Blog

Shabana Mahmood – 2025 Statement on the Independent Sentencing Review

The statement made by Shabana Mahmood, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, in the House of Commons on 22 May 2025.

With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement on sentencing in England and Wales. As the House will be aware, the independent sentencing review was published today. It was chaired by David Gauke and his panel comprised experts, including a former Lord Chief Justice, and representatives from the police, prisons, probation and victims’ rights organisations. The Government are grateful for the review’s recommendations, and I will ensure that a copy is deposited in the Libraries of both Houses. Today, I will set out our in-principle response.

First, however, it is essential that we set the review in its proper context. A year ago today, the Conservative party called an election. They did so because they were confronted by the prospect of prisons about to collapse. Rather than confront their failure, they chose to hide it and hoodwink the public into re-electing them. It did not work, but their legacy lives on.

Our prisons are, once again, running out of space and it is vital that the implications are understood. If our prisons collapse, courts are forced to suspend trials, the police must halt their arrests, crime goes unpunished, criminals run amok and chaos reigns. We face the breakdown of law and order in this country. It is shameful that, in this day and age, we are confronted by this crisis once more. The reasons are clear. The last Government added just 500 places to our prison estate, while at the same time, sentence lengths rose. As a result, the prison population is now rising by 3,000 each year and we are heading back towards zero capacity. It now falls to this Government to end this cycle of crisis. That starts by building prisons.

Since taking office, we have opened 2,400 places. Last week, I announced an additional £4.7 billion for prison building, putting us on track to hit 14,000 places by 2031, in the largest expansion since the Victorian era. That investment is necessary, but not sufficient. We cannot build our way out of this crisis. Despite building as quickly as we can, demand for places will outstrip supply by 9,500 in early 2028, and that is why I commissioned the sentencing review. Its task was clear: this country must never run out of prison places again. There must always be space for dangerous offenders.

At the same time, the review was tasked with addressing the fact that our prisons too often create better criminals, not better citizens. Instead of cutting crime, they are breeding grounds for it. The reviewers have followed the evidence and example of countries across the world. Today I present an initial response, with further detail to follow once legislation is placed before the House.

Let me start with the report’s central recommendation: the move to a three-part sentence called the earned progression model, which the Government accept in principle. Under the model, an offender will not necessarily leave prison at an automatic point. Instead, their release date will be determined by their behaviour. If they follow prison rules, they will earn earlier release; if they do not, they will be locked up for longer. That echoes the model I witnessed in Texas earlier this year, which cut crime and brought their prison population under control.

Under the new model, offenders serving standard determinate sentences with an automatic release of 40% or 50% will now earn their release. The earliest possible release will be one third, with additional days added for bad behaviour. The review suggests a new maximum of 50%, but for those who behave excessively badly, I will not place an upper limit. For those currently serving standard determinate sentences with an automatic release point of 67%, their earliest possible release will be 50%. Again, for those who behave excessively badly, I will not place an upper limit.

David Gauke also suggests that those serving extended determinate sentences should also earn an earlier release. This we will not accept. Judges give extended sentences to those they consider dangerous, with no Parole Board hearing until two thirds of time served, and I will not change that. I can also confirm that no sentences being served for terror offences will be eligible for earlier release from prison.

In the second part of the progression model, offenders will enter a period of intensive supervision. That will see more offenders tagged and close management from probation. The Government will therefore significantly increase funding: by the final year of the spending review period, an annual £1.6 billion will rise by up to £700 million, allowing us to tag and monitor tens of thousands more offenders. If offenders do not comply with the conditions of their release, the sentencing review has suggested that recall to prison should be capped at 56 days. We have agreed to this policy in principle, though the precise details will be placed before the House when we legislate. In the final stage of the three-part sentence, offenders could still be recalled if a new offence is committed, and I will also ensure that the most serious offenders continue to be subject to strict conditions.

The review also recommends a reduction in short prison sentences. A compelling case for doing so has been proposed in this House many times. In the most recent data, nearly 60% of those receiving a 12-month sentence reoffended within a year. With reoffending rates for community punishment consistently lower, we must ask ourselves whether alternative forms of punishment would make the public safer. It is important, however, to note that the review recommends a reduction in short sentences, not abolition. It is right that judges retain the discretion to hand them down in exceptional circumstances. In considering exceptional circumstances, we will continue to ensure that courts have access to thorough risk assessments for domestic abuse and stalking cases, and breaches of protective orders linked to violence against women and girls will be excluded.

The review also recommends an extension of suspended sentences from two to three years. In this period, the prospect of prison time hangs over an offender should they break any conditions imposed upon them, and we accept that recommendation.

The recommendations set out above will see more community punishment. For that reason, it is essential that it works. The review recommends a series of measures to make community punishment tougher and force offenders to pay back to those they have harmed. We will consider new financial penalties, which could see offenders’ assets seized, even if they are not knowingly linked to crime, and expanded use of punishments such as travel and driving bans that would curtail offenders’ liberty.

We accept a recommendation to expand intensive supervision courts. Those impose tough conditions, including treatment requirements, that tackle the root causes of prolific offending. Offenders are brought before a judge regularly to monitor compliance, and the prospect of prison hangs over them like the sword of Damocles.

