Blog

Chris Bryant – 2026 Statement on the Steel Trade Measure

The statement made by Chris Bryant, the Minister for Trade, in the House of Commons on 25 June 2026.

The Government are today announcing the final details of the new steel trade measure coming into effect on 1 July 2026, a cornerstone policy of the UK’s steel strategy, and a further example of delivery on our modern industrial strategy, which charts a strategic course that allows business to make long-term decisions and focus on creating wealth and prosperity.

Steel overcapacity continues to distort markets, drive down prices and threaten the viability of our already fragile domestic steelmaking sector. UK steel production has more than halved in the last decade. Other countries are acting, including the US, Canada and the EU, with the EU’s measure also coming into force on 1 July 2026. This Government cannot, and will not, jeopardise domestic steelmaking given its importance to critical national infrastructure and defence. We must act now to secure its future.

Since our 19 March announcement, we have listened to stakeholders across the steel supply chain, including producers and downstream users, and have adjusted the steel trade measure’s product scope and quota volumes. We have also engaged closely with the EU and agreed an approach that reflects the UK and EU’s highly interconnected supply chains. This will provide stability for UK-EU steel trade from 1 July, while we continue to work together to strengthen UK-EU steel trade longer term.

We recognise that this will create changes to trade flows including with some of our closest trading partners. We want to reassure them that the UK remains committed to our international obligations and to constructive engagement on our steel measure. We recognise that this is a challenging time for steel industries globally, and that is why we will continue to prioritise working with partners to tackle overcapacity.

From 1 July 2026, we will now limit tariff-free steel imports and reduce overall quota volumes by 51% compared to the steel safeguard, protecting domestic producers while maintaining continuity of supply for downstream users, including the automotive, construction and defence sectors. The overall quota volume will be 3.2 metric tonnes, an increase of 21% compared to our previously published provisional volumes. We have also removed 11 product codes, where new information confirmed there was no UK production, and added two codes where there is evidence of production. Detailed information on quotas will be published on gov.uk.

Where quotas are filled, imports above these levels will face a 50% tariff. The measure will apply only to products that can be made in the UK. In a limited number of cases, technical constraints mean that product codes cannot be cleanly separated, with some codes covering both UK-produced and non-UK-produced grades and sizes of products. In these instances, quotas have been designed to allow sufficient imports, ensuring continued availability for UK users without imposing unnecessary additional costs.

We will continue to engage closely with industry across the supply chain. We will actively monitor implementation of the measure to ensure it operates as intended, and we will continue to engage with businesses. We will also review the measure after 12 months to ensure it remains effective and that the balance is right for industry. To ease potential short-term impacts, a transitional arrangement will apply whereby goods under contract before 14 March 2026 and imported between 1 July and 30 September 2026 will not face the 50% tariff or count towards quota volumes in the first quarter. We have provided technical guidance on these arrangements and on quota administration, including how unused quota volumes will “roll over” across quarters within the same quota year.

Specific arrangements will be in place to ensure that steel can flow to Northern Ireland. The Government will continue to provide guidance and support traders moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland through the trader support service and work closely with the EU to ensure these arrangements operate effectively in practice.

In parallel, the UK has launched an article XXVIII process at the World Trade Organisation to permanently raise the maximum most favoured nation steel tariffs that we can apply to steel imports. We will shortly confirm members’ rights and expect to begin negotiations in the autumn. This process is separate to the new steel trade measure and will create the necessary policy space to ensure the sector has sufficient tariff protection in the long term.

This Government are acting now to secure the future of the UK steel industry. We are determined that steel will remain at the heart of Britain’s future.

28/06/2026
Stuart Andrew – 2026 Speech on Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services

The speech made by Stuart Andrew, the Shadow Health Secretary, in the House of Commons on 24 June 2026.

I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement and Donna Ockenden and her team for the care and compassion with which they conducted the review. We had a meeting with her yesterday, and I have to say that it was probably one of the most difficult meetings that I have ever had. I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh). I can see how deeply personal and painful this is, and I admire her and all her colleagues from the region at what must be a very difficult moment.

