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PRESS RELEASE : New appointments to Board of the Office for Environmental Protection [July 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 17 July 2025.

Two appointments and two re-appointments to the OEP Board.

Professor Elizabeth Fisher and Caroline May have been appointed as Non-Executive Directors of the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), and Professor Dan Laffoley and Dr Paul Leinster CBE have been reappointed for second terms.

Elizabeth Fisher’s and Caroline May’s new roles will run from 1 July 2025 until 30 June 2029. Dan Laffoley’s and Paul Leinster’s second terms will run from 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2026.

The appointments have been made in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.

The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) was created in November 2021 under the Environment Act. It is an independent statutory body with a remit to protect and improve the environment by holding government and other public authorities to account in England and Northern Ireland.

Biographies

Professor Elizabeth Fisher
- Professor Elizabeth Fisher is Professor of Environmental Law at the Faculty of Law and a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford.
- She has over three decades of experience as an environmental law academic and writes widely on environmental law and administrative law in national common law jurisdictions.
- She was General Editor of the Journal of Environmental Law from 2012 to 2022 and from 2022 to 2025 she held a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship for a project exploring legal imagination and environmental law.
- She is a Delegate of Oxford University Press and has served as Vice Dean of the Oxford Law Faculty. She is also an Overseas Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and has been a Member of the OEP’s Advisory Group on Environmental Principles since 2023.
Caroline May
- Caroline May has been a specialist environmental lawyer for over 35 years. She is currently head of the environment, ESG and safety practice for Europe, Middle East and Asia at global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, where she has been a partner since 2006.
- She is Chair of the Law Society Climate Change Committee which produced the world’s first professional services guidance on climate change.
- She is Honorary President of the Legal Sustainability Alliance and a former Director of leading sustainability NGO, the Aldersgate Group. She sat on the National Council of the United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA) for 6 years.
- She is a Freeman of the City of London and is listed in the Ends Power List 2024, as a Green Ambassador for the UK by Legal 500, and in the Guide to the World’s Leading Environmental Lawyers.
Professor Dan Laffoley
- Professor Dan Laffoley is a scientist, communicator, explorer and marine biologist, with over four decades of experience in the UK, Europe and around the world. He is a UK and international expert on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and conservation.
- He is Emeritus Marine Vice Chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Commission on Protected Areas responsible for global targets and guidance on ocean protection.
- Prior to that he led the development and scale-up of the marine conservation work of Natural England and English Nature. He has been responsible for the creation of many global, European and UK public and private sector partnerships, alliances and frameworks that underpin modern-day marine conservation.
- This work includes creating the concept behind Blue Carbon, scaling up knowledge and action on ocean warming, acidification and deoxygenation, scaling-up work on marine World Heritage and conservation of the High Seas, and various global guidance on implementing MPAs and marine spatial planning.
Dr Paul Leinster CBE
- Dr Paul Leinster CBE has over 40 years of practical experience in environmental management, science, policy and regulatory development and implementation in the private and public sectors.
- He is Chair of Water Resources East, the Cambridge Water Scarcity Group, the Bedfordshire Local Nature Partnership, the Great Ouse Rivers Trust, and the Upper and Bedford Ouse Catchment Partnership and is a Board Member of Delphic HSE.
- He is a visiting professor at Cranfield University where from October 2015 to December 2020 he was Professor of Environmental Assessment and was a Member of the Government’s Natural Capital Committee.
- Immediately prior to this, he was Chief Executive of the Environment Agency for more than seven years. Prior to joining the EA in 1998 he worked for more than 20 years in the private sector.
July 17, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : ODIHR’s latest report adds to the mountain of evidence detailing serious concerns with Russia’s actions in Ukraine – UK statement to the OSCE [July 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 July 2025.

Ambassador Holland condemns Russia’s appalling actions in Ukraine – including civilians deaths, CRSV and widespread use of torture – as detailed in ODIHR’s seventh interim report on reported violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in Ukraine.

Thank you, Mr Chair. Today I would like to address the issue of civilian casualties from Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Firstly, every death in this conflict is a tragedy. These are people, not statistics, and for each life lost, many more are destroyed as a result. We cannot allow the normalisation of such death and destruction here or anywhere else.

