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Yvette Cooper – 2025 Statement on Gaza and Sudan

The statement made by Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, in the House of Commons on 18 November 2025.

I want to update the House on two of the world’s gravest conflicts—in Gaza and in Sudan—following recent resolutions in the UN and discussions at the G7, and on the action that the UK Government are taking to pursue peace.

First, I turn to Gaza. After two years of the most horrendous suffering, the ceasefire agreement led by President Trump with the support of Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye has been in place for six weeks. Twenty hostages are now home with their loved ones, and the remains of 25 more have been returned so their families can grieve. More aid trucks are entering Gaza. But the ceasefire is highly fragile, and there is still a long journey ahead to implement the commitments made at Sharm el-Sheikh and to get to a lasting peace.

Last night, the UN Security Council passed resolution 2803. The UK voted for this important resolution, which authorises the establishment of an international stabilisation force for Gaza, and transitional arrangements including the board of peace and a Palestinian committee. It underscores the essential need for humanitarian aid and reconstruction, and points the way to a path to Palestinian self-determination and statehood. Crucially, it is supported by the Palestinian Authority, and Arab and Muslim partners in the region and beyond. The resolution is a critical staging post that sustains the unity around President Trump’s 20-point plan.

Momentum must now be maintained. It is essential that an international stabilisation force and trained Palestinian police can be deployed quickly to support the ceasefire and to avoid a vacuum being left that Hamas can exploit. We will also need the urgent formation of a Palestinian committee alongside the board of peace. As we made clear at the UN last night, these transitional arrangements must be implemented in accordance with international law, and respecting Palestinian sovereignty and self- determination. They should strengthen the unity of Gaza and the west bank, and empower Palestinian institutions to enable a reformed Palestinian Authority to resume governance in Gaza, because Palestine must be run by Palestinians.

The work to implement the first phase of the ceasefire agreement must continue. That means work so that Hamas releases the bodies of the remaining three hostages taken in the terrorist attack on 7 October, so that their families can properly grieve. We urgently need a major increase in humanitarian aid, because aid into Gaza is still a trickle rather than a flood. Two weeks ago, I visited warehouses in Jordan holding UK aid for Gaza, including one run by the World Food Programme with enough wheat to feed 700,000 people for a month; yet it still sits there because the Jordanian route into Gaza is still closed. People there told me that there were 30 more warehouses nearby, with food, shelter kits, tents and medical supplies—less than 100 miles from Gaza but still not getting in.

I welcome the very recent improvements in aid flows, and that one more border crossing, Zikim, is now partially open. But it is not nearly enough. We need all land crossings open—including the Rafah border with Egypt— with longer and consistent hours, and urgent work is needed immediately in all parts of Gaza to rebuild basic public services and to provide shelter as winter draws in. Medical staff must be allowed to enter and leave Gaza freely, and international non-governmental organisations need certainty that they can continue to operate. I spoke to the King of Jordan and to doctors in Amman about a maternity and neonatal field hospital unit that stands ready to be moved into Gaza—but, again, they cannot yet get it in. The Israeli Government can and must remove the restrictions and uncertainty now.

As well as working with the US and others, we are drawing on distinct UK strengths to support a lasting peace. We are providing expertise on weapons decommissioning and ceasefire monitoring, based on the Northern Ireland experience. We are supporting on demining and unexploded ordnance, including with £4 million of new UK funding for the United Nations Mine Action Service, and we are funding to surge in experts, including from British organisations such as the HALO Trust and Mines Advisory Group, whose impressive work I recently saw at first hand. On civil-military co-ordination, we have UK deployments into a dedicated US-led hub for Gaza stabilisation efforts.

Beyond Gaza, stability in the west bank is essential to any sustainable peace, and I am concerned that the PA faces an economic crisis induced by Israeli restrictions that are strangling the Palestinian economy. The Netanyahu Government should be extending, not threatening to end, the arrangements between Israeli and Palestinian banks—arrangements that are crucial to the everyday economy for Palestinians. This is crucial for stability, which is in Israel’s interests too.

The pace of illegal settlement building continues. We have seen further appalling incidents of settler violence during the olive harvest. While I welcome Israeli President Herzog’s expression of concern, the response of the Israeli authorities is still completely insufficient—practically and legally. Tackling settlement expansion and settler violence is vital to protecting a two-state solution, in line with the UK’s historic decision to recognise the state of Palestine.

Let me turn now to Sudan, where the worst humanitarian crisis in the 21st century is still unfolding, right now. The UN humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, who has just visited the area, has described it as:

“the epicentre of suffering in the world”

and he is right. Over 30 million people need lifesaving aid. Twelve million have been forced from their homes. Famine is spreading. Cholera and preventable disease are rampant. In El Fasher, following advances by the Rapid Support Forces, there are horrifying scenes of atrocities, with mass executions, starvation, and the systematic use of rape as a weapon of war—horrors so appalling they can be seen from space.