Let me say from the outset that I want to be constructive in opposition when it comes to this issue. We need to work together; we have to see improvements. I begin with the women, babies, fathers, partners and families whose lives sit behind the review’s findings. To them, we owe a profound apology for failing them when a family should feel safest, most supported and most able to trust the care around them. For too many, that trust was broken; women were not listened to, families were not believed and warning signs were missed. Some suffered the deepest lost, others were left physically unsafe and others psychologically scarred. No statement can repair that pain, but it can mark the point at which testimony becomes responsibility, and responsibility becomes action.

The painful truth is not only that the failings occurred but that the themes are familiar: women not heard, families dismissed, poor communication, missed deterioration, weak governance and people unable to speak up. Maternity and neonatal safety has challenged Governments of both parties, but it would be wrong to let that history soften the urgency. Women and families are tired of telling their story, hearing promises and seeing the same themes return. The question is whether the system will move because of this review, and so I put three tests to the Secretary of State.

The first is the listening test. Women and families were not consistently listened to. Their concerns were too often dismissed or not acted upon. That is not a soft issue; it is a safety issue. How will the Government embed listening as a clinical discipline? How will trusts measure whether women feel heard? Will complaints and near misses be treated as information for improvement?

The second is the culture test. The review describes bullying, hierarchy and poor psychological safety affecting staff’s decisions and willingness to escalate. I pay tribute to those who were brave enough to do so. In maternity and neonatal care, minutes matter. If staff cannot challenge, safety is weakened. Staff cannot provide the care they want to if they are exhausted or unsupported, or if hierarchy matters more than candour. So I ask: how will boards be held accountable for that ward culture?

The third test is the delivery test. Harm rarely followed one error; it usually followed a chain of poor communication, weak risk assessment, delayed escalation, staff pressure, inadequate governance and missed learning. The response cannot be a single announcement. It must be accompanied by a delivery plan, so will the Secretary of State publish a national implementation plan with named accountability, delivery dates and regular updates to this House? That plan must address the workforce so that staff have the support and information they need to fulfil their roles to the ability they wish.

That plan must design services for today and the future, not rely on assumptions from the past. Women are having children older, pregnancies are more complex and more women are entering pregnancy with pre-existing conditions, previous loss, fertility treatment, mental health needs or circumstances shaping care. That means a need for practical, personalised care, informed choice and each woman being treated as a whole. The review also requires us to confront inequalities. The safety of a patient must not depend on confidence, class, ethnicity, language or an ability to fight through the system. The issue with our mortuaries is also really shocking. The horror stories that we have heard must never happen again. Is the Secretary of State working with colleagues in the Department of Justice to see what more needs to be done to overhaul this area?

Finally, we must recognise the psychological harm caused through silence, poor communication, lack of bereavement support and the battle for honesty. We know that our mortuaries need to have the highest standards. Compassion after harm is not a courtesy; it is a duty. Trust is rebuilt when women feel the difference in the room, when words change decisions, when staff speak without fear, when risk is escalated in time and when boards are judged by results. Where the Government act to improve safety, accountability, staffing and family voice, they will have our support so that we can see this through together. Where they do not, they will face our scrutiny. This review began with families who had to fight to be heard. The task now is to ensure that no family has to fight so hard again.

28/06/2026
James Murray – 2026 Statement on Nottingham Maternity and Neonatal Services

The statement made by James Murray, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in the House of Commons on 24 June 2026.

With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make a statement on the independent review of maternity services at Nottingham University hospitals NHS trust.

Donna Ockenden’s review is the largest into a maternity service in the history of the NHS. The nature and sheer scale of the failings it exposes are horrific. It uncovers dangerously and tragically deficient care at almost every turn. Its findings and conclusions are chilling.

The report covers 13 years, including accounts from 838 members of staff and, crucially, the experiences of 2,536 affected families. I met a small number of those affected families last week, and I felt numb after hearing the depth of their pain. I felt even more numb when I considered how many families not in the room went through such trauma too, and the forgotten children who survived but live every day with the consequences of maternity care failings.

I felt devastated that so many women and babies, as well as their fathers and other family members, had suffered injury, death and lasting trauma while under the care of the NHS. Now having met the families, and having seen the report, I feel appalled by the neglect, incompetence, racism, discrimination, contempt and harassment that so many suffered. I feel heartbroken to know that, so many times, when they tried to raise the alarm about their care, they were ignored, sneered at, disbelieved, blamed and lied to. How on earth could this have happened? There is no single answer, but Donna Ockenden shines a light on what was going on.

