Tag: 2022

Jacob Rees-Mogg – 2022 Statement on Shale Gas Extraction

The statement made by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in the House of Commons on 22 September 2022.

What a pleasure it is to be continuing on this theme—

Dame Angela Eagle (Wallasey) (Lab)

Get the right page!

Mr Rees-Mogg

Indeed, the hon. Lady is right to be saying that I need to find the right page because I am having some difficulty in finding the right page immediately, but do not worry. [Interruption.]

Mr Speaker

Order. Is there another copy we can give the Secretary of State? [Interruption.] He has got it.

Mr Rees-Mogg

I am very grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for asking his urgent question. I am glad to be able to announce that the moratorium on the extraction of shale gas is being lifted, and a statement about that has been laid before the House.

As I set out in the previous urgent question, it is important that we use all available sources of fuel within this country. It is more environmentally friendly to use our own sources of fuel than to extract them in other countries and transport them here at great cost, both financially and in terms of carbon. It is therefore something we need to revisit, and we need to revisit the seismic limits to ensure that shale gas extraction can be done in an effective and efficient way.

Edward Miliband

This is obviously a case of “the dog ate my homework”, and it is hardly surprising. Let us start by taking the Secretary of State’s excuse for lifting the fracking ban—that it will make a difference to the energy bills crisis. It will not, because gas is sold on the international market. The current Chancellor said so in February of this year:

“No amount of shale gas…would be enough to lower the European price”

of gas. In an article published yesterday, even the founder of Cuadrilla said that the Secretary of State is wrong. First, why does he not admit the truth that anyone who knows anything about this subject says his claim that fracking will cut bills is nonsense?

Next, let us come to safety. The 2019 manifesto, on which the Secretary of State and every Conservative Member stood, said:

“We will not support fracking unless the science shows categorically that it can be done safely.”

They are lifting the ban, but they cannot supply the evidence, and the British Geological Survey report published today certainly does not do it. So in the absence of the evidence, his approach is to change the safety limits. He says in his written statement laid before this House that

“tolerating a higher degree of risk and disturbance appears to us to be in the national interest”.

I look forward to him and his colleagues explaining his charter for earthquakes to the people of Lancashire, Yorkshire, the midlands, Sussex, Dorset and, indeed, Somerset who will be part of his dangerous experiment. Let me tell the Conservatives that we will hang this broken promise round their necks in every part of the country between now and the next general election.

The Conservative manifesto also said:

“Having listened to local communities, we have ruled out changes to the planning system.”

Does the Secretary of State stand by that promise, and how will he abide by the Prime Minister’s commitment to local consent? The truth is that he does not understand that we cannot escape a fossil fuels crisis by doubling down on fossil fuels. Renewables are today nine times cheaper than gas. The only way to cut energy bills and have energy security is with zero-carbon home-grown power, including onshore wind and solar, which his wing of the Conservative party hates and he continues to block. For communities in every part of our country, today shows that they can never trust a word this Government say again, and he has shown he is willing to break his promises to support dangerous fringe ideas that put the interests of fossil fuel companies above those of the British people.

Mr Rees-Mogg

There was plenty of energy in that, Mr Speaker, but it was, I am afraid, more sound and fury that signifies nothing. We know that shale gas is safe. It is safe in the United States, where it has been one of the biggest contributors to the decline in carbon emissions of any activity that has gone on in that country. We know, even if Labour Members wish to ignore it, that seismic activity of 2.5 and below on the Richter scale takes place millions of times a year across the world. Our standards for ground-level movements for construction work are double those that have ever been achieved by any shale gas exploration in this country. There is a huge margin over what we allow for building work against what has actually happened in terms of shale gas. The right hon. Gentleman seeks to deny the ordinary rules of supply and demand. He ought to be aware that when we increase supply and demand remains steady, that has an effect on pricing, and pricing is always set at the margin. The price of any commodity is set by the final user who demands that commodity. If supply exceeds demand prices fall, and any increase in supply helps to reduce costs.