However, I believe community punishment must be tougher still. Unpaid work must pay back, so I will shortly bring together business leaders to explore a model whereby offenders work for them, and the salary is paid not to the offender but towards the good of victims. I will also work with local authorities to determine how unpaid work teams could give back to their communities, whether by filling potholes or cleaning up rubbish.

I invited David Gauke to consider cohorts of offenders who this Government believe require particular focus. I welcome his recommendations on female offenders. Approximately two thirds of female offenders receive short sentences. Around the same number are victims of domestic abusers. I am pleased to say that the review’s recommendation on short, deferred and suspended sentences will reduce the number of women in prison.

I asked David Gauke to consider how we tackle foreign national offenders. Today, our deportation rate is ahead of the last Government’s. I welcome the recommendations to make it quicker and easier to deport foreign criminals. Under the existing scheme, they are sent back to their country of origin after serving 50% of the custodial sentence. We will bring that down to 30%. We will also conduct further work with the Home Office on how we can deport foreign prisoners serving less than three years as soon as possible after their sentencing.

I also asked the review to consider how we manage sex offenders. The review has recommended we continue a pilot of so-called medication to manage problematic sexual arousal. I will go further, with a national roll-out beginning in two regions, covering 20 prisons. I am exploring whether mandating the approach is possible. Of course, it is vital that this approach is taken alongside psychological interventions that target other causes of offending, such as asserting power and control.

When discussing sentencing, it is too easy to focus on how we punish offenders when we should talk more about victims. Everything I am announcing today is in pursuit of a justice system that serves victims. If our prisons collapse, it is victims who pay the price. By cutting reoffending, we will have fewer victims in future, but there is more we must do to support victims today. The review recommends a number of important measures, including better identifying domestic abusers at sentencing, so that we can monitor and manage them more effectively. I pay tribute to those who have campaigned on this, particularly the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Josh Babarinde). I also welcome the recommendation to expand the use of specialist domestic abuse courts, where trained staff support victims. To improve transparency in the system, we will extend a pilot of free sentencing transcripts for victims of rape and serious sexual offences.

I want to go further than the review recommends to better support victims. Exclusion zones are an important tool, preventing offenders from entering areas their victims might be in, but these place greater limits on victims than on offenders. I want to change that, locking offenders down to specific locations so that victims know they are safe wherever else they want to go.

This review sets out major reform. I know its recommendations will not be welcomed by all. By appointing David Gauke, a former Conservative Lord Chancellor, I hoped to show that two politicians from different traditions can agree on the reforms our justice system requires. I do not expect Conservative Members to join me to solve this crisis. In fact, I can hear their soundbites already. “Just build faster,” they will say. Well, we are building faster than they did: we have already added 2,400 places, and we are now investing £4.7 billion more. “Just deport more foreign criminals,” they will say. Well, we are ahead of where they were, and today we have accepted major reform to go further and faster. “Clear the courts backlog,” they will say despite having created it themselves. Well, we are investing more in our courts than they ever did, and we are ready to embrace once-in-a-generation reform to deliver swifter justice for victims.

While we are doing more on each of these areas than they ever did, these are not solutions that rise to the scale of the crisis that they left behind. We must build prisons on an historic scale, deport foreign national offenders faster than ever, and speed up our courts; and yet still, despite all that, we must reform sentencing too. So, more in hope than expectation, and despite, not because of, experience, by appealing to the better angels of their nature—if they have any—I end by inviting those opposite to help us fix the crisis that they left behind. I commend this statement to the House.

May 23, 2025
Catherine McKinnell – 2025 Statement on Teacher’s Pay

The statement made by Catherine McKinnell, the Minister for School Standards, in the House of Commons on 22 May 2025.

May I start by thanking our teachers, school leaders and school staff for all they are doing right now to ensure a successful exam season for students, and indeed for all their hard work throughout the year?

Rather than scaremongering with fantasy statistics, the Government are getting on and delivering. We are already seeing positive signs that our plan for change is working. Teacher recruitment is up, with 2,000 more people in training than last year. Teacher retention is up, with thousands more teachers forecast to stay in the profession over the next three years. This Labour Government are getting on and delivering. Unlike the Opposition, who last year sat on the STRB report, hid from their responsibility and left it to Labour to sort out, this afternoon we will announce the teachers’ pay award, which will be the earliest announcement for a decade.

We understand the importance of giving schools certainty, giving them time to plan their budgets, and ensuring that they can recruit and retain the expert teachers our children need. The Secretary of State’s written ministerial statement will be coming out this afternoon—[Interruption.] It will show once again that this Labour Government—

Mr Speaker

Order. I have granted the urgent question, so please will Members on the Opposition Front Bench wait for the Minister to finish her answer. I do not want you, Ms Trott and Mr O’Brien, to be a bad example of this school class.

Catherine McKinnell

The written ministerial statement is laid before the House and will be coming out this afternoon, showing once again that this Labour Government are getting on and delivering on our plan for change.

Mr Speaker

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

Laura Trott

Mr Speaker, this is absolutely outrageous. It is astonishing that we have had to summon the Government to the House today, but the Minister cannot even tell us what pay rise teachers will get and whether it is going to be funded. That does not allow us to scrutinise the matter in this House.

