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  • PRESS RELEASE : Joint Statement following the meeting of the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Joint Statement following the meeting of the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 7 May 2026.

    The UK Government and European Commission gave a statement after the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework meeting.

    The Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework met in Brussels today, co-chaired by officials from the European Commission and the UK Government.

    The co-chairs took stock of the implementation of the Windsor Framework since the last meeting on 3 December 2025. They reaffirmed the importance of continued work to deliver the full, timely, and faithful implementation of the Windsor Framework.

    They welcomed the further progress made in the Windsor Framework’s implementation across various areas and noted the remaining work to be undertaken to deliver in full the safeguards underpinning the flexibilities for the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

    In the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) area, they noted the satisfactory functioning of the SPS inspection facilities and individual labelling requirements, as well as the positive direction in the provision of information in the general SPS certificates. Progress should however continue on the remaining pending issues, including full compliance of certificates, box-level labelling, and ensuring that flexibilities are applied for compliant goods only. They also took note of the robust ongoing preparatory work for the interplay between the Windsor Framework SPS provisions and the future EU-UK SPS Agreement, which is undertaken to fulfil the commitment from the Common Understanding(1) from the EU-UK Summit of 19 May 2025.

    The co-chairs also took stock of the ongoing work in the area of customs. They welcomed the finalisation of the work to grant Union representatives access to all relevant UK IT systems. They noted the ongoing discussions at technical level on customs duties of business to consumer parcels. They stressed that further work to ensure that the Windsor Framework arrangements in the customs and trade area are implemented properly should also continue.

    They welcomed the technical flexibilities in the functioning of the Duty Reimbursement Scheme for the benefit of Northern Ireland operators whilst maintaining the necessary protection of the Union Single Market.

    The co-chairs took stock of the work of the Joint Consultative Working Group and its structured sub-groups, noting its good functioning and the usefulness of the exchange of information.

    They reiterated the importance of the joint engagement with Northern Ireland stakeholders, which should continue, thus supporting the advancement of the Windsor Framework implementation.

    The co-chairs also noted the conclusion of their work relating to the exchange of views on the implications of the Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Resilience Acts for the proper functioning of the Windsor Framework, in line with Article 13(4) of the Windsor Framework, following on from the delegation of that responsibility by the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee. They would report to the Joint Committee co-chairs on their work with a view to advancing the process foreseen under Article 13(4) of the Framework at the next Joint Committee meeting.

  • PRESS RELEASE : World Press Freedom Day 2026 – Joint statement to the OSCE [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : World Press Freedom Day 2026 – Joint statement to the OSCE [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 May 2026.

    Ambassador Vesa Häkkinen of Finland delivered a statement on World Press Freedom Day on behalf of the UK and 33 other countries, stressing that a free, independent media is essential to peace and security across the OSCE region and beyond.

    I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following participating States, members of the Informal Group of Friends on the Safety of Journalists: Austria, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and my own country Finland. The following participating States have also aligned with this statement: Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czechia, Croatia, Cyprus, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine.

    To mark World Press Freedom Day, we recognise the vital yet increasingly perilous role that journalists and media actors play in conflict situations, and the important link between a free media and both global and national security. The theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day is “Shaping a Future at Peace”. At a time when international peace seems more elusive than it has for a long time, a free, independent, pluralistic media can make an important contribution to both achieving and sustaining peace.

    During conflicts, independent media coverage helps provide accurate and timely information that is critical for the communities affected. Factual, timely reporting can save lives and livelihoods. Public interest journalism can strengthen information integrity and act as a defence against disinformation and propaganda, both of which could increase as the security situation worsens. A free media can be an early warning mechanism in identifying and reporting possible war crimes. It can also play a part in encouraging dialogue during conflicts and fostering mutual understanding, and raising the voices of those often marginalised in mediation and peace processes.

    According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 129 journalists and media workers were killed in 2025, making it the deadliest year since CPJ began collecting such data more than 30 years ago. Reporters covering conflicts are afforded protection under international humanitarian law, and recognised by UN Security Council Resolution 2222 (2015), yet in reality, where once a jacket emblazoned with the word “PRESS” offered protection, it is now often seen as a target.

    This is clearly demonstrated by the Russian Federation’s illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine: a significant number of journalists have been killed or subjected to arbitrary detention, torture and enforced disappearance by Russia while exercising their profession. Media infrastructure and media workers have become direct targets of Russian attacks. We call on the Russian Federation to immediately and unconditionally release all media actors imprisoned because of their professional activities, including in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

    In Russia itself and in Belarus media actors have been harassed, attacked and imprisoned for their professional activities on politically motivated charges, on the basis of so called “anti-extremism” and “anti-terrorism” laws, the audience itself is often criminalized for searching for independent information.

