currently face…

    … and to take action to defend themselves and the country against such attacks.

    This approach fits with that wider national security strategy.

    And last year, when we saw that Russian forces were gathering at the Ukrainian border, we declassified the information to let the world see what they were doing.

    Today with cyber threats you will increasingly see us say what we are seeing.

    We won’t allow these groups to stay in the shadows.

    We are shining a light on these threats because we need to work together to strengthen our defences. That means that businesses need to see the threats clearly, too.

    And over the last few years we have done lots of things to make it easier for businesses to secure themselves…

    …including issuing world-leading guidance…

    …offering threat assessments underpinned by intelligence…

    …and providing key services like the Early Warning system.

    But given the constantly evolving cyber threat, I believe this is the right moment to look at our cyber defences more widely – particularly when it comes to those of our businesses.

    The reality is that we in government can only do so much.

    Businesses large and small sit on the front line of our cyber defences.

    They face attacks on a daily basis – and any gap in that front line leaves us all vulnerable.

    And when we published the National Cyber Strategy just over a year ago, we said we would review the government’s ability to hold operators of critical national infrastructure to account.

    I’ve concluded now that we do need to go further.

    So today I can confirm that I will be setting specific and ambitious cyber resilience targets for all critical national infrastructure sectors to meet by 2025…

    …And that I am actively examining plans to bring all private sector businesses working in critical national infrastructure within the scope of cyber resilience regulations.

    These are the companies in charge of keeping our country running. Of keeping the lights on.

    Our shared prosperity depends on them taking their own security seriously – and that extends to their cybersecurity.

    A bricks-and-mortar business wouldn’t survive if it left the back door open to criminals every night.

    Equally in today’s digital world, businesses can’t afford to recklessly ignore cyber risks, either – to leave their digital back door open to cyber crooks and hackers.

    And while we’re doing this to combat certain risks, there is also a real opportunity for our businesses.

    We have a huge amount to gain by making the UK the safest country in the world to do business.

    Because the fact is that in today’s modern world, prosperity and economic security go hand in hand.

    You can’t have the former without the latter.

    Investors want to put their money in a safe country, in businesses that take security seriously.

    So the safer we make our defences, the safer we make our country – and the more attractive we become as a destination for entrepreneurs and investors all over the world.

    And the fact that the UK has in the last few years taken cybersecurity so seriously already makes us one of the best places in the world to invest.

    So this is my call to arms for businesses: look again at your security.

    Strengthen it wherever you can.

    The stronger your business, the stronger our economy, and the more prosperous we become together.

    And in turn, we in government will continue to do as much as we can to support the cyber industry and businesses more widely…

    …and so finally, I just want to outline how we are fulfilling our part of this partnership.

    OPPORTUNITIES

    Cyber is an industry that continues to grow in every sense.

    New figures show that it is worth more, it has more companies, and it employs more people than this time last year.

    In 2022, revenues hit over £10.5bn, the sector attracted £300 million of investment, and it added an additional 5,300 jobs in that time.

    At a time of global market uncertainty, the industry really is looking strong.

    And through our Cyber Runway programme, we’ve helped over 160 cyber security companies and startups grow and develop their businesses.

    And there is even more room for growth, given that we currently face a shortfall of around 14,000 cyber security professionals each year in the UK.

    The jobs are there. We just need to give people the skills to fill them – which is what we’re trying to do in government through things like Cyber First and Cyber Explorers.

    And indeed, I saw this with my own eyes a few weeks ago when I spent time with students at the University of South Wales’s Cyber Academy.

    I watched them at their computers, going through the cyber equivalent of football drills – practising attack and defence.

    And through academies like that, we are building the UK’s cyber talent pool for the future.

    And on Monday the Prime Minister launched a major drive to improve maths skills across the country.

    As he said in that speech, numeracy is the foundation of the modern economy…

    Today, it’s just as essential as being able to read – and it is particularly vital if we want people to be able to take up jobs in cyber, tech, and beyond.

    We also recognise that as a major employer of cyber security professionals across the UK, the government needs to do more to attract the very best talent.

    Now, like many of you, I noted the recent debate around the salary offered for a cyber role in government. Of course, people who work for Government will always be motivated by public service.

    But a cyber specialist knows they can earn five to seven times, if not more, for the same role in the private sector.

    And the government needs to break through its own glass ceiling…

    So I am also examining what more we can do to improve salaries and other parts of our offer, so that we can continue to attract the very best cyber experts into the civil service.

    These are people protecting the systems and public services that millions of people across the country rely on every day, so we should want the very best people in charge of them.

    We must be competitive to stay ahead.

    CONCLUSION

    So, we are keen to do our bit, and for the private sector in turn to do its bit.

