Category: Speeches

Martin McCluskey – 2026 Speech at the Housing 2026 Conference

The speech made by Martin McCluskey, the Minister for Energy Consumers, in Manchester on 25 June 2026.

Good afternoon everyone, and given the week that we’ve just had, I’m sure this is going to be maybe the second most exciting thing to come out of Manchester in the past 7 days.

Can I just say how good it is to be here, not just because it’s a couple of degrees cooler here than it is in London, but also because I truly believe in the power of this sector to deliver, and the value that you add to people’s lives.

I grew up in a 4 in a block council flat in the area that I represent in parliament, and that shaped not only my life but also the life of my parents and grandparents who moved this block in the 1940s.

That’s 3 generations, nearly 70 years under the same roof in Greenock, which is near Glasgow.

So I know what it means to grow up in a home that gives you the best start in life.

Before I became an MP I was a local councillor dealing with some of the issues that I know so many of you in this room today are grappling with poverty, deprivation, and many other issues that you see every single day.

I’ve seen how hard it is for people at the moment especially to haul themselves up when their life is built on weak foundations, when they grow up in fuel poverty and they don’t have a secure, comfortable home to be the anchor in their life.

So now as minister in this job, dealing not just with the home retrofit, social housing, energy efficiency, but also energy prices, my mission is to get more of what I had to people across the country, to finally address one of the greatest structural challenges we face in this country, the state of our housing stock.

And you all know the statistics, we have some of the oldest homes in Europe, 40% of them were built before World War 2.

That’s millions of people, many of whom live in social housing, who are growing up in old, cold, damp, leaking homes, which, because they’re overwhelmingly heated by gas, leave them especially vulnerable to the energy price shock we’ve seen in recent years.

The cost of energy bills combined with the state of our housing stock traps too many people in a miserable cycle of energy debt and fuel poverty, wasting their money on inefficiently heated homes, unable to invest in the upgrades that will bring them some sense of relief.

That’s why it’s our duty as a government to address this.

I know the world’s eyes have been drawn to Westminster in recent days, but that doesn’t change the fact that across the country there are thousands and thousands of people living in fuel poverty, children growing up sick, living in constant fear of rising films, incubating disease caused by constant exposure to damp and mould.

It shouldn’t have taken the death of Awaab Ishak, who died aged 2 in 2020 due to the effects of terrible mould exposure, to show just how urgent this crisis is.

And like I promised you, whatever happens in government in the weeks ahead, addressing this will continue to be our work.

We want to give people the best possible start in life.

We want to give people pride, comfort and dignity in their homes.

We want children to stop coming into school telling their teachers about being cold at home, and we want to protect people from the effects of wars that weren’t our choice, that are happening half a world away.

And this government has acted over the past 2 years, a new Decent Homes Standard to deliver warmer, healthier homes with lower bills.

Awaab’s Law, which has introduced strict time-bound requirements for social landlords to address emergency hazards and of course the Renters Rights Act, which carries these reforms into the private rented sector.

And I’m proud that in the department I’m part of in Energy Security and Net Zero, we’ve introduced other measures to help some of the most vulnerable people in our country.

We’ve expanded the £150 warm home discount to over 6 million families every winter into the next decade.

We’ve stepped in to help heating oil customers at the start of the war in Iran and we’re preparing for all contingencies this autumn and winter to deal with the increasing cost of energy bills.

But tackling these issues isn’t just about providing immediate cash support, though that is incredibly important, it’s also about the structural change that we need to see in our energy system and our housing system.

And after decades of inertia in this country that requires massive investment, it requires big government, it requires interventionist government to do what needs to be done.

And that’s where the Warm Homes Plan that we launched earlier in the year comes in.

It’s the biggest upgrade to our nation’s housing stock in history.

It’s £15 billion for insulation, solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, a whole range of technologies that can save families hundreds of pounds off their bills and give them more control over their energy.

A central part of our mission is to ensure that we decide the price of our energy here at home, that our energy system is based on clean home-grown power that we control, and it will bring clean power into people’s homes so that they are the first to see the benefits.

I just want to take some time today to make 3 points about the Warm Homes Plan.

Firstly, this is unapologetically a social justice project.

It’s a project to tackle poverty at its root cause, with £5 billion of that support going directly to those on low incomes in fuel poverty.