As the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs has put it, El Fasher is a crime scene. Satellite pictures show discolouration of sand consistent with pools of blood, multiple clusters of objects consistent with piles of human bodies, and the apparent burning of bodies and operations to dispose of bodies in mass graves. Further horrors will yet unfold unless greater action is taken.

A year ago, Britain tabled a resolution at the UN Security Council demanding humanitarian access and civilian protection, but it was shamefully vetoed by Russia. Six months ago, at our London-Sudan conference, the UK brought together international partners and secured £800 million in funding, but the situation continues to deteriorate, including with North Kordofan now under threat and fighting moving to El Obeid.

We need a complete step change in efforts to alleviate the suffering and bring about peace. That means more aid to those in need. The UK has committed over £125 million this year alone, delivering lifesaving support to over 650,000 people—treating children with severe malnutrition, providing water and medicine, and supporting survivors of rape—but the challenge is still access.

The RSF still refuses safe passage to aid organisations around El Fasher. The Sudanese armed forces are bringing in new restrictions that stand to hinder aid. Both sides must allow unhindered passage for humanitarian workers, supplies and trapped civilians. We are urgently pressing for a three-month humanitarian truce to open routes for lifesaving supplies, but aid will not resolve a conflict wilfully driven by the warring parties, so we desperately need a lasting ceasefire underpinned by a serious political process.

At the Manama dialogue conference in Bahrain two weeks ago, I called for the same intense international efforts to address the crisis in Sudan as we have seen around Gaza. At Niagara last week, I joined our G7 partners in calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, for the unimpeded access of humanitarian aid, and for external actors to contribute to the restoration of peace and security. We are engaging intensively with the Quad countries—the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United States—which have now together called for an immediate humanitarian truce, and an end to external support and arms that are fuelling conflict. I strongly support Secretary Rubio’s latest comments regarding the need to end the weapons and support that the RSF is getting from outside Sudan.

Last Friday, the UK called a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, in which a UK-drafted resolution was passed, securing international consensus for an urgent UN inquiry into alleged crimes in El Fasher, because impunity cannot be the outcome of these horrifying events. We need to ensure that teams can get in to investigate those atrocities and hold the perpetrators to account, and I have instructed my officials to bring forward potential sanctions relating to human rights violations and abuses in Sudan.

The UK will play its full part to ensure that it is the Sudanese people, not any warring party, that determines Sudan’s future. Wars that rage unresolved do not just cause untold harm to civilians; they radiate instability, undermine the security of neighbouring states, and lead migrants to embark on dangerous journeys. We are striving to meet those urgent humanitarian needs, and striving to secure not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of lasting peace. From Gaza to Sudan that can only be done through international co-operation, and through countries coming together for peace. I commend this statement to the House.

November 26, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : UK Government gives voice to nature at COP30 climate conference [November 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 24 November 2025.

UK accelerates global leadership on nature at COP30.
- First company – a British startup – contributes to the Cali Fund paving the way for others to do the same and mobilise private sector finance for nature at scale
- Minister for Nature works with global partners to mobilise finance for nature, promote sustainable farming for food security and takes action to protect our oceans.
The UK Government has taken bold and ambitious action to protect and restore nature at the COP30 climate meeting.

UK representatives have championed the protection and restoration of critical ecosystems around the world, and the essential work we’re doing back home to restore our forests, landscapes and seas for the British people as part of the Plan for Change.

During COP30, the first payment to the Cali Fund – by a British business – was announced. This marks a major milestone since its launch earlier this year. The Fund enables companies – such as pharmaceutical and biotech companies – to share profits with Indigenous Peoples and local communities who protect the nature that provides genetic resources for their products.

The UK is working closely with the private sector and other governments to support effective implementation of the Fund, including through the Friends of the Cali Fund, and this first contribution is a real milestone in these efforts.

UK-based startup Tierra Viva AI proudly kickstarts contributions to the Cali Fund, paving the way for others to follow and contribute to the Fund at scale.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

British families are already feeling the impact of climate change – from flooding that destroys homes to heatwaves that put vulnerable people at risk.

We cannot tackle nature loss and climate change in isolation; in Brazil we have built the global coalition for ambitious action on nature which is the only way to protect our home for future generations

Ruth Davis, Special Representative for Nature said:

The UK has demonstrated technical expertise and worked alongside our global partners to put nature on the agenda, but there is more to do, and we must now amplify the momentum for action at scale on climate and nature.

This isn’t just about doing the right thing for the planet. Building a stronger and fairer global economy will unlock enormous economic opportunities – we know that investing in nature creates jobs and accelerates growth with new opportunities attracting millions in investment.