First and foremost, women were not listened to. Donna Ockenden says that the staff shortages and lack of training in Nottingham were among the worst she has ever come across. Bullying by doctors and senior midwives was rife, which meant that staff who tried to speak up were intimidated and ridiculed. There was a culture of cover-up at the highest levels of the trust, and there were ineffective and inadequate responses from regulators.

Perhaps most damning of all, for years the trust ignored evidence of clinical and cultural flaws in both internal and external reviews that it had itself ordered. When I met Donna Ockenden last week, she told me that those inquiries were “diligent” and of “good quality” but that they were effectively swept under the carpet by the board. That refusal to act is unforgivable.

Donna Ockenden and her team deserve huge credit for their forensic and compassionate approach, as does my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh), herself a harmed mother, as well as Members for neighbouring constituencies who have walked side by side with their constituents through years of anguish and struggle.

However, the driving force behind the review has been the affected families themselves. They have demonstrated more patience, more courage and more tenacity than one might imagine is possible from those dealing with broken hearts that will never mend. Though each of their experiences is unique, one feature is common: at the very moment when they were at their most vulnerable, they placed themselves and the lives of their unborn babies in the hands of the NHS—and the NHS failed them catastrophically.

To all those who have suffered so appallingly, I say today, on behalf of the NHS: I am sorry. I am sorry not just for the failures, or the heartless and undignified treatment, but because your cries of concern went unheard for too long—and so the Government will act. We will act by taking immediate steps, including to expand Martha’s rule to all maternity and neonatal settings so that parents can demand a second opinion if they feel their concerns are being ignored.

I know that some people may want me to accept all the review’s recommendations today, but in the past too many recommendations have been accepted and then have sat on a shelf gathering dust, and we have seen more deaths and more suffering. I do not want to let down the families I met in Nottingham, or bereaved parents anywhere else in the country. I want to use the national maternity and neonatal taskforce, which I chair, to create a comprehensive action plan to be published by the end of this year that will address all the national-level recommendations from this review and others. I am confident that work will be welcomed by all those midwives, obstetricians, paediatricians and other healthcare workers who strive every day to make sure that babies are born safely and that women receive outstanding levels of care.

It is clear that, in case after case, families felt that regulators, including the General Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Care Quality Commission, were more concerned with protecting clinicians than with providing accountability. That is damning and that is wrong. As one grieving mother told me:

“They put the fox in charge of the hen house.”

Clinicians and trust leaders must know that their behaviour will be properly scrutinised and that their actions will have consequences. We must meet the test of the Nottingham victim who told me last week that “accountability drives action”.

We are making changes to the CQC, one of which is to extend the cut-off period to initiate proceedings from three to five years so there is more time for families to bring cases. I will also call in the chair and chief executive of the GMC to hear directly their account of the failures at NUH. Let me be clear: if their response falls short, things will change at the GMC.

From speaking to families in Nottingham, I know that there is real and understandable anger that some leaders and clinicians at the centre of this review were able to avoid giving evidence. Today, I make a commitment that, when passed, we will use the Hillsborough law’s duty of candour to ensure that witnesses in upcoming reviews of maternity service failures, including those in Leeds and Sussex, can be forced to provide evidence. That change will make sure no one is able to refuse to co-operate in the search for accountability and justice ever again.

There is so much in the stories of the families in Nottingham that is shocking and heartbreaking, but the way the bodies of their loved ones were handled by hospital mortuary services revealed a level of disrespect and a lack of humanity that—I will be honest—left me utterly aghast. The details are disturbing, but they need to be heard to understand the gravity of what families were confronted with: deceased babies referred to as a “specimen” or “sample”; a baby placed into a mortuary space already occupied by an unknown and unrelated adult; a baby disposed of as clinical waste against the express wishes of their parents; and a baby kept in a domestic fridge in a bereavement room. The emotional and psychological effect of those dehumanising failures was to layer the most profound disrespect on the most unbearable distress. There is also evidence that the trust actively decided not to report failings in mortuary care to families.

As hon. Members will know, there is an active police investigation and arrests have been made, which limits what I can say. As a start, however, I have asked NHS England to write to trusts to make sure these appalling experiences are not happening elsewhere in the NHS. I confirm today that the Human Tissue Authority will require all mortuaries to review internal records going back 10 years to ensure all incidents have been logged and reported. I have instructed them to report the findings directly to me by 16 October.

