UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on Jim Fitton and Detention in Iraq

    James Cleverly – 2022 Statement on Jim Fitton and Detention in Iraq

    The statement made by James Cleverly, the Minister for Europe and North America, in the House of Commons on 11 May 2022.

    I thank the hon. Lady for raising this important case. I recognise that this is a very distressing time for Mr Fitton and his family. I would also like to reassure hon. Members that consular officials continue to maintain contact with Mr Fitton and his family—indeed, they met his family this morning—and we liaise with his lawyers to provide consular assistance. Since his arrest in March, consular officials have visited Mr Fitton on four occasions.

    We understand the urgency and the concerns that Mr Fitton and his family have. We cannot, of course, interfere or seek to interfere with the judicial process of another country, just as we would not expect interference in our own judicial process. That said, the British ambassador in Baghdad has raised and will continue to raise Mr Fitton’s case with the Iraqi Government. That includes raising with the authorities the UK’s strong opposition to the death penalty, in the context of both its potential application to Mr Fitton and our in-principle opposition to it in all instances.

    Wera Hobhouse

    Thank you for granting the urgent question, Mr Speaker.

    I am deeply concerned by the nature of the Foreign Office’s engagement with my constituent’s case. Jim is a 66-year-old geologist. He is sitting in a cell in Iraq, he has missed his daughter’s wedding and he potentially faces the death penalty. His family are worried sick. Nearly a quarter of a million people have signed a petition urging the Government to help Jim, whose lawyer believes that representations from the British Government could make a huge difference to his case, but I am afraid the Government give the impression that they are not particularly interested or worried. Ministerial engagement has been slow: it took 10 days for the Minister’s private office to inform me that a meeting with Jim’s family was not on the cards.

    Jim is days now away from a trial. We are told that the Government will not be making crucial representations to the Iraqi Government. I understand that the German Government are making representations on behalf of one of their nationals who has been detained with Jim; why will the Foreign Office not do the same?

    I hope that the Minister will be able to answer these key questions. Jim’s trial is fast approaching. Will the Minister meet me and Jim’s family before the trial, and before it is too late? Will he commit himself to making representations to his Iraqi counterpart, as the German authorities are doing? This matter has implications far beyond Jim’s case; it fits into a concerning pattern of the UK Government’s failing to do enough for its citizens abroad. Can the Minister clarify his view of the role of the Foreign Office in supporting British citizens who run foul of legal injustice and draconian laws abroad, as has happened in Jim’s case? Will he commit himself to a root-and-branch review of the way in which the Foreign Office responds to situations such as this?

    British citizens deserve the help of the British Government. Jim Fitton is potentially facing the death penalty. I urge Ministers to do everything they can to stop this nightmare before it turns into a tragedy.

    James Cleverly

    I completely reject the hon. Lady’s assertions about the role of the British Government in this case, and in other consular cases. Let me remind the House of the facts, with your indulgence, Mr Speaker: I do think it is worth going into this in detail.

    On 23 March, shortly after Mr Fitton’s arrest, consular officials visited him in detention. On 4 April, consular officials visited him again. On 10 April, the British ambassador to Iraq raised his case with the Iraqi authorities. On 25 April, consular officials visited Mr Fitton in detention again. On 1 May, the British embassy sent a note verbale to the Iraqi Government on Mr Fitton’s case. On the same date, and on 8 May, the British ambassador again raised the issue of Mr Fitton’s case with the Iraqi Government. Also on 8 May, consular officials visited Mr Fitton in detention. On 10 May, the British ambassador again raised Mr Fitton’s case with the Iraqi officials. On 11 May—just today, as I said—the family met our expert consular officials.

    We do these things not because cases are raised in the House, but because they are the right things to do. I am proud of the work done both by our officials in Iraq and by the consular team in the UK to support individuals who have been arrested and their families. We will of course continue to raise this case with the Iraqi officials, we will of course continue to liaise with Mr Fitton and his family, and we will continue to support British nationals in incarceration around the globe.

    James Gray (North Wiltshire) (Con)

    Mr Fitton is not my constituent, but a large number of his family and friends live in the village of Box, just outside Bath.

    I have two caveats. First, I entirely accept the Minister’s injunction that this is not a matter for the British Government and must come under the Iraqi judicial system; that is perfectly correct. Secondly, ancient relics are extremely important to the Iraqi Government, particularly post Saddam Hussein. I also, incidentally, reject much of what the hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) had to say about the consular service in general. In my experience it is outstandingly good, and it is quite wrong to attack it in general because of this particular case.

    That said, we have here an elderly—he is a little younger than me, but none the less elderly—scientist who inadvertently picked up a couple of shards in Iraq: a very minor offence in our terms, albeit an important one with regard to Iraq. He is facing a very long prison sentence or possibly a death sentence, so I want to hear from the Minister that he will absolutely commit himself to doing whatever we can through the consular service, particularly by providing English-speaking lawyers and English-speaking support of one kind or another to try to either get him off or at least mitigate the sentence that he will have to face.

