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  • PRESS RELEASE : Dr. Swati Dhingra reappointed to the Monetary Policy Committee [February 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Dr. Swati Dhingra reappointed to the Monetary Policy Committee [February 2025]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 24 February 2025.

    Dr. Swati Dhingra has been reappointed as an external member to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has announced.

    Her three-year term was due to end on 8 August 2025. Following her appointment for a second term, Dr. Dhingra will continue to hold the post until 8 August 2028.

    Dr. Swati Dhingra is an Associate Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics (LSE), and an Associate of the Centre for Economic Performance at LSE. Her research has been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council; European Research Council; International Growth Centre; UK Research and Innovation; and she was awarded the Office for National Statistics’ Research Excellence People’s Choice Award 2019.

    From 1 January 2023, Dr. Swati Dhingra has been Director of the Review of Economic Studies. She has also been a member of the UK’s Trade Modelling Review Expert Panel and the LSE’s Economic Diplomacy Commission.

    About the reappointment process

    Reappointments are not automatic, and each case is considered on its own merits. This reappointment was made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in line with the requirements of the Governance Code for Public Appointments.

    About the Monetary Policy Committee

    The independent MPC makes decisions about the operation of monetary policy. It comprises of the Governor of the Bank of England, three Deputy Governors, the Bank of England’s Chief Economist and four external members. External members, who are appointed by the Chancellor, may serve up to two three-year terms on the MPC.

    The appointment of external members to the MPC is designed to ensure that the Committee benefits from thinking and expertise in addition to that gained inside the Bank. Each member of the MPC has expertise in the field of economics and monetary policy. They are independent and do not represent particular groups or areas.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Vehicle theft equipment to be banned under new government law [February 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Vehicle theft equipment to be banned under new government law [February 2025]

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

    Possession or distribution of electronic devices used to commit vehicle theft will be banned, carrying a maximum sentence of 5 years.

    Sophisticated electronic devices used by criminals in 40% of vehicle thefts in England and Wales will be banned under new laws, as part of the government’s mission to make the nation’s streets safer.

    Having your vehicle stolen is a costly and distressing experience for victims. It disrupts livelihoods, stopping people from working and from seeing their families.

    As the government works to prevent crimes from impacting working people’s lives, police officers and the courts will be given new powers to target criminals who steal vehicles using electronic devices, including ‘signal jammers’, along with the organised groups who manufacture and supply these devices.

    Previously, prosecution for handling these devices was only possible if it could be proved by police that they had been used to commit a specific crime.

    Under these new laws, anyone who is found in possession of one, or to have imported, made, adapted or distributed them, could receive a maximum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment and an unlimited fine. The burden of proof will instead fall on the owner to prove they were using the device for a legitimate purpose, to avoid being prosecuted.

    This new measure acts on a key milestone in our Plan for Change to protect our neighbourhoods and is part of the government’s flagship Crime and Policing Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament on Tuesday.

    Minister for Policing, Crime and Fire Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, said:

    These thefts have a devastating effect on victims, who need their vehicles to go about their everyday lives. We are aware of the real concerns people feel with the use of these electronic devices being so prolific.

    This is why we are introducing new laws focused on tackling this issue at source, which is what our Safer Streets mission and Plan for Change are all about. These new laws will prevent these devices from getting into the hands of thieves and organised crime groups.

    We will also continue to work closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, which includes supporting their National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership, which brings together the police and manufacturers to clamp down on vehicle crime.

    The most common way theft from a vehicle – or the theft of the vehicle itself – occurs is with the use of these electronic devices, with keyless repeaters and signal amplifiers being used to scramble the signal from remote locking devices.

    According to the 2022 to 2023 Crime Survey for England and Wales, an offender manipulated a signal from a remote locking device in 40% of thefts of vehicles. There were also 732,000 incidents of vehicle-related theft in the year ending September 2024.

    The Metropolitan Police Service estimates that, in London, signal jammers are used in approximately 60% of vehicle theft.