The Government said that they would tax private schools to fund 6,500 more teachers, but the reality is that state schools have not got any of that money. Instead, we have had broken promises on compensating schools for the jobs tax, confirmation from the Department for Education itself that there will be a shortfall in teacher pay funding, which we are not allowed to discuss here today in this urgent question, and uncertainty as to what the actual pay rise for teachers will be. That is a disgrace, and it is the opposite of what people who voted for Labour expected.

All that is in the final two weeks when headteachers up and down the country have to decide whether to make teachers redundant in time for September—in fact, sadly, many schools will already have made the difficult decision to let good teachers go. These are job losses on the Minister’s watch, due to her inability to provide schools with the clarity that they need. Do not just take my word for it. Dan Moynihan, from the Harris Federation, says that it proposes to make 40 to 45 teachers redundant. Jon Coles, the chief executive of United Learning, which runs 90 state sector academies, said that the trust has been left with £10.5 million a year of unfunded costs. He said:

“It’s no good Treasury waving their hands and saying ‘efficiency’—that would be 400 job losses. Sector wide, that would extrapolate to ruinous harm in the one well-functioning public service: tens of thousands of redundancies.”

Simon Pink, the finance director at the Elliot Foundation, which has 36 primaries, said:

“This is the toughest budget…in a generation.”

One secondary school headteacher has already had to cut two teaching assistant posts and a teacher role due to rising national insurance and anticipated wage rises.

What is the pay rise that the Government recommend for teachers? The Prime Minister’s spokesman said on 28 April:

“There’ll be no additional funding for pay.”

Yesterday, the Government started to U-turn on the winter fuel allowance. Will the Minister now fully U-turn and fund the national insurance rise and agree to fully fund the pay increases, whatever they are?

Catherine McKinnell

Neither I nor any Minister in this Government will take lessons from Conservative Members, who, after 14 long years in power, had still not restored real-terms spending in our schools to the level that they inherited. The brass neck of the Opposition is quite extraordinary. Conservative Members would also do well to remember the difficult decisions that this Government have had to take because of the utter mess that they left behind. The right hon. Lady was in the Treasury, creating the mess—she knows very well what happened.

Recruiting, retaining and supporting expert teachers is central to our vision for delivering high and rising standards in our schools. Despite the challenging financial context and years of missed recruitment targets under the previous Government, this Administration are prioritising education and ensuring that every child has access to a high-quality teacher. We are working at pace to ensure excellence for every child. That is why we remain committed to our manifesto pledge for 6,500 teachers and to ensuring that it responds to the demand in secondary schools, special schools and further education.

We know that high-quality teaching is the in-school factor that has the biggest positive impact on a child’s outcomes, breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child, so recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers is clearly absolutely central to our vision for delivering high and rising standards. That is why, despite the challenging financial context and years of missed recruitment targets, we are getting on and delivering on our plan for change. The right hon. Lady will have to wait, like everybody else, for the statement that she knows is coming this afternoon.

May 23, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Major £1.5 billion defence contract with British firm ensures world-class equipment testing for UK forces and secures 1,200 jobs [May 2025]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 22 May 2025.

UK Armed Forces will benefit from world-class equipment training and testing under a contract which supports more than 1,200 skilled jobs across the UK.

The five-year £1.5 billion contract extension with British defence firm QinetiQ provides test, trial, training and evaluation of defence equipment and capabilities at 16 Ministry of Defence sites. This includes missile firings, test pilot training and delivering live-threat scenarios.

The Long-Term Partnering Agreement will sustain 1,200 UK jobs, including more than 200 in Scotland and 200 in Wales, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change by boosting jobs and prosperity for working people, while keeping the nation safe.

The investment supports an extensive supply chain of 825 companies, including 590 small-to-medium enterprises – demonstrating the government’s commitment to small businesses and their access to the defence market and ensuring defence is an engine for growth in every region and nation of the UK.

The contract will ensure UK Armed Forces equipment remains combat-ready and will support the delivery of future capabilities, including the Global Combat Air Programme’s next-generation combat aircraft.

The Agreement has supported key moments for UK capabilities, including the first launch of a ballistic rocket into space from the UK, the first firing of a high-power laser directed energy weapon – DragonFire – against aerial targets and Europe’s first successful demonstration of teaming a piloted aircraft with an autonomous air vehicle.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

Rigorously tested equipment and the trialling of emerging technologies are key to ensuring our Armed Forces are using combat-ready capabilities on the frontline.

The contract will help keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad, as we drive forward innovation to bolster our national security and support skilled jobs across the UK.

With hundreds of British businesses supported by this investment through QinetiQ’s supply chain, we are demonstrating how defence is an engine for growth across the UK, and delivering on our Plan for Change.

Under the agreement, QinetiQ will invest in modernising the UK’s equipment testing capabilities to keep pace with operational needs. The contract will also support around 30 early careers professionals, providing development opportunities such as digital training in modelling and simulation for engineers.

Earlier this month, QinetiQ hosted Formidable Shield, a NATO joint strike exercise, at the Hebrides range in Scotland – one of the 16 Ministry of Defence sites managed under the Long-Term Partnering Agreement, which was first signed in 2003.

Steve Wadey, Group Chief Executive Officer at QinetiQ, said:

Through the LTPA, we play a vital role helping to protect and enhance the UK’s defence and security. The extension of our partnership with MOD enables us to continue investing to deliver the transformational change in test and evaluation that’s required to ensure our armed forces have operational advantage over disruptive technologies.