Secondly, we must remember that Russia chose to start this war. There was no threat to Russia or Russians or Russian speakers in Ukraine. What Russia feared was Ukraine escaping Moscow’s orbit. It feared a prosperous, successful and sovereign Ukraine on its doorstep. The responsibility for the increased risk to Russians, Ukrainians and our collective security sits squarely with Moscow.

But just as President Putin chose to start this war, he could choose to end it. President Trump has called for the senseless killing to stop and proposed an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Ukraine agreed to it. Russia rejected it. Despite Moscow’s attempts to obfuscate, these are the facts.

Thirdly, Mr Chair, when it comes to civilian casualties, let us remember that Ukraine permits access to independent organisations who provide impartial reporting and verification of developments on the ground. Many of these, including the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, have requested equal access to Russia. But these requests have been denied. We strongly urge Russia to allow access by independent international bodies who can offer impartial analysis of incidents in the Russian Federation, which would be of benefit to all OSCE participating States.

A timely example of factual reporting from an independent organisation, this week ODIHR published their seventh interim report on reported violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in Ukraine. The report covers some of the deeply concerning issues that we have raised in this room. For example, ODIHR reported that in the six months to 31 May 2025, the number of verified civilian casualties in Government-controlled areas of Ukraine was over 50% higher than in the corresponding period in 2024.

ODIHR’s report also covered the 4 April attack on Kryvyi Rih, which involved a Russian ballistic missile hitting a playground and killing 20 civilians, including nine children. Colleagues will remember that we held a Special Permanent Council on this shocking incident. ODIHR states: “Following analysis of photographs and videos, as well as eye-witness statements and other publicly available evidence, ODIHR has reasonable grounds to believe that, contrary to the Russian Federation’s claims, there were no military objectives in the area immediately prior to or at the time of the strike.”

There is much more of concern in ODIHR’s report, including testimony that conflict-related sexual violence is intensifying and increasingly cruel. And the reconfirmation of ODIHR’s previous findings on the widespread and systematic use of torture by the Russian authorities against detained Ukrainian civilians and POWs. We are appalled by these findings and urge the full implementation of the recommendations within the report.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

July 17, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : 16 year olds to be given right to vote through election reforms [July 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 17 July 2025.

Sixteen year olds will be given the right to vote in all UK elections as part of seismic changes to modernise UK democracy.
- Modernisation of UK democracy will see 16 and 17 year olds able to vote in next general election
- Voter ID to be extended to include bank cards to help more people exercise their democratic right
- Tougher new rules to guard against foreign political interference and abuse of campaigners
Sixteen year olds will be given the right to vote in all UK elections as part of seismic changes to modernise UK democracy, delivering a key manifesto commitment and helping to restore trust in politics through our Plan for Change.

This will mean young people, who already contribute to society by working, paying taxes and serving in the military, will be given the right to vote on the issues that affect them. This will bring UK-wide elections in line with Scotland and Wales and is a major step towards meeting a manifesto commitment, ushering in the biggest change to UK democracy in a generation.

The plans, published today [17 July] in a new strategy paper, will boost democratic engagement in a changing world, and help to restore trust in UK democracy.

As part of the plans, the government is going further to make sure eligible voters are not deterred from voting, by expanding voter ID to permit the use of UK-issued bank cards as an accepted form of ID at the polling station. This is alongside harnessing more digital options to support voters and polling station staff, including allowing accepted IDs such as the Veteran Card and UK driving licence to be used at polling stations when they become available in digital format.

A new digital Voter Authority Certificate will also be created to ensure Electoral Registration Officers can meet the digital needs of voters, reduce printing costs and ensure faster delivery.

An increasingly automated voter registration system will also make it easier for people to register to vote and reduce the need to fill out their details across different government services on multiple occasions.

Major new changes will boost transparency and accountability in politics by closing loopholes that would allow foreign donors via ‘shell companies’ to influence UK political parties. Meanwhile, new requirements on unincorporated associations will mandate checks on donations over £500 to tackle foreign interference and protect UK democracy from those who attempt to undermine it.