People who won’t have to pay a penny for the home upgrades that will change their lives and break the vicious cycle that they’re trapped in.

Second, if we are to meet the target of upgrading 5 million homes by 2030, we have to ensure that absolutely everyone can benefit from upgrades and are motivated to do so.

To help households tackle the upfront costs of upgrades, the new Warm Homes Fund will see £1.7 billion allocated to low-and zero-interest loans.

We’ve also doubled funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and in response to the crisis in the Middle East, increased the grant to £9,000 for those currently using heating oil.

But success will hinge on the confidence and trust of consumers, which is why the new Warm Homes Agency that we’re proposing will simplify the scheme administration and help households access trusted high-quality advice and routes to funding.

We’re also overhauling the consumer protection landscape to rebuild the trust in the sector following the failures of ECO4 and GBIS.

Third thing, we need to make sure that higher standards and high standards are maintained, that future generations will not have to go through and do this again.

So we’re bringing in higher minimum energy efficiency standards with EPC C for rented homes by 2030 and EPC B for non-domestic buildings by 2031.

And as well as upgrading existing homes, ensuring that every new home we build sets the example for where we want to be with our future home standards so that solar panels, clean heating and proper insulation are the new normal in homes that we build over the coming years.

I know from working in devolved governments and from my role before being an MP as local councillor that this can’t be a Whitehall knows best agenda, this cannot be a top-down programme, and that’s why everything that we’re doing as part of the warm homes plan will be delivered alongside local government.

Nearly £1.3 billion of grant funding has been allocated already to the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 and up to 295 billion pounds of additional funding will be available through the fund in 2026/2027 for existing Wave 3 grant recipients and some of the mayoral strategic authorities.

Now from 2028 we plan to consolidate and integrate these schemes into a single scheme for low-income households still focused on an area-based delivery.

And we know we can only achieve our mission if we take homeowners, landlords and businesses with us and that they trust that upgrading their buildings is an attractive and viable option and the local problems need local solutions.

It’s been my pleasure in this job to meet people who have benefited from so many of these solutions, and at the start of doing this job I met someone called Jason in Bristol who had upgraded his home, who took me into his kitchen and insisted on showing me the spreadsheet of how much he was benefiting from having a heat pump and solar panels in his home all funded through local grant provided through WECA.

And my mind often goes back to Jason when I am thinking about the work that we are doing, because his feeling of pride in his home is what I want to replicate up and down the country and the work that we are doing.

The action we are taking will lift up to a million households out of fuel poverty by 2030 and I think that’s the future that all of us in this room want to see.

A future where housing is no longer a luxury to live in and to have some disposable income after paying your energy bills each month to give people pride and dignity in their homes again, and in their communities and to stop tragedies like some of the tragedies we’ve seen over recent years from happening again.

And I don’t think this is too much to ask if we work together on what we are trying to achieve, and in the wake of what we’ve seen in the Middle East during the Iran crisis I think you can see the demand that exists for these kind of changes.

Record levels of inquiries about heat pumps, solar panels and EVs has shown the appetite that there is out there for clean technology, but we need to be able to meet it, and we need to be able to do that work together.

So we absolutely need all of you in this room and so it’s my pleasure once again to be here today and to be able to take your questions.

This is a partnership that can really deliver generational change in housing across the country so as I always say at these events, we can only do that with people in this room, challenging us, ensuring that we are going as far as we possibly can.

And keep telling us what we need in the sector, what we need to be able to do more and what we need from our officials in the department to be able to do more, and I’m sure that together we can ensure as many people as possible get the pride and dignity from our home that’s fit for the future.

Thank you.

26/06/2026
Yvette Cooper – 2026 Comments on Ukraine Recovery Fund

The comments made by Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, on 25 June 2026.

The UK stands firmly with Ukraine, not only in its fight for freedom today, but in ensuring it has the strength to rebuild for the future – that is essential for the long-term deterrence of Russian aggression.

A just and lasting peace is urgent and non-negotiable. But Ukraine needs long-term support both to get through the conflict and to rebuild in future. That is why at this year’s Ukraine Recovery Conference, we are announcing a multi-million pound package to power Ukraine’s homes and critical infrastructure, back its businesses and drive improvements in education and justice.

This crucial investment will ensure the UK is also in close partnership with Ukraine as they look towards future growth, involving British and Ukrainian businesses and delivering long-term benefits for both our economies.