We’re seeing increased demand for our services from NATO countries and this LTPA extension positions the UK as a leading centre for T3E, and facilitates the delivery of major equipment platforms as well as future upgrade programmes.

May 22, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : New funding for regulators to cut red tape, like speeding up clinical trials through AI and trialling drones for medical emergencies [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 22 May 2025.

Funding announced for new round of the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund.
- Fourth round of the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund opens today to help bring innovations in critical sectors such as healthcare and transport to market quicker
- Builds on the success of 24 projects already backed – including AI to boost clinical trials, drones for emergency medical deliveries, and first-of-its-kind regulatory guidance to speed-up access to innovative medicines and treatments
- Supports delivery of our Plan for Change, speeding up access to new technologies that will deliver better services for the public
New technologies, like drones for delivering vital supplies to smarter medical software using AI to help doctors spot diseases earlier, could reach the public faster through new funding to cut unnecessary red tape and keep pace with innovation (Thursday 22 May).

The Regulators’ Pioneer Fund supports regulators to trial new, more efficient ways of working that allow businesses to bring their innovations to market faster, in turn supporting the economic growth at the centre of our Plan for Change.

The launch of the fourth round – worth £5.5 million in total – builds on its previous phase, which supported 24 pioneering projects across the country unlocking new opportunities in sectors like health, transport, and energy.

Supported projects include exploring safer ways for drones to fly in the same skies as other aircraft – which could contribute £45 billion to the UK economy at its highest potential. These trials have laid the groundwork for future drone deliveries, and helped regulators keep up with new technologies while making sure people are protected and rules are clear and fair. Other projects include using realistic, computer-generated data to speed up results of clinical trials, which could in future help get new medical treatments out sooner.

The fourth round of Regulators’ Pioneer Fund is open to regulators and local authorities across the UK and will include projects in key growth areas such as AI in healthcare, engineering biology, space, and connected and autonomous vehicles. Projects might include smarter ways to test new treatments, manage the use of airspace for drones, or support technologies like lab-grown foods – helping ensure the rules are fit for purpose to bring innovations to market.

This latest round – delivered by the Regulatory Innovation Office – is now open to regulators and local authorities across the UK. It will support bold ideas that back some of the UK’s most promising growth sectors – including AI to support the NHS, engineered biology to improve food security, satellite tech to improve farming and climate tracking, and self-driving vehicles. It’s part of the government’s Plan for Change to make the UK the best place to test and grow new ideas, while making life better for the public.

Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

Smarter, more agile regulation is key to businesses bringing ideas to market faster, while giving the public confidence in new technologies.

These projects show how regulators can work with industry to unlock breakthroughs – from autonomous drones improving emergency services, to AI that cuts the cost and time spent on clinical trials.

By backing this kind of innovation, we’re helping to make the UK the best place in the world to launch, test and scale new ideas, and drive the economic growth we need to improve lives and deliver our Plan for Change.

Some of the innovative work delivered through the previous round (RPF3) includes:
- In Milton Keynes, funding helped local authorities trial drone deliveries for urgent medical supplies and environmental monitoring. This included exploring new ways such as carrying out low-risk test flights and sensors to track the drones’ path to safely test and approve these services – helping emergency responders and healthcare providers get what they need faster, while reducing emissions and traffic congestion. The project is also laying the foundations for a future UK-wide drone economy, predicted to be worth up to £45 billion by 2030.
- At the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), funding was used to explore the use of synthetic data in clinical trials – specifically through synthetic control arms, which use computer-generated data to replace some of the participants who would normally receive a placebo. This approach can make trials quicker, cheaper, and more inclusive, while still ensuring safety and effectiveness. Patients could benefit from faster access to new treatments, supporting efforts to improve health outcomes and reduce pressure on our NHS.
- The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) supported the aviation industry to reduce regulatory challenges on the safe introduction of hydrogen as an aviation fuel at a commercial scale and making progress towards bringing zero-emission flight to UK skies. Their work will position the UK as a global leader in sustainable aviation, supporting job creation and contributing to net zero goals.
All projects receive tailored support from the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), which helps regulators coordinate efforts and safely trial new approaches.

Notes to editors
- The Regulators’ Pioneer Fund (RPF4) opens for bids on Thursday 22 May and will provide up to £5.5 million in total to new regulatory innovation projects.
- An independent evaluation by the National Centre for Social Research that has also been published today found that the third round of the Regulators Pioneer Fund (RPF) helped trial new approaches that would not have happened otherwise, embedding innovation more deeply within their organisations. It also strengthened collaboration between regulators and industry, laying the groundwork for more open, responsive regulation in the future.
Dr Puja Myles, Director of the Clinical Practice Research Datalink at the MHRA, said:

The RPF grant has given us a better understanding of the scenarios when synthetic data could be used to boost sample sizes of clinical trials.

This project is part of the MHRA’s work to promote innovation and embrace emerging technologies in clinical trials, to help get new treatments to patients faster.

Tim Johnson, Director of Policy at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:

The Regulators’ Pioneer Fund has been instrumental in helping the UK Civil Aviation Authority explore how it can enable innovators to develop new products and services, including the safe introduction of hydrogen as an aviation fuel.