At COP30, the UK government has made further commitments to halt and reverse nature loss This includes:
- Launching the UK-Brazil Fertilisers Declaration – a global push to cut emissions from fertiliser production and use. It’s about improving food security and protecting jobs and growth by supporting farmers’ resilience and boosting agricultural productivity.
- Joining the Saltmarsh Breakthrough – protecting these vital coastal ecosystems which anchor key marine food chains, shield communities from floods and lock away more carbon than most forests.
- Becoming a Food Waste Breakthrough Country Champion – driving the global goal to halve food waste by 2030 and cutting methane emissions by keeping food waste out of landfills.  
- Nature actions – COP30 showcased the UK’s role in advancing the global ‘nature actions agenda’. The summit saw the Independent Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits launch its Nature Markets Policy Forum with the UK, France and Indonesia joining as founding members, helping to unlock innovation and investment in high integrity nature credit markets.
- Congo call to action – The UK also furthered its long-standing partnership with the Congo Basin region, joining a Call to Action, to ensure the world recognises the importance of Congo’s forests and funds solutions developed by Congolese institutions and communities.
The UK’s leadership at COP30 echoes our commitments to support the environment at home.

We announced that the second National Forest will be in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, where millions of trees will be planted as part of a wider commitment to allocate over £1 billion this parliament to tree planting. This will support nature recovery, green jobs, and net zero goals.

Further detail on this government’s plan to restore the environment will be set out in the upcoming Environmental Improvement Plan, which will outline the next phase of the UK’s nature recovery ambitions.
November 26, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Trustee appointed to The National Lottery Heritage Fund Board [November 2025]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 24 November 2025.

The Prime Minister has appointed Dr Heather Reid as the Trustee and Chair of the Scotland Committee to The National Lottery Heritage Fund board.

Dr Heather Reid

Heather Reid has a background in meteorology, climate, natural heritage and science engagement. Her early career was spent as a weather forecaster with the UK Met Office and BBC Scotland. During this time she became Chair of the Institute of Physics in Scotland, a Trustee at Glasgow Science Centre and a leading contributor within Scotland’s education sector on the science and the impacts of climate change.

More recently her career has focused on Non-Executive roles within the Environment sector. She is currently Chair of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority and a Board member at NatureScot – Scotland’s nature agency. She has also been appointed to the Board of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland. Her passion for science engagement is maintained as Deputy Chair of Dynamic Earth science centre and she continues to be involved in science education advisory roles.

Heather received an OBE for services to physics in 2006 and has been awarded honorary degrees from Paisley University, The University of Glasgow and The Open University. She relaxes by mountain biking and hillwalking and ranks hiking the iconic West Highland Way with her daughter as one of life’s best experiences.

Heather Reid has been appointed for a term of three years on The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Heritage Memorial Fund Board, commencing on 24 November 2025.

Remuneration and Governance Code

The Scottish Trustees of The National Lottery Heritage Fund Board and National Heritage Memorial Fund are remunerated £20,749 per annum. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election.

Heather Reid has declared no such political activity.

Notes to Editors

DCMS has around 400 regulated Public Appointment roles across 42 Public Bodies including Arts Council England, Theatres Trust, the National Gallery, UK Sport and the Gambling Commission. We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. To find out more about Public Appointments or to apply visit the HM Government Public Appointments Website.

November 26, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Chancellor appoints infrastructure and planning adviser to clear path for new investments [November 2025]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 24 November 2025.

Leading lawyer, Catherine Howard, appointed to advise Chancellor on the next phase of planning and infrastructure reforms as she vows to ‘do what it takes to get Britain building’.
- Extra expertise at the Treasury to help government kickstart economic growth to deliver an economy that works for working people – and rewards working people.
- Comes as part of government commitment to create conditions to attract long-term private sector investment into UK infrastructure, including landmark planning reforms and backing of a third runway at Heathrow
Leading planning lawyer Catherine Howard has been appointed to advise Chancellor Rachel Reeves to help drive through the next phase of the government’s planning reforms with new Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, to ‘get Britain building.’

The Chancellor has vowed that the Autumn Budget will focus on building an economy that works for working people by taking action to reduce inflation, keep a grip on the public finances and kickstart economic growth.

With the Planning and Infrastructure Bill going through Parliament and barriers to private investment being torn down, the Chancellor is pushing ahead to create the conditions to secure vital long-term investments in UK infrastructure and support Britain’s economic renewal.

Specialising in major infrastructure projects, Catherine is currently a Partner at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, with expertise in Development Consent Orders which provide planning permission for nationally significant infrastructure projects, environmental regulation, and Judicial Reviews.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:

I am determined we do what it takes to get Britain building, unlock private investment and deliver an economy that works for working people – and rewards working people.

I look forward to working with Catherine to deliver this.

Catherine Howard said:

It is a privilege to take on this position as the Chancellor’s Infrastructure and Planning Adviser, helping the government to achieve a step-change in how we deliver major infrastructure and housing.

