Category: Speeches

  • Lindsay Hoyle – 2022 Statement on the Personal Conduct of Jacob Rees-Mogg

    Lindsay Hoyle – 2022 Statement on the Personal Conduct of Jacob Rees-Mogg

    The statement made by Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, on 22 September 2022.

    Before I call the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to answer the urgent question, I have to say how disappointed I am that the subject of an urgent question was extensively set out in the media yesterday before being presented to the House. I hope that, as a former Leader of the House who was very supportive of me in criticising Secretaries of State for not coming to the House, the right hon. Member will be especially aware—as I know he is—of Ministers’ duties to explain that important policies are first to be heard in this House.

    I understand the importance of the matter and the need for our constituents to have the information as soon as possible and, for that reason, I would have been willing to allow a statement yesterday, if I had been asked. I am deeply concerned that I have to make another statement like this only a few sitting days into this new Administration’s existence. I ask the right hon. Member and all his colleagues to do their utmost to ensure that this is the last time I have to do so. I am not angry; I am so disappointed, and I hope that we will treat the House with the respect that it is due.

  • Liz Truss – 2022 Keynote Speech to the UN General Assembly

    Liz Truss – 2022 Keynote Speech to the UN General Assembly

    The speech made by Liz Truss, the Prime Minister, in New York, United States on 22 September 2022.

    Mr President, your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    At the time of its foundation, the United Nations was a beacon of promise.

    In the aftermath of the Second World War, this building symbolised the end of aggression.

    For many decades the UN has helped to deliver stability and security in much of the world.

    It has provided a place for nations to work together on shared challenges.

    And it has promoted the principles of sovereignty and self-determination even through the Cold War and its aftermath.

    But today those principles, that have defined our lives since the dark days of the 1940s, are fracturing.

    For the first time in the history of this assembly we are meeting during a large-scale war of aggression in Europe.

    And authoritarian states are undermining stability and security around the world.

    Geopolitics is entering a new era – one that requires those who believe in the founding principles of the United Nations to stand up and be counted.

    In the United Kingdom we are entering a new era too.

    I join you here just two days after Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest.

    We deeply mourn her passing and we pay tribute to her service.

    She was the rock on which modern Britain was built.

    And she symbolised the post-war values on which this organisation was founded.

    Our constitutional monarchy, underpinned by a democratic society, has delivered stability and progress.

    Her Late Majesty transcended difference and healed division. We saw this in her visits to post-apartheid South Africa and the Republic of Ireland.

    When she addressed this General Assembly 65 years ago she warned that it was vital not only to have strong ideals but also to have the political will to deliver on them.

    Now we must show that will.

    We must fight to defend those ideals.

    And we must deliver on them for all our people.

    And as we say farewell to our Late Queen, the UK opens a new chapter – a new Carolean age – under His Majesty King Charles III.

    We want this era to be one of hope and progress…

    One in which we defend the values of individual liberty, self-determination and equality before the law…

    One in which we ensure that freedom and democracy prevail for all people…

    And one in which we deliver on the commitments that Her Late Majesty the Queen made here 65 years ago.

    This is about what we do in the United Kingdom and what we do as member states of the UN.

    So today I will set out what steps we are taking at home in the UK and our proposed blueprint for the new era we are now in – the new partnerships and new instruments we need to collectively adopt.

    Our commitment to hope and progress must begin at home – in the lives of each and every citizen that we serve.

    Our strength as a nation comes from the strong foundations of freedom and democracy.

    Democracy gives people the right to choose their own path. And it evolves to reflect the aspirations of citizens.

    It unleashes enterprise, ideas, and opportunity. And it protects the freedoms that are at the very core of our humanity.

    By contrast, autocracies sow the seeds of their own demise by suppressing their citizens.

    They are fundamentally rigid and unable to adapt. Any short-term gains are eroded in the long term because these societies stifle the aspiration and creativity which are vital to long-term growth.