This support has helped us engage early with those who are researching and developing this technology, understand key regulatory challenges, and starting to lay the groundwork for zero-emission flight in the UK.

Cabinet Member for Planning and Placemaking and Milton Keynes City Council, Councillor Shanika Mahendran, said:

Thanks to the RPF, we’ve been able to start building the groundwork for using drones to make services more efficient. It’s given us a chance to explore what safety checks and rules we need to follow so we can move from just testing drones to using them in the long-term.
May 22, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : British Ambassador Visits Lebanon’s Eastern Borders with Syria [May 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 May 2025.

The visit underscores the UK’s commitment to strengthening Lebanese Army capabilities in extending state authority over its border with Syria.

The British Ambassador to Lebanon Hamish Cowell visited Lebanon’s eastern borders with Syria to see first hand the UK’s efforts to support the Lebanese Armed Forces’ (LAF) enhanced border security capabilities.

This visit underscores the UK’s commitment to strengthening LAF capabilities in extending state authority over its border with Syria, countering smuggling activities, and safeguarding local communities.

During the visit, Ambassador Cowell met with military and local officials. The Ambassador and the Mokhtar of Yanta Riad Saab and other local citizens visited a solar-powered water pumping station as part of initiatives aimed at strengthening civil-military cooperation, within areas of operation for the Land Border Regiments (LBRs).

Following his visit Ambassador Cowell said:

The United Kingdom remains steadfast in its support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and security. Our partnership with the Lebanese Armed Forces is crucial in helping to maintain stability across Lebanon, and protecting the livelihoods of those living near the border.

I am proud of our support and the UK’s role as a key partner to the LAF; through the UK Integrated Security Fund we have supported the establishment of the Land Border Regiments (LBRs) on the border with Syria since 2013 and have provided over £115m worth of assistance to the LAF.

The Land Border Regiments have helped reinforce the security of this border and the authority of the Lebanese State’s authority over these areas.

In Yanta, I was impressed to see the solar-powered water pumping station project benefiting hundreds in the area. This project delivers a sustainable, environmentally friendly solution to the water supply needs of the Yanta community. An excellent example of the LAF and communities coming together.

May 22, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Jonathan Hall KC as independent reviewer [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 22 May 2025.

Following the attacks on 3 prison officers in the separation centre at HMP Frankland on 12 April, the Lord Chancellor announced on 15 May that Jonathan Hall KC will lead the HMP Frankland Independent Review.

The terms of the independent review are as follows:
- Consider whether the facts of the incident, as established by HMPPS’ internal review reveal the need for any changes to how convicted terrorists are placed onto Separation Centres.
- Consider whether the policies, operating procedures, legal framework, and relationships with other agencies that underpin Separation Centres are fit for purpose, including whether an appropriate balance is being struck between security and long-term offender management.
- Provide findings and recommendations on the basis of the above that can be implemented to reduce the likelihood of any such incident occurring in the future.
Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood said:

I will do whatever it takes to protect our brave prison officers. I have asked for the review to report back promptly, and to leave no stone unturned so we can prevent such an incident ever happening again.

Jonathan Hall KC

Jonathan Hall KC is the current Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation and Independent Reviewer of State Threats Legislation. Mr Hall is an experienced barrister in independent practice and King’s Counsel since 2014. He has been involved in complex and high-profile cases involving fraud, law enforcement, and national security.

While Mr Hall will be given access to the information he needs to deliver against the terms of reference, the review will be independent of HMPPS. The report on the Review, including any recommendations, will be submitted to the Lord Chancellor and the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice.
May 22, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Multi-million defence investment creates 700 jobs days after UK-EU security pact [May 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 22 May 2025.
- Hundreds of high-skilled jobs created at defence firm MBDA’s expanded Bolton site, working on cutting-edge missile system manufacturing technology
- Announcement comes just days after the Government signs new Security and Defence Partnership that will boost defence procurement opportunities for UK.
- Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will visit site and hail investment as latest vote of confidence in Government’s upcoming modern Industrial Strategy.
Britain’s defence industry received yet another boost this week as 700 high-skilled jobs are set to be created following a £200 million investment from European defence company MBDA at its site in Bolton.

The announcement follows new Security and Defence Partnership signed at this week’s EU-UK Summit which will open the door to the EU’s new weapons scheme, leading to significant opportunities for the UK’s world-leading defence industries, driving growth and supporting 430,000 British jobs and livelihoods.

This is the latest win for the UK’s leading defence and advanced manufacturing sectors and is further proof the Government’s Plan for Change is working.

It also represents a major vote of confidence in the upcoming modern Industrial Strategy, which will drive investment in the UK’s high-growth sectors by giving businesses the certainty they need to commit to the UK.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will visit MBDA’s Bolton site today (22 May) to formally announce the investment, which forms part of a wider £500 million commitment from the company to expand its UK manufacturing and technologies.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

This is great news for Bolton and another win for our world-class defence sector, which will create hundreds of good, well-paid jobs and ensure the UK continues to lead the way on the cutting-edge technologies of the future.

Our new Security and Defence Partnership will unlock access to the EU’s proposed new £150 billion defence fund for UK firms. Coupled with the launch of our upcoming modern Industrial Strategy, communities across the country will see how our Plan for Change is working – delivering growth at home and strength abroad.