    A significant proportion of vehicle theft is driven by organised crime groups, as there is a demand for stolen vehicles, which means this is a highly attractive and lucrative area for criminals to gain profit. Organised criminals are constantly trying to find ways to overcome security measures on vehicles, even in the latest models, by exploiting vulnerabilities in vehicles and new technologies.

    In support of the new measures, RAC head of policy Simon Williams said:

    With government statistics showing an average of 370 vehicles being stolen every day, outlawing the possession and distribution of signal jammers cannot come soon enough and we welcome the government’s action on this.

    Having your car stolen is not only a violation, it causes massive amounts of stress and inconvenience as well as higher insurance costs for the individual concerned and drivers generally.

    AA president, Edmund King, said:

    This is a positive step, and these tougher sentences should make would-be thieves think again before stealing cars. As fast as vehicle technology has evolved, thieves have always tried to keep pace and beat the security systems.

    Relay theft and signal jamming is all too frequent and these measures will give police forces more opportunities to tackle car crime.

    ACC Jenny Sims, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime said:

    We welcome the announcement of new offences to criminalise the possession, manufacture, sale and supply of signal jammers which have provided an easily accessible tool for criminals to use in the theft of vehicles for far too long.

    These devices have no legitimate purpose, apart from assisting in criminal activity, and reducing their availability will support policing and industry in preventing vehicle theft which is damaging to both individuals and businesses.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK announces largest sanctions package against Russia since 2022 [February 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK announces largest sanctions package against Russia since 2022 [February 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 February 2025.

    Three years on from President Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UK has today imposed over 100 new sanctions directly targeting those who continue to aid the invasion.

    • 107 new sanctions announced as UK unleashes our largest sanctions package since the early days of the invasion.
    • milestone package targets Russian military supply chains, revenues fuelling Putin’s illegal war, and Kleptocrats driving profits for the Kremlin
    • strengthening Ukraine’s hand will help to build a secure and prosperous Europe and UK – a foundation of the government’s Plan for Change

    Today’s measures will target funds going into Putin’s war chest and propping up Russia’s kleptocratic system.

    As the Prime Minister said last week, we are facing a once in a generation moment for the collective security of our continent.  The UK is working with our Allies to put Ukraine in the best position to achieve peace through strength. Today’s action is a further step towards this.

    The sanctions will also target Russia’s military machine, entities in third countries who support it and the fragile supply networks that it relies on.

    Targets include:

    • producers and suppliers of machine tools, electronics and dual-use goods for Russia’s military, including microprocessors used in weapons systems. These are based in a range of third countries including Central Asian states, Turkey, Thailand, India and China, which is the largest supplier of critical goods for Russia’s military
    • North Korean Defence Minister No Kwang Chol and other North Korean generals and senior officials complicit in deploying over 11,000 DPRK forces to Russia. Putin is using DPRK forces as cannon fodder; DPRK has suffered over 4,000 casualties
    • 13 Russian targets, including LLC Grant-Trade, its owner Marat Mustafaev and his sister Dinara Mustafaeva, who have used the company to funnel advanced European technology into Russia to support its illegal war

    For the first time, we are also using new powers to target foreign financial institutions supporting Russia’s war machine.  We are sanctioning the Kyrgyzstan-based OJSC Keremet Bank, disrupting Russia’s use of the international financial system to support its war efforts.

    Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said:

    Today’s action, the largest in almost 3 years, underscores the UK’s commitment to Ukraine.

    Every military supply line disrupted, every rouble blocked, and every enabler of Putin’s aggression exposed is a step towards a just and lasting peace, and towards security and prosperity in the UK as a part of this government’s Plan for Change.

    Lasting peace will only be achieved through strength. That is why we are focused on putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position.

    As the world marks the grim milestone of Putin’s full-scale invasion entering its fourth year, we cannot and will not turn our backs on Ukraine in their fight for our shared security.

    Keeping the country safe is the Government’s first priority and an integral part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change. Sanctions against Russia’s military machine and the revenues fuelling it will improve the chances of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, which will benefit security and prosperity in the UK.