    A country where Artificial Intelligence acts as judge and jury, where there are no human rights and no fundamental freedoms, is not the kind of place anyone truly wants to live.

    It is not the kind of world we want to build.

    But we cannot simply assume there will be a democratic future.

    There is a real struggle going on between different forms of society – between democracies and autocracies. Unless democratic societies deliver on the economy and security our citizens expect, we will fall behind.

    We need to keep improving and renewing what we do for the new era, demonstrating that democracy delivers.

    As Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, I am determined that we will deliver the progress that people expect.

    I will lead a new Britain for a new era.

    Firstly, this begins with growth and building a British economy that rewards enterprise and attracts investment.

    Our long-term aim is to get our economy growing at an average of 2.5%.

    We need this growth to deliver investment around our country, to deliver the jobs and high wages that people expect, and to deliver public services like the National Health Service.

    We want people to keep more of the money they earn, so they can have more control over their lives and can contribute to the future.

    Secondly, it means securing affordable and reliable supplies of energy.

    We are cutting off the toxic power and pipelines from authoritarian regimes and strengthening our energy resilience.

    We will ensure we cannot be coerced or harmed by the reckless actions of rogue actors abroad.

    We will transition to a future based on renewable and nuclear energy while ensuring that the gas used during that transition is from reliable sources including our own North Sea production.

    We will be a net energy exporter by 2040.

    Thirdly, we are safeguarding the security of our economy – the supply chains, the critical minerals, the food, and the technology that drives growth and protects the health and lives of our people.

    We won’t be strategically dependent on those who seek to weaponise the global economy.

    Instead, we are reforming our economy to get Britain moving – and we want to work with our allies so we can all move forward together.

    The free world needs this economic strength and resilience to push back against authoritarian aggression and win this new era of strategic competition.

    We must do this together.

    So we are building new partnerships around the world.

    We are fortifying our deep security alliances in Europe and beyond through NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force.

    We are deepening our links with fellow democracies like India, Israel, Indonesia and South Africa.

    We are building new security ties with our friends in the Indo-Pacific and the Gulf.

    We have shown leadership on free and fair trade, striking trade agreements with Australia, New Zealand, Japan and many others, andwe are in the process of acceding to the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

    Rather than exerting influence through debt, aggression, and taking control of critical infrastructure and minerals, we are building strategic ties based on mutual benefit and trust.

    And we are deepening partnerships like the G7 and the Commonwealth.

    We must also collectively extend a hand of friendship to those parts of the world that have too often been left behind and left vulnerable to global challenges…

    Whether it’s the Pacific or Caribbean Island states dealing with the impact of climate change, or the Western Balkans dealing with persistent threats to their stability.

    The UK is providing funding, using the might of the City of London and our security capabilities to provide better alternatives to those offered by malign regimes.

    The resolute international response to Ukraine has shown how we can deliver decisive collective action.

    The response has been built on partnerships and alliances and also on being prepared to use new instruments – unprecedented sanctions, diplomatic action, and rapid military support.

    There has been a strength of collective purpose – we have met many times, spoken many times on the phone, we have made things happen.

    Now we must use these instruments in a more systematic way to push back on the economic aggression of authoritarian regimes.

    The G7 and our like-minded partners should act as an economic NATO, collectively defending our prosperity.

    If the economy of a partner is being targeted by an aggressive regime we should act to support them. All for one and one for all.

    Through the G7’s $600 billion Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment we are providing an honest, reliable alternative on infrastructure investment around the world, free from debt with strings attached.

    And we must go further to friendshore our supply chains and end strategic dependence.

    This is how we will build collective security, strengthen our resilience and safeguard freedom and democracy.

    But we cannot let up on dealing with the crisis we face today.

    No-one is threatening Russia.

    Yet we meet here this evening…

    In Ukraine, barbarous weapons are being used to kill and maim people,

    Rape is being used as an instrument of war,

    Families are being torn apart.

    And this morning we have seen Putin trying to justify his catastrophic failures.