When I met the Nottingham families last week, they also raised with me the issue around what are known as secondary victims. In maternity settings, fathers, partners and others are actively encouraged to be present to support mothers through labour and delivery. However, the law does not allow them to bring their own claims for the psychiatric illness suffered as a direct result of witnessing their partner or baby suffer injury or die. I have therefore asked David Lock KC to work with my officials to consider that important issue as part of his wider work on clinical negligence.

Donna Ockenden acknowledges that NUH has not waited for her findings to be published to start making improvements. I will speak to the chief executive next week to interrogate the trust’s response and make sure there is a proper plan in place for implementing the recommendations speedily and effectively. But there is a long road ahead before NUH fully addresses all the issues and before it can possibly regain the full trust and confidence of the communities it serves.

I close where I began: with the families. Nothing can make up for what they have gone through, but this report is a tribute to their resilience and tenacity. I say to them directly: you had to drive this for so long, but you are no longer driving this alone. We are with you and we will not stop until you have the accountability and the justice you deserve. I commend this statement to the House.

28/06/2026
Yvette Cooper – 2026 Statement on Government Support for Gaza Departures

The statement made by Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, in the House of Commons on 24 June 2026.

Today, with the agreement of the Secretary of State for Education, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, I am making the following statement.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains deeply concerning. The Government are committed to providing practical support to those most affected by the conflict and to contributing to the longer term recovery of Palestinian society.

Student departures

The UK Government have confirmed renewed support for high-achieving students from Gaza to take up fully funded scholarships at UK universities for the 2026-27 academic year.

This will build on support already provided by the Government in the current academic year, through which we have enabled over 100 students from Gaza to travel to the UK to pursue their studies. The Government will continue to prioritise students who hold fully funded and verifiable scholarships, and who meet the requirements of the immigration rules.

This targeted approach ensures that students supported will have the financial means to study and live in the UK. Eligible dependants will be supported in line with the immigration rules.

This also includes eligible Chevening scholars, who will be supported to take up their places at UK universities where possible, recognising their leadership potential and the important role they can play in the future of Palestinian society.

The Government will work closely with devolved Governments, universities, international partners and relevant authorities to facilitate departures and onward travel. However, departures from Gaza remain highly complex and dependent on factors outside the UK Government’s control. As such, travel and timelines cannot be guaranteed.

All individuals travelling to the UK under this route will be subject to robust security and immigration checks, including the provision of biometric data prior to travel.

This programme reflects the UK’s enduring commitment to education as a driver of opportunity, stability and future leadership, and forms part of broader efforts to support the development of a future Palestinian state.

Medical evacuations (MedEvac)

The Government have also confirmed the resumption of UK-supported medical evacuations of critically ill and injured children and their immediate families from Gaza, following a pause due to the regional conflict.

In 2025, a cross-Government effort supported the evacuation of 50 children, alongside their immediate family members, to receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the United Kingdom. Building on this, the Government will now facilitate further evacuations for those identified as in need of urgent medical care.

Patients will be identified through established processes, including collaboration with the World Health Organisation to match children with specialist care teams within the NHS.

Recognising the severe degradation of healthcare provision in Gaza, this programme enables access to specialist treatment that is not currently available locally. It also reflects the compassion and expertise of the NHS in supporting some of the most vulnerable children affected by the conflict.

Individuals arriving under this scheme will be granted temporary permission to stay in the UK, including access to appropriate healthcare and support. All arrivals will be subject to stringent security screening, including biometric checks, in line with standard requirements to protect the public.

Conclusion

Together, these measures demonstrate the Government’s continued commitment to providing immediate humanitarian assistance, while supporting the longer-term resilience and recovery of Palestinian society through education and healthcare.

A policy statement setting out more details will shortly be published on gov.uk. The Government will keep these arrangements under close review in light of ongoing developments.

28/06/2026
Dan Jarvis – 2026 Comments on Commando Force

The comments made by Dan Jarvis, the Defence Secretary, on 28 June 2026.

Our elite Commando Force is respected around the world, conducting operations that help to keep the nation and our allies safe.