But there is another point. We have—all of us— constituents with gas boilers, and we are going to have them for many years to come. Do we really want them to be dependent on strange dictatorships that wage war in this world, or do we want to have our own security, and our own supplies? Do we want to maximise what we receive from the North sea and from underneath our feet? This seems to me to be just good common sense. It is safe, it is shown to be safe, and the scare stories have been disproved time and again. The hysteria about seismic activity fails to understand that the Richter scale is a logarithmic scale. It seems to think it is a straight arithmetic scale, which of course it is not. Bringing on the supply will bring us cheaper energy, which we need, and that will help our constituents. It secures our supply, which will ensure that our businesses can continue to operate whatever the weather. This is of such importance, and it is sheer Ludditery that opposes it.

September 22, 2022
Jonathan Reynolds – 2022 Speech on Supporting Business

The speech made by Jonathan Reynolds, the Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in the House of Commons on 22 September 2022.

I welcome the new ministerial team to their posts.

The energy crisis poses a severe challenge to businesses of every size, many of which have been desperate for clarity and reassurance. While the Conservative party spent much of the summer distracted by its own internal drama, the Opposition spent that time arguing that the crisis demands a response commensurate with the scale of the challenge, paid for by a windfall tax on the excess profits that have accrued because of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

While I welcome the Government’s damascene conversion to freezing energy prices, we must all acknowledge that for too many companies the news will have come too late to save them. Businesses cannot plan on speculation and briefings. It is regrettable that a Minister who respects the role of Parliament chose to avoid parliamentary scrutiny, instead opting for a sparse press release and a short media interview. That is why the Opposition have tabled this urgent question: to get the much-needed clarity on these plans that businesses desperately need.

May I ask the Secretary of State what, specifically, the review after three months will be looking at and what the criteria will be for determining whether to extend the support? Secondly, how will the taxpayer be protected from energy traders inflating prices, knowing that the Government will be picking up a substantial slice of the costs come what may? Thirdly, what support will the Secretary of State be offering to businesses in the long term to protect themselves from rising energy costs through efficiency measures and the transition to renewable energy?

I also ask the Secretary of State to address the elephant in the room: who is paying for this? The Government say that they cannot cost this package, but it is clearly expensive. This Government say that they can cut taxes, increase spending, increase borrowing and magically pay for it through the higher growth that, after 12 years in office, has completely eluded them. This is fantasy economics. It is a threat to British businesses and to the financial stability of the country. What can the Secretary of State say to reassure the country that these plans are robust, responsible and fair, as well as being sufficient to get us through the crisis and better protect businesses in the long term?

September 22, 2022
Jacob Rees-Mogg – 2022 Statement on Supporting Business

The statement made by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in the House of Commons on 22 September 2022.

That is why I am saying that I am very grateful, Mr Speaker. I always think it is important that this House gets to know, and your generosity in setting a precedent where statements can be made on the days set aside for taking the Oath is, I think, a good one.

It is vital that businesses have the support that they need to pay their energy bills this winter. His Majesty’s Government are determined to grow the economy. We cannot do that if business becomes insolvent thanks to what is tantamount to blackmail by a malevolent state actor. His Majesty’s Government announced yesterday that they will provide a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for all non-domestic customers, whose current gas and electricity prices have been significantly inflated by global energy prices. That includes all UK businesses and covers the voluntary sector, such as charities, and the public sector, such as schools and hospitals. The scheme will apply to fixed contracts that have been agreed on or after 1 April 2022, as well as to deemed variable and flexible tariffs and contracts. It will be applied to energy usage for six months from 1 October until 31 March next year.

As with the energy price guarantee for domestic customers, in order to benefit from the scheme, customers do not need to take action. The discount will automatically be applied to their energy bills from 1 October. In terms of real-world savings, non-domestic users will start to see the benefits of the scheme in their October energy bills, which are typically received in November. The level of price reduction for each business will vary depending on its contract type, the tariff and the volume used.