Alongside this, the reforms will allow the Electoral Commission to take action and enforce heavier fines of up to £500,000 on those who breach political finance rules, and enable tougher sentences for those who abuse election campaigners – stabilising the foundations of UK democracy.

Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said:

“For too long public trust in our democracy has been damaged and faith in our institutions has been allowed to decline.

“We are taking action to break down barriers to participation that will ensure more people have the opportunity to engage in UK democracy, supporting our Plan for Change, and delivering on our manifesto commitment to give sixteen year olds the right to vote.

“We cannot take our democracy for granted, and by protecting our elections from abuse and boosting participation we will strengthen the foundations of our society for the future.”

Minister for Democracy, Rushanara Ali, said:

“We are modernising our democracy, so that it is fit for the 21st century. By delivering our manifesto commitment to extend the vote to 16 and 17 year olds, we are taking a generational step forward in restoring public trust and boosting engagement in UK democracy, supporting our Plan for Change.

“By reinforcing safeguards against foreign interference, we will strengthen our democratic institutions and protect them for future generations.”

Alongside expanding the right to vote, we are going further to restore and maintain public trust by ensuring elections are as accessible as possible for legitimate voters.

That’s why the government is making common sense changes to move towards an automated electoral registration system, stripping complexities and barriers for voters to make their lives easier. Learning from countries such as Australia and Canada, which have high rates of legitimate voter registration via automated systems, the government will bring the UK’s democracy into the 21st century.

At the same time, far too many people are being deterred from voting because of voter ID rules, with the Electoral Commission finding that 4% of non-voters at the 2024 General Election saying that a lack of voter ID was a key reason they didn’t vote, equating to around three quarters of a million people across Great Britain.

Boosting participation is crucial to restoring faith in democracy, and adding the Veteran ID card last year to the accepted forms of Voter ID was just the start of this. Through the new plans, the government is going further to allow UK-issued bank cards to be used as ID when voting, making it far easier for more voters to meet the requirements.

This change will allow us to continue to protect the integrity of the UK electoral system, while allowing greater accessibility. Bank cards, which are issued after the applicant has passed necessary security checks for a bank account, will add a widely and commonly carried item to the range of documents already accepted. Research on the ownership of bank cards shows that over 96% of the UK population has a bank account, with the majority expected to also have a bank card.

These measures will strike the right balance by continuing to protect voters from the risk of impersonation, while also removing barriers to ensure legitimate voters are not prevented or discouraged from exercising their right to vote.

Another key aspect of the reforms is ensuring UK democracy is protected and all voters, candidates, campaigners and electoral staff are safe from intimidation, harassment and abuse.

This behaviour is on the rise, particularly against women and ethnic minorities – with recent Electoral Commission research showing 55% of candidates at the 2024 General Election experienced abuse. The reforms will crack down on these unacceptable practices, delivering tougher sentences for those who intimidate campaigners and stronger protections for candidates in public life by removing the requirement for their home address to be published and openly available.

This supports ongoing work including through the Defending Democracy Taskforce, which was given a new mandate by the Prime Minister to coordinate and drive forward government’s response to the full range of threats to UK democracy.

That includes working across government with the police, parliamentary authorities, and the Electoral Commission to actively review our levers to tackle the harassment and intimidation of elected representatives, candidates, and electoral staff.

In relation to political finance, the changes being brought by the government will effectively meet an evolving and sophisticated threat of illicit money being funnelled from abroad to political parties. Tough new rules will ensure that in the future, ‘shell companies’ will not be permitted to make political donations to UK political parties.

This will end the status quo, where a new company registered today, owned by anyone, funded from anywhere, without even a single day of trade, can donate and have influence in UK politics.

The introduction of ‘Know your Donor’ checks will increase scrutiny of donations, requiring recipients to conduct enhanced checks to decrease the risk of illegitimate donations entering our system, guarding against foreign interference. This will close loopholes, reinforce our democracy and protect our citizens from those who seek to undermine and harm our society.
July 17, 2025
NEWS STORY : UK to Give 16 and 17 Year Olds the Vote in Historic Electoral Shake-Up

STORY

The British government has confirmed that 16 and 17 year olds will gain the right to vote in all UK elections, bringing England and Northern Ireland into line with Scotland and Wales. The reform, expected to be in place before the next general election, will add around 1.5 million potential voters to the electoral roll. Ministers say the change recognises that many teenagers already work, pay taxes and even serve in the armed forces, and deserve a say in how the country is run.