26/06/2026
Keir Starmer – 2026 Comments at the E5 Summit

The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 24 June 2026.

Thank you, Friedrich.

It’s a real pleasure to be here with all of you and thank you so much for your kind words, it has been my privilege to work with you on these really important issues and I am proud of the work we have done over the last two years to rebuild our relationship with our allies in Europe and around the world.

I’m proud that Britain is standing up once again for decency, respect, and the rule of law.

Last week at the G7, and thank you again Emmanuel for hosting a successful G7, we pledged our unwavering support to Ukraine and we’ve been able to echo that here today – our determination to capitalise on Ukraine’s newfound momentum.

They are increasingly able to push Russia back on the battlefield. That’s very much been the story of this year. There are clear signs that as Russia loses ground and their economy struggles, the mood in Moscow is turning against Putin’s war.

So this is a really important moment to ramp up the pressure on their economy with more sanctions and providing Ukraine with more military support.

We are committed to driving this forward and that this should be the first item on the agenda at the NATO summit in a couple of weeks time.

The second key issue at the summit must be building a more European NATO.

We’ve been making this argument for some time but now is the time at this summit to really push this argument forward.

Our aim together should be to lead a decisive strengthening of European leadership and sovereign capabilities, working of course in full coordination with the United States.

Because we know that is what it will take to keep our countries safe, deter those who would do us harm and preserve the most successful military alliance in history.

That is the big strategic challenge of the moment in the face of a clear and growing threats that we face and we are all playing our full part.

The UK is ready to implement the largest increase in defence funding since the cold war. We’ve already taken steps last year to that end and we’ll take further steps and we’re going further, working to deliver our defence investment plan ahead of the NATO summit, not just to increase how much we spend on defence but to completely overhaul how we spend it to learn the lessons of Ukraine and to ensure that we’re ready to meet the threats of today and of tomorrow.

And look, one final point, it is clear that this renewal of European defence must be fuelled by a generational shift in European industrial cooperation.

The reality of modern warfare is that as well as outmanoeuvring the enemy, we must be able to out-innovate and out-produce them as well.

More than ever, economic and technological power is the basis for military power and so we must harness this moment to boost our cooperation and at the same time boost jobs, growth and opportunity for all of our people for many years to come.

Thank you.

26/06/2026
Dan Jarvis – 2026 Speech at the RUSI Land Warfare Conference

The speech made by Dan Jarvis, the Secretary of State for Defence, on 23 June 2026.

Almost a fortnight – time flies when you’re having fun. Thank you, Conference.

My foremost responsibility is to our service personnel. As I speak, members of our armed forces are deployed on dozens of operations across the globe in every domain. All are serving at an increasingly dangerous moment in history. It’s now my duty to make sure that we rise to meet that moment. So while people’s attention is understandably focused elsewhere, my focus today, tomorrow and beyond will be dedicated to the job in hand.

Twelve days ago, I was at Sandhurst on a visit to meet with cadets, thirty years after I marched into the place, awkwardly clutching a rifle and pining for a memory that will be familiar to a number in the room. The instructors’ faces had long changed; somehow the same dread that they inspired had not. Again, a feeling I’m sure is also familiar to many. Being in the company of those cadets was an inspiring experience; being in the company of those who step forward to serve always is.

That evening I was asked to serve as the Defence Secretary. Now some people want to know why I accepted. The answer is because I was asked and it’s not my nature to back away. I crossed over the river from Downing Street into the Ministry of Defence, and honestly, it felt like I was coming home after fifteen years away. Soon afterwards, I was receiving briefings confirming what I already knew. But in those intervening years, tactics, technology and threats had changed beyond all recognition. The one thing, however, that had remained constant is the professionalism, courage and extraordinary skill of our servicemen and women.

I should probably admit – and I think it’s fair to say – that I haven’t spent all of my professional life in uniform. People will always be our most important asset in the end. No doctrine, no technology, no plan, however sophisticated it might be, can succeed without the determination of the men and women whose experience and excellence is built from the ground up, shaped by history, hardened by experience. We produce the finest soldiers in the world. Those uncompromising standards develop exceptional NCOs who demand nothing less than the very best from their senior leaders, a truth borne out in the middle of the South Atlantic just last month, when our personnel deployed to Tristan da Cunha to help someone in desperate need of medical attention. As the then Security Minister, I worked with COBR on that operation. I did so with the utmost confidence, knowing that despite the complexity of the task, those involved would execute with precision and success.