With the right framework in place, good decision-making can enable swift progress – improving our natural environment and supporting the government’s Growth Mission. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill makes major strides towards this goal. I look forward to working with stakeholders to consider how we build on this important agenda.

Catherine was initially appointed to work up to four days a week on an unpaid basis until the Autumn Budget. Catherine’s term has been extended until the 1 January 2026 to continue to support the governments planning agenda. Her terms of appointment remain unchanged.

Established processes for the declaration and management of interests have been followed in respect of this appointment. Catherine has confirmed she has not taken part in any political activity in the last five years.
November 26, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : ‘We see you’: Armed forces on patrol around the UK in response to Russian activity [November 2025]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 24 November 2025.

Royal Navy intercepts Russian warship and tanker in the Dover Strait and English Channel whilst RAF P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft deployed to Iceland to patrol North Atlantic.

The UK Armed Forces are on patrol from the English Channel to the High North amid increased Russian activity threatening UK waters.

In the past fortnight, Royal Navy patrol ship HMS Severn intercepted Russian corvette RFN Stoikiy and tanker Yelnya off the UK coast, in a round-the-clock shadowing operation as the Russian vessels sailed through the Dover Strait and westward through the English Channel.

HMS Severn later handed over monitoring duties to a NATO ally off the coast of Brittany, but continued to observe from a distance and remained ready to respond to any unexpected activity.

Commander Grant Dalgleish, HMS Severn’s Commanding Officer, said:

This tasking shows the value of our patrol ships and reinforces the Royal Navy’s close liaison with our NATO allies in safeguarding the British people and protecting the internationally recognised waterways.

I’m immensely proud of the way the ship’s company reacted to this activation, especially coming so quickly after a demanding period of regeneration and operational training.

This comes as the UK has seen a 30% increase in Russian vessels threatening UK waters in the past two years.

On Wednesday, the Defence Secretary confirmed that Russian spy ship Yantar – used for gathering intelligence and mapping undersea cables – was operating on the edge of UK waters north of Scotland. In a clear message to Putin, the Defence Secretary said: “We see you. We know what you are doing. And we are ready.”

As Yantar lingered in UK’s wider waters, its crew directed lasers at the RAF P-8 pilots tracking it in a reckless and dangerous act. While tracking Yantar, Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset and other civilian ships in the area experienced GPS jamming in a further demonstration of unprofessional behaviour, intended to be disruptive and a nuisance. HMS Somerset’s combat capabilities were not affected.

The UK has a wide range of military options at its disposal to keep UK waters safe. Three RAF P-8 Poseidon aircraft have deployed to Keflavik Air Base in Iceland in the largest overseas deployment of the RAF P-8 fleet so far.

The P-8s from 120 Squadron are conducting surveillance operations as part of NATO’s collective defence, patrolling for Russian ships and submarines in the North Atlantic and Arctic.

While in Iceland, RAF crews are working closely with NATO allies including the US and Canada, reinforcing the UK’s NATO-first approach and commitment to Euro-Atlantic security in this new era of threat.

These operations reaffirm the UK’s unwavering commitment to national security and protecting critical undersea infrastructure, underpinning this Government’s Plan for Change.

Wing Commander Higgins, Officer Commanding 120 Squadron, said:

This deployment to Iceland highlights the enduring importance of the North Atlantic and Arctic to the security of the Alliance.

Operating the P-8A Poseidon, we continue that legacy by contributing to NATO’s collective defence and ensuring the security of this strategically critical region.

The UK is stepping up on defence and security, backed by the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, including £4 billion on boosting our drone capabilities and over £1 billion on strengthening air and missile defence to protect the UK homeland.

These latest operations come less than a month after HMS Duncan tracked the movements of Russian destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov, and frigate HMS Iron Duke was dispatched to monitor Russian Kilo-class submarine Novorossiysk.

Last month, two advanced RAF surveillance aircraft conducted a 12-hour mission along Russia’s border to monitor NATO’s eastern and northern flanks. A Rivet Joint electronic intelligence aircraft and a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, supported by a US Stratotanker, collectively flew 10,000 miles from the High North, past Belarus and Ukraine, and into the Black Sea.

Both aircraft use advanced sensors to detect Russian activity and deliver critical intelligence for analysis.

This increase in UK Armed Forces activity comes alongside new sanctions. Last week, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK, US, and Australia are sanctioning Media Land – a Russian cyber crime group responsible for facilitating cyber-attacks on UK-based companies.

November 26, 2025
NEWS STORY : European Powers Present New Peace Proposal for Ukraine Conflict

STORY

A new European-led peace plan aimed at ending the war in Ukraine has been unveiled, offering an alternative to the recent framework put forward by the United States which was felt to be a capitulation by President Trump. The proposal, drafted jointly by Britain, France, Germany and other EU countries retains Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as central principles while adjusting or removing elements of the earlier U.S. plan that proved contentious in Kyiv and other European capitals. The document calls for a ceasefire along existing front lines, long-term security guarantees and substantial reconstruction support once fighting ends.