Supporters argue it will boost democratic engagement and create lifelong voting habits, with evidence from Scotland suggesting turnout among 16 and 17 year olds can exceed that of older first-time voters. The government also plans automatic voter registration, expanded forms of voter ID, stricter rules on political donations and new protections for candidates from intimidation.

Opponents claim the move is politically motivated and warn that teenagers may lack the maturity and experience needed to make informed choices. Polling of the age group shows mixed feelings, with many unsure if they even want the vote. The measure will be introduced in a new Elections Bill and is expected to pass comfortably, marking the biggest change to voting rights since the franchise was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1969.

July 17, 2025
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 4 June 1925

4 JUNE 1925

The Prince of Wales’s visit to Durban was marked by scenes of great enthusiasm. The town was en fête, and there were several functions in the Prince’s honour in the course of the day.

The Prime Minister, receiving the freedom of Dundee, made an appeal to the citizens to work for a fairer city in the years to come, which would be an example to the world and a happy home and heritage for her children and children’s children. The splendid site on which Dundee stood, said Mr Baldwin, should stimulate them to see that the newer city was worthy of that site for all the people.

Contracts amounting to nearly £3,500,000 have been placed in Great Britain for the new cruisers and submarines for the Royal Australian Navy.

A spread of the anti-foreign riots at Shanghai is reported, and further encounters between patrols and rioters have resulted in a number of deaths. British sailors have been landed, and a number of foreign residents rescued from positions of danger.

Inquiries regarding the new Industrial Alliance proposed by the Miners’ Federation show that none of the Unions is prepared to bind itself to an alliance without further consultation and consideration.

By 147 to 37, the Canadian House of Commons rejected a Protectionist motion by Mr Meighen designed to define the tariff issue on which the Conservatives of the Dominion will base their main appeal at the next General Election.

July 17, 2025
NEWS STORY : Diane Abbott’s Comments on Racism Create Stir as Labour Promotes Inclusivity

STORY

Diane Abbott, the Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has once again courted controversy, declaring today that she is not sorry for an article where she was accused of racism and for which she had previously apologised and withdrawn. Her comments come at a delicate time for the Labour Party, which under its new leadership is striving to project an image of inclusivity and a firm stance against all forms of hatred.

Abbott denied allegations of race hatred, saying in an interview with the BBC:

“Well of course, and I do get a bit weary of people trying to pin the antisemitic label on me because I’ve spent a lifetime fighting racism of all kinds and in particular fighting antisemitism, partly because of the nature of my constituency.”

A spokesperson for the Labour Party said in a statement:

“There is no place for antisemitism in the Labour Party. We take these comments incredibly seriously, and will assess them in line with Labour Party’s rules and procedures.”

July 17, 2025
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 3 June 1925

3 JUNE 1925

The King’s Birthday Honours list contains no new peerage, but Baron Bearsted becomes a Viscount. Eight baronetcies are conferred.

The report of the Committee appointed to inquire into the difficulties in carrying out the provisions of the Rent Restrictions Acts in some districts in Scotland was issued.

The Allies’ Note on disarmament will be presented to the German Government tomorrow. Its publication at the end of the week, followed within a few days by the report of the experts on Germany’s treaty default, is expected. France has completed the draft of a Note to Germany on the proposed guarantee pact. She has accepted the British view.

Amundsen’s colleagues on the Farm at Wellman’s Bay, Spitsbergen, have given up hope of seeing him return by aeroplane, and patrolling of the ice-edge will begin tomorrow. The view is held that the machines were probably damaged on landing at the Pole, and that the airmen have set out for Cape Columbia on foot.

The Duke of York welcomed 700 American and Canadian medical men, who are visiting this country and the Continent under the auspices of the Inter-State Post-Graduate Assembly of America.

Further disturbances have occurred at Shanghai, where the position is serious, and a Note from the Chinese Government protesting against the action of the police in suppressing the riots by force has only served to encourage the agitators, who are being openly incited by Bolshevist agents.