I think we will ask much of our service personnel in the years ahead. I know the immense weight of responsibility for every single member of the armed forces and their families that I now carry, and I know that I need to get them what they need, and I am utterly determined to make sure that I do.

Now, it is of course a matter of public record why my predecessor and friend, John Healey, is not delivering these remarks. I accepted this job with full awareness of the task before me, and my priority is to get the Defence Investment Plan done, but not at any cost. I have a responsibility to get it right. There will be a change of Prime Minister. There will be no change in the urgent need to produce the Defence Investment Plan. The DIP is a significant and vast piece of work. The department has been working on it for twelve months. I’ve had twelve days, but I’ve made the most of all of them. I am now working to finalise and publish it before I travel to Ankara with the Prime Minister.

And today I want to talk to you about where we are and where we’re going. This is a learned audience, but let me tell you what this government inherited: almost every single major programme behind schedule, delayed upgrades to our nuclear deterrent, and an army at its smallest size in centuries. There is no overnight remedy. There is no single defence review or funding settlement that can erase the legacy of accumulated neglect. Our armed forces and the British people they are sworn to protect deserve honesty when it comes to our national security.

Given recent commentary, a casual observer would be forgiven for believing defence spending is somehow going down. Under this government, defence spending is going up. In fact, it’s going up by more than anyone currently in uniform has known before. To date, there is eleven billion more in the annual defence budget than there was when we entered office. Last year, we will invest two hundred and seventy billion in defence over the course of this Parliament. The DIP will mean more money added on top. We will have another spending review next year in which I expect defence to be the number one priority.

Don’t get me wrong – the DIP will shape how our armed forces fight, direct what our industry builds and deepen the strength of our alliances and partnerships. It is important, but it is not yet complete.

Now, the measure of Britain’s security is the strength of those who defend it. The purpose of the DIP is to ensure that our armed forces are strong in the coming years. We made a promise to our allies as they did to us: 3.5% by 2035. I told the NATO Secretary General last week that promise will be met, and a credible plan will be produced to ensure that it is. I said the same to Secretary Hegseth in our first meeting — or, as Pete put it, just a couple of majors getting together to talk about defence.

NATO has been the foundation of our security for seventy-seven years. Everyone is familiar with Article 5 — but that famous promise is only made real by the hard principle of Article 3: that we can only stand up for each other if we are able to stand up for ourselves. Britain has always met NATO’s spending commitments; under this government, we always will. Britain has always stood with our allies; under this government, we always will.

Last week, I gave President Zelensky my personal guarantee that the UK would stand in full support with his people — today, tomorrow and for the long term. The first UK interdiction of a Russian vessel, followed by the funding of one hundred and fifty thousand Ukrainian-made drones, were a seven hundred and fifty-two million pound expression of that promise.

The most profound change in defence during my time away has undoubtedly been the pace of innovation — where once it was measured in years, now it is measured in months. It is of course a cliché to say that we only ever prepare for the last war. What is not a cliché is doing something about it. Putin’s brutal war of aggression altered everything — from NATO’s assumptions on collective defence, to attitudes on defence spending, and not least, the way of war. The conflict in Ukraine began with troops in Soviet-era tanks. Today, it is waged with drones that think for themselves. Conflict always forces us to reach into the future. But these four years have accelerated military technology in a way that we have never seen before. A drone rules the battlefield. It would be reckless to ignore the lessons of Ukraine. Artificial intelligence, autonomy and uncrewed systems are no longer capabilities of the future. They will receive investment that reflects their strategic importance.

There are some who hold the view that we should trade everything in the locker for drones. I understand the temptation, but there are important distinctions to make. For as long as we remain a member of NATO, we won’t fight alone. And for as long as we maintain our independent nuclear deterrent, we will always command our own destiny. Even in Ukraine, amid extraordinary advances in technology, it is still a war fought in the trenches where ground is held street by street, and where the reach of artillery and deep precision strike has proven invaluable.