    He is doubling down by sending even more reservists to a terrible fate.

    He is desperately trying to claim the mantle of democracy for a regime without human rights or freedoms.

    And he is making yet more bogus claims and sabre-rattling threats.

    This will not work. The international alliance is strong and Ukraine is strong.

    The contrast between Russia’s conduct and Ukraine’s brave, dignified First Lady, Olena Zelenska, who is here at the UN today, could not be more stark.

    The Ukrainians are not just defending their own country – they are defending our values and the security of the whole world.

    That’s why we must act.

    That’s why the UK will spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, maintaining our position as the leading security actor in Europe.

    And that’s why – at this crucial moment in the conflict – I pledge that we will sustain or increase our military support to Ukraine, for as long as it takes.

    New UK weapons are arriving in Ukraine as I speak – including more MLRS rockets.

    We will not rest until Ukraine prevails.

    In all of these areas, on all of these fronts, the time to act is now.

    This is a decisive moment in our history, in the history of this organisation, and in the history of freedom.

    The story of 2022 could have been that of an authoritarian state rolling its tanks over the border of a peaceful neighbour and subjugating its people.

    Instead, it is the story of freedom fighting back.

    In the face of rising aggression we have shown we have the power to act and the resolve to see it through.

    But this cannot be a one-off.

    This must be a new era in which we commit to ourselves, our citizens, and this institution that we will do whatever it takes – whatever it takes to deliver for our people and defend our values.

    As we mourn our Late Queen and remember her call to this Assembly, we must devote ourselves to this task.

    Britain’s commitment to this is total.

    We will be a dynamic, reliable and trustworthy partner.

    Together with our friends and allies around the world, we will continue to champion freedom, sovereignty and democracy.

    And together we can define this new era as one of hope and progress.

    Thank you.

  • Tariq Ahmad – 2022 Statement at UNGA on Minority Rights (Lord Ahmad)

    Tariq Ahmad – 2022 Statement at UNGA on Minority Rights (Lord Ahmad)

    The statement made by Tariq Ahmad, Lord Ahmad, at the United Nations General Assembly on 21 September 2022.

    Your Excellencies, three decades on from this historic Declaration, members of minority groups in many places, tragically, around the world continue to live in fear.

    Citizens in countries face hatred. Why? Because of their race or their religion, the place they were born or their ethnicity, even because of the language they speak.

    Members here tonight, this evening, this afternoon, this morning have been united and are committed to change, and today is an opportunity to reflect and make pledges on what we can do collectively.

    The United Kingdom’s resolve is reflected in our landmark Inclusive Britain strategy, bringing together over 70 preventative and remedial actions to tackle racism or discrimination, be it in education, health, employment and in the criminal justice system, and indeed in public life as well.

    And I want to just share two particular examples. When we look at the issue of religious hatred, I am proud of the fact we have supported organisations such as our Community Security Trust, a charity which specifically protects British Jews from racism and antisemitism. And indeed our funding of the Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks programme, which supports victims of anti-Muslim hatred in the UK. And I’m proud of the fact that we have also laws which protect not only religious freedom or belief, but also allow victims of crimes who have been targeted because of their religion or belief to report them as such. So if you are attacked as a Muslim, a Sikh, a Hindu or a Jew, you can go to your police station and report that crime as a religious hate crime. And as we bolster our efforts domestically to combat hatred at home, we pledge to clamp down on racist abuse online. This is a real challenge we are now facing, and we are doing this through our Online Safety Bill.

    And internationally, we pledge to continue working with you, including through the United Nations to uphold international law. But I now wish to touch briefly on country situations as well. There are many parts of the world that tragically we see discrimination rife amongst the country.

    Discriminatory provisions within citizenship laws, for example in Myanmar, where the Rohingya community, according to the laws of Myanmar don’t even exist. And other minorities face persecution. And in the case of the Rohingya specifically it culminates itself in ethnic cleansing.

    The systematic discrimination, harassment, and targeting of members of minority communities in Iran, such as those of the Baha’i faith.