All nine accused charged at Cairo with the murder of the late Sirdar, Sir Lee Stack, have been found guilty.

A police raid was made on a Communist Conference of women at St Mungo Hall, Glasgow. Each delegate was questioned, but no arrests were made.

July 17, 2025
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 2 June 1925

2 JUNE 1925

The Premier, speaking at Welbeck Abbey, said the Government were in complete agreement with the principal recommendations of the Food Commission, and they proposed to set up a Food Council charged with the duty of watching prices and supplies. Parliament would be asked for compulsory powers if experience showed this to be necessary.

The French Prime Minister, speaking at Strasbourg, declared that the two questions which dominated all others were those of stability and security. The Government would spare no effort to secure them.

Two foreign delegates, despite the ban placed upon them by the Home Office, made a dramatic appearance at the Communist Congress in Glasgow.

It is stated that the Communists arrested in Cairo on Sunday were receiving orders and money from a prominent English Bolshevist.

There was another collision between Chinese strikers and the police at Shanghai. The crowd, numbering several thousands, attacked the small force of police, who were compelled to fire. There were several casualties.

At the Conference of the British Legion a resolution favouring compulsory employment of disabled ex-Service men was carried.

Trade conditions generally were discussed at a meeting of Leith Chamber of Commerce.

A conference convened by the Miners’ Federation for the purpose of forming an alliance with the railwaymen and transport workers will be held in London on Thursday.

July 17, 2025

PRESS RELEASE : Great British Energy to cut energy bills for community facilities [July 2025]

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 17 July 2025.

Great British Energy to cut energy bills for local community libraries, fire stations, care homes and community centres.

Libraries, fire stations and care homes in local communities will benefit from cheaper energy bills through Great British Energy community funding as part of Plan for Change
Mayoral authorities to receive a share of £10 million for publicly-owned clean energy projects
Complements Great British Energy’s drive to cut bills for around 200 schools and 200 hospitals, which is already seeing savings

Libraries, fire stations and care homes in local communities will benefit from cheaper energy bills as Great British Energy delivers on the government’s clean energy superpower mission to make working people and their communities better off.

Great British Energy, the government’s publicly-owned clean energy company, has awarded mayoral authorities a share of £10 million in grant funding to roll out clean energy projects at the centre of communities – including rooftop solar on Merseyside care homes and on leisure centres and libraries in Yorkshire.

These grants will mean that the community services and institutions that working people use will be able to save on their electricity bills and spend more money on the frontline services that strengthen local communities and boost local economic growth.

It is estimated that these schemes could produce a total of around £35 million of lifetime savings on energy bills, while improving energy security and creating good jobs.

As well as solar panels on public buildings, the grants will pay to install batteries for community buildings in areas including Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, so they can store renewable energy and use it later. The grants will also fund EV chargers in Greater Manchester, to make it easier for drivers to benefit from cheaper to power electric vehicles.

Great British Energy is already cutting energy bills for public services, with solar panels already installed on 11 schools as part of plans to roll out the panels on around 200 schools and 200 hospitals in England.

The government’s clean energy superpower mission will protect billpayers, create jobs and bring greater energy security through delivering clean power by 2030. Great British Energy will accelerate this by developing, investing and building clean energy projects across the UK.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

Your local sports hall, library and community centre could have their energy bills cut by Great British Energy, the government’s publicly-owned clean energy company.

Our plans will mean more money can be spent on the services that make working people better off and help strengthen the ties that bind us in our communities.

This is what Great British Energy is all about – taking back control to deliver lower bills for good.

Great British Energy CEO Dan McGrail said:

Today’s support for new clean power projects in every region in England shows our mission in action – providing a lasting positive impact for the country by creating new jobs, lower bills, and a cleaner future.

It’s important that communities feel the benefits of the energy transition and that we demonstrate the very real rewards it can bring.