Just this year, our armed forces have been called on to protect the seabed in the High North and the skies in the Middle East. They are now readying themselves for the prospect of regenerating Ukraine’s forces and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. All the while, they protect our island home and retain the ability to respond to crises in dangerous and distant lands. Britain needs a flexible, hybrid, integrated force that can deter and fight across every domain.

The land forces which prevail tomorrow will be those who combine high-end platforms with mass, agility and considerable expertise. General Walker has achieved this. He has done more to modernise the British Army than any other Chief of the General Staff in living memory. You heard his vision earlier. The DIP will make real those ambitions — and that includes investing in the uncrewed ground vehicles the Army requires to build the next generation of land forces.

And let me say this: all of the Chiefs have my full support, not just during this process, but way beyond it.

Now, I’d like to take just a moment, if I may, to address our friends from industry. Because to say recent months haven’t been easy would perhaps be an understatement. But I’m grateful to you all, and I will be relying on you to implement the DIP and to make it a success. Though my life has been spent in public service, I have never mistaken where prosperity comes from. Our defence industrial base represents a commitment to excellence and to entrepreneurialism – hallmarks of the British spirit. You are a source not only of a pay check for many, but of pride for communities across our country. Most of all, you exist to equip the finest armed forces with the most advanced technology — kit they can rely on, operate with confidence and employ with precision. Something I saw during my first engagement in this role, at the opening of the Pulsar Systems Centre in Swindon.

The problems with how we spend money in defence are well known and long established. So too is the ritual of every Defence Secretary promising to fix them. I’ll skip that particular ritual and just ask to be judged on what I do rather than what I say. I know that I have a unique responsibility, given what Cabinet colleagues have foregone from their budgets to support mine. My commitment to them, and indeed to the British public, is that with the need to spend more comes the duty to spend wisely. The DIP will lay out significant savings, and I will continue to scrutinise every line of spend to make every pound count.

Look, I’m acutely conscious that there is something far more important that many of you would rather be watching. I don’t want to deprive anybody of a good vantage point. So I will draw my words to a close.

Before I do, let me say this. Above all, we must never lose sight of what service in our armed forces can demand. It can be bloody hard. It asks more than any profession ever will. I tell those considering it to think about it carefully – but in return, you have the opportunity to serve your country in a way which no other profession can offer. Purpose, responsibility and belonging. You become part of something bigger – a force which secures the safety, values and interests of every person in our nation.

My only real ambition when I arrived through the gates of Sandhurst all those years ago was to survive the place. Not for one moment did I think that one day I would be accountable for every member of our armed forces. To do so is a privilege and a responsibility beyond measure. This moment calls for leadership, and it calls for action. That is what I will provide. And I promise every single member of our armed forces that I will seek to serve them as well as they serve us.

25/06/2026
Rachel Reeves – 2026 Comments on Jonathan Haskel

The comments made by Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 23 June 2026.

Jonathan Haskel is an outstanding nominee for Chair. His depth of expertise in economics and his track record of independent, rigorous analysis make him exactly the right person to lead the OBR – supporting the credibility of our fiscal framework and ensuring our economy is underpinned by sound public finances.

25/06/2026
David Lammy – 2026 Statement on the G7 Summit

The statement made by David Lammy, the Deputy Prime Minister, on 22 June 2026.

I am making this statement on behalf of the Prime Minister. I spoke earlier today on the Prime Minister’s record across the country—stabilising the economy, driving down waiting lists in the national health service, and lifting half a million children out of poverty—but I want to start this statement by paying tribute to his record on foreign policy, which is second to none.

As Foreign Secretary when we entered government, I saw at first hand the Prime Minister rebuild our relationships across the world. The EU reset that we led put Britain at the heart of Europe once again. Embracing President Zelensky on the steps of Downing Street, on one of Ukraine’s darkest days, was symptomatic of the leadership that the Prime Minister has shown across Europe and in relation to the threats from Vladimir Putin—principled, courageous and on the right side of history. He drove investment for working people, with five trade deals in two years.

When it came to the most sober decision that a Prime Minister has to make—on a matter of life, death and war—and others were pushing for the UK to jump head first into another war in the middle east, Keir Starmer stood strong, stood firm and said, “No, this is not our war,” putting British soldiers and the national interest first. He made Britain safer, rebuilt Britain’s reputation around the world, and drove investment and growth that will support working families in Britain for decades to come. Regardless of their politics, everyone in this House owes a debt of gratitude to the Prime Minister on foreign affairs.