UK officials involved in shaping the plan have stressed that any settlement must be acceptable to Ukraine and durable enough to ensure stability across Europe. While the proposal does not rule out future NATO membership for Ukraine or restrict its military capabilities, it seeks to establish a framework that would halt hostilities and open the door to broader political negotiations. Whether Russia will engage with the European version remains uncertain, with analysts noting that Moscow has shown little willingness to compromise in recent months.

November 26, 2025
NEWS STORY : UK Budget Due Today as Ministers Prepare to Outline Fiscal Priorities [November 2025]

STORY

The Government will announce its Budget later today, setting out tax plans and public spending decisions for the year ahead at a time of continued pressure on household finances and public services. Ministers have signalled that the statement will focus on economic stability and long-term growth, though the final balance between tax changes and spending commitments remains unclear. Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is expected to emphasise measures intended to support investment while keeping borrowing within existing fiscal rules.

Opposition parties have called for targeted support for lower-income households and essential services, arguing that previous decisions have left public sector budgets stretched. They are also urging the government to provide clarity on funding for local authorities and the NHS after warnings from several organisations that current levels are insufficient to meet rising demand. The Treasury maintains that the Budget will be responsible and sustainable, stressing the importance of keeping inflation under control.

The Budget is being seen as a key test for the Government amidst poor polling for the Prime Minister. There remain concerns that much of the Budget has already appeared in the media, a situation which Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, has already warned Parliament about.

November 26, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : No permission, no travel – UK set to enforce ETA scheme [November 2025]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 24 November 2025.

From February 2026, visitors will not be able to travel to the UK without advance permission.

Visitors from 85 nationalities, including the United States, Canada, and France, who do not need a visa will not be able to legally travel to the UK without an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) from 25 February 2026.

This is a significant step towards digitising the immigration system and paves the way for a contactless UK border in the future.

Enforcing will mean that everyone who wants to come to the UK must have digital permission through either an ETA or an eVisa. Carriers will be checking people before they travel.

Since the launch of ETA in October 2023, more than 13.3 million visitors have successfully applied and benefited from faster, smoother travel. ETA is now a fundamental part of travel, including for visitors who take connecting flights and go through UK passport control.

Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp, said:

ETAs give us greater power to stop those who pose a threat from setting foot in the country and gives us a fuller picture of immigration.

ETAs are also better for travellers. Digitising the immigration system ensures the millions of people we welcome to the UK every year enjoy a more seamless travel experience.

While ETA was being rolled out, it was not strictly enforced, to give visitors ample time to adjust to the new requirement. This is the same approach other countries such as the United States and Canada took for their travel schemes.

Applying for an ETA is quick and simple through the official UK ETA app, and the cost is competitive at £16. While most people currently get a decision automatically in minutes, it is recommended to allow 3 working days to account for the small number of cases that require additional review.

British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens, are exempt from needing an ETA. The UK government strongly advises dual British citizens to make sure they have a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement, to avoid problems like being denied boarding when travelling to the UK from 25 February 2026.

November 26, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : More targeted R&D investment towards driving UK growth and jobs unveiled by Technology Secretary [November 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 24 November 2025.

UKRI will deploy significant taxpayer backing to support government priorities, investing billions in UK expertise and innovation for growth and renewal.
- The UK’s public research funding body will deploy a significant portion of £38.6 billion in taxpayer backing to support government priorities, investing billions in UK expertise and innovation for growth and national renewal, Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall says
- UKRI to invest £8 billion for specific government priorities and £7 billion for innovative company growth, to build and keep titans of future industries like quantum based in UK, building strong foundations for our economy
- Part of a package of announcements aimed at boosting funding and the in-flow of international talent into high-growth sectors of the future
Record public research funding will be explicitly directed towards supporting promising scale-ups, turbocharging economic growth and job opportunities through our Modern Industrial Strategy, and improving lives, as part of a shake-up of public R&D announced today. The move reinforces the government’s push for national renewal, a Britain built for all, and a fairer economy that works for and rewards working people – work which will be further cemented through announcements at the Budget, later this week.

Addressing research funders and major business leaders from the UK and beyond, the Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said today (Monday 24 November) that public R&D funding had for too long been spread thinly across multiple priorities and projects and now was time for ‘doing fewer things, better’. She outlined a ‘no-compromise’ approach that prioritises funding for the companies with the highest potential to grow into industry titans and into the sectors where the UK already retains a competitive advantage. Setting these priorities clearly, will support the national effort to build strong foundations for our economy and secure our country’s future.

UKRI is the country’s largest public research funder, giving it a central role in ensuring public money is invested in ambitious, pioneering research that will benefit the whole of the UK and provide a clear return on investment for hardworking taxpayers.