    And we see in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have continued to target particular minority communities, including Sikhs, Christians and of course the Hazaras. And we call upon the Taliban to respect the law, respect the rights of their own constitution. Indeed respect the rights of the very faith they claim to follow which safeguards the rights of all minorities of whatever faith or belief they may be.

    And if I may finally turn to the former High Commissioner’s recent report on Xinjiang. We are deeply concerned, indeed it is a great concern to all of us when we see the harrowing evidence which it provided of China’s human rights violations in the region, particularly against the Uyghur muslins, including actions that , and I quote from the report, “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity”. This also includes credible evidence of arbitrary and discriminatory detention, torture, sexual and gender-based violence, and the destruction, tragically, of religious sites. I know there are many in this room who share our concerns and join us in urging China to accept the report’s recommendations.

    Finally Mr. Chairman, I end by just saying that when we stand here in the United Nations it is incumbent on not just all of us to not just talk but act. Because everyone, everywhere, deserves the freedom to enjoy their culture, practise their religion and speak in their mother tongue.  This should be celebrated, and I am therefore greatly encouraged by pledges made by many members and hope that we will collectively work together to turn the words of this Declaration into a reality for all.

  • Nick Gibb – 2012 Speech at the Diana Award

    Nick Gibb – 2012 Speech at the Diana Award

    The speech made by Nick Gibb, the then Education Minister, on 25 April 2012.

    Thank you. It’s great to see so many committed young people here today, and I want to thank the Diana Award for their kind invitation for me to come and speak today.

    I am pleased to be here today. We live in a world of continuous technological and cultural change. We all have experience of the changes in IT and we all are aware of the way society is developing. Keeping up with those changes poses a real challenge to all of us.

    But keeping up with cultural trends – what’s cool and what’s not, and how we ‘should’ behave – is, I think, particularly difficult for young people. That’s because, at school and in our friendship groups, we explore and form our identities. And young people face tremendous pressure, not just from their peers, but from the media, which projects constant messages about what we should look like, what music we should listen to, even how we should and shouldn’t speak.

    An interesting truth about our society is that everyone’s being told that they should be an individual. Yet if we’re different in the wrong way, the social consequences can be serious. As anti-bullying ambassadors will know only too well, it’s the perception that someone’s different – and the intention to cause physical or psychological harm to someone because of it – that is at the root of bullying.

    That difference could be related to a minority group, for example because of disability or sexuality. Or it could be something else entirely which just happens to fall outside the bounds of what’s cool or acceptable – someone wears glasses, they do well in maths, they wear a certain brand of trainers. Some people are bullied because of their success. Tom Daley, who became an Olympic diver at the age of 15, was bullied because of his sporting achievements and had to change schools as a result. He was perceived to be different, and he was bullied for it.

    Technology and the media have a huge role to play in setting the boundaries of what is ‘normal’ or ‘acceptable’, and what is not, largely based on celebrity commentary – who’s hot and who’s not. And the expansion of reality TV programmes like ‘My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding’ and ‘The Undateables’ has encouraged us to look at groups of people and marvel at how different they are, and how different their lives must be compared to our own. They accentuate difference, but they don’t accept it.

    That perceived difference is at the root of bullying is an obvious point. What is less obvious, perhaps, is that people do certain things to avoid being bullied, for instance smoking or extreme dieting. Those kinds of behaviour can be just as damaging to young people’s lives as bullying itself. So when we start to really think about the issue of bullying, we realise that it’s not just people who bully, or people who are bullied, who are affected, but all young people. And every single young person has a role to play in stopping it.

    As Diana Award anti-bullying ambassadors, I know that you play a vital role in tackling bullying in your schools and communities, and I know that we’re going to see some examples of the excellent work that you do. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the time you give up and the energy you put into such an important cause.