I turn now to the specifics of the G7 summit, and let me start with Ukraine. Once again, Russia chose to launch a huge attack on Ukraine on the eve of an international summit. In a show of its disdain for diplomacy, Russia killed innocent civilians in Kyiv and Kharkiv, and hit the 11th-century Pechersk Lavra, a sacred site at the very heart of Ukrainian culture. The G7 has a shared sense of outrage at Russia’s conduct, but we also have a shared sense that the situation is changing. Ukraine has a new-found momentum. It is increasingly able to push Russia back on the battlefield, and the mood in Moscow is turning against the war. Almost half a million Russians have now lost their lives. Each month Russia mobilises around 30,000 people, and each month it loses the same number on the battlefield, with no progress to show for it.

At the same time, the Russian economy is struggling and may already be in recession, so we will seize this moment by continuing our military support. We are providing more air defence missiles and our biggest package of drones to date, financed with the profits of seized Russian assets. We are providing vital export finance to help rebuild Ukraine’s energy system, and we are going further to increase the pressure on Russia’s economy, because we know the impact that this is having.

At the summit my right hon. and learned Friend the Prime Minister announced 70 new sanctions, bringing the UK up to around 500 sanctions on Russia this year alone, aimed at breaking up its military procurement supply chains and the illicit finance networks it uses to circumvent sanctions and, of course, targeting the Russian shadow fleet. I am sure the whole House will pay tribute to the Royal Marines who interdicted a shadow fleet vessel in the channel last weekend alongside officers from the National Crime Agency.

This is the moment to ramp up the pressure, and President Zelensky is clear that he is ready to talk, but this must recognise the reality on the ground and Ukraine’s new-found momentum. Any negotiations would need to be on the basis of the current line of control, not on Putin’s unrealistic demand for territory that he has failed to win on the battlefield. Russia should note the level of unity shown on this point and the G7’s pledge of unwavering support for Ukraine that will continue until we reach a just and lasting peace.

Let me turn to the middle east. Getting to the deal between the United States and Iran has been bumpy, but it creates a moment of opportunity to bring down the cost of living for the British people and put the middle east on a better path, which is vital for global stability. We are now working to help implement this deal to ensure that the region does not go back to war and that the 60-day negotiation period ends in a longer-term settlement.

Negotiations are the best way to secure our aims: first, that Iran is never allowed to have a nuclear weapon; secondly, that it stops its attacks across the region; and, thirdly, that the strait of Hormuz is reopened to shipping, with no restrictions and no tolls. That is why, with President Macron, we have brought together an international coalition ready to help reassure shipping. We are in talks now about how to deploy this multilateral military mission in support of the deal and to explore immediate support for de-mining in the strait.

We should also place this in the broadest possible context, recognising the need to make progress across the region. The extremely fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon must be implemented in full, and I call on the Israeli Government to show restraint to that end, including in their use of inflammatory language. The G7 agreed to work together in support of their process and to strengthen the Lebanese Government, so that they can regain the monopoly on the use of force in the country.

On Palestine, I want to speak very frankly. Israel must stop blocking aid into Gaza, stop settlement expansion in the E1 area of East Jerusalem, which threatens the viability of the two-state solution, and stop settler violence across the west bank. We have a precious opportunity now to move on from the violence of the last three years in the interests of innocent people across the region. This should be our aim, bringing all our partners together in that effort.

Significant progress was also made last week on migration, with a strong G7 statement outlining practical common steps on returns and sanctioning the criminal gangs. With President Macron, my right hon. and learned Friend the Prime Minister took a big step in our bilateral co-operation by agreeing to extend the groundbreaking Sandhurst agreement, which has already prevented more than 40,000 migrant crossings into the UK. Under this deal, new police units and riot squads will be deployed to French beaches to stop migrant boats before they take to the water. This is vital and important work.

It is because of steps like that and the approach of this Government that we have removed 67,000 people with no right to be in our country. We have removed 9,000 foreign national offenders, and we are closing asylum hotels. We are turning the tide on these issues after years of failure. Under the last Government, net migration reached almost 1 million. We have reduced it by 82% in two years. UK immigration figures are the lowest today since 2012. Where the last Government failed, we are delivering.