    The new sanctions will put further pressure on Putin’s energy revenues, the most vital source of funding for his illegal invasion. They include specification of another 40 ‘shadow fleet’ ships carrying Russian oil. These vessels have collectively carried more than $5 billion worth of Russian oil and oil products in the last six months alone. The specifications bring the total number of oil tankers sanctioned by the UK to 133 – the highest of any nation in Europe.

    Finally, we are sanctioning 14 ‘New Kleptocrats’, some of whom are fronting up strategic sectors of Russia’s economy.  Among them are Roman Trotsenko, one of the wealthiest men in Russia, worth £2.2 billion.

    After three years of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainians continue to defend their country and way of life with ingenuity and courage. They have shown that with the right support they can defend themselves against Russian aggression. Today’s action will strengthen Ukraine’s hand at a critical time in their fight for our shared security.

  • NEWS STORY : Delivery Driver, Amraiz Mahmood, Sentenced for COVID Loan Fraud

    NEWS STORY : Delivery Driver, Amraiz Mahmood, Sentenced for COVID Loan Fraud

    STORY

    A High Wycombe delivery driver has been sentenced for fraudulently obtaining a £20,250 Bounce Back Loan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amraiz Mahmood, 41, inflated his turnover by over £65,000 to secure the loan, which he then spent on drugs and gambling.

    Mahmood also concealed almost £40,000 in assets from the Official Receiver when he filed for bankruptcy in 2021. He had withdrawn the money in cash for home improvements just weeks before declaring himself bankrupt.

    At High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court, Mahmood was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years. He is also subject to a 12-month curfew and must wear an electronic tag.

    Mark Stephens, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: “Bounce Back Loans were designed to support small businesses through the pandemic, not for personal gain. The Insolvency Service will not hesitate to take action against those who abuse the scheme.”

    Mahmood’s fraudulent actions have resulted in an eight-year Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking, limiting his ability to borrow money. Efforts are underway to recover the misappropriated funds.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Delivery driver, Amraiz Mahmood, who spent Covid funds on drugs and gambling also withdrew cash for home renovations just before he went bankrupt [February 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Delivery driver, Amraiz Mahmood, who spent Covid funds on drugs and gambling also withdrew cash for home renovations just before he went bankrupt [February 2025]

    The press release issued by the Insolvency Service on 24 February 2025.

    Bounce Back Loan fraudster handed suspended sentence and curfew

    • Amraiz Mahmood secured more than £20,000 in Covid support funds by falsely declaring he had a turnover of £81,000 as a self-employed delivery driver and courier
    • Mahmood spent the money on drugs and gambling and also used a separate non-Covid related loan for almost £40,000 worth of renovations to his home just before he filed for his own bankruptcy
    • Insolvency Service investigations have resulted in Mahmood being given a suspended prison sentence and 12-month curfew

    A delivery driver who spent Covid support funds he was not entitled to on drugs and gambling has been sentenced.

    Amraiz Mahmood fraudulently secured a £20,250 Bounce Back Loan from his bank in 2020 by overstating his 2019 turnover by more than £65,000.

    The 41-year-old then claimed to have assets of only £100 despite withdrawing almost £40,000 in cash for home improvements in the weeks before he filed for his own bankruptcy.

    Mahmood, of Booker Lane, High Wycombe, was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, when he appeared at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Friday 21 February.

    He is also now subject to a 12-month daily curfew between 9pm and 7.45am which will be monitored with an electronic tag.

    Mark Stephens, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

    Amraiz Mahmood hugely inflated his turnover to secure taxpayers’ money he did not deserve. He then clearly failed to use the loan as it was intended.

    Bounce Back Loans were designed to support small businesses through the pandemic. They were not intended to be used for personal gain and the Insolvency Service will not hesitate to take action when we identify such blatant abuse of the scheme.

    Mahmood also concealed tens of thousands of pounds in assets from the Official Receiver when he was declared bankrupt.

    Mahmood fraudulently applied for his Bounce Back Loan in May 2020, claiming his turnover as a self-employed courier and delivery driver was £81,000.

    His self-assessment return for 2018-19 however showed an income of only £15,018.

    Mahmood said that he spent the majority of the money he claimed on recreational drugs and gambling.