    You will all know as well as anyone that bullying is not an easy thing to address, and particularly now that technology has opened up so many more forums for it. It’s a stark reality in my job that everyone is constantly plugged into what’s happening. I can guarantee that, when I go back to the House of Commons this afternoon, without having told fellow MPs where I’ve been today, someone will ask me how today’s event went, or ‘do I really think such and such about bullying?’ News travels fast.

    It’s the same in the playground. What someone said on a social networking site from the privacy of their own home can be all round the school the next day, via texts, emails, and instant messaging. But funnily enough, although unpleasant remarks about people can be transmitted to a much bigger audience, the fact that it can happen anonymously through technology rather than face to face means it can be better hidden from the teachers and parents who can sort it out.

    The possibility for people to participate in bullying indirectly, and to witness bullying, is far greater than ever before. Everyone can be a bystander. Bullies do what they do to gain social power and status over others. But whether or not the school bully achieves that status is up to the rest of the pupils in the school. Without bystanders to laugh at their jokes and encourage their poor behaviour, a bully is not a leader of their peers – they’re just a bully.

    Bullying is not just an issue for the bully and the bullied. It is something for every single one of us to think about, and to ask ourselves: ‘do I treat others with respect?’; ‘in my daily life, does my behaviour cause other people hurt and upset?’; ‘this edited photo of my classmate might look funny at first glance, but how would I feel if it was a photo of me, and how are they going to feel at school tomorrow?’
    If you laugh at a horrible joke about someone, you may not be directly bullying them, but you’re endorsing the bully’s behaviour. If you forward a nasty text message about somebody, you’re saying to the bully ‘this behaviour is socially acceptable, because it’s funny.’ Actually, it’s not funny. It hurts people and it shouldn’t be acceptable. And it could happen to any one of us.

    For us to be able to be clear about what’s acceptable, pupils themselves have to reject poor behaviour. Every single pupil in every single school needs to have the quiet courage to resist media and peer pressure to conform, to question our own views of normality and difference, and to reject unkind, hurtful behaviour.

    I remember being told at primary school that if something happens on a school bus we should do something about it. But it doesn’t always mean intervening. It means not forwarding horrible text messages. It means not talking about people behind their backs. And it means not playing with children who are horrible to others until they change their behaviour. Each one of us quietly standing up for what we know is right.

    I want every single school to have an ethos of good behaviour, where pupils are kind and respectful to one another not because they fear punishment but because they know that that’s the right way to behave. This is what the very best schools do already.

    Despite a wealth of cultural and social change, one of the great constants we have in our society is a set of rules about how to treat one another. Some people call it manners. Some call it etiquette. Others call it respect, compassion, or even humanity itself. I think it is all of those things. They are fundamental values that allow us to live together and protect us from hurting one another. They are fundamental to society, and they are fundamental to education. Indeed they are the very essence of it, which is why I believe good manners should be a social value that is taught and expected in our schools.

    I believe that every single person has a part to play in preventing and tackling bullying. It is a quiet role. An individual stance: not laughing at nasty jokes, not playing with children who want to bully others, not forwarding on malicious text messages or posting horrible things on peoples’ Facebook wall.

    This is the true power of individuality, of quietly respecting difference, and of standing up for what you know is right. Not gawking at others’ difference or laughing at it, but quietly respecting it and standing up for it. That is the sort of society we want to create for the future, and every single young person in our schools today can have a hand in shaping it. As young people you are the leaders of society’s future change. As anti-bullying ambassadors, you are the guardians of those crucial, universal values. Thank you.

  • James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on Ukrainian Prisoners of War

    James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on Ukrainian Prisoners of War

    The statement made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, on 21 September 2022.

    I welcome the safe return of Ukrainian prisoners of war and one civilian, including five British nationals. Prisoners of war from other countries held by Russia-backed proxies have also been returned. This brings to an end many months of uncertainty and suffering, including the threat of the death penalty, for them and their families, at the hands of Russia.

    Tragically that was not the case for one of those detained and our thoughts remain with the family of Paul Urey.