    To defend as one, so that we can prosper as one.

    And as I have set out, the Government is clear-eyed about the challenges that we face. We need business to be clear in their determination to meet those challenges with us.

    It’s not going to be easy, and these threats won’t disappear overnight. But by working together, I believe that when we meet next year at CyberUK 2024, the UK will be more resilient and more secure.

    Thank you.

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2023 Speech to the Agreement 25 Conference

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2023 Speech to the Agreement 25 Conference

    The speech made by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, at Queen’s University in Belfast on 18 April 2023.

    Tánaiste, Mr Commissioner, Your Excellencies, Most Distinguished Guests, and of course Chancellor Clinton, thank you for having me here today.

    The truly historic 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement is an enormous achievement, and something that should be deservedly marked, recognised and indeed celebrated – and I am grateful to Vice Chancellor Greer and his team for bringing us all together.

    We heard yesterday that the Agreement was the product of the vision, bravery, leadership and imagination of many, many people, far more people than I could name in these remarks. But it is right today that we recognise those whose efforts brought peace to this nation after decades of conflict.

    The success of the peace process will forever and justly be one of the proudest and most significant achievements of Tony Blair, Bertie Ahern, John Major, Albert Reynolds. I will be forever struck by the foresight and leadership of Lord Trimble in pushing forward with the Agreement in the face of significant scepticism – and indeed, outright opposition at times – from parts of his own party and across Unionism.

    Real leaders know when to say yes, and Lord Trimble and the Progressive Unionist Party’s David Ervine led not only their own Parties but Unionism and Loyalism in saying yes to peace.

    John and Pat Hume dedicated their lives to fighting for civil rights and reconciliation. Their passion for peaceful and democratic means of achieving change, and their clear-eyed view of the impact of violence on vulnerable communities created a legacy that lives on to this day.

    Martin McGuinness will, along with Gerry Adams, be remembered for the courage and leadership he showed in persuading the Republican movement of peace. His partnership with Dr Ian Paisley and his gracious engagement with Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, were powerful symbols of how far Northern Ireland had come.

    I had the privilege of getting to know both John Hume and Rev Ian Paisley when I was elected to the European Parliament in 1999 and where they both served. It is not often that a new kid on the block in politics gets to sit in Parliament with a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

    And we must remember the critical role that women played in getting us here. The late Mo Mowlam brought a humanity and a courage to her role that unlocked key elements of the Agreement. Her decision to engage with loyalist prisoners in 1998, against advice, was key to securing the support of loyalist communities for peace. Within the Irish Government, Liz O’Donnell played a critical role in the Department of Foreign Affairs.

    And women like Monica McWilliams, Pearl Sagar and May Blood brought powerful leadership and perspective to the process. They focused minds on what was really at stake and worked tirelessly to ensure that the voices of women were heard in the peace talks.

    I also want to pay tribute to the US’ contribution, particularly to the personal commitment of President and Secretary Clinton. If you spend a few moments in their company, you can palpably feel their love for this place.

    And to the heroic work of Senator Mitchell, his speech yesterday was one of the best I have ever heard and I have heard a few in my time. I am quite sure it will go down in history. That contribution of the US endures today as was demonstrated last week from President Biden’s visit, just as the contribution made by our friends in Canada, South Africa and Finland in particular to the issue of decommissioning still endures to this day.

    I was thinking yesterday when Senator Mitchell talked about the birth of his child and then the 61 other babies that were born on that day, that it is undoubtedly the case that the efforts of all of these people to get peace mean that there are men and women alive today, possibly here today, who otherwise might not be.

    But we must also never forget that beyond lives saved, something special comes with peace. Pre the Agreement, small, ordinary acts that so many of us take for granted that would then have been difficult or a cause for concern, something your mother would have worried about, the freedom to stay in town after work for a pint with a friend, or to head out for a meal with your family.

    The freedom to walk down the street without the fear of becoming caught up in some sort of disturbance. The freedom for young people to grow up and live happy, successful lives here in Northern Ireland and not be forced to leave their home in order to know stability or security. It is a testament to the success of the Agreement that so many here now can exercise these freedoms.

    Now, 25 years on, the Government remains wholly committed to protecting and upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and I know this is a commitment that is shared by the Tánaiste and the Irish Government. I like and enjoy working with Micheál very much and the friendship and cooperation between the UK and Irish Government is vital to protecting and upholding the Agreement. I am determined in my capacity as Secretary of State to deepen and strengthen that vital relationship.