Addressing the UKRI Growth Summit in London, Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:

Scientific research and development is fundamental to building a better Britain: from new treatments for cancer, to breakthroughs in clean, affordable energy.

There is no route to stronger growth in this country, no answer to how we pay our way, or compete with the rest of the world, without science, technology and innovation leading front and centre. But we must be smarter about what we prioritise, for these efforts to succeed.

That is what today is all about. And by increasing funding for critical technologies like AI and engineering biology where the UK already excels, we can go even further.

£9 billion of UKRI’s record £38.6 billion settlement will go towards backing the fields of research in which the UK is among the strongest in the world, like AI and quantum, which could deliver breakthroughs in healthcare or pioneering cybersecurity tech to keep our country safe from threats. Funding for engineering biology will increase nearly three-fold, to £644 million, while funding for AI will more than double to £1.6 billion.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that breakthroughs in AI alone could boost productivity by as much as 1.5 percentage points a year, which could be worth up to an average £47 billion to the UK each year over a decade. Quantum computing meanwhile could add over £11 billion to the UK’s GDP by 2045.

£8 billion will be allocated to funding research into the government’s priorities, including the Industrial Strategy’s priority areas and others like climate resilience and flood defence.

While another £7 billion will specifically fund innovative company growth to unlock the next generation of UK industry titans, building on the example set by:
- Cambridge-based Paragraf, which has raised around $140 million since it was founded in 2018 as a leader of graphene, powering products like electric cars and medical scanners more efficiently
- IFast, a diagnostics firm, working to detect antibiotic resistance much faster than traditional methods.
- Ceres Power, a clean energy company behind cutting edge fuel cell technology for hydrogen production, employing around 600 people and with a market capitalisation of over £700 million.
The third area that will see funding is £14 billion specifically for curiosity-driven research, which has been at the heart of great discoveries for generations – from the internet to medical breakthroughs that can treat a range of genetic diseases.

Universities will be key beneficiaries from UKRI’s record funding for R&D. Their core block grant and commercialisation funding from DSIT will grow in line with expected inflation over the Spending Review period.

Attracting top science and research talent to the UK, especially in the 8 key sectors of the Modern Industrial Strategy, is essential for achieving cutting-edge breakthroughs that economic growth, jobs, and entire new industries will be founded upon. Today the Science Secretary has also revealed the progress being made in those efforts – with the first 4 world-leading researchers relocating to the UK through the £54 million Global Talent Fund. These lead researchers are expected to also bring up to 10 individuals to support their research projects from abroad.

These leading researchers will be based across the country, and are spearheading work that could transform our health and wealth, ranging from efforts in neurobiology – which could give new insights into Alzheimer’s – to better ways of tackling the pests and diseases that could cost the global agriculture industry over £400 billion in losses every year if left unchecked.

This comes alongside additional leading scientists and academics being welcomed to the UK via other DSIT funded flagship talent and grant schemes delivered through UKRI and the UK’s 4 National Academies.

Alongside this transformative reform to R&D funding and work bringing in the best international talent, the government is also today announcing a raft of further announcements that will help support our R&D sector to turbocharge economic growth in the UK:
- Launching the competition to find the next Chair of UKRI’s Board, as Sir Andrew MacKenzie’s term concludes after adeptly leading the UKRI Board since 2021. We are seeking a leader committed to protecting and growing curiosity-driven research, addressing government priorities and tackling the UK’s biggest challenges. They will also play a key role in enabling R&D-intensive companies to start up, scale up and stay in the UK while helping to leverage the private sector backing that can take discoveries to the next level
- Setting UK researchers 2 ambitious challenges as part of our R&D Missions Accelerator Programme, backed by £4 million in the first year, on industrialising and digitalising construction and developing the infrastructure for our creative content exchange
- Launching the latest round of Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards, with £4.5 million available for up to 60 women – building on findings showing that if men and women started and scaled businesses at the same rate, this could add up to £250 billion to the UK economy
- Trebling the government’s investment in the UK’s world-leading Metascience Unit to £49 million. The unit supports research into how we can increase the impact and efficiency of investment in science
UKRI CEO, Professor Sir Ian Chapman said:

The record investment in R&D shows government’s commitment to putting UK research and innovation at the forefront of our national success. At UKRI, our mission is clear: to advance knowledge, improve lives, and drive growth. We will invest strategically in areas where the UK can achieve a significant market share globally. Research and innovation must be central to boosting the UK’s economy and delivering real improvements to people’s lives and livelihoods.

Notes to editors

Universities will see their core flexible research and commercialisation funding grow in line with expected inflation over the next 3 academic years.

Applications for Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards are open until 4 February 2026.