    I would like to express my gratitude to President Zelenskyy and his team for their efforts to secure their release, and to HRH Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman and his team, for their assistance. I continue to call on Russia to comply with International Humanitarian Law and not exploit prisoners of war and civilian detainees for political purposes.

  • Liz Truss – 2022 Keynote Speech on Supporting Businesses

    Liz Truss – 2022 Keynote Speech on Supporting Businesses

    The speech made by Liz Truss, the Prime Minister, in New York on 21 September 2022.

    We have been through a very difficult fortnight in the UK, Her Majesty The Queen was much loved and there’s been a huge outpouring of grief, both in the United Kingdom and around the world. To many of us she represented not just modern Britain but the modern world, taking over just after the Second World War and serving with distinction for 70 years – almost as long as the UN has been running.

    We now enter a new era. What has been very heart warming is the way people have opened their arms to our new King, King Charles III. I’ve been doing sessions around the UK – in Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff. The streets are lined welcoming the new King and the UK is moving into a new era.

    I thought it was very important that I came to the UN General Assembly this year, because we are facing such a difficult international situation, with the war in Ukraine started by Vladimir Putin. We’ve heard more sabre rattling from him this morning. But also we need to get the global economy back on its feet after Covid, and really ensure democracy prevails.

    To me, at the heart of that is making sure that we have a stable economy as we come out of this very difficult period. And to me, as Prime Minister, I want to make sure that we have a strong economy, a growing economy, a dynamic economy, that we are a country that is pro-business, pro attracting investment into our economy and also focused on long term economic security.

    I think one of the things we’ve learned from the past few months is that when countries are dependent on authoritarian regimes, that can be used as a weapon against them. That is a position we should never find ourselves in again. That is why having a strong economy is so vital for the future of the United Kingdom.

    This week the Chancellor will be doing his fiscal statement. I can’t pre-empt what he’s going to say, but what I can say – and I outlined this during the leadership campaign – is that we want lower, simpler taxes in the UK to incentivise investment, to get more businesses going in the UK. But also to encourage more people to go into work. We do, following Covid, have a significant number of people that are economically inactive. We want to encourage more of them to go into work with a tight labour market, get the right skills, as well as being a country that attracts economic investment. So we won’t be raising corporation tax, as was planned. We’ll be reversing the National Insurance rises which took place earlier this year. And the Chancellor will be announcing various other simplification measures.

    While this is just the start, our long-term plan is to simplify Britain’s taxes and to make us a better place to invest and be unashamedly pro-business. And that’s every kind of business – whether it’s life sciences, whether it’s technology, whether it’s financial services. We want the City to be the most competitive place for financial services in the world, and we see that as a key part of the levelling up agenda, because when we unblock capital, that capital will be used across the UK to make every industry become more productive and competitive.

    So alongside the tax statement that the Chancellor will lay out, he’ll also lay out a series of supply side reforms to make our economy more productive over the long-term, in areas like financial services. Dealing with Solvency II, dealing with MiFID, in areas like infrastructure – getting roads built, getting broadband built, getting mobile phone masts built so you can get reception right across Britain. Reforming regulations so that when business set up they’re not hit by mountains of red tape, they’re able to get on to growing the country. We’re also going to be introducing low tax investment zones across the country, in parts that are left behind. It’s going to be easier to get things done in those zones. The Chancellor will be making that announcement on Friday.

    Today we’ve followed up on our energy package which we announced a few weeks ago. What we’re doing with our energy package is making sure households are able to get through this winter and next winter without facing gigantic bills, with an energy price guarantee. What the government is essentially doing is making sure the wholesale price of energy is passed through to the consumer and making sure that those bills are not more than £2,500.

    We’ve also got a business scheme which is going to last for six months to help businesses get through. And the reason we felt it was right to intervene in this way is because we are dealing with a long-term failure of energy policy – we should have made sure Britain was not subject to the global energy price and the various fluctuations. We didn’t do that, we didn’t build enough nuclear power stations 20 years ago.