We will publish a review of the operation of the scheme in three months to inform decisions on future support after March 2023. The review will focus in particular on identifying the most vulnerable non-domestic customers and on how the Government will continue assisting them with energy costs beyond the initial six-month period.

A parallel scheme—based on the same criteria and offering comparable support, but recognising the different market fundamentals—will be established in Northern Ireland. For those who are not connected to the gas or electricity grid, equivalent support will be provided for non-domestic consumers who use heating oil or alternative fuels instead of gas. Further detail on this will be announced shortly.

September 22, 2022
Lindsay Hoyle – 2022 Statement on the Personal Conduct of Jacob Rees-Mogg

The statement made by Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, on 22 September 2022.

Before I call the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to answer the urgent question, I have to say how disappointed I am that the subject of an urgent question was extensively set out in the media yesterday before being presented to the House. I hope that, as a former Leader of the House who was very supportive of me in criticising Secretaries of State for not coming to the House, the right hon. Member will be especially aware—as I know he is—of Ministers’ duties to explain that important policies are first to be heard in this House.

I understand the importance of the matter and the need for our constituents to have the information as soon as possible and, for that reason, I would have been willing to allow a statement yesterday, if I had been asked. I am deeply concerned that I have to make another statement like this only a few sitting days into this new Administration’s existence. I ask the right hon. Member and all his colleagues to do their utmost to ensure that this is the last time I have to do so. I am not angry; I am so disappointed, and I hope that we will treat the House with the respect that it is due.

September 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Deadline extended on A47/A11 Thickthorn junction development consent order [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 22 September 2022.

This statement confirms that it has been necessary to extend the deadline for a decision on the A47/A11 Thickthorn junction development consent order (DCO) made under the Planning Act due to the National Mourning period.

The DCO would authorise works for the improvement to Thickthorn junction and related works linking the A47 to the A11. The proposed development is situated within the administrative boundaries of Norfolk County Council and South Norfolk District Council.

The Secretary of State for Transport received the examining authority’s report on 20 June 2022 and the current deadline for a decision is 20 September 2022. The deadline is now extended to 14 October 2022.

Under section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make her decision within 3 months of receipt of the examining authority’s report, unless exercising the power under section 107(3) to extend the deadline and make a statement to the House of Parliament announcing the new deadline.

The decision to set new deadlines is without prejudice to the decisions on whether to give development consent for the above applications.

September 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Domestic tree seed production to be ramped up with new grant [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 22 September 2022.

Domestic tree seed production is to be ramped up with new Government funding announced today. The £1.2m Seed Sourcing Grant will boost domestic tree seed production, create green jobs, help meet the increased demand for trees and achieve our ambitious net zero targets.

The grant is designed to enhance the quantity, quality and diversity of tree seed sources in England. Most tree seed planted in the UK is of British origin, but evidence suggests that British seed sources may struggle to meet future demand across all species and there are known to be global shortages of tree seed. The grant will boost domestic tree seed production and support green jobs, helping meet the increased demand for trees and achieve our ambitious tree planting targets.

The Government has re-committed to its net zero targets, and new woodland and tree planting will contribute to those. The Seed Sourcing Grant will help to ensure the availability of planting stock to meet domestic tree planting needs.

The grant also aims to improve the diversity of England’s seed supply, for example by increasing the range of species and provenances available. This will be crucial for creating diverse and resilient woodlands, which are better able to adapt to future climate conditions as well as emerging pests and diseases.

Richard Stanford, Forestry Commission Chief Executive, said:
Seed sourcing is an essential part of tree production and one that can sometimes be overlooked. As planting rates increase, so too will the demand for tree seed.

This funding will give a vital boost to domestic tree seed production, helping to create diverse and thus resilient woodlands across our country. This will both help meet our ambitious tree planting targets and ensure the resilience of woodlands so they can thrive in the uncertain future.

The Seed Sourcing Grant will also reduce the need to buy seed from the international market, lowering the risk of importing harmful pests and pathogens.