The investment from MBDA, a leading missile systems manufacturer, will more than double its Bolton footprint by 2028 and grow its apprenticeship and STEM outreach programme, which already includes over 400 early-career professionals UK-wide.

It also supports MBDA’s goal to deliver £10 billion of UK exports by 2032, cementing the UK’s position as a leader in the manufacturing and export of complex weapons systems, and comes after the Government announced a £6.5 billion complex weapons partnership with MBDA in July 2024.

MBDA UK Managing Director Chris Allam said:

We are proud and excited to be building a world class engineering and manufacturing campus in the north-west of England, the centre of complex weapons manufacturing for the UK, and our associated recruitment and training will extend our already great workforce.

MBDA is privileged to have a 10-year Complex Weapons portfolio agreement with the UK Government. This gives us the confidence to invest and better support the UK and its allies. It also helps our supply chain and over 700 SMEs who work with MBDA in the UK. When we expand, they expand with us.

Megan, a manufacturing apprentice at MBDA’s Bolton site, said:

It’s great that our site is expanding and there will be more early-careers opportunities for young people. Becoming an apprentice was an obvious choice for me. Having the chance to learn as part of my full-time job and achieve a recognised qualification and career made it a very easy decision.

Apprenticeships can be unique experience for each person. They provide the chance to excel in industries people are passionate about, and the experiences they get will shape their future. Making the most out of my apprenticeship has led to reward and recognition for my hard work, and I always encourage others to study STEM subjects and do the same.

UK Export Finance CEO Tim Reid said:

Pioneering companies like MBDA UK investing in their people and technologies for the long-term underscore why we are a world leader in defence.

Thanks to our multi-billion-pound direct lending uplift, we can support even more defence firms to expand their production lines and take on more international orders from allies – leading to greater economic growth, stronger supply chains and local jobs back here at home.

The Government is backing the defence sector to deliver skilled jobs and growth across the country as part of its Plan for Change and is providing significant financial support to UK defence companies through UK Export Finance (UKEF).

In March this year, the Chancellor announced a £2 billion increase in UKEF’s Direct Lending capacity for defence exports, taking its overall lending capability to £10 billion.

The UK is one of the largest exporters of defence equipment in the world, and in 2023 the UK won defence contracts worth £14.5 billion.
May 22, 2025
NEWS STORY : Five First World War Soldiers Finally Laid to Rest in Belgium

STORY

In a poignant ceremony at Poelcapelle British Cemetery near Ypres today, the remains of Private Harry James Birch of the Cheshire Regiment and four unknown First World War soldiers were buried with full military honours. The service was organised by the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, affectionately known as the “MOD War Detectives”, and featured a ceremonial bearer party, standard bearers, and the stirring tones of The Band of the Mercian Regiment sounding the Last Post.

Private Birch, who served with the 16th Battalion of The Cheshire Regiment, was killed on 22 October 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres. He was formally identified through DNA provided by his great-nephew; the breakthrough came when a leather belt found with his remains revealed traces of his regimental number and part of his name. Alexia Clark, one of the MOD’s lead investigators, reflected on the significance of the identification:

“When you consider the half-a-million men still missing from the First and Second World Wars, every one we can name feels like an achievement. I am delighted that Pte Birch’s military family have now been able to give him the dignified burial he had been denied for so long.”

Despite extensive investigative work, the four soldiers found alongside Pte Birch remain nameless. More than 1,000 British and Commonwealth troops who died in the Ypres sector between 22 and 24 October 1917 are still officially missing. Reverend Gary Birch, Senior Chaplain at Headquarters South West and no relation to the soldier, led the service. He spoke of the profound honour in offering final rites:

“Although we’re not related, the fact that I share two names with Private Harry James Birch brings even greater poignancy. Each one who fell whilst serving their country is worthy of full respect, and it is my great honour to lead these moments of reflection and reverence.”

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission will now care for all five graves in perpetuity. Dr Daniel Seaton, Commemorations Case Officer at the CWGC, said:

“We are deeply honoured to lay these soldiers to rest. Their graves will be maintained forever, ensuring that their sacrifice is never forgotten.”

May 22, 2025
Liz Kendall – 2025 Speech to the IPPR

The speech made by Liz Kendall, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, at the IPPR on 21 May 2025.

I’m very grateful to my former employer IPPR for hosting us today.

And to all of you for taking the time to come along.

I’m especially grateful to Dominic for sharing his experiences, and I thought that was really important for us to hear today – about the benefits that work brings to you, the struggles you have faced and your ambitions and hopes for the future.

I want to talk about the Government’s welfare reforms.

How they will help transform people’s lives, as part of our Plan for Change.

How they follow in the footsteps of the great reforming Labour governments of the past; rooted in our enduring values of fairness, equality and opportunity.

How these reforms will help ensure our welfare state is sustainable for the future.

And how I believe they are crucial to fighting the rise in populist politics, which offers easy but empty solutions to the people we came into politics to serve.

Getting Britain Working is central to the Government’s Plan for Change.

It is vital to delivering higher living standards in every part of Britain.

And it is vital to achieving the number one mission of this Government, which is growing the economy.

But Getting Britain Working is about so much more than this.

It is about giving people the dignity and self-respect that we know good work brings.

The purpose and belonging that Dominic spoke about so powerfully.

It’s about improving the health of the nation, because we know good work is good for people’s mental and physical health – and can help reduce pressure on the NHS.