    James Cleverly

    I thank my hon. Friend for his kind remarks about the professionalism of the Foreign Office’s consular team. They deal with incredibly difficult and sensitive issues regularly. I can assure him that we will continue to work tirelessly to bring this case to the attention of our opposite numbers in the Iraqi Government. As I have said, it would be wrong for us to attempt to distort their legal process but we will of course help Mr Fitton’s family to secure legal representation, including English-speaking legal representation, to give him the proper ability to defend himself in this instance.

    Mr Speaker

    We now come to the shadow Minister, Bambos Charalambous.

    Bambos Charalambous (Enfield, Southgate) (Lab)

    I would like to congratulate the hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) on securing this urgent question today and on her tireless advocacy on behalf of her constituent, Jim Fitton. My thoughts are with Mr Fitton and his family, and I would like to echo the concerns raised by colleagues across the House. In March, Mr Fitton, a British citizen and retired geologist, was arrested in Iraq on a charge that carries the death penalty. He remains detained. As we have heard, he was part of a tour group visiting Iraq on an organised geology and archaeology trip. During the tour, the group picked up some broken fragments of stone and pottery from the ground. The fragments were out in the open, unprotected, and without nearby signage warning against their removal. Members of the tour were told that they could take the fragments as a souvenir as they held no economic or historical value. Mr Fitton’s family have made it clear that, as a retired geologist, he would never in any way intend to disrespect or appropriate the rich and fascinating culture of the region; rather, he would celebrate it.

    However, Mr Fitton awaits a trial date for sentencing, which is expected imminently. The window for intervention from the Foreign Office is therefore narrowing. Urgent Government action is needed, and the lack of engagement from Ministers is creating frustration for everyone who wishes to see the situation resolved. The Foreign Office needs to do everything it can to protect British citizens who are wrongfully detained abroad. I hear what the Minister has said about the consular support that has already been provided, but I would like to ask him what efforts the FCDO is urgently taking on behalf of Mr Fitton not only to secure a high-level meeting with judicial officials in Iraq regarding legal representation in order to resolve the case, but to engage with Mr Fitton’s family. Does he share my concern that dragging his feet in cases such as these is resulting in public trust in the Government’s commitment to protecting British citizens wrongfully detained abroad being profoundly impacted? As each day passes, this case becomes more serious and I urge the Government to take the necessary steps to allow Jim to be reunited with his family before it is too late.

    James Cleverly

    The FCDO visited Mr Fitton in detention on 23 March. He was arrested on 21 March. The hon. Gentleman, who knows I have a huge amount of respect for him, is frankly talking nonsense when he talks about dragging our feet. We visited Mr Fitton in detention within days of his arrest, and we have visited him three times since then. As I have said, we have interacted with the ambassador to the Iraqi Government on more than weekly occasions on this issue. I completely reject the hon. Gentleman’s assertion about the British Government’s engagement on this issue. We are deeply engaged with this issue, and we will remain deeply engaged with this issue. As I have said, it would be completely inappropriate for us to seek to distort the Iraqi legal process, but we will continue to support Mr Fitton in his legal defence of the case against him, and we will continue to support his family through what we completely understand is a deeply distressing time.

    Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con)

    I congratulate the hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse), my near neighbour, on raising the case of her constituent. I accept that the Government cannot interfere directly in matters of this sort, but will the Minister understand that the mechanics of the criminal justice systems of other jurisdictions are not necessarily the same as we would expect in the United Kingdom? Will he contrast the approach to this problem by the UK Government with that of Germany, which appears to be far more involved at ministerial level?

    James Cleverly

    I previously held the brief for the middle east and north Africa, as did my right hon. Friend, and he will know that the UK enjoys a very close and strong relationship with the Iraqi Government at both ministerial and official levels. I completely understand his point about Iraq’s judicial system being dissimilar to our own, but we must respect the judicial systems operated by other countries. We completely understand the concern of Mr Fitton and his family, and we will continue to engage as intensively as we already have to ensure that he receives a fair trial and has good legal representation. We do these things not because of questions in the House but because we believe they are the right thing for the UK Government to do to support British nationals overseas.

    Mr Speaker

    I call the SNP spokesperson, Chris Law.

    Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)

    I welcome this urgent question from the hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) precisely because action is not happening on the ground, notwithstanding the Minister’s reassurances.

    This is an unimaginably anxious and distressing time for Jim Fitton and his family, and I would like to send a message of support to them all on behalf of the SNP. Sadly, we know the FCDO does not have the strongest track record on ensuring the safe and swift release of UK nationals from foreign detention. The FCDO must intervene now, using every diplomatic avenue, to prevent the Iraqi authorities from sentencing Mr Fitton to death.

    It is wholly disproportionate that Mr Fitton faces a potential death penalty for the removal of protected fragments of artefacts. His family have stated that FCDO Ministers are yet to lobby their Iraqi counterparts against issuing a death sentence. Is this true? If so, why is urgent action not being taken to safeguard a UK national? Finally, what is the FCDO doing to secure Mr Fitton’s urgent release?