Today’s announcement comes as the world’s leading authorities on plant health and biosecurity come together for the world’s first ever International Plant Health Conference to address current and future plant health challenges – including facilitating safe trade and new pest and disease pathways, such as e-commerce.

Nicola Spence, UK Chief Plant Health Officer, said:
Plant health and biosecurity are fundamental to life on Earth and ensuring their continued health and vitality will be critical to a thriving natural environment for future generations.

By increasing and diversifying England’s seed supply, this grant is crucial to help lower the risk of importing harmful pest and diseases by reducing the need to buy seed internationally and will create diverse and resilient woodlands which will be better adapted to future threats.

Eligible activities for the grant include:

Management of existing seed stands – the groups of trees in the landscape from which seed is collected – to ensure they are productive for seed collectors.
Desk studies and field studies to identify and bring additional seed stands onto the National Register of Basic material.
Planning and planting of new seed stands.
Planning and planting of new seed orchards – which are planted using seed or clonal material from known parents outside of the natural landscape in an area convenient for seed collectors.

Some activities will take time to implement, and so multi-year funding will be available up until March 2025.
The grant aims to attract a broad range of applicants, including both organisations already involved in these activities and those who have not previously considered seed sourcing.

September 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Planned elections in Ukraine are a sham and invasion is failing – UK statement to the OSCE [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 September 2022.

UK Ambassador Bush calls planned elections in Ukraine a charade, and part mobilisation admission that the invasion is failing.

Over these past months, we have seen the courage of the Ukrainian people; the adeptness of their military; and their unyielding commitment to their values under the most testing of circumstances. The United Kingdom is proud to call itself a partner – and a friend – of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian counter-offensive marks a new phase. But it is as solemn as it is welcome. To the international community, the Ukrainian flag symbolises bravery, freedom and democracy. To those in Izium, Balakliya, Kupyansk and the Kharkiv region, their national flag is not just a symbol – it is a lifeline. Because as the Ukrainian Armed Forces reclaim their territory, evidence emerges: reports of bodies showing signs of torture; reports of torture chambers; civilians, including children, amongst the dead. Beneath each wooden cross in Izium lies a human being, one who can no longer tell us what has happened to them. For the Ukrainian men, women and children whose stories will be told through post mortem, we promise justice.

Time and time again, Ukrainians have demonstrated the resilience needed to secure victory in their fight for peace. And yet President Putin falsely maintains that the Russian offensive in the Donbas remains on track. The world can see that he is lying. The Russian army, and the Russian leadership, is in panic mode. We see appalling acts of desperation: increased shelling of civilians and civilian infrastructure, including the dam at Karachunivske Reservoir and the Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear power plant at Mykolaiv. On 17 September, four medical workers were killed by shelling while attempting to evacuate their patients from a hospital in Strilecha, in Kharkivska Oblast. With Russian military actions in Bucha and Mariupol, we saw the very worst of humanity. By contrast, people like these Ukrainian medical workers, killed while saving lives, show us the best of it. We offer our deepest condolences to their families.

Meanwhile, President Putin’s proxies in the temporarily Russian controlled territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts scramble to organise sham referenda – a pitiful charade. Let us be clear: we will never recognise any Russian attempts to purportedly annex part of Ukraine’s sovereign territory. These illegitimate referenda will not alter our approach. We will continue to support Ukraine’s right to defend its territory.

Putin’s sabre-rattling, and decision to mobilise parts of the Russian population is an admission that his invasion is failing. He continues to send tens of thousands of his own citizens to their deaths, ill equipped and badly led. We have seen reports overnight of over a thousand people arrested – another vicious assault on fundamental freedoms in Russia. And in Ukraine we have seen Russia’s deplorable attempts to replenish its ranks with convicts – qualified for little more than continuing the so-called “Special Military Operation” in the style in which it has been conducted thus far: with ineptitude and brutality. Ukraine must win; and we must ensure there is accountability and justice.