    There’s a Chinese proverb which says the best time to plant a tree is 25 years ago, but the second best time is today. So at the same time as the short term intervention – and this short term intervention is projected to reduce inflation by up to five percent, as well as increase economic growth by up to one percent – as well as that short term intervention we’re now working on entering long-term energy supply contracts with friendly countries, including with the United States. As well as exploiting more of our North Sea gas reserves, getting on with the need to build nuclear power stations, getting on with offshore wind, so that by 2040 the UK will be a net energy exporter. We will never be in this situation again.

    I finally wanted to say, on the subject of investment and trade, I’m proud that when I was Trade Secretary we set up the Office for Investment. I think it has done a good job, we want to turbocharge its work and make sure we are providing investors into the UK the best possible service, cracking through any obstacles that might be in the way of successful investment projects. We’re also planning another investment summit next October, and I think I met many of you at the last investment summit.

    And finally on trade, we’re not currently negotiating a trade deal with the US – the US isn’t negotiating a trade deal with anyone at the moment – but we are open to negotiating a trade deal when the administration decide that’s what they want to do. However we’re also in negotiations with India on a trade deal which we expect to complete this year, which brings huge opportunity in areas like technology, areas like manufactured goods. We’re also planning to accede to the Trans-Pacific Partnership which will give the UK much more access to Pacific markets as well.

  • Tariq Ahmad – 2022 Statement on Death of Mahsa Amini in Iran

    Tariq Ahmad – 2022 Statement on Death of Mahsa Amini in Iran

    The statement made by Tariq Ahmad, Lord Ahmad, the Foreign Office Minister, on 21 September 2022.

    The death of Mahsa Amini in Iran following her arrest for alleged dress code violations is shocking. We are extremely concerned at reports of serious mistreatment of Ms Amini, and many others, by the security forces.

    We urge the Iranian government to investigate the circumstances of her death with rigour and transparency, and to hold to account anyone responsible.

    We call on Iran to respect the right to peaceful assembly, to exercise restraint and to release unfairly detained protesters. The use of violence in response to the expression of fundamental rights, by women or any other members of Iranian society, is wholly unjustifiable.

  • Alec Shelbrooke – 2022 Speech at the Defence Vehicle Display

    Alec Shelbrooke – 2022 Speech at the Defence Vehicle Display

    The speech made by Alec Shelbrooke, the Defence Procurement Minister, at Millbrook Proving Ground on 21 September 2022.

    It’s my pleasure to welcome you all to this year’s Defence Vehicle Display.

    Especially as this is not just my first DVD but my first official engagement as a defence minister.

    It is an excellent venue to showcase our finest vehicles and equipment.

    I’m not entirely new to Defence, having spent six years as the UK representative to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and latterly Chairman of the Defence and Security Committee on the assembly.

    So, I am well aware of your many successes as well as some of the challenges you face.

    But the truth is, for all of us here today, this event comes at a time of great change.

    The passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has brought with it not merely a sense of deep loss for the wonderful monarch that led by example for more than 70 years.

    But also, a sense of uncertainty, as the values she came to embody – kindness, tolerance, and a belief in democracy – now seem at risk across the world.

    Indeed, even as we speak, Ukrainians are bravely pushing back the invading Russian force, and as we discover the atrocious war crimes committed by the Russians, our resolve must remain resolute.

    If we are to protect our values and safeguard the international order in this new era, we need to strengthen Defence.

    That’s why last year our Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper began transforming our forces to make them more resilient, more persistent and more agile.

    Our Armed Forces are now being instilled with a campaigning mindset, that enables them to be ever present wherever we are needed around the world.

    A mindset epitomised by our new self-sufficient Brigade Combat teams and Ranger Regiments.

    But those documents were also clear that we couldn’t achieve our aims without the very best capability.

    You only need to look to Ukraine and the incredible gains they’ve made in recent weeks to see the difference the most advanced kit can make on the ground.