The same is true on growth and investment. On the eve of the summit, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister welcomed the Prime Minister of Japan to Downing Street, to deepen our strategic partnership after they met in Tokyo in January. They agreed more than £18 billion-worth of investment in this country, creating tens of thousands of new jobs in infrastructure, offshore wind and financial services. That shows the value of building such bonds. This was followed, at the summit, with deals for a further £1.3 billion of investment from France and India in clean energy and artificial intelligence, creating more than 1,300 new jobs in Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister agreed with India’s Prime Minister Modi the entry into force of the UK-India free trade agreement. This is the UK’s quickest ever turnaround from signing to entry into force, and it is one of the biggest deals either country has ever done. It will boost British GDP by £4.8 billion and boost real wages for British workers by £2.2 billion.

Finally, the House will note that tomorrow marks the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum. We know the world has changed fundamentally since 2016. We know that Brexit has damaged the economy, so there is no doubt in our mind where the national interest lies today—in closer co-operation with Europe. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister agreed to intensify work to deepen our economic ties. We look forward to a forthcoming second UK-EU summit at the earliest opportunity.

Unity on Ukraine to protect our collective security; unity on the middle east to bring down the cost of living and bring back stability; progress on tackling illegal migration, driving down the numbers day after day; and huge new investments in the UK, creating new opportunities and changing people’s lives—real results for the British people. At the same time, the Government have brought down mortgage rates and inflation to help with the cost of living, and have held them flat to fight what is happening globally.

We are supporting families with the summer savings package, so that they can spend time together this August. We are banning social media for children to keep them safe, lifting half a million people out of poverty, boosting workers’ rights and renters’ rights, and bringing down NHS waiting lists at the highest rate for 17 years. This Government are focused on what really matters: serving the national interest and delivering for the British people. I commend this statement to the House.

22/06/2026
Darren Jones – 2026 Comments on Keir Starmer’s Resignation

The comments made by Darren Jones on 22 June 2026.

I was proud to stand on Downing Street with the Prime Minister this morning.

And I’m proud of the Britain that this Labour government is working to deliver – a country where power, wealth and opportunity is shared amongst the many and not the few.

Keir Starmer brought our Labour Party back from the brink into government after 14 years in opposition.

He did so because the public trusted us on the economy and on national security, and because they voted for our manifesto.

My party mustn’t forget the lessons of our successive defeats, and must remember why and how we won only two years ago.

Whatever happens next, we can be grateful for Keir Starmer’s leadership and the work his government has done to put Britain back on a path to a brighter future.

We wish Keir and his family all the best for what comes next, and remain forever grateful for what he has done for my party and for our country.

22/06/2026
Rachel Reeves – 2026 Comments on Keir Starmer’s Resignation

The comments made by Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 22 June 2026.

From taking our party from the worst defeat in modern history, Keir Starmer turned it around and delivered a landslide majority just four years later.

22/06/2026
Stella Creasy – 2026 Comments on Keir Starmer’s Resignation

The comments made by Stella Creasy, the Labour MP for Walthamstow, on 22 June 2026.

For some time now Labour has left too many questions unanswered. The “who?” replacing the necessary debate and work to address the “what?”. That isn’t just about policy making, but our culture and our campaigns too.

That is down to us all. As he stands down as PM wish Keir Starmer the very best for his future, as he tried to govern without those questions being answered – and urge the whole Labour movement to recognise if we don’t grip the question of purpose history will always be against us.

The British public need to see how and why we offer a better future against those who only offer hate and half baked promises – now is the time for us to show not just who we are but why that matters and how it makes a difference.

22/06/2026
Heidi Alexander – 2026 Statement on the Bedford Rail Crash

The statement made by Heidi Alexander, the Secretary of State for Transport, in the House of Commons on 22 June 2026.

With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the tragic collision between 2 passenger trains on Friday, 19 June 2026.

I realise honourable members will be aware of some of the details, but today I’d like to set out the facts as we know them so far.

At approximately 17:15 on Friday evening, 2 East Midlands Railway passenger trains collided at Elstow near Bedford.

The 16:40 service from Corby to London St Pancras struck the stationary 15:50 service from Nottingham to St Pancras.

Within minutes, emergency services were on the scene.

A joint response then followed, including Fire and Rescue Services, the ambulance service, National Police Air Service, British Transport Police, Bedfordshire Police and railway staff.