We join our partners in condemning the sentencing of Maxim Petrov and Dymtro Shabanov by an unrecognised and illegitimate court in the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic. As the OSCE Chair-in-Office and Secretary-General have repeatedly made clear, SMM national mission members were detained for simply performing their official duties – duties mandated by all 57 participating States. Russia is solely responsible for these actions, and we call for the immediate and unconditional release of our OSCE colleagues.

Indeed, the UK holds the Russian Federation responsible for the safety and welfare of all Prisoners of War and detained civilians in the non-Government controlled areas of Ukraine. 5 British Nationals and 5 other foreign nationals held by Russia-backed proxies are being safely returned. Russia must end the ruthless exploitation of prisoners of war and civilian detainees for political ends.

I join my Ukraine, US and EU colleagues in condemning the sentencing yesterday of the Deputy Leader of the Crimean Majlis Nariman Celâl, as well as Asan Akhmetov and Aziz Akhmetov. Mr Chair, we stand with Ukraine for the long haul, which is why my Prime Minister has vowed to match the UK’s 2022 military support to Ukraine in 2023. Russia must withdraw all of its troops from the entire territory of Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders.

September 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Mobile roaming cap to benefit Brits abroad in Norway and Iceland [September 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for International Trade on 22 September 2022.

The UK has marked the first meeting of the UK-EEA EFTA Joint Committee, by signing a decision to cap charges for using data and making calls and texts in Norway and Iceland.

The cap is a world-first in an FTA, keeping costs low for holidaymakers and business travellers to Norway and Iceland.

International Trade Minister Conor Burns MP said:

This news builds on the landmark trade agreement between the UK and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, and is the first of its kind world-wide showing how the innovative trade deals we negotiate are bringing real benefits to British travellers.

I look forward to working with businesses across the UK to take advantage of deals that banish barriers, boost jobs and save money.

Our trade deal with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein signed last year aims to boost critical sectors like digital, financial, and professional business services, slash tariffs on top-quality British exports and support jobs in every corner of the UK.

The new FTA allows UK mobile operators to offer their customers surcharge-free mobile roaming in Norway and Iceland by creating a mechanism to cap the rates operators charges each other.

Background:
- Once this decision is in place, the UK will then implement secondary legislation which will be in place early next year. We will work with Mobile Operators to ensure that the savings secured from this cap are filtered down to consumers.
- Liechtenstein is not party to mobile roaming provisions due to their capacity. However, there is an option for this to be extended to them at a future date.
September 22, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : HRC 51 – UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar [September 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 September 2022.

UK Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Simon Manley, delivered a statement on the deteriorating situation in Myanmar.

Thank you, Mr President.

Thank you Special Rapporteur for your update yesterday afternoon.

We share your deep concern at the deteriorating human rights situation in Myanmar. I strongly condemn the junta’s human rights violations across the country. You, like others, have highlighted the truly horrific tactics, including mass killings, village burnings and indiscriminate airstrikes against civilians. The military’s recent attack on a school in Sagaing is utterly indefensible. There can be no justification for the killing of children and innocent civilians.

The regime’s executions of pro-democracy and opposition leaders in July were shameful acts that further demonstrate its casual disregard for human rights.

And we – like others – are concerned about the increased fighting in Rakhine State. Rohingya communities confined to camps and villages in Northern Rakhine risk being caught in the middle of the fighting.

Mr President, we stand with the brave people of Myanmar, and reiterate our call on the junta to end the violence now. Human rights violations and abuses must stop now. Civilians, including humanitarian workers, must be protected from violence by all parties. And we need unobstructed humanitarian access to reach Myanmar’s most vulnerable.

Special Rapporteur,

How can the international community better protect civilians in Myanmar?

September 22, 2022
Liz Truss – 2022 Keynote Speech to the UN General Assembly

The speech made by Liz Truss, the Prime Minister, in New York, United States on 22 September 2022.

Mr President, your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

At the time of its foundation, the United Nations was a beacon of promise.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, this building symbolised the end of aggression.