    James Cleverly

    I will not simply refer the hon. Gentleman to my previous answers, but when I have listed the British embassy’s intensive engagement at the most senior levels with the Iraqi Government, including through a note verbale, it is a complete perversion of the situation for hon. Members to say that the UK Government have not engaged. We completely understand the concerns of both Mr Fitton and his family. We will continue to support him and them through this incredibly difficult time, and we will continue to engage with the Iraqi Government to ensure the right outcome for Mr Fitton, but we cannot, should not and would not seek to distort Iraq’s legal system, as we would not accept that happening to us.

    Neale Hanvey (Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath) (Alba)

    I pay tribute to and thank the hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) for her work on this case. I express my support and solidarity with Jim Fitton’s family.

    Nothing is more important than consular services to support those facing injustice abroad. Jim Fitton’s sister, Ruth, is my constituent, and she approached me over the May bank holiday to set out the situation that Jim and the family are currently experiencing. I wrote to the Foreign Secretary twice that afternoon, and I have yet to receive a response. I gently suggest to the Minister that his claims of urgency are certainly not reflected in the response, or lack thereof, I have experienced. I wrote to the Foreign Secretary to implore her to take action, and I have had no response, even though I made it very clear that we are in a perilous situation and that the trial date could be set for this week—I understand it will now be 15 May.

    I support all the questions that have been asked by hon. Members on both sides of the House. Surely advocacy for a British citizen is not interference in another country’s legal system. The family’s lawyers are responsible for the legal case, and all the family are asking the FCDO to do is to endorse that case. Will the FCDO please give us a single point of contact—somebody that we and the family can liaise with—so that we are kept up to date on what is happening?

    James Cleverly

    The family have a point of contact within the consular system. The hon. Gentleman says that he wrote to the Foreign Secretary in May. Prior to his correspondence, we had already visited Mr Fitton in detention three times, we had raised his case with the Iraqi authorities and we had issued a note verbale.

    Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)

    I thank the Minister for his response. What steps have been taken to assess the adequacy of the food, exercise and light to which Mr Fitton has access? What steps are the UK Government taking, if possible with the Iraqi Government, to secure his release back to the UK under some system where he can then have access to his family?

    James Cleverly

    The hon. Gentleman raises a valid point. As part of our regular visits to Mr Fitton, we ensure that his circumstances remain humane and appropriate. We give advice on the remand system, on what privileges he might expect, and on social and welfare services. We also, of course, seek to ensure that he gets proper English language representation. Those are the things we will continue to do to support him through a case that, as a number of right hon. and hon. Members have mentioned, has not yet gone to trial.

    Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)

    I thank the Minister for coming to the Chamber today to respond to this UQ. What constructive action can the Government take to put pressure on Iraq to secure Jim’s safe release or, at the very least, to have the abhorrent threat of the death penalty taken off the table immediately?

    James Cleverly

    As I say, in all our interactions with not just Iraq, but all countries that have the death penalty, we ensure that when we speak on this issue we highlight that we have an in-principle opposition to the death penalty. We will continue to make it clear to the Iraqis that we oppose the imposition of the death penalty, both in Mr Fitton’s case and more generally. On support to his legal team, ultimately it would not be appropriate for the UK Government to take on a “quasi” role as legal representatives, but we will of course ensure that Mr Fitton does have appropriate and professional legal representation, in a language that he can understand.

    Layla Moran (Oxford West and Abingdon) (LD)

    I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) on raising this matter. There is a difference between consular support and ministerial support. My question to the Minister is: what is the point in all these visits if then when there are opportunities to actually do something useful, it does not get done? For example, Jim’s lawyer sought to refer the case to the court of secession, as doing so would have, in effect, thrown the case out. At that moment, a supportive letter from the Minister would have made all the difference, yet it did not happen. Why?

    James Cleverly

    The hon. Lady is fundamentally wrong in her assertion. Our consular staff are the experts in this field. It is right that, whether it be the ambassadorial team in Baghdad or the consular team here in the UK, we apply the technical experts to problems such as this. That is exactly what we have done.

    Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr) (Ind)

    The Minister mentioned in an earlier answer that there was a direct line for the family to contact officials. Will he confirm that that is an open line for the family to contact whenever they seek reassurance, as opposed to a line of reporting back on the Government’s actions?

    James Cleverly

    As I have highlighted, our consular team are in regular contact with the family and had a meeting with them just today. I have no doubt that our team will continue to work with them. We recognise just how concerning this situation is and how fearful they will be because of these circumstances. Our consular team are experts in dealing with families in circumstances such as these, and I have no doubt that they will continue to liaise closely with Mr Fitton’s family.

    Dave Doogan (Angus) (SNP)

    Mr Fitton is clearly not my constituent, but his former colleague Mark Smith is, and Mr Smith is bereft at his plight. Will the Minister impress on the Iraqi authorities the fact that Mr Fitton is far from some profiteering treasure hunter but is instead a deeply respectful accredited academic who would never disrespect Iraq or its artefacts? Will the Minister confirm that the Government will use all channels to try to impress on the Iraqi authorities the need for the most expedient and increased leniency in this case?