And Getting Britain Working is critical to driving down child poverty and ensuring every child starts school ready to learn – perhaps the single most important step to transforming equality and opportunity in this country.

And the scale and urgency of our task is there for all to see.

Nearly 1 in 10 people of working age are now on at least one sickness or disability benefit.

A near record 2.8 million people are out of work due to long-term sickness.

1 million young people are not in education, employment or training – that’s more than 1 in 8 of our young people – with all the long-term consequences this brings for their future health, job prospects and earnings potential.

And 300,000 people with health conditions are falling out of work every single year, piling up even greater problems for the future.

And the result is millions of people who could work written off and denied the chance to build a better life, with all these challenges far worse in parts of the Midlands and the North, whose economies were decimated in the 1980s and 1990s when whole industries closed, and who have never been given the investment, support and opportunity they need to recover.

And taxpayers have been left paying billions more on the cost of Conservative failure, with the benefits bill for sickness and disability up £20 billion since the pandemic and set to rise by a further £18 billion by the end of this Parliament, unless we change course.

And the truth is, it doesn’t have to be this way.

We are the only economy in the G7 whose employment rate still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels.

And spending on sickness and disability benefits in most other comparable countries is either stable or falling since the pandemic, yet ours continues to inexorably rise.

There is nothing Labour about accepting the cost of this economic but, above all, social crisis, paid for in people’s life chances and living standards.

And there is nothing inevitable about Britain’s future path, if we have the courage and conviction to act.

We must start shifting so much spending on the costs of failure to investing in the jobs, skills and public services that people need to build a better life.

And this requires leadership and it requires reform.

Now the truth is welfare reform is never easy. And it is rarely popular.

Perhaps especially for Labour governments.

But no responsible Labour government can resile from taking decisions because they are too difficult.

Because this is not good enough for the people we came into politics to serve.

So we will reform the welfare state.

Just as great reforming Labour governments have done in the past.

Changing it to meet the social and demographic challenges of today and tomorrow, and delivering the fairness, equality and opportunity people need and deserve.

Now we know change is possible, because we have done it before.

Take the fight for women’s equality in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

It was Labour women MPs and trade unionists who campaigned for and then legislated to transform opportunities for women.

We changed the world of work – with rights to maternity pay.

We invested in childcare – with the first ever national childcare strategy and thousands of Sure Start Children’s Centres.

We delivered active employment support – with the groundbreaking New Deal for Lone Parents.

Transforming women’s participation in the workforce, and their equality, independence and freedom through work.

We must now bring the same focus, energy and commitment to doing the same for sick and disabled people.

Reforming the welfare state to offer them the same rights and chances to work as anybody else.

When the welfare state was created, average life expectancy was 65, and the most common cause of illness and death was infectious diseases and accidents.

Now, average life expectancy is around 80. And 1 in 7 babies born today is likely to live to 100.

Back then, disability was the exception. Now, 1 in 4 of us self-reports as disabled. And 1 in 3 of us will have a long-term health condition.

But the welfare state has simply not kept pace with these changes.

Our benefits system in particular forces too many sick and disabled people into a binary choice of can or can’t work – when we know many people’s physical and mental health conditions fluctuate, and many sick and disabled people want to, and need to, work.

The system then writes people off, and traps them, without offering any help or support.

The number of people on the health top up of Universal Credit is set to rise by 50 per cent to 3 million by the end of the decade.

And the number of people on Personal Independence Payments is set to more than double to 4.3 million.

There are now 1,000 new PIP awards every single day.

That’s the equivalent of adding a city the size of Leicester every single year.

This is not sustainable or fair – for the people who need support and for taxpayers.

So unless we reform the system to help those who can work to do so.

Unless we get social security spending on a more sustainable footing.

And unless we ensure public money is focused on those with the greatest need and is spent in ways that have the best chance of improving people’s lives.

The risk is the welfare state won’t be there for people who really need it in future.

That is why we are grasping the nettle of reform.

Not for the sake of it, but to ensure the welfare state lasts for generations to come.

Now we have already made huge strides in getting Britain working and growing again.

We are improving the quality of work and making work pay, with our landmark employment rights bill.

We are creating more good jobs in every part of the country – from clean energy to construction and through our modern industrial strategy.

And we are investing an additional £26 billion this year to drive down waiting lists, because getting people back to health is crucial to getting them back to work.

But we also need big changes in our system of social security and employment support to deliver greater fairness and opportunity.

Our plans are based on three clear objectives.

First, overhauling the system to help those who can work, get into work and stay in work.

Last autumn, our Get Britain Working white paper kicked off the biggest reforms to employment support in a generation, backed by an additional £240 million.

Overhauling our job centres to create a new national jobs and careers service, and shift the focus away from benefit administration alone.

Investing in 16 new trailblazing programmes across the country – led by mayors and local areas – to join up work, health and skills support, ensure every young person is earning or learning and to tackle the scar of economic inactivity.

This spring, we announced a further £1 billion a year in our new Pathways to Work offer.

Along with programmes like Work Well, Connect to Work – which is being rolled out to the whole of England and Wales by December – and freeing up 1,000 work coaches to support sick and disabled people.

Pathways to Work will guarantee a comprehensive offer of health, work and skills support for anyone who needs it, rolling out from next April when our benefit changes start to come in.