For many decades the UN has helped to deliver stability and security in much of the world.

It has provided a place for nations to work together on shared challenges.

And it has promoted the principles of sovereignty and self-determination even through the Cold War and its aftermath.

But today those principles, that have defined our lives since the dark days of the 1940s, are fracturing.

For the first time in the history of this assembly we are meeting during a large-scale war of aggression in Europe.

And authoritarian states are undermining stability and security around the world.

Geopolitics is entering a new era – one that requires those who believe in the founding principles of the United Nations to stand up and be counted.

In the United Kingdom we are entering a new era too.

I join you here just two days after Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest.

We deeply mourn her passing and we pay tribute to her service.

She was the rock on which modern Britain was built.

And she symbolised the post-war values on which this organisation was founded.

Our constitutional monarchy, underpinned by a democratic society, has delivered stability and progress.

Her Late Majesty transcended difference and healed division. We saw this in her visits to post-apartheid South Africa and the Republic of Ireland.

When she addressed this General Assembly 65 years ago she warned that it was vital not only to have strong ideals but also to have the political will to deliver on them.

Now we must show that will.

We must fight to defend those ideals.

And we must deliver on them for all our people.

And as we say farewell to our Late Queen, the UK opens a new chapter – a new Carolean age – under His Majesty King Charles III.

We want this era to be one of hope and progress…

One in which we defend the values of individual liberty, self-determination and equality before the law…

One in which we ensure that freedom and democracy prevail for all people…

And one in which we deliver on the commitments that Her Late Majesty the Queen made here 65 years ago.

This is about what we do in the United Kingdom and what we do as member states of the UN.

So today I will set out what steps we are taking at home in the UK and our proposed blueprint for the new era we are now in – the new partnerships and new instruments we need to collectively adopt.

Our commitment to hope and progress must begin at home – in the lives of each and every citizen that we serve.

Our strength as a nation comes from the strong foundations of freedom and democracy.

Democracy gives people the right to choose their own path. And it evolves to reflect the aspirations of citizens.

It unleashes enterprise, ideas, and opportunity. And it protects the freedoms that are at the very core of our humanity.

By contrast, autocracies sow the seeds of their own demise by suppressing their citizens.

They are fundamentally rigid and unable to adapt. Any short-term gains are eroded in the long term because these societies stifle the aspiration and creativity which are vital to long-term growth.

A country where Artificial Intelligence acts as judge and jury, where there are no human rights and no fundamental freedoms, is not the kind of place anyone truly wants to live.

It is not the kind of world we want to build.

But we cannot simply assume there will be a democratic future.

There is a real struggle going on between different forms of society – between democracies and autocracies. Unless democratic societies deliver on the economy and security our citizens expect, we will fall behind.

We need to keep improving and renewing what we do for the new era, demonstrating that democracy delivers.

As Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, I am determined that we will deliver the progress that people expect.

I will lead a new Britain for a new era.

Firstly, this begins with growth and building a British economy that rewards enterprise and attracts investment.

Our long-term aim is to get our economy growing at an average of 2.5%.

We need this growth to deliver investment around our country, to deliver the jobs and high wages that people expect, and to deliver public services like the National Health Service.

We want people to keep more of the money they earn, so they can have more control over their lives and can contribute to the future.

Secondly, it means securing affordable and reliable supplies of energy.

We are cutting off the toxic power and pipelines from authoritarian regimes and strengthening our energy resilience.

We will ensure we cannot be coerced or harmed by the reckless actions of rogue actors abroad.

We will transition to a future based on renewable and nuclear energy while ensuring that the gas used during that transition is from reliable sources including our own North Sea production.

We will be a net energy exporter by 2040.

Thirdly, we are safeguarding the security of our economy – the supply chains, the critical minerals, the food, and the technology that drives growth and protects the health and lives of our people.

We won’t be strategically dependent on those who seek to weaponise the global economy.

Instead, we are reforming our economy to get Britain moving – and we want to work with our allies so we can all move forward together.