    James Cleverly

    I assure the hon. Gentleman that the UK Government, at every level, always seek to take the actions that we believe will best benefit British nationals overseas. I assure him that the level of engagement I have outlined in my answers will set the pattern for our continued engagement. We will of course seek to ensure that the legal process is conducted absolutely properly and that we support Mr Fitton and his family through our consular services throughout this incredibly concerning process.

  • John O’Dowd – 2022 Comments on the Restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive

    John O’Dowd – 2022 Comments on the Restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive

    The comments made by John O’Dowd, the Sinn Fein MLA for Upper Bann, on 12 May 2022.

    Businesses and workers need clarity and certainty at this time, not more political stunts and game-playing by the DUP and the Tory government.

    The responsibility for finding solutions to the Protocol lies with Boris Johnson and the EU, that dialogue must continue, but we cannot allow society and businesses to be held to ransom.

    Sinn Féin is committed to forming an Executive immediately; to support workers and families with the cost-of-living crisis; to invest an extra £1bn in health and to support businesses in taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the protocol.

    The DUP’s refusal to form an Executive is punishing businesses and workers and getting in the way of progress.

    They should join the rest of us, to get help out the door, and form the Executive.

  • Caoimhe Archibald – 2022 Comments on Struggling Workers in Northern Ireland

    Caoimhe Archibald – 2022 Comments on Struggling Workers in Northern Ireland

    The comments made by Caoimhe Archibald, the Sinn Fein Economy spokesperson, on 11 May 2022.

    The DUP must immediately drop its boycott of the institutions and get back into the Executive so we are in a position to take decisions to support struggling workers and families.

    The National Institute of Economic and Social Research has stated that 43,000 households in the north face food and energy costs which are higher than their income.

    Sinn Féin has a plan to give every household in the north £230, that money can go straight into people’s pockets if we can form an Executive.

    Right now people across the north are worrying about how they will feed their families or heat their homes, addressing this must be the priority for an incoming Executive and attempts to delay or block the formation of an Executive are unforgivable.

    Sinn Féin and other parties were given a mandate to tackle the cost of living crisis and to put money into people’s pockets, this must be done without delay.

  • Boris Johnson – 2022 Comments on Cabinet Visit to Staffordshire

    Boris Johnson – 2022 Comments on Cabinet Visit to Staffordshire

    The comments made by Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, on 12 May 2022.

    I’m delighted to bring Cabinet to Stoke-on-Trent today – a city which is the beating heart of the ceramics industry and an example of the high skilled jobs that investment can bring to communities.

    This government is getting on with delivering the people’s priorities and tackling the issues that matter most to the public.

    This week we’ve set out how we’ll use new landmark legislation to grow our economy to address the cost of living, and level up opportunities for communities across the country.

  • Nadhim Zahawi – 2022 Comments on the New Schools Bill

    Nadhim Zahawi – 2022 Comments on the New Schools Bill

    The comments made by Nadhim Zahawi, the Secretary of State for Education, on 12 May 2022.

    My mission is clear; I want to make sure every single child across our country has access to an excellent education, supporting them to reach the full height of their potential.

    Between the strengthened safeguarding measures and greater accountability in our new Schools Bill, and our Schools White Paper ambitions to embed evidence, tutoring and excellent teacher training in the school system, I am confident we will achieve these ambitions for every child.

  • Gillian Keegan – 2022 Comments on Increased Mental Health Support for Children

    Gillian Keegan – 2022 Comments on Increased Mental Health Support for Children

    The comments made by Gillian Keegan, the Minister for Mental Health, on 12 May 2022.

    The last two years have been particularly challenging and although children are incredibly resilient, it’s crucial they can access mental health support as early as possible.

    We’re making great progress on better supporting young people’s mental health and this additional funding to train senior mental health leads will complement our work on the accelerated rollout of Mental Health Support Teams in schools and expansion of community services which is well underway.

    We have recently opened a call for evidence and I encourage people of all ages to share their views to inform a new 10-year mental health plan to keep the nation in positive mental wellbeing.

  • Alok Sharma – 2022 Speech at the Future of News Conference

    Alok Sharma – 2022 Speech at the Future of News Conference

    The speech made by Alok Sharma, the COP26 President, at the Future of News Conference in London on 11 May 2022.

    Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for having me here today.

    They say that only two things in life are certain, death and taxes.

    But to that list, I would add the tenacity and the rigour of the British press.

    Whether it is war, or corruption, or injustice, or hypocrisy, or indeed a desire for greater transparency, you are unrelenting, uncompromising, and fearless in your pursuit of the truth, and in your determination to hold those in power to account.

    I can tell you, from personal experience, being under the magnifying glass of the British press can be mildly uncomfortable.

    Anyone remember “Air Miles Alok”?

    Anyone from the Daily Mail here? Ok let’s move on.

    But however much it makes those under scrutiny squirm, I hope that you will never change.