    The Agreement’s success can also be demonstrated by Northern Ireland emerging as a thriving centre of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. Its screen and film production industry has hosted some of the world’s most talented actors. Queen’s and Ulster University boast world-leading, Research & Development activity, enabling Northern Ireland to capitalise on the technologies and sectors of tomorrow. And Northern Ireland has a burgeoning and justified reputation for its FinTech and Cyber Security sectors. Together with over £600m of UK Government investment in City and Growth deals, Northern Ireland is increasingly a byword for an economy on the cutting edge of technology, connectivity and innovation.

    But we must not sit back thinking the job is done. The abhorrent shooting of DCI John Caldwell, the disturbances over the Easter weekend and the ongoing paramilitary activity in too many communities illustrate that a tiny minority seek to drag Northern Ireland back to its darkest days. But I know for every person who wants to drag Northern Ireland down, there are thousands determined to lift it up. To those who pursue violence I say only this: you will never succeed, it is hopeless. Not because I say so or, because the Government says so, but because the wonderful, strong and proud people of Northern Ireland say so.

    They reject your violence which has no place in the society or in the peace so many have strived so hard to create. To safeguard peace, we must be willing to confront the challenges as well as the successes.

    The Agreement explicitly recognised the importance of acknowledging and addressing the suffering of the victims of violence. A workable way forward on this highly complex and sensitive issue has eluded successive UK Governments, Irish Governments, and NI Executives for 25 years, despite valiant attempts by many. Satisfactorily addressing the past is an absolutely key element in realising Northern Ireland’s potential in a prosperous, peaceful, and shared future – and I am determined to do so in a way that provides better outcomes for those most affected by the Troubles.

    As we consider the challenges that still face us, I confess I have also been struck by a narrative that has become louder in recent years. A narrative that the Agreement struck in 1998 did not achieve great things for Unionism. That it was somehow all about ‘wins’ for Nationalism. That narrative is wrong, and all of us who support the Agreement must be vocal in countering it.

    Today, the principle of consent is so often taken for granted. But it was an important and hard won guarantee that settled for Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom. Before 1998, the Constitution of Ireland asserted that Northern Ireland formed part of Irish national territory, and that the Irish Government had a right to exercise jurisdiction over that territory.

    25 years ago, a minority but a significant one – considered it legitimate to use force to bring about a united Ireland, contrary to the wishes of the people of Northern Ireland. The acceptance of this principle of consent, a fundamental part of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, changed all of that.

    Northern Ireland’s integral part in the United Kingdom is settled by the Agreement. That status can’t be changed by the evil deeds of terrorists, nor can it be changed by the words or wishes of politicians. The only thing that can change it is the will of the people of Northern Ireland.

    The Irish constitution was changed at that time to reflect this. Just as important for the Union, the Agreement created the conditions and built the foundations for Northern Ireland to be a thriving, dynamic and successful society within the United Kingdom. The simple reality is that people tend to change the status quo only when the status quo is not working or people simply stop making the case for it. Devolved power-sharing institutions created a status quo that those of us who value Northern Ireland’s place in the Union can robustly – and successfully – promote and celebrate.

    So let no one tell you that power-sharing is in any way at odds with Unionism. Instead it is the surest way by which Northern Ireland’s place in the Union can be secured. The people of Northern Ireland are rightly demanding better, more responsive public services, greater economic prosperity and a brighter future for their children. The single biggest threat to Northern Ireland’s place in the Union is a failure to deliver on these priorities.

    I make no apologies for being proud of Northern Ireland’s place in the Union and for wanting it to continue. Others who share that view should put the Union first, restore the devolved institutions and get on with the job of delivering for the people of Northern Ireland. Like David Trimble and David Ervine before in 1998, and Dr Paisley in 2006, real leadership is about knowing when to say yes and having the courage to do so.

    I also know that the question of the Agreement’s potential evolution is being discussed and debated both here at this conference and more widely across Northern Ireland as people rightly want to see devolution in their elected institutions up and running, and want to make it work. I believe that successfully achieving local governance in this place has always depended on achieving the consensus I talked about earlier and certainly if there were voices from London or Dublin trying to impose something, it would certainly fail.

    So the Government will continue to listen intently to the conversation on how we can best achieve the effective and enduring operation of the institutions. Because we want to see the institutions working well for the whole of Northern Ireland. Their success is Northern Ireland’s success, and Northern Ireland’s success is the Union’s success.

    Distinguished Guests, Northern Ireland has made remarkable progress in the 25 years since the Agreement’s signing. If these 25 years have been about peace, then the next 25 must be about delivering a more prosperous, more reconciled future for everyone in Northern Ireland. We must look forward to what is possible, just as we must reflect to remind and educate ourselves about exactly what is at stake.

    The Government stands ready to support Northern Ireland to fully deliver on the ambition of the Agreement and I look forward to working with everyone here, everyone everywhere, in making that an achievement we can all be proud of.