The free world needs this economic strength and resilience to push back against authoritarian aggression and win this new era of strategic competition.

We must do this together.

So we are building new partnerships around the world.

We are fortifying our deep security alliances in Europe and beyond through NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force.

We are deepening our links with fellow democracies like India, Israel, Indonesia and South Africa.

We are building new security ties with our friends in the Indo-Pacific and the Gulf.

We have shown leadership on free and fair trade, striking trade agreements with Australia, New Zealand, Japan and many others, andwe are in the process of acceding to the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Rather than exerting influence through debt, aggression, and taking control of critical infrastructure and minerals, we are building strategic ties based on mutual benefit and trust.

And we are deepening partnerships like the G7 and the Commonwealth.

We must also collectively extend a hand of friendship to those parts of the world that have too often been left behind and left vulnerable to global challenges…

Whether it’s the Pacific or Caribbean Island states dealing with the impact of climate change, or the Western Balkans dealing with persistent threats to their stability.

The UK is providing funding, using the might of the City of London and our security capabilities to provide better alternatives to those offered by malign regimes.

The resolute international response to Ukraine has shown how we can deliver decisive collective action.

The response has been built on partnerships and alliances and also on being prepared to use new instruments – unprecedented sanctions, diplomatic action, and rapid military support.

There has been a strength of collective purpose – we have met many times, spoken many times on the phone, we have made things happen.

Now we must use these instruments in a more systematic way to push back on the economic aggression of authoritarian regimes.

The G7 and our like-minded partners should act as an economic NATO, collectively defending our prosperity.

If the economy of a partner is being targeted by an aggressive regime we should act to support them. All for one and one for all.

Through the G7’s $600 billion Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment we are providing an honest, reliable alternative on infrastructure investment around the world, free from debt with strings attached.

And we must go further to friendshore our supply chains and end strategic dependence.

This is how we will build collective security, strengthen our resilience and safeguard freedom and democracy.

But we cannot let up on dealing with the crisis we face today.

No-one is threatening Russia.

Yet we meet here this evening…

In Ukraine, barbarous weapons are being used to kill and maim people,

Rape is being used as an instrument of war,

Families are being torn apart.

And this morning we have seen Putin trying to justify his catastrophic failures.

He is doubling down by sending even more reservists to a terrible fate.

He is desperately trying to claim the mantle of democracy for a regime without human rights or freedoms.

And he is making yet more bogus claims and sabre-rattling threats.

This will not work. The international alliance is strong and Ukraine is strong.

The contrast between Russia’s conduct and Ukraine’s brave, dignified First Lady, Olena Zelenska, who is here at the UN today, could not be more stark.

The Ukrainians are not just defending their own country – they are defending our values and the security of the whole world.

That’s why we must act.

That’s why the UK will spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, maintaining our position as the leading security actor in Europe.

And that’s why – at this crucial moment in the conflict – I pledge that we will sustain or increase our military support to Ukraine, for as long as it takes.

New UK weapons are arriving in Ukraine as I speak – including more MLRS rockets.

We will not rest until Ukraine prevails.

In all of these areas, on all of these fronts, the time to act is now.

This is a decisive moment in our history, in the history of this organisation, and in the history of freedom.

The story of 2022 could have been that of an authoritarian state rolling its tanks over the border of a peaceful neighbour and subjugating its people.

Instead, it is the story of freedom fighting back.

In the face of rising aggression we have shown we have the power to act and the resolve to see it through.

But this cannot be a one-off.

This must be a new era in which we commit to ourselves, our citizens, and this institution that we will do whatever it takes – whatever it takes to deliver for our people and defend our values.

As we mourn our Late Queen and remember her call to this Assembly, we must devote ourselves to this task.

Britain’s commitment to this is total.

We will be a dynamic, reliable and trustworthy partner.

Together with our friends and allies around the world, we will continue to champion freedom, sovereignty and democracy.

And together we can define this new era as one of hope and progress.

Thank you.

September 22, 2022