    Over the past year, I have been in 35 countries to persuade governments to up their climate commitments.

    Because as you all know, better I think than anyone, you rarely land a story, or in my case a commitment, on the phone.

    It needs to be face-to-face.

    And on those visits I have been in very many newsrooms, I have been interviewed by your peers from Berlin to Brasilia, from Nairobi to New Delhi.

    But rarely does anything evoke greater trepidation in politicians than walking into Milbank or indeed taking a call from a Fleet Street journalist.

    And I have to say I think that is a credit to your industry, and the press freedom this country holds so dearly.

    The question I really want to address today is what a future shaped by a changing climate means for reporting, and holding to account, by the British press.

    Because that unfortunately is the future that we face.

    Now you will be aware of this, but I think it’s worth saying that scientific report after scientific report demonstrates that unless we get to grips with climate change, the effects will be catastrophic for people and nature.

    Last year, we had a seminal report by the UN climate science body, the IPCC, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, noted that average global temperatures have risen by 1.1 degrees above preindustrial levels.

    The report also concluded that human activity is unequivocally responsible for global warming.

    This report was agreed by 195 countries, and its findings were based on the distillation of 14,000 scientific papers.

    I can tell you from my own personal experience, getting almost 200 countries to agree on something this substantive is far from easy.

    Now, there will be those who will say that 1.1 degrees does not sound like very much, but we see the impacts around the world.

    Last year saw devastating floods across Europe and Asia.

    Wildfires raged in North America and Australia.

    And already this year India and Pakistan have been experiencing extreme heat waves, with some of the hottest months since records began.

    Floods have killed hundreds in South Africa.

    And the IPCC’s latest reports published this year, tell us that due to climate change, ecosystems are being irreversibly destroyed, people are being forced from their homes, human health is being damaged, and water and food insecurity have increased.

    I have seen this first hand.

    I’ve met mountain communities in Nepal that have been forced to flee from their homes because of a combination of floods and droughts caused by the changing climate.

    I’ve witnessed the effects of Hurricane Irma four years on in Barbuda.

    Buildings lying derelict, roofs still blown off, walls crumbling, and people forced from their island homes due to climate change.

    And talking to those affected is heartbreaking.

    Because you get to not just see but you get to hear the human cost of a changing climate.

    The reality is that climate change does not respect borders.

    It impacts us all.

    Here in the UK each of our top ten warmest years since 1884, have occurred since 2002.

    Climate change is not a stand alone issue to be mitigated.

    Unfortunately it exacerbates other existing risks.

    These are what respected think tanks, like Chatham House, call the “systemic cascading risks” of global warming; the knock-on-effects resulting from climate change, such as food and water insecurity, pests, diseases, the loss of lives, livelihoods and infrastructure.

    Indeed in one of its recent reports, Chatham House makes the case that such factors could, ultimately, displace people, disrupt markets, undermine political stability, and exacerbate conflict.

    And, frankly, where people’s ability to feed their families becomes precarious and extreme weather and disease wipe out livelihoods, people may be forced from their homes, and civil unrest may foment,

    events that can undermine fragile governments, and then ultimately reverberate around the globe.

    It is because climate is central to geopolitics, that the UK’s Integrated Review established tackling climate change and biodiversity loss as the UK’s top international priority.

    These impacts are happening today, and we know that in the future, they will become more severe.

    Because unfortunately further temperature rises are now inevitable.

    Even if we limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees celsius, the effects will be significant.

    Yet there is still everything to play for, because the higher temperatures rise, the more extreme the effects become.

    And every fraction of a degree makes a difference.

    At 1.5 degrees warming, 700million people will be exposed to extreme heat around the world.

    At 2 degrees it’s 2 billion people.

    At 1.5 degrees, 70 percent of all coral reefs around the world would be destroyed.

    At 2 degrees they are just about all gone.

    But to keep that 1.5 degree limit alive we are going to have to halve global emissions by 2030.

    And I think it’s worth saying that the cost of inaction is far, far greater than the cost of taking action now.

    The Office for Budget Responsibility projects that unchecked climate change could lead to UK public debt reaching a staggering 289 percent of GDP by the end of the century.

    But just as the science has become starker, the environmental and economic opportunities presented by tackling climate change have become clearer.

    When the UK took on the role of hosting COP26, less than 30 percent of the global economy was covered by a net zero target.

    By the time we got to COP26, with like minded partners around the world, we had persuaded 90 percent of the global economy to sign up to net zero.

    So I would say that where the UK has led, others have followed.

    Net zero is one of the clearest economic trends.

    It encompasses just about every country and every sector.

    As journalists, you are used to following the money.

    So there is a reason why more than 7000 international companies have signed up to rigorous net zero targets.

    There is a reason why, at COP26, financial institutions with over $130 trillion dollars of assets on their balance sheets were signed up to net zero.

    There is a reason why earlier this year Larry Fink, who as you know runs Black Rock, one of the biggest fund managers in the world, wrote to the CEOs of Black Rock’s investee companies, and he noted:

    that climate risk is investment risk, that there is a tectonic shift of capital underway, that sustainable investments have now reached $4trillion, and that every company and every industry will be transformed by the transition to a net zero world.