    Journalists not only have to deal with increased physical danger; they also face growing online abuse – particularly women – while media organisations have to contend with increasing state censorship, greater financial pressures, a significant rise in disinformation that undermines public trust, and the challenges brought by new technology, including AI.

    In fact, global media freedom is under the most sustained attack in decades – at a time when it is also increasingly important to our mutual security and prosperity.

    We remain deeply concerned by the erosion of media freedom in other parts of the OSCE region, which take a variety of forms, well described and illustrated in the recent RFOM report. We will continue to support RFOM in exercising his vital and unique mandate, and denounce all efforts to reduce the freedom of the media and curb freedom of expression.

    So, amid the high level of conflict in the world today, we call upon states to support a free, independent media as a contribution to “Shaping a Future at Peace”. We also appeal to states to protect those reporting on conflict, and work towards ending impunity for crimes against journalists in the OSCE and worldwide.

  • Keir Starmer – 2026 Comments on Local Election Results

    Keir Starmer – 2026 Comments on Local Election Results

    The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 8 May 2026.

    The results are tough, they are very tough, and there’s no sugarcoating it.

    We have lost brilliant Labour representatives across the country, these are people who put so much into their communities, so much into our party.

    And that hurts, and it should hurt, and I take responsibility.

    When voters send a message like this we must reflect and we must respond.

    I think the vast majority of people do understand that we face huge challenges as a country.

    We’ve had a series of economic shocks in recent years and there’s a very difficult international situation at present, they know that.

    But they still want their lives to improve, they still want to see the change that we promised, they know the status quo is letting them down and they’re frustrated, they don’t feel the changes.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Costa Rica to join UK as member of £13 trillion global trade bloc [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Costa Rica to join UK as member of £13 trillion global trade bloc [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 7 May 2026.

    Costa Rica to join UK as member of £13 trillion in GDP global trade bloc.

    • New access for UK exporters to markets including beef, cheese and animal feed 
    • Greater freedom for UK services professionals to operate within market 
    • Further new joiners expected as bloc strengthens global network

    Costa Rica has been granted accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). 

    The Central American nation will now formally join the UK as a member of the trading bloc, which has a combined GDP of £13 trillion, according to 2025 data. 

    Once ratified, Costa Rica’s accession will benefit UK businesses from day one. Exporters will  able to take advantage of duty-free access (within a quota) for goods like cheese (including cheddar), confectionery and animal feed. Exports of pork and biscuits will become duty-free within five years, beef within eight and cheese within 12.  

    We have opened these sectors while protecting our farmers, by not increasing access to sensitive agricultural sectors including beef, pork and chicken. We have also not offered any greater market access to Costa Rica than to other CPTPP members.  

    UK companies will also have legally guaranteed access to bid for Costa Rican public procurement, allowing them to bid for government contracts under CPTPP rules.   

    Costa Rica’s accession to CPTPP strengthens the existing services and investment relationship between the UK and Costa Rica, giving UK businesses greater certainty, clear rules, and improved access to a market where services and investment already underpin the majority of bilateral trade.  

    The services and investment liberalisation that Costa Rica has agreed to as part of their accession to CPTPP shows the value of the bloc in promoting high-value, open, and predictable services and investment trade flows between CPTPP members.  

    Through accession to CPTPP, Costa Rica has agreed to liberalise its professional services regime across 19 regulated professions including in legal, accounting, and engineering services. This liberalisation goes far beyond any of Costa Rica’s previous trade agreements and provides a more open and accessible market for UK professionals. 

    The UK will also benefit from Costa Rica’s most ambitious Temporary Entry offer to date, including a new CPTPP-specific temporary entry route offering previously unavailable categories of Business Persons such as Contractual Service Suppliers, Independent Professionals and Specialised Technicians, with priority sectors secured for UK providers.  

    Costa Rica’s accession will represent the first time they have taken international obligations on State-Owned Enterprises helping to protect British businesses from market distortions. 

    For Financial Services, Costa Rica’s accession to CPTPP provides UK firms with legal certainty on their ability to provide portfolio management and e-payment card services to Costa Rican clients on a cross-border basis.   

    CPTPP is open for growth: we are negotiating with Uruguay and planning to start discussions with Indonesia, the Philippines and the UAE this year, if possible. The fact that the CPTPP is growing and has several other countries who want to join shows that there is a strong appetite around the world for free and fair trade based on a shared set of rules. 

  • PRESS RELEASE : Confronting Holocaust Denial and Distortion – UK statement to the OSCE [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Confronting Holocaust Denial and Distortion – UK statement to the OSCE [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 May 2026.

    The UK warns that Holocaust denial and distortion are fuelling antisemitism and insecurity across the OSCE region. It urges participating States to move from discussion to action and safeguard historical truth from political manipulation and emerging digital threats.

