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Tag: 2023

  • PRESS RELEASE : Northern Group partners meet in Warsaw to discuss European security [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Northern Group partners meet in Warsaw to discuss European security [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 22 May 2023.

    Key threats and challenges to European security was the focus of meeting of ministers from 12 European countries today.

    Ministers and representatives from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the UK met in Warsaw, Poland today for the Northern Group Ministers meeting.

    Currently chaired by Poland, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace attended the meeting hosted by Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak in Legionowo, near Warsaw.

    The threats and challenges to European security were discussed during the meeting. All partners agreed that Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has seriously changed the security environment and that Russia’s aggressive posture constitutes a direct threat to the security, stability and the prosperity of the Euro-Atlantic area.

    Northern Group members share a common view that providing further military assistance to Ukraine to support its defence against Russia’s brutal aggression is crucial.

    Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

    Defence partnerships like the Northern Group are vital to tackle shared threats. As likeminded nations we are determined to continue our support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, for as long as it takes.

    It was a pleasure to meet again with my friend and close defence partner Mariusz Błaszczak. For over 150 years we have enjoyed a close defence alliance with Poland and our ongoing cooperation is supporting security and stability across Europe.

    NATO Vilnius Summit was also discussed during the meeting, including the implementation of decisions agreed during the Madrid Summit in 2022. Northern Group members agreed that the Vilnius Summit should enhance regional security by further strengthening of Allied deterrence and defence posture.

    Defence Secretary Ben Wallace also held a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Mariusz Błaszczak during the meeting. It is less than a month since Ben Wallace was last in Poland, invited as a guest to the Bucharest 9 meeting. Prior to that the Ministers met in October 2022 where they signed an Air Defence Complex Weapons Memorandum of Understanding MOU and the Arrowhead-140 Statement of Intent.

    The Air Defence MOU enables the UK and Poland to cooperate in the development and manufacture of current and future complex weapons, further strengthening the relationship built through the Defence and Security Cooperation Treaty (2017) and deepening the interoperability of our Armed Forces. The Arrowhead-140 Statement