    Mr Fink went on to ask these investee companies whether they would lead this transition or whether they would be led.

    And the reason for all of this is because businesses around the world can see the economic dividend from the pursuit of net zero.

    It is clear to governments and businesses that the future of the global economy is clean.

    And we must embrace the opportunities that presents.

    But whether we do so fast enough or not, one thing is clear.

    Climate change will define the future.

    So it is rightly commanding increasing media attention.

    Years ago, climate was a side issue for journalists specialising in international development or the environment.

    Now it runs through many areas, from business, to culture, to sport, to economics, to fashion, and of course politics.

    Analysis by Carbon Brief, which focuses on climate, shows that the number of editorials in UK newspapers calling for more action to tackle climate change has quadrupled in three years.

    And yes, scepticism has diminished.

    That same analysis found that in 2011, right-leaning newspapers ran one editorial in favour of climate action for every five against.

    By 2021, those same newspapers were publishing nine positive editorials for every one against.

    Now, from my perspective, this focus is extremely welcome, but of course this year, climate is no longer in the spotlight.

    COP26 is over, although of course our presidency year continues until November.

    The headlines are understandably dominated by the other immense and immediate challenges facing the world.

    Vladimir Putin’s illegal and brutal invasion of Ukraine will define 2022.

    And that is rightly the focus of the media and the international community.

    And I understand that you’ve just had a discussion panel on Ukraine and reflected on the journalists who have very sadly lost their lives, and of course I pay tribute to all of them.

    And of course, governments must also address the global crisis in energy markets and increasing inflation and its attendant impacts.

    And again, the media is naturally focusing on this.

    And actually it is quite interesting that, the current crisis has also made clear to governments that homegrown renewables and clean energy,

    the price of which cannot be manipulated from afar, are the best option for domestic energy security.

    Climate security has become synonymous with energy security.

    And the chronic threat of climate change is unfortunately not going away.

    And so journalists are vital to ensure it continues to receive the column inches and the air time that it deserves, and that leaders are held to account.

    Because world leaders have committed to tackle climate change.

    Almost seven years ago, countries forged the Paris Agreement.

    And in this they committed to limit the average rise in global temperature to well below two degrees, pursuing efforts towards 1.5.

    Last year at COP26, nations agreed the historic Glasgow Climate Pact that showed how we will deliver this.

    And countries agreed to revisit and strengthen their 2030 emissions reduction targets this year, to align them with the Paris temperature goals.

    They agreed to phasedown coal power and phase out fossil fuel subsidies.

    And they agreed that the developed countries would provide more finance to support developing nations to deal with climate change.

    Alongside the Glasgow Climate Pact, companies and countries made commitments at COP26 to clean up critical sectors, to halt deforestation, and to work together to accelerate green technologies.

    In short, the world has agreed what it needs to do. Our task now is to deliver.

    And to achieve that, we need you to do what you do best, and hold governments and businesses to account.

    The British media has significant international clout.

    Editorials written here are read with keen interest in capitals around the globe.

    You help focus the eyes of the world on those in positions of responsibility,

    to scrutinise whether or not they deliver on their commitments.

    And if they do not, you have the tools to hold them to account.

    We also need you to help people understand the reality of climate impacts.

    And help them make informed choices.

    And of course, we need you to interrogate objectively the benefits of the move to clean economies.

    Ladies and gentleman, I believe that the chronic threat of climate change, and its expansive impact, will increasingly be the biggest story of the twenty-first century.

    I will go further.

    I would argue it will ultimately be the biggest story in many of our lifetimes.

    And we need you to tell it.

    And we need you to shape it.

    By continuing to do what you do best.

    Speak truth to power.

    Report on the reality of the world around us.

    These are the finest qualities of the British press.

    So whatever the future of news, they must endure.

    Thank you.

  • Priti Patel – 2022 Comments on the National Security Bill

    Priti Patel – 2022 Comments on the National Security Bill

    The comments made by Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, on 11 May 2022.

    The British public should be in no doubt of my determination to keep them and our country safe from those who would seek to do us harm.

    The threat of hostile activity from states targeting our democracy, economy and the values we hold dear is real and ever-evolving – which is why the modernising measures included in the National Security Bill are so essential.

    These tougher laws and more powerful tools for our world class police and intelligence agencies, will be critical to help those on the front line deal with the threats we are constantly facing.

  • Boris Johnson – 2022 Comments on Supporting Sweden and Finland

    Boris Johnson – 2022 Comments on Supporting Sweden and Finland

    The comments made by Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, on 11 May 2022.

    We are steadfast and unequivocal in our support to both Sweden and Finland and the signing of these security declarations is a symbol of the everlasting assurance between our nations.

    These are not a short term stop gap, but a long term commitment to bolster military ties and global stability, and fortify Europe’s defences for generations to come.