The biggest ever packages of support for sick and disabled people.

To underpin these changes in employment support, we are also creating a more proactive, pro-work system.

We are consulting on a new Unemployment Insurance to provide a higher rate of time-limited income protection for people who lose their job but have paid into the system.

We are scrapping the failed Work Capability Assessment – and the Conservatives discredited WCA plans – to help end the binary can/can’t work divide.

We are reforming Universal Credit to encourage people to find work and not stay on benefits, reducing the health top up for new claims from April 2026, alongside active help to find work.

And bringing in a sustained above inflation increase to the standard allowance in Universal Credit for the first time ever, delivering a cash increase of £725 a year by the end of the Parliament.

We’re introducing a new ‘right to try work’ by legislating to guarantee that work in and of itself will never lead to someone being called in for a benefit assessment, to give people the confidence to take the plunge and try work.

To underpin our Youth Guarantee, we are consulting on delaying access to the health top up in Universal Credit until someone is aged 22, with the savings reinvested into work support and training opportunities.

And we will help employers to recruit and retain more disabled people with health conditions through our Keep Britain Working review, led by the former boss of John Lewis, Sir Charlie Mayfield.

The second objective of our plans is to protect those who cannot work.

Those with the most severe, life-long conditions that will never improve and who can never work will have their Universal Credit protected – including young people aged under 22.

And we will guarantee they will never be reassessed in future, removing totally unnecessary stress, anxiety and uncertainty.

To improve trust, we will also fundamentally overhaul our safeguarding approach to ensure all our processes and training are of the highest possible quality and to protect and support vulnerable people.

Our third objective is to focus Personal Independence Payments on those with higher needs and to review the PIP assessment to ensure it is fair and fit for purpose.

I know the concerns that have been raised about our proposals.

I am listening carefully to all the points people raise.

But 9 out of 10 people claiming PIP at the point when the changes come into force in November 2026 will not be affected by the end of the Parliament.

And even with the changes we are making, there will still be 750,000 more people receiving PIP by the end of this Parliament than there were at the start.

And spending will be £8 billion higher than it is now: rising faster than GDP, and faster than spending on public services.

In making our changes we are preserving PIP as a vital cash benefit that makes a contribution towards the extra cost of living with a disability – not means testing it and not replacing it with vouchers as the Tories proposed.

We are consulting on how best to support those who will no longer be eligible, including so their health and care needs are met.

We will improve the experience of those going through the PIP assessment, switching back to more face-to-face assessments and recording them as standard.

And we have begun the first review of the PIP assessment in more than a decade – including the descriptors, and in consultation with disabled people and the organisations that represent them – to ensure it is fair and fit for purpose.

Taken together, our measures will reform the system to support those who can work, to protect those who cannot and to help ensure our welfare state lasts for generations to come.

I want to finish by saying this.

When I travel around the country, I know the places with the highest levels of economic inactivity and the largest number of people on sickness and disability benefits, are the same places with the worst health, lowest life expectancy and fewest opportunities.

The villages, towns and cities, especially in parts of the Midlands and the North whose economies have still not recovered from the 80s and 90s, where economic demand remains weakest.

Places that are full of talent and ambition, but which need the investment – in jobs, infrastructure, skills, and public services – to build a better life for themselves and their communities.

People in this country rightly demand change.

But populist politics – the politics of division and easy but empty solutions – won’t deliver the change people are crying out for.

They need real hope built on real solutions.

And that is what this Labour Government is doing.

Tackling problems that have been ducked or ignored for too long, because the failure to do so is precisely why people think politics doesn’t matter and that politicians are all the same.

Change of this scale isn’t easy, but it is possible, and we know because we have done it before.

Labour’s mission is to give people hope tomorrow will be better than today.

That we will create the jobs, opportunities and public services people want and deserve.

Because a future dependent on benefits alone is not good enough for people in Blackpool, Birkenhead or Blaenau Gwent.

I am confident we will deliver.

Because all the evidence shows hundreds of thousands of sick and disabled people want to work.

That when they have a government that is on their side and provides the right support, they can get work.

And that this can transform their lives.

Our task is urgent.

Not just because we have only four more years of this Parliament, which is no time at all – although this is true.

Not just because we must deliver real change to fight the rise in support for populists – although we must.

But because the people who we came into politics to serve cannot and should not wait any longer for a chance to build a decent life, because they have waited far too long already.

This is why we fought for 14 long hard years in opposition – for the chance to change our country.

So now let’s get on with the job.

Thank you.

May 22, 2025
NEWS STORY : Suspended Reform Party MP Rupert Lowe Accused of Anti-Semitic Remark

STORY

Rupert Lowe, the now independent MP for Great Yarmouth who was suspended by the Reform Party, has been accused of making anti-semitic remarks in a meeting with staff. The MP is alleged to have said “In days gone by you’d call it a Jewish camera, but that would be politically incorrect. Because it’s so small” and then laughed about his remark after it was queried. The Board of Deputies of British Jews said in a statement:

“This is bizarre and outdated antisemitic language which has no place in our politics. Mr Lowe should apologise for the offence this remark has caused.”

Lowe has rejected the allegations made against him by the Reform Party which led to his suspension. In a response to the media about the latest allegations, Lowe said “it was clearly a joke”.

May 22, 2025