    Thank you, Mr Chair.

    Allow me also to thank the United States for raising this important issue.

    Holocaust denial and distortion are not merely disputes about the past. They are present-day threats that corrode truth, undermine social cohesion, and fuel antisemitism.

    Denial seeks to erase the reality of the Holocaust. Distortion can be more insidious: it minimises, trivialises, or manipulates the facts – often masquerading as “debate” or “enquiry”. Both deny dignity to victims and survivors; both create space for hatred to spread.

    Across the OSCE region, we are witnessing a deeply troubling resurgence of antisemitism. Jewish communities fear for their safety. Hate is traveling faster than ever – online, on our streets, and through narratives that distort or deny the Holocaust.

    The OSCE has a vital role to play. Our shared commitments on tolerance and non‑discrimination remain a foundation for action. ODIHR’s work – supporting participating States, engaging civil society, and strengthening practical responses – continues to be essential to turning commitments into impact.

    We thank the Swiss Chairpersonship for convening participating States in St Gallen in February to highlight these challenges and discuss trends and solutions. The conference underlined a simple truth: while physical security measures remain necessary, they alone cannot provide lasting safety. Lasting resilience requires addressing the roots of antisemitism and strengthening the social fabric in which Jewish life is valued and protected.

    We must also be clear-eyed about the dangers of manipulating the past for political ends. When historically loaded language is deployed loosely, when the horrors of Nazism are trivialised through indiscriminate labelling, or when the language of genocide is repurposed in ways that dilute the Holocaust’s historical meaning, the result is the same: truth is weakened, and respect for victims is diminished.

    During the UK’s Presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance we prioritised safeguarding remembrance and tackling Holocaust distortion, including risks from artificial intelligence and digital manipulation. We worked with partners, including at the OSCE, to deepen cooperation and build expertise, notably at the Bucharest Conference on Holocaust Distortion and Education.

    Mr Chair, I want to conclude by returning to why this discussion matters. Last week in London, an antisemitic attack targeted members of the Jewish community simply for being Jewish. It was appalling. Attacks on Jewish people for being Jewish are attacks on us all – on our values, our security on our shared decency. They leave Jews fearful of being themselves and questioning whether they belong.

    This is the human cost of hatred left unchallenged. Holocaust denial and distortion are not abstract distortions of history; they are part of the same ecosystem of antisemitism that leads to fear, violence and insecurity today.

    The United Kingdom will not tolerate antisemitism, no matter how it manifests. We recognise the scale of the challenge – and we will meet it.

    That means implementing the commitments we have made, supporting ODIHR’s practical work, confronting denial and distortion wherever they arise, and protecting Jewish communities across the OSCE region. The United Kingdom stands ready to work with all participating States to deliver that.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : 52nd Universal Periodic Review of human rights – UK statement on Denmark [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : 52nd Universal Periodic Review of human rights – UK statement on Denmark [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 May 2026.

    UK Statement at Denmark’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

    The United Kingdom commends Denmark’s long‑standing commitment to the protection of human rights, including its strong record on media freedom and civic participation.

    We recognise the implementation of consent‑based rape legislation and the adoption of national action plans to combat trafficking in human beings, and racism.

    We recommend:

    1. Ensuring effective implementation of the National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, strengthening victim identification, the non‑punishment of victims, and prosecution of traffickers.
    2. Strengthening implementation of the National Action Plan to Combat Racism, including improved recording and prosecution of hate crimes and protection of all ethnic and religious minorities.
    3. Safeguarding freedom of expression and privacy in the use of digital technologies.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : 52nd Universal Periodic Review of human rights – UK statement on Belgium [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : 52nd Universal Periodic Review of human rights – UK statement on Belgium [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 May 2026.

    Statement by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders, at Belgium’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

    Thank you Mr Vice President,

    The UK welcomes Belgium’s efforts to strengthen its national human rights architecture, including the establishment of the Federal Institute for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights.

    We recommend: 

    1.      Strengthening the independence and mandate of the Federal Institute for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights and setting out clear timelines to ensure compliance with the Paris Principles across all levels of government. 
     

    2.      Establishing an effective National Prevention Mechanism, in line with the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, with unrestricted access to all places of deprivation of liberty. 
     

    3.      Continuing to ensure that conditions in prisons and in detention comply with international human rights standards, including through access to appropriate healthcare and mental health support, and effective safeguards against inhuman or degrading treatment. 

    Thank you.

  • NEWS STORY : UK Says Russia Has Launched Assault on Europe’s Post-War Security Order

    NEWS STORY : UK Says Russia Has Launched Assault on Europe’s Post-War Security Order

    STORY

    The UK has accused Russia of launching a direct assault on Europe’s post-war security order, warning that Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine has undermined the principles designed to prevent another major conflict on the continent.