    In May 2021, one year on from fraudulently securing the Bounce Back Loan, Mahmood applied for bankruptcy, stating he had assets of just £100 and liabilities of more than £200,000.

    However, just one month before his bankruptcy, Mahmood had secured a non-Covid related loan from his bank worth £25,000 having also withdrawn £2,000 from his account in the days and weeks before.

    He then withdrew a further £37,950 in cash across several transactions before being declared bankrupt.

    Mahmood said he withdrew the money as he needed to make repairs to his home and he knew the assets would be frozen once the bankruptcy order was made.

    Invoices for the house renovations were dated after Mahmood’s bankruptcy however, meaning he was in possession of the funds when he told the Official Receiver he only had £100 in assets.

    Mahmood signed an eight-year Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking in March 2022, restricting him from being able to borrow more than £500 without disclosing his bankrupt status.

    Efforts are now being made to recover the funds from Mahmood.

    Further information

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 58 – UK statement for the annual High-Level Segment [February 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 58 – UK statement for the annual High-Level Segment [February 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 February 2025.

    UK statement at the annual High-Level Segment of the Human Rights Council. Delivered by Lord Collins, FCDO Minister for Africa, UN, Commonwealth & Human Rights.

    Mr Vice President,

    I stand here not just as a life-long trade unionist but also as a Minister of a government committed to human rights and the rule of law.

    We have gathered today against the backdrop of an increasingly volatile and uncertain world. Conflicts and geopolitical tensions are robbing people across the world of their most basic rights.

    That’s why the United Kingdom backs Ukraine’s right to choose its own future. That’s why the ceasefire in Gaza must be fully implemented. We want to see an end to the conflict, with every hostage released and vital aid reaching Gaza, leading to a credible process towards a two-state solution.

    That’s why we welcome the Syrian interim authorities’ efforts to build a more inclusive future for all Syrians. It’s why we welcome Bangladesh engaging with the High Commissioner as it addresses past crimes and future aspirations.

    It’s why we are heartbroken by the suffering in Sudan and commend the DRC for bringing the appalling situation in the East of their country to this Council just two weeks ago.

    That’s why we are urging China to implement the recommendations of the United Nations High Commissioner’s Xinjiang assessment and respect the Joint Declaration on Hong Kong.

    Against this worsening global climate, the United Kingdom is determined to champion equal and inalienable rights for all. So I’m proud that the United Kingdom is standing for election to the Council for the 2026 to 2028 term.

    Throughout its many terms on the Council, the United Kingdom has always put respect and partnership at the heart of our approach. And we promise to collaborate in the same spirit once again. If elected, we pledge to defend civic space and fundamental freedoms, supporting civil society organisations and human rights defenders.

    We pledge to champion equal rights for all, by standing up for the rights of women and girls and LGBT+ people whose hard-won rights and freedoms are being so cruelly undermined, and by promoting women’s economic empowerment. And we will do all we can to uphold the rule of law. Because human rights and the rule of law are the basic building blocks of sustainable economic growth, stable societies, and humane migration policies.

    We will prioritise human rights and governance principles, including the use of new technologies and responding to modern slavery.

    But the United Kingdom is under no illusion that we can do all this alone. We cannot. That’s why we need your support. And if we have the honour of serving on the Council, we will prioritise practical action to achieve our shared human rights goals and change people’s lives for the better.

    Ultimately, it is only by building genuine, respectful partnerships that we can work together to defend the freedoms we all hold so dear.

  • NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 28 January 1925

    NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 28 January 1925

    28 JANUARY 1925

    The German reply to the last Allied Note concerning disarmament has been presented to the Allied representatives in Berlin. It states that the German Government cannot conceive how it can be accused of disregard of Articles 428 and 429 of the Versailles Treaty, and it maintains that the conditions under which evacuation of the Northern Rhine zone should have taken place on January 10 have, in fact, been carried out. “The fact of the disarmament of Germany is too evident,” the Note adds.

    A note to the Chinese Foreign Office from the representatives of the Powers dwells on the Government’s responsibility for the protection of foreign lives and property during the renewed conflict around Shanghai.