  • Steve Barclay – 2022 Speech at Cyber UK

    Steve Barclay – 2022 Speech at Cyber UK

    The speech made by Steve Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on 11 May 2022.

    Thank you, Lindy. Good morning colleagues.

    Across the Cabinet Office and No10 we see the range of threats that our country faces.

    Core to our defence is the work of you Lindy, and your colleagues at the National Cyber Security Centre. So firstly a huge thank you to you, but also to all those in the room who do so much to keep us safe.

    And it is these threats that I want to talk about this morning – particularly in the context of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.

    But also the huge opportunity that cyber in the UK currently presents, including setting out the whole of society approach that is integral to tackling those threats but also achieving the UK’s potential and indeed building on the comments of Sir Jeremy yesterday.

    Much progress to protect us from the risk of internet-based attacks has been made since the launch of the UK’s first National Cyber Strategy, with cyber experts thwarting 2.7 million online scams last year alone – more than four times that of 2020.

    The NCSC has said that it believes that Russia continues to pose a significant and enduring cyber threat to the UK.

    And yesterday, the UK – along with the EU, the US and other allies – said that Russia was responsible for a series of cyberattacks mounted since the invasion of Ukraine.

    Their impact has been felt across Europe, in disrupted access to online services and even in the operation of wind farms.

    And Russia has said it sees the UK’s support for Ukraine as ‘unprecedented hostile actions’ – and as Avril Haines said yesterday, Putin is preparing for a long conflict.

    So we must all, therefore, consider the likely long-term threat, so that we are as prepared as we possibly can be.

    And the greatest cyber threat to the UK – one now deemed severe enough to pose a national security threat – is from ransomware attacks.

    Should the UK face an attack on the scale previously inflicted on Ukraine’s critical national infrastructure sites, businesses and the public should not expect to receive advance warning.

    Preparedness is therefore essential.

    And our defences must be in place: ready for whatever comes in whatever way.

    This is why the work, Lindy, of the NCSC is so important.

    And I am sure many of you here today have had the benefit of their knowledge and free resources.

    But it is crucial that we spread the word wider.

    I was delighted to learn that the NCSC’s cyber advice for businesses was accessed over 100,000 times after Tony Danker, the director general of the CBI, and I wrote a piece for The Times.

    And that 3,000 schools have accessed the NCSC’s new cyber defence tools for schools in the first week after its release.

    But of course there is no room for complacency.

    Every member of the public has their part to play; every company in a supply chain can make sure they are not the weakest link.

    Because making sure we are ready, as Sir Jeremy said yesterday, is a whole of society effort.

    And that is one reason why the conference CyberUK is a calendar highlight – an opportunity to channel the expertise, enthusiasm and enterprise across government and business.

    But also a great opportunity to shine a light on the national success story that digital and cyber has become.

    Thanks to our work together, I am determined that the UK will be the world leader for innovation, gaining a digital education, and indeed having an open, safe and reliable internet.

    And this allows us to take full advantage of the broader social and economic opportunities of the digital age, which is at the core of our National Cyber Strategy.

    And make no mistake: the record £2.6 billion of Government funding is a statement of our intent.

    As the Prime Minister has said: ‘We want the UK to regain its status as a science superpower, and in doing so to level up.’

    Cyber is key to this mission.

    It is no accident that we are here today in the heart of Cyber Wales’s Ecosystem.

    Having previously met in Glasgow.

    And next year we will be off to Belfast.

    Evidence of the Union working to benefit the whole of the United Kingdom.

    I also note, as many in the room will be aware, that today is the 25th anniversary of the supercomputer Deep Blue beating the chess champion Garry Kasparov – in a man versus machine contest that indeed astonished the world.

    Now back then, Deep Blue was a project costing $100million. The computer weighed 1.4 tons with two, six-foot five-inch black towers.

    Compare that today, to the mobile phones in our pockets matching it for processing power.

    Such is the speed of progress, digital technology has already grown to touch every aspect of our lives.

    Democratising threats, but also playing an important part in our future growth, with the potential for huge economic gains.

    Look at what the cyber security sector alone contributed to the UK economy last year: generating £10.1 billion in revenue and it attracted more than a billion pounds in investment.

    Thanks to 6,000 new jobs being created, over 52,000 people are now employed in cyber security and – I think importantly – more than half of them are outside London and the South East.

    So as well as Wales, cyber security clusters are flourishing in Scotland, Northern Ireland, in the North West and in the East Midlands.

    But we want to see more start-ups – like the new collaboration between NCSC and the five tech companies to develop low-cost ways to tackle ransomware attacks which is testimony to the UK being the best place for innovation outside Silicon Valley.

    As the country builds back from the pandemic, the cyber skills revolution will help fuel growth, equip people to build and switch into new careers.

    And to stay working where they grew up, spreading opportunity all around the UK.

    Through our CyberFirst bursary programme, more than 100 students receive £4,000 and eight weeks paid training or development work with government and industry; leading to a full-time role when they graduate.

    And now those working in cyber– including indeed people here today – will have the chance to become chartered professionals, as the UK Cyber Security Council has been granted its Royal Charter in recognition of the invaluable work it is doing to raise standards and ensure good career pathways.