One of the Metascience Unit’s early successes has been the trial of Distributed Peer Review – a novel method of assessing research proposals in which applicants themselves participate in the review process. UKRI will now expand the use of Distributed Peer Review across the organisation, enabling researchers from all disciplines to access funding more quickly and experience fewer delays between proposal development and project initiation. And we are launching a new £6 million grant opportunity for UK-led metascience projects.

Global Talent Fund details

Attracting international talent is the catalyst for creating British jobs, boosting investment, and increasing productivity – just what our economy needs. The £54 million Global Talent Fund is enabling leading scientists and their teams to relocate and thrive in the UK. The Fund is designed to attract a total of 60-80 individuals in top research teams to the UK, working in the 8 high priority sectors critical to our modern Industrial Strategy like life sciences and digital technologies.

This work is supported by the Global Talent Taskforce, which is driving efforts to ensure the UK remains a world leader in attracting and retaining exceptional talent. By bringing the very best minds to the UK, working in fields that will be critical to our health, business, and everyday life, we can pave the way for the products, jobs and even industries that define tomorrow’s economy, to be made and grow in Britain.

The Fund is being delivered by 12 of the UK’s leading universities and research institutions.

Talent recruitment through the Fund is already underway, with the following researchers and academics having joined, or being set to join, institutions in the UK:
- Professor Baljit Khakh, joining Cardiff University as the new Director of UK Dementia Research Institute, from UCLA, United States. His exceptional work in the fields of neurobiology and neurodegeneration have seen him honoured with the H.W Magoun Distinguished Lectureship, the 134th UCLA Faculty Research Lecture, NIH Director’s Pioneer Award and election to the Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS) – the highest accolade in UK science.
- Professor Armin Raznahan, who is being appointed to the W. A. Handley Chair in Psychiatry at the University of Oxford. Professor Raznahan is a child and adolescent psychiatrist, and will be joining Oxford’s Merton College from his current role at the US National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program (NIMH IRP). His work is focused on improving outcomes for young people with mental health problems.
- Dr Hassan Salem joining the John Innes Centre, from the Max Planck Institute for Biology, Germany. Dr Salem’s research focuses on the relationship between plants an insects, including pests and the diseases they carry – a critical area of work for food security. Crop losses caused by plant diseases and pests could cost the global economy over £400 billion a year if left unchecked.
- Dr Sven Truckenbrodt, who has joined the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology from a research not-for-profit in California, United States. Sven is pioneering work on ‘molecular connectomics’: a new way of mapping how the brain works – which could change how we understand mental health problems. In his career to date he has invented new ways of mapping and tracking brain activity. The Global Talent Fund has allowed Sven to obtain highly specialised microscopes at the cutting edge of available technology, perfectly tailored to his research needs.
The Global Talent Fund, administered by UKRI, is just one part of over £115 million funding that is being dedicated to attracting the very best scientific and research talent to the UK. This includes the expanded Encode: AI for Science Fellowships and the Turing AI Fellowships, which is embedding world-class AI researchers into UK labs, ensuring the UK remains a global hub for cutting-edge research and innovation.

It sits alongside additional DSIT funded flagship talent and grant schemes open to international research talent delivered through UKRI and the UK’s 4 prestigious National Academies. For example, the Royal Society’s Newton International Fellowships and the British Academy’s International Fellowships which are both aimed at attracting outstanding international early-career researchers to the UK.

Today, the Medical Research Council (MRC) is announcing additional funding of up to £8.5 million to expand its ‘early independence’ Career Development Award (CDA) and Clinical Scientist Fellowship (CSF) schemes, making it easier for international researchers to build careers in the UK.

Just last week, the Academy of Medical Sciences announced their latest 3 Professorship Awards, funding top-level researchers working on child mental health, heart disease and cancer to continue their work in the UK.

The Royal Society also recently announced a cohort of exceptional researchers awarded early career fellowships open to domestic and international talent and worth more than £83 million. These early career schemes are supported by DSIT and include the University Research Fellowships, Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships and Newton International Fellowships.

The Royal Society recently announced its first awards for the Faraday Discovery Fellowships and the Royal Academy of Engineering are also expected to announce their first awards for the Green Future Fellowships in due course – both schemes are open to international talent, and have launched additional Accelerated International Application routes for exceptional non-UK-based researchers.
November 26, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government acts on top business concern and cuts electricity bills for thousands of manufacturers by up to 25% [November 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 24 November 2025.

The Government launches a consultation on the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme to cut electricity bills for 7,000 manufacturers and boost finance access with a £4 billion British Business Bank plan.
- Business Secretary sets out vision for optimism and economic growth at keynote speech to CBI’s annual conference.
- Government powers ahead with slashing electricity costs for over 7,000 British businesses by up to 25%.
- British Business Bank to improve access to finance and increase its pace of investment with focus on Industrial Strategy sectors.
Over 7,000 British businesses will see their electricity bills slashed by up to 25 percent, alongside increased support on access to finance for high potential firms, as Government takes bold action to tackle the biggest issues facing British businesses.

Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle will set out his big and bold offer of enhanced support in a keynote speech to a room of bosses from some of the UK’s top firms at the CBI Conference in London.

He will announce the launch of an 8-week consultation for the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) that will determine eligibility and deliver one of the key promises in the government’s modern Industrial Strategy.

The scheme will cut energy prices for thousands of businesses, from April 2027, in high growth industries like automotive and aerospace and foundational sectors in their supply chains, like chemicals. British industrial electricity prices are currently some of the highest in the G7, making it harder for British firms to compete on the global stage.

He will also address another major concern among bosses who struggle to secure access to finance in order to grow and scale up their business. The Business Secretary will today back a new five-year plan for the Government-owned British Business Bank, ensuring it can invest larger amounts in successful domestic scale-ups, who currently have to look overseas for finance.

This will increase the Bank’s pace of investment by two thirds, with a £4 billion boost for the most promising businesses in Industrial Strategy sectors to scale up and stay here. Over five years, the Bank’s total activities are projected to support 180,000 UK businesses, 370,000 new jobs, and add £68 billion of gross value added to the UK. economy.

Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said:

In recent years, our most promising innovators and industries have been hamstrung by some of the highest electricity prices in the G7 and poor access to finance. That’s been a drag anchor on growth. A drag anchor on innovation.

I have listened to business on both these issues and today we’re taking action. This is just the start, and in the months ahead I will be going further to address business concerns, reverse our industrial decline and make the UK the best place to start and scale a business.

High energy prices have consistently been raised as one of the top issues for businesses. 65% of respondents in Make UK and PWC’s 2025 Executive survey said high energy costs reduce their ability to compete and that it is a ‘dominant concern for manufacturers’, whilst 64% of businesses in the latest business confidence survey from the Adam Smith Institute said high energy costs are a ‘major concern’.

Now, the support provided through BICS will help level the playing field for thousands of companies, delivering on the central aim of the modern Industrial Strategy to back Britain’s leading sectors to attract new investment and deliver economic growth across all regions of the UK as part of the Plan for Change.

The scheme will support hundreds of thousands of skilled jobs across the country, reducing eligible companies’ bills by around £35-£40 per megawatt hour, or up to 25 percent.

By bearing down on costs across the energy system, we expect to deliver BICS and ensure that the scheme is delivered in line with our wider priorities to deliver affordable power for businesses and households. For example, the proposals in DESNZ’s recent consultations on RO/FiT indexation, if implemented, could contribute to that goal.

BICS follows the uplift to the discount on electricity costs provided through the British Industry Supercharger scheme announced just last month, which will launch in 2026 and increase the discount on electricity network charges faced by businesses in sectors like steel, cement and glass from 60 to 90 percent.

Louise Hellem, CBI Chief Economist, said:

Businesses have long warned that soaring energy prices are not just a cost burden, they’re an investment barrier. This consultation marks another welcome step forward in tackling a significant drag on economic growth.

Supporting firms to electrify is also critical to accelerating the energy transition and safeguarding the UK’s industrial competitiveness.

Government must now move quickly, in partnership with industry and energy suppliers, to set clear eligibility rules, delivery mechanisms and funding streams to close the industrial electricity price gap between the UK and its G7 peers.

Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS said:

We welcome the Government’s commitment to tackling high industrial energy costs and improving access to finance, recognising the importance of these issues particularly for our aerospace sector. ADS called for action in its Autumn Budget submission and today’s measures are a positive step forward.

There is no doubt that the business environment remains challenging and we look forward to working with Government to shape these interventions and address wider cost pressures. Continuing this momentum into the new year will be vital for ensuring UK industry stays competitive.

Ben Martin, Policy Manager, British Chambers of Commerce said:

This scheme is a positive step forward and will provide vital support to businesses in energy intensive industries. This consultation, to determine eligibility, is a key part of the process and will provide certainty for firms in understanding future costs for the coming years.

Notes to editors
- The scheme applies to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) only, since energy policy is largely devolved in Northern Ireland.
- The consultation launched today will close on 19 January, and government will then publish its response to the consultation within 12 weeks of this date.
- Eligible businesses must operate in frontier manufacturing industries within the government’s eight priority sectors or in foundational manufacturing industries supplying those frontier industries and meet the required level of electricity intensity.
- BICS will provide eligible manufacturing businesses with exemptions from the indirect cost of the Renewables Obligation (RO), Feed-In Tariffs (FIT) and Capacity Market (CM) schemes, to reduce cost pressures and support the long-term viability of our most strategically important industries.
- PWC / Make UK: Executive Survey 2025, A Strategy for Growth – Risk and Opportunities
- Adam Smith Institute Business Confidence Survey 2025.
- The British Business Bank’s 5-year plan is available here: https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/about/research-and-publications/five-year-strategic-plan.
November 26, 2025