    Ankur Narayan, the UK’s Charge d’Affaires and Politico-Military Counsellor at the OSCE, made the comments in Vienna on 7 May 2026, ahead of VE Day commemorations. He said remembrance of the Second World War was not “an exercise in nostalgia”, but a test of whether Europe had learned the lessons of the conflict.

    The UK said the European security framework built after 1945 was based on sovereignty, territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for human rights. Narayan said Russia’s war against Ukraine had violated those principles and represented the deadliest conflict in Europe for generations.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s assault on Europe’s post-war security order – UK statement to the OSCE [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s assault on Europe’s post-war security order – UK statement to the OSCE [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 May 2026.

    The UK condemns Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which is a direct attack on the security architecture built after the Second World War. Russia has eroded trust, violated OSCE commitments, and undermined the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and peaceful dispute resolution.

    Thank you, Mr Chair.

    Tomorrow, as we mark VE Day, we remember the end of a war that devastated a continent and claimed millions of lives. But remembrance is not an exercise in nostalgia. It is a test of whether we have learned the lessons of that catastrophe.

    Eighty‑one years ago, Europe resolved that security could not rest on force alone. From the ruins of war emerged a framework grounded on clear commitments: sovereignty, territorial integrity, the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for human rights. These commitments were designed to prevent conflict and reduce the risk of miscalculation. When respected, they have served Europe for generations.

    The OSCE stands squarely within this post‑war inheritance. It exists to uphold fundamental commitments that we made.

    Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is the deadliest conflict on our continent in generations, bringing death and destruction on a scale not witnessed since the Second World War. It represents a direct assault on the principles-based order.

    It was Russia that chose force over dialogue; Russia that attempted to redraw borders by violence; and Russia that hollowed out trust within this Organisation. A trust that was built over decades.

    It is therefore disingenuous to argue that the breakdown in dialogue is caused by excessive criticism, institutional bias, or other member States’ unwillingness to listen. Nor is frankness the same as “non‑dialogue.” The real issue is not pointing out aggression, but the aggression itself. To use this platform for dialogue, it requires engagement in good faith and respect for the commitments that we have all signed up to.

    Mr Chair, Ukraine has repeatedly shown itself as the party of peace. It has consistently expressed readiness for a full and unconditional ceasefire that leads to a just and lasting peace, grounded in international law. The UK fully supports President Zelenskyy’s latest call for a ceasefire starting at midnight on 5 May and we urge Russia to end its barbaric attacks and agree to this as the start of a full and lasting ceasefire. In contrast to Ukraine’s serious efforts towards peace, Russia launched another massive air attack and killed at least 17 civilians on Tuesday night.

    We unequivocally condemn Russia’s irresponsible threats to strike at the heart of Kyiv and its warnings for diplomatic missions to leave the city. Such threats further demonstrate Russia’s disregard for civilian life and for basic norms that underpin international security. Russia must demonstrate its commitment to peace by agreeing to a ceasefire as a first step towards a full and lasting cessation of hostilities.

    Mr Chair, on this year’s VE Day, we should be clear‑eyed. The path back to meaningful dialogue remains open. But to be effective, it requires honesty about the cause and effect, and a willingness to reverse actions that shattered peace in the first place.

    The ball remains in Russia’s court. Until it chooses a different path, this Organisation and its participating States must continue to speak plainly in defence of the principles that we forged from the ashes of war – and which remain essential to our collective security today.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Sir Richard Broadbent reappointed as Chair of the HMCTS Board [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Sir Richard Broadbent reappointed as Chair of the HMCTS Board [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 7 May 2026.

    The Lord Chancellor and Deputy Prime Minister, Lady Chief Justice and Senior President of Tribunals have reappointed Sir Richard Broadbent as Chair of the Board of HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) for 1 year until 30 April 2027.

    The HMCTS Board is responsible for overseeing the leadership and direction of HMCTS and plays a vital role in making sure the organisation effectively delivers the aims and objectives set by the Lord Chancellor, the Lady Chief Justice and the Senior President of Tribunals.

    Biography

    Sir Richard Broadbent was appointed Chair of the HMCTS Board on 1 May 2023.

    He spent fifteen years working at senior levels in business, serving as Chairman of Arriva plc, Tesco plc, Deputy Chairman of Barclays plc and, in the public sector, as Chairman of HM Customs and Excise.

    Prior to this, he spent fifteen years working in the City as a corporate adviser and subsequently a Managing Director at Schroders plc. He began his career in the Treasury and subsequently attended Stanford Business School as a Harkness Fellow.

    He has also worked in academia, the third sector and manages a small business in farming.