    Of course, investment in business and skills is immensely important to the economy and jobs. But it is also essential to help us preserve the UK’s core values of democracy and free speech – as we are doing through our Online Harms Bill.

    From my conversations with heads of schools, business leaders and chief executives, the message of the need to keep people safe online is indeed landing and it’s spreading; with key sectors stepping up to do their bit.

    In schools, we now have more than 1,500 teachers signed up to deliver our Cyber Explorers programme, seeding their enthusiasm in younger students for maintaining a safe and resilient cyber space: and I’m indeed looking forward to meeting pupils from St Joseph’s School here in Newport to hear their experiences of the CyberFirst Girls Competition.

    We also have the National Cyber Force combining the hard and soft power from our military and intelligence services to counter the threats that we face.

    And Government has been working with partners across the sector on legislation in order to help keep us safe online.

    We’re protecting consumers by enforcing minimum standards in connected products, through the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill – so the ‘Internet of Things’ doesn’t become the ‘Internet of Threats’.

    Telecoms operators that fail to meet security standards will face heavier Ofcom fines under the Telecommunications Security Act.

    And just yesterday the Data Reform Bill, in the Queen’s Speech will ensure that personal data is protected to a higher standard, and enable stronger action against organisations for a breach.

    Together this legislation will play a significant role, but we also alongside it require a global approach.

    In these uncertain times, international allies are essential: in intelligence-sharing, shaping the governance of cyberspace, and deterring irresponsible behaviour and ensuring cyberspace remains free, open, peaceful and secure.

    The road to free and resilient cyberspace runs through our friends in Warsaw and Bucharest all the way to Kyiv.

    And the UK was among the first states to set out how the rules-based international order extends to cyberspace – and it’s something my colleague Suella Braverman, the Attorney General, will be saying more about at Chatham House next week.

    Last year, when I launched the National Cyber Strategy, we said that Ransomware had become the most significant cyber threat facing the UK. It is therefore imperative that we continue to prepare for the future, and learn from past attacks – at home and indeed abroad.

    We must not drop our guard, underestimate the threat or take our eye off the ball when it comes to our cyber defences across society.

    In the run-up to the Ukraine invasion, Russia unleashed deliberate and malicious attacks against Ukraine.

    The Ukrainian financial sector was targeted by distributed denial of service attacks that took websites offline.

    With the UK government declaring the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate, the GRU, as being involved.

    Since then, evolving intelligence about Moscow exploring options for cyberattacks prompted last month’s joint advisory from the UK and our Five Eyes allies – that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could expose organisations within and beyond the region to increased malicious cyber activity.

    Some UK citizens have already felt the impact of cyberattacks.

    And some authorities estimate that in 2020, ransomware attacks may have cost the UK economy a minimum of £615 million.

    Over the past year, the National Crime Agency has received on average one report from victims of a Russia-based group responsible for ransomware attacks in the week. One report a week. Indeed, some authorities have estimated that over the last year global ransomware payments are up 144%, and the average demand is $2.2 million.

    But the number of incidents – and indeed their economic cost to the UK – is likely to be much higher. Law enforcement teams believe that most attacks go unreported: perhaps through embarrassment or a reluctance to admit that money has indeed changed hands.

    So, I would encourage any organisation that suffers an attack to come forward, report it to Action Fraud who run our 24/7 cyber reporting line.

    By doing so, you will help us to strengthen our individual and collective resilience as we learn from each other.

    In one attack in the UK, the National Crime Agency alerted a public sector organisation to an ongoing breach of its systems. Within hours, the NCA had identified the compromised services and located the exfiltrated data, which it later managed to take down; so that no personal information got out.

    What we learned is that our controls quickly spotted the incident and our reaction was swift.

    And we were then able to share useful evidence with industries so they can learn and prepare for similar attacks.

    The government is stress-testing its own defences, too.

    The more complete our security picture, the better we would handle any attack.

    And in the context of our most capable adversaries becoming more sophisticated, I can announce that we have agreed support for the next decade of UK cryptographic capabilities – nothing less than the entire ecosystem that keeps government safe – recognising the vital national importance of our sensitive sovereign Crypt-Key technology.

    Now, computer professionals tell me there is only one sure-fire way to know a computer is never hacked. Never connect it to the internet.

    But – let’s be realistic. That’s not an option.

    Which is why we have to work together.

    Through the NCSC’s world-leading tools and advice.

    Through acting with international allies.

    Through legislation.

    Through protecting our own government systems.

    But most importantly through harnessing our collective strengths and acting as one, building, as Sir Jeremy set out yesterday, a whole of society response.

    This is at the heart of the National Cyber Strategy, treating the cyber domain as no longer being a niche concern simply for the IT team – but as a wide-ranging grand initiative.

    Being a responsible, durable, effective cyber power cannot be achieved by government alone.

    So we want to work with industry, universities, schools and individual citizens getting involved.

    Working together. As a whole society.

    Thank you very much.