Earlier this year, all Mayoral Strategic Authorities were invited to submit expressions of interest for funding renewable energy projects that can be delivered in the 2025/2026 financial year.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will use the money to support a rooftop solar project to support care homes and leisure centres, cutting around £4.6 million on lifetime energy bills, while Greater Manchester will also roll out rooftop solar on libraries, fire stations, police stations and sports centres, leading to estimated savings of over £2.1million on lifetime bills. Projects in York and North Yorkshire are estimated to bring around £4 million in lifetime bill savings, they include solar panels to help power an Edwardian swimming pool in York and leisure centres in Whitby, Ripon and Thirsk.

It follows the government’s announcement in March to award £180 million of funding for schools and hospitals to install rooftop solar, marking the first major project for Great British Energy – a company owned by the British people, for the British people. This could see millions invested back into frontline services, targeting deprived areas, with lifetime bill savings for schools and the NHS sites of up to £400 million over the next 30 years.

Notes to editors

Successful Mayoral schemes:

The figures below were estimated by DESNZ in collaboration with MSAs, based on a combination of project-level data and DESNZ standard assumptions. It should be noted these are initial estimates that will be refined as projects become operational and actual data is collected.

MSA	Technology	Project Type	Grant Funding Requested (£)	Total expected project cost (£)	Estimated Net Yearly Average Energy Bill Savings (£ undiscounted, 2025 prices)	Estimated Net Lifetime Energy Bill Savings (£ undiscounted, 2025 prices)
Greater Lincolnshire	Solar	Leisure centres and fire stations	£607,845	£627,845	TBC	TBC
South Yorkshire	Solar	Schools, outdoor covered market and library	£572,025	£615,397	£51,938	£1,558,131
Greater London Authority	Solar	Schools	£607,838	£674,220	£30,376	£911,280
Hull and East Yorkshire	Solar	Service buildings and car parks	£700,000	£1,842,879	£89,822	£2,694,647
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough	Solar	Police headquarters, car park and border canopies	£700,000	£774,226	£51,630	£1,548,886
Greater Manchester	Solar, Battery and EV	Libraries, fire stations, police stations and sports centres	£695,900	£1,301,800	£71,846	£2,155,384
North-East	Solar	Schools	£700,000	£749,946	£46,060	£1,381,806
York and North Yorkshire	Solar	Leisure centres, libraries, schools, transport sites	£700,000	£1,219,948	£134,898	£4,046,936
West Yorkshire	Solar and Battery	Police stations, Arrium plant nursery, primary school, sports centres and Lotherton Hall Estate	£700,000	£1,154,838	£275,669	£8,270,082
Tees Valley Combined Authority	Solar	Solar on roof of depot and public buildings	£444,738	£444,738	£34,664	£1,039,911
Liverpool City Region	Solar	Leisure centres and care homes	£700,000	£760,319	£152,402	£4,572,054
East Midlands	Solar	Former colliery	£700,000	£1,900,000	£113,340	£3,400,200
West Midlands	Solar	Schools	£700,000	£820,000	£58,474	£1,754,207
West of England	Solar	Schools	£700,000	£1,657,522	£54,123	£1,623,697
Total			£9,228,346	£14,543,678

July 17, 2025

PRESS RELEASE : UK-Germany landmark agreement to help smash smuggling gangs and boost defence exports [July 2025]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 16 July 2025.

Brits and Germans alike will benefit from a closer partnership on the issues that matter most to them, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to host Chancellor Friedrich Merz for a comprehensive visit to London.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer will welcome Chancellor Merz to London today for his first official visit to the UK as Chancellor
- The leaders will sign a new Treaty to strengthen their partnership and deliver benefits for UK and German citizens
- PM set to welcome German commitment to criminalise facilitating illegal migration to the UK this year, as leaders agree to boost joint defence exports
Brits and Germans alike will benefit from a closer partnership on the issues that matter most to them, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to host Chancellor Friedrich Merz for a comprehensive visit to London today (Thursday 17 July) to revamp the UK-Germany friendship and sign a first of its kind Bilateral Friendship and Cooperation Treaty.

Alongside the Treaty, Germany is expected to make a landmark commitment to make it illegal in Germany to facilitate illegal migration to the UK with the law change to be adopted by the end of the year.

The change will give law enforcement the tools they need to investigate and take action against warehouses and storage facilities used by migrant smugglers to conceal dangerous small boats intended for illegal crossings to the UK. This will bolster efforts to prosecute those involved in smuggling and support the dismantling of the criminal networks driving unacceptable and unlawful journeys through Europe.