    An appeal for aid in a campaign against leprosy in India was launched by Lord Reading, the Viceroy, at a meeting at Delhi.

    Romania’s economic and financial position in the light of the recent Paris Conference was discussed at an interview between M. Bratiano, the Romanian Foreign Minister, and Mr Churchill.

    Field-Marshal Lord Grenfell, a former Sirdar of the Egyptian Army, is dead.

    The death is announced of Baron Friedrich von Hügel, the distinguished philosopher and theologian.

    The project of establishing in Scotland an industrial colony for the permanent care of the ‘feeble-minded’, where they could be segregated and taught useful employment, was presented at a largely attended meeting in The City Chambers, Edinburgh, presided over by the Lord Provost. Lady Leslie Mackenzie gave an outline of the proposal, which was supported in a communication from Professor Robertson and by Lord Sands and others.

  • NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 27 January 1925

    NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 27 January 1925

    27 JANUARY 1925

    The interim report and recommendations of the Liberal Inquiry Committee, which have already been submitted to Mr Asquith, have now been issued. Fresh personnel in the Associations, further opportunities for women, the Young Liberals, and industrial and agricultural workers, the provision of a fighting fund, and the readjustment of the party machine, are among their recommendations.

    It is now officially announced that the King has been pleased to approve that the dignity of an Earldom of the United Kingdom be conferred on the Right Hon. H. H. Asquith, K.C.

    Aoropos of Mr Asquith’s choice of a title, a sketch is given of the career of Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford in the reign of Queen Anne.

    Correspondence has passed between Mr Lloyd George and Lord Strachie in connection with a statement by the last-named that literature issued during the General Election by the Liberal Publications Department explaining Liberal land policy did considerable injury to Liberalism in the West of England.

    A further joint Allied Note on the subject of the evacuation of the Cologne zone was handed to the German Chancellor. It was in reply to the German Note of January 6, and it asserted that Articles 128 and 429 of the Versailles Treaty appeared to be misunderstood by the Government of the Reich. A fifteen years’ occupation was fixed by the Treaty, and the Articles in question contemplated a reduction only in the event of faithful observance of the Treaty. In due course the Allies would state what still remained to be done by Germany for her obligations to be considered as having been faithfully carried out.

  • NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 26 January 1925

    NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 26 January 1925

    26 JANUARY 1925

    A Peerage is to be conferred on Mr Herbert Asquith, who has intimated his desire to be known by the style and title of Earl of Oxford.

    Mr A. J. Cook, general secretary of the Miners’ Federation, speaking at Doncaster, said he wanted to avoid a strike of miners alone, and he would consult the whole Trade Union movement—political, industrial, national, and international—before a move was made.

    A CONFERENCE on nationalisation of the mines, convened by the Independent Labour party, was held in Glasgow, at which Mr E. Shinwell and Mr Robert Smillie were the principal speakers. The opportunity was taken to make reply to the recent statement by Sir Adam Nimmo on the position of the coal industry.

    At a meeting in Edinburgh, Mr Adam Nimmo, chairman of the Lothians Coalowners’ Association, expressed the hope that if the existing wages agreement in the coal industry were to be terminated, an atmosphere would be created which would assure the success of negotiations for a new agreement.

    Mr W. Dobbie, president of the N.U.R., speaking at Brighton, said that in their new programme the Union had decided that there should be no agreement for any section unless the companies were prepared to settle for all.

    Some 600 delegates attended a Conference in London under the auspices of the national minority movement. A tribute was paid to Lenin, and cheers were raised for Soviet Russia.

    Fifty persons were injured in an alarming accident at Glasgow Central Station. The brakes of a special train conveying passengers from a football match at Cathkin Park failed to act, and a violent collision with the buffers resulted.

  • NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 25 January 1925

    NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 25 January 1925

    25 JANUARY 1925

    At the invitation of the Prime Minister, the Old Berkeley Hounds met at Chequers.

    General Kuropatkin, formerly Minister of War and Russian Commander-in-Chief in the Russo-Japanese war, has died it was reported.