They evacuated passengers safely, provided medical assistance, secured the railway and began recovery operations.

By 23:00, all passengers were clear of the scene.

Madam Deputy Speaker, it deeply saddens me to confirm to the House that the driver of the Corby to London St Pancras train died in the collision.

His family have asked for privacy at this horrendously difficult time, but I am sure I speak for the whole House when I offer them our deepest condolences.

According to the latest information I have from the BTP, at least 33 people were taken to hospital, with a third of those in a serious condition.

At least 56 other people were treated for injuries.

A number of the injured remain in a critical condition today.

We are thinking of all of them and their families.

Madam Deputy Speaker, all responders, to a person, acted quickly, professionally and bravely in the most challenging of circumstances.

Circumstances that many of us will never experience nor quite understand.

Indeed, Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi of the British Transport Police told me over the weekend that the teamwork between emergency services, railway staff and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch was the best she’d ever seen.

Let me take this opportunity to thank every single one of them.

I would also like to thank the NHS staff who are still providing care to the injured as we speak.

Often in the hours and days after events such as these, small acts of compassion and selflessness start to emerge.

Whether it was members of the local community, who lived near the stranded trains, providing bottles of water to stranded passengers.

The Salvation Army’s food truck that’s been on the scene since the incident.

Or station staff along the route, who supported passengers amid the disruption.

I was particularly moved to hear the ticket inspector on the Corby train, despite being injured himself, radioed in to close the rail line whilst also checking everyone else was ok.

As I’ve said before, I truly believe the best of us show up in the worst of times – and that is again the case here.

Madam Deputy Speaker, this is news no Transport Secretary ever wants to deliver.

And while I completely understand the strength of feeling out there. While I hear clearly the clamour for answers, for the need to understand the cause of this tragedy.

I must ask everyone for some patience – as hard as I know that will be.

I am determined we get all the answers we’re looking for and that lessons are learned.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch – whose inspectors were on the scene within hours – have already launched an independent investigation. And they have confirmed there will be an update in the coming days.

They, and they alone, will identify the cause and will make recommendations which I will consider with the utmost care and due diligence.

Meanwhile, I urge everyone to await their findings and to hold off on speculation.

Madam Deputy Speaker, those most affected by this tragic incident will continue to receive the support they need.

In addition to direct care provided by the emergency services, East Midlands Railway have a customer care and welfare support team to provide assistance to passengers.

They have also set up a dedicated care line that anyone affected can contact.

Throughout, my department will remain in close contact with the British Transport Police and local emergency services, Network Rail, East Midlands Railway, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and the Office of Rail and Road.

The Rail Minister has already spoken to the General Secretaries of the RMT and ASLEF.

As well as to honourable members, including the Member for Bedford, the Member for Milton Keynes North, the Member for Mid Bedfordshire, the Member for Corby and East Northamptonshire, the Member for Wellingborough and Rushden and the Member for Kettering.

Madam Deputy Speaker, now that investigators have gathered evidence from the scene, Network Rail will recover the trains and restore the infrastructure.

This will be a complex operation – involving lifting and removing damaged trains, repairing the rails and removing and replacing overhead lines.

That is why the railway is expected to remain closed between Bedford and Luton for the rest of the week. There will, however, be services running between Luton and London St Pancras.

Rail replacement services were already in place along the Midland Main Line due to planned engineering works over the weekend. Those works were cancelled, but the replacement services continue to offer passengers alternative routes to travel.

I’ve also instructed train operators to accept tickets from customers using alternative routes.

However, my message to passengers who would normally use this route is that if your travel is not essential, please make alternative arrangements.

Madam Deputy Speaker, I realise the following words may ring hollow to those affected by Friday’s events, but they remain important nonetheless.

Britain does have one of the safest railways in the world.

Thankfully, incidents like this are extremely rare, and, when they do occur, they are taken very seriously.

Safety remains the absolute priority across our rail network – of that there should be no doubt.

In addition to the railway’s own safety experts and the Railway Accident Investigation Branch, we also have an expert independent safety regulator.

I expect all of them to be studying the findings from the investigation and I will ensure the right steps are then taken.

Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to close by reassuring the House that we will provide updates as more information becomes available.

And I would like to offer my sympathies again to everyone affected and express my heartfelt thanks to those who responded so heroically in the aftermath.

I commend this statement to the House.

22/06/2026