    I am proud that the UK has played a key role, foremost among European nations, in supporting those efforts, whether it’s our armoured Wolfhounds or Stormer vehicles fitted with anti-air missile launchers.

    And that kind of cutting-edge capability is what we’re all here for today.

    Take a stroll around the exhibition and you will see some of the finest examples of equipment in the land domain on display.

    Not least our Boxers – the cornerstone of our Armoured Brigade Combat Teams – able to swiftly cover long distances no matter the environment nor the weather. And I am pleased to see so many of our partner nations on the Boxer programme here today.

    As well as Boxer, you will find everything from our Challenger 3 main battle tanks in the Off-Road Area, to the latest drones and four-legged robots from our Future Capability Group, and much more besides.

    Whilst we are still learning the lessons from Ukraine, it is clear that we cannot take anything for granted.

    In the coming years, it is vital we continue to build on these successes in order to stay ahead of the curve.

    That’s why we launched the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy, which provided the foundations for a step-change in relations between government, industry and academia.

    What’s crucial about DSIS is the way it finally recognised industry as a strategic capability in its own right.

    The purpose of the Land Industrial Strategy, which was published earlier this year, was to take those partnerships to the next level.

    We’ve seen the success already of our Defence BattleLab in Dorset, which is uniting industry and academia with the facilities they need to test-drive innovative kit.

    And today you will hear about how the Army are taking a major step forward in shaping investment over the next three years in new integrated protection systems for our land forces.

    This funding marks an exciting opportunity for industry to work with our Defence Science and Technology Laboratory to make our vehicles so much stronger and more resilient.

    Whether it’s improved sensors and compact energy storage or new counter munition systems and directed energy weapons.

    This isn’t just a great chance to transform our Army but to drive growth in the economy at the same time.

    The land industrial base already supports around 20,000 jobs across the UK, while our ground combat system exports comprise 7% of total defence exports – which is almost £6 billion over the past 10 years.

    But as more and more nations increase their investment in Defence, there will be more and more opportunities arising to sell kit to trusted allies and increase our share of that £45 billion-plus ground combat systems market.

    This will bring investment back so that we can then reinvest in the continued strengthening of our forces.

    I began by talking about the end of an era. But I firmly believe that if we work together we can not only preserve the mighty values that were the hallmarks of Queen Elizabeth II, but seize the moment to turn this age of challenges into an age of opportunity.

    Speaking of new eras, I’m delighted to hand over to Lieutenant General Sharon Nesmith, newly appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

    Sharon’s appointment comes at a crucial time for Defence and I’m looking forward to hearing her thoughts as someone else who is adjusting to a new role.

    I’m also looking forward to hearing the Director General for Land plans for how DE&S will equip and support our armed forces now and in the future.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you.

  • Liz Truss – 2022 Comments on Help with Energy Bills

    Liz Truss – 2022 Comments on Help with Energy Bills

    The comments made by Liz Truss, the Prime Minister, on 21 September 2022.

    I understand the huge pressure businesses, charities and public sector organisations are facing with their energy bills, which is why we are taking immediate action to support them over the winter and protect jobs and livelihoods.

    As we are doing for consumers, our new scheme will keep their energy bills down from October, providing certainty and peace of mind.

    At the same time, we are boosting Britain’s homegrown energy supply so we fix the root cause of the issues we are facing and ensure greater energy security for us all.

  • Jacob Rees-Mogg – 2022 Comments on Help with Energy Bills

    Jacob Rees-Mogg – 2022 Comments on Help with Energy Bills

    The comments made by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Business Secretary, on 21 September 2o22.

    We have seen an unprecedented rise in energy prices following Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine, which has affected consumers up and down the country and businesses of all sizes.

    The help we are already putting in place will save families money off their bills, and the government’s plans for businesses, charities and public sector organisations will give them the equivalent level of support.

    This, alongside the measures we are taking to boost the amount of domestic energy we produce to improve both energy security and supply, will increase growth, protect jobs and support families with their cost of living this winter.