This significant and long-awaited step is further evidence that the Prime Minister’s approach to working more closely with our European partners is bearing fruit, and demonstrates progress on delivering the Joint Action Plan on Irregular Migration agreed with Germany last year. Through increased cooperation between UK and German law enforcement bodies we are expanding efforts to tackle people smuggling and bring criminal networks to justice. In the last 18 months the NCA has worked with partners across Europe to seize more than 600 boats and engines, with this change expected to drive that number up further.

It will also complement bolstered UK efforts to smash the criminal gangs responsible for dangerous, illegal journeys to the UK via small boats, through the game-changing pilot returns agreement reached with France last week, and the continued work upstream of the Border Security Command to disrupt and deter criminal smuggling networks.

The new Treaty will detail closer collaboration on issues ranging from migration and security to business, commercial and infrastructure links. This joint commitment to pursue a range of ambitious projects demonstrates how closer partnerships with our trusted allies will help deliver the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

“The progress we are making today is further proof that by investing in our relationships with likeminded friends and partners, we can deliver real change for working people.

“The Treaty we will sign today, the first of its kind, will bring the UK and Germany closer than ever. It not only marks the progress we have already made and the history we share. It is the foundation on which we go further to tackle shared problems and invest in shared strengths.

“Chancellor Merz’s commitment to make necessary changes to German law to disrupt the supply lines of the dangerous vessels which carry illegal migrants across the Channel is hugely welcome. As the closest of allies, we will continue to work closely together to deliver on the priorities that Brits and Germans share.”

Deepening our security and defence cooperation is also high on the agenda, with the leaders set to discuss their strong shared support for Ukraine.

Building on the landmark Trinity House Agreement on Defence signed in October, the leaders will unveil a new agreement to boost world-class UK defence exports such as Boxer armoured vehicles and Typhoon jets, with the two countries set to pursue joint export campaigns for jointly produced equipment. The agreement is likely to lead to billions of pounds additional defence exports in the coming years – excellent news for the UK economy and thousands of highly skilled defence industrial workers.

The leaders are also set to make a new commitment to deliver their new Deep Precision Strike capability in the next decade. The rapid development of this capability will safeguard the British public and reinforce NATO deterrence, while boosting the UK and European defence sectors through significant industrial investment. The new capability is set to have a range of over 2,000 km, and will be among the most advanced systems ever designed by the UK.

The Treaty also includes the establishment of a new UK-Germany Business Forum in order to improve business and investment relationship between the UK and Germany, with trade between the two countries already accounting for 8.5% of all UK trade and supporting almost 500,000 jobs. This is further illustrated by a series of commercial investment announced today worth more than £200 million and creating more than 600 new jobs.

One such example is German defence tech company, STARK, which has announced a landmark investment in the UK, marking its first production expansion outside of Germany. The move will create over 100 highly skilled jobs in the UK within the first year, including through STARK’s new 40,000 square feet facility in Swindon.

Mike Armstrong, Managing Director of STARK UK, said:

“The UK and Germany are world-leaders in new technology that will define the battlefields of the future. We need rapid and scalable production to protect our people, defend our sovereignty and deter aggression. That means resilient supply chains stretching across Europe.

“That is why STARK has chosen the UK as our first production location outside of Germany – taking advantage of the vast technological, industrial and defence expertise that exists here to create AI-powered, unmanned systems to defend Europe and NATO.”

Other announcements from German companies in the UK today include:
- Conversational AI firm Cognigy plans to invest £50 million in the UK, expanding its team from 13 to 150.
- AI ESG platform osapiens plans to invest £30 million in the UK, creating 150 high-skilled jobs.
- Siemens Energy is creating 200 new jobs as well as 100 new apprentices and graduates starting this autumn.
- Venture Capital fund, HV Capital, has the ambition to deploy around £150 million in the UK as part of their next fund generation.
July 17, 2025

Blog

Biographies

Professor Elizabeth Fisher

Caroline May

Professor Dan Laffoley

Dr Paul Leinster CBE

Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said:

Minister for Democracy, Rushanara Ali, said:

Notes to editors