We’re investing in new lethal strike drones, high-speed boats and amphibious transport ships to give our Commandos the equipment they need to stay ahead of adversaries and defend us.

The Defence Investment Plan will prioritise getting the latest kit into the hands of our frontline forces, so they can continue their vital work in an increasingly dangerous world.

28/06/2026
PRESS RELEASE : High-speed boats and new drones for elite Commando Force under Defence Investment Plan [June 2026]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 28 June 2026.

Defence Secretary has shifted Defence Investment Plan towards more immediate priorities, including getting the latest kit into the hands of military personnel on the frontline.
- Over £500 million will be committed to continue the transformation of the UK Commando Force, including with new high-speed Commando Insertion Craft.
- Defence Secretary has shifted Defence Investment Plan towards more immediate priorities, including getting the latest kit into the hands of military personnel on the frontline.
- The DIP is expected to be published ahead of the NATO Summit and set out funding to support the Armed Forces, bolster British industry and strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence.
The UK’s elite Commandos will be equipped with new high-speed boats and the latest drone and autonomous technology, as the new Defence Secretary shifts spending towards front-line priorities to deter emerging threats. 

Dan Jarvis has spent the last two weeks refocusing the Defence Investment Plan – expected to be published ahead of the NATO Summit – so that it prioritises getting the latest kit into the hands of military personnel, including for the UK’s elite Commandos.

The UK Commando Force is the elite frontline, rapid-reaction force of the UK Armed Forces, capable of deploying anywhere in the world at very short notice. They form the vanguard of NATO’s rapid-reaction forces, transitioning seamlessly from year-round Arctic defence missions to immediate crisis-response operations in the Middle East.

The refreshed DIP will see over £500 million committed to transforming the Commandos into the Future Commando Force, focused on the High North due to its growing importance to UK and NATO security.

This lethal Force will be equipped with new high-speed Commando Insertion Craft (CIC), which could be used to seize further Russian shadow fleet tankers and other maritime security operations. This programme will see the UK collaborate with Norway, a key NATO Ally in the High North, and build on the historic Type 26 frigate deal.

The transformation into the Future Commando Force will also include:
- Nearly £100 million for new transformative technologies. This includes uncrewed vessels, next-generation communications, networked targeting and strike drones – presenting a significant economic opportunity for UK industry, supporting high-skilled jobs, technology and export potential.
- Investment in new larger Amphibious Transport Ships to support UK Commando Force operations, aiming to create a new combined fleet with the Netherlands.
Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis MBE MP said:

Our elite Commando Force is respected around the world, conducting operations that help to keep the nation and our allies safe.

We’re investing in new lethal strike drones, high-speed boats and amphibious transport ships to give our Commandos the equipment they need to stay ahead of adversaries and defend us.

The Defence Investment Plan will prioritise getting the latest kit into the hands of our frontline forces, so they can continue their vital work in an increasingly dangerous world.
28/06/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Rough sleeping no longer a crime as Vagrancy Act repealed [June 2026]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 28 June 2026.

The government will repeal the Vagrancy Act on Monday 29 June 2026, ending nearly two centuries of legislation that has criminalised rough sleeping and begging.

The government will repeal the Vagrancy Act tomorrow (Monday 29 June), bringing an end to nearly two centuries of legislation that has criminalised rough sleeping and begging.

Originally introduced in 1824, the Vagrancy Act has been found to punish people simply for not having a home. As a result, it has pushed vulnerable people away from support, increased the risk of fines or criminal records and made it harder for people to rebuild their lives.

Repealing the Act is a vital step in ending a system that has failed to address the causes of rough sleeping and in shifting the focus towards prevention, support and long-term solutions.

This sits at the heart of the National Plan to End Homelessness – backed by £3.6 billion over the next three years – which aims to halve long-term rough sleeping and end the unlawful use of B&Bs for families by the end of the Parliament. 

Alongside this, the government is delivering the biggest long-term investment in social and affordable housing in a generation – £39 billion over the next ten years – providing the homes people need. Recent figures show social and affordable housing starts are up 35% since 2024 and completions have risen again this year.  

Following a week of record temperatures, the public are also being reminded of the Streetlink alert system to notify their local authority of anyone who is rough sleeping and in need of support.  

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:  

Homeless people are not criminals, they are people who need help.

By repealing the outdated Vagrancy Act, we are shifting from punishment to prevention, alongside our investment to tackle homelessness for good.

Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern said:   

Repealing the Vagrancy Act is a long-overdue step that reflects a modern understanding of homelessness.

We are turning our backs on a centuries old approach and instead focusing our attention on what works through providing support, preventing homelessness, and helping people rebuild their lives.

Our Plan to End Homelessness will drive that change, helping more people off the streets and into the security of a permanent home.

The Vagrancy Act was introduced in 1824 in response to rising homelessness following the Napoleonic Wars and Industrial Revolution. While its use has sharply declined, it is still sometimes used to move people on instead of addressing the root causes of a person’s homelessness. 

The National Plan to End Homelessness rewires the system to focus support where it’s needed most. This includes:
- A £159 million grant for supported housing is getting over 2,500 people across England off the streets and into more stable housing, as well as preventing those from getting onto the streets in the first place. 
- Setting clear targets for halving the number who become homeless on their first night out of prison and that no eligible person is discharged to the street after a hospital stay.
- It also sets a clear long-term ambition that no one should be made homeless from a public institution.
The upcoming Social Housing Bill will strengthen protections to victims of domestic abuse in social housing, helping to prevent homelessness – research shows that nearly 70% of women experiencing rough sleeping in 2025 had experienced domestic abuse since the age of 16.

There are already powers in place to tackle antisocial behaviour where it occurs, including under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. These are used where behaviour causes harassment or distress – not for simply being homeless. Statutory guidance will be updated to ensure these powers are used appropriately.

The government will continue to take a tough stance on organised crime. New offences in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 will target organised begging gangs, those who exploit others for financial gain, and trespass linked to criminal activity.
28/06/2026
NEWS STORY : Uganda’s Military Chief Orders Media Shutdown in Crackdown on Press Freedom

STORY

Uganda’s military chief has ordered the closure of leading independent media outlets in a sharp escalation of the country’s authoritarian drift, using the power of the army to suppress journalism and tighten control over public debate.

Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of President Yoweri Museveni and a likely successor to his father, ordered the shutdown of the Daily Monitor and NTV Uganda, two of the country’s most prominent independent media organisations. Soldiers were deployed to the Daily Monitor’s offices in Kampala, preventing staff from entering or leaving the premises.

The move represents a grave attack on press freedom in a country already facing growing concern over militarisation, political intimidation and the repression of dissent. Kainerugaba made no serious attempt to disguise the nature of the intervention, declaring on social media that he did not believe in a free press and that the media should be guided by cadres of the revolution.

The closure order comes after a period of deepening repression in Uganda, where Museveni has ruled since 1986 and where opposition figures, lawyers and activists have faced increasing pressure. Kainerugaba has become an increasingly powerful political figure, combining his military role with open political ambition and a public style marked by threats and inflammatory statements.

28/06/2026
Dan Jarvis – 2026 Comments on Armed Forces Day

The comments made by Dan Jarvis, the Secretary of State for Defence, on 27 June 2026.

Armed Forces Day is an extraordinary opportunity for our nation to come together to thank the people who keep this country safe, and all those who support them.

It’s an honour to join the celebrations in Aldershot alongside thousands of people to pay tribute to the exceptional courage and dedication of all our personnel.

Southport already hosts the largest Armed Forces event in their region, and as community that knows about resilience and coming together, it is fitting that they will host the 2027 national day. I congratulate all those involved in the successful bid.

28/06/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Nation unites to celebrate Armed Forces Day as Southport selected for 2027 national event [June 2026]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 27 June 2026.

Tens of thousands of people have come together in Aldershot today and across the country to mark Armed Forces Day, the annual national moment to give gratitude to the people who serve and have served in the UK’s Armed Forces.
- Tens of thousands gather across the country to honour serving personnel, veterans, reservists, cadets and their families
- Defence Secretary joins celebrations in Aldershot
- Southport announced as location for 2027 Armed Forces Day national event
Tens of thousands of people have come together in Aldershot today and across the country to mark Armed Forces Day, the annual national moment to give gratitude to the people who serve and have served in the UK’s Armed Forces.

More than 230 Armed Forces Day events took place across the country, as communities from every part of the UK marked the occasion. This included celebrations in Aldershot – the historic home of the British Army – which were attended by the Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis MBE MP.

The event saw a spectacular parade of Armed Forces personnel and military bands from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Royal Air Force A400M Atlas aircraft joined a Dakota from The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in a flypast over the celebrations.

Three military parachute display teams – the British Army Red Devils, the Royal Air Force Falcons and the Royal Navy Raiders – dropped into the main arena.

While in Aldershot, the Defence Secretary announced that the 2027 Armed Forces Day national event will take place in Southport, Merseyside. He also celebrated the Armed Forces’ powerful role in creating opportunity for young people form every background.

Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis MBE MP said:

Armed Forces Day is an extraordinary opportunity for our nation to come together to thank the people who keep this country safe, and all those who support them.

It’s an honour to join the celebrations in Aldershot alongside thousands of people to pay tribute to the exceptional courage and dedication of all our personnel.

Southport already hosts the largest Armed Forces event in their region, and as community that knows about resilience and coming together, it is fitting that they will host the 2027 national day. I congratulate all those involved in the successful bid.

Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton said:

Armed Forces Day is about more than a parade or a flypast – it’s about the bond between those who serve and the society they protect. In Aldershot today that bond was on full display, and I’m proud of every service person who took part.

Maintaining that connection is essential to our strength as a force. Southport has a strong Armed Forces presence and proud tradition of support, and I look forward to seeing it host a fitting national celebration next year.

Mayor of Sefton, Cllr Jennifer Corcoran said:

Sefton has a proud and longstanding connection with our Armed Forces, and it is a tremendous honour for Southport to host the national Armed Forces Day next year.

This announcement recognises the dedication and sacrifice of our service personnel, veterans and their families and also the strong sense of community we have here in Southport. We look forward to welcoming visitors from across the country to celebrate, reflect and show our collective support for those who serve.

Councillor Marion Atkinson, Leader of Sefton Council, added:

We are incredibly proud that Southport has been chosen to host Armed Forces Day 2027. This is a fantastic opportunity to shine a national spotlight on our borough, while paying tribute to the bravery and commitment of our Armed Forces community.

Across Sefton, we recognise the invaluable contribution made by serving personnel, veterans and their families, and we are committed to ensuring they feel supported and valued. We look forward to working with partners to deliver a memorable and fitting event that brings residents and visitors together in celebration and gratitude.

The town of Southport will welcome Armed Forces families, veterans, cadets and supporters from across the northwest when it hosts the 2027 Armed Forces Day national event, supported by Sefton Council and the Southport Armed Forces Community Hub.

Their winning bid emphasised that their Armed Forces Day celebrations will be “a national statement of service, resilience, unity and renewal.”

Armed Forces Day aims to strengthen the connection between the military and the communities they serve, demonstrating how everyone has a part to play in keeping the nation safe.

Southport has considerable experience planning major events for tens of thousands of visitors thanks to the annual Southport Airshow and British Musical Fireworks Championship and already hosts the largest Armed Forces Day community event in northwest England.

The Ministry of Defence invites bids to host the national event from communities across the UK and selects a winner based on the strength of their bid and the impact the proposed event could make on the Armed Forces community.

The winning hosts receive £50,000 of event funding from the Ministry of Defence, access to military assets such as flypasts, equipment and bands, and planning and communications support.

Major Nick McEntee, Director of Southport Armed Forces Community Hub added:

We are absolutely delighted that Southport has been selected to host the National Armed Forces Day 2027 celebrations.

This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the strength of the partnership between Southport’s Armed Forces Community Hub, the wider Armed Forces community in our town and Sefton Council. Together, we have a shared ambition to deliver an event that recognises and celebrates those who serve, those who have served, and the families and loved ones who support them.

Southport already hosts one of the most respected Armed Forces Day events in the UK, and National Armed Forces Day 2027 gives us an even greater opportunity to showcase our incredible seaside town to a national audience while saying a huge thank you to our Armed Forces community.

The hard work starts now, but our volunteers are ready to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in. We can’t wait to work together to bring this unforgettable event to Southport alongside Sefton Council.

Armed Forces Day is the culmination of Armed Forces Week, an annual opportunity for the nation to thank the Armed Forces community: serving personnel and reservists, veterans, cadets and their families and supporters.

As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, rebuilding the relationship between the Armed Forces and civilian society is central to a whole-of-society approach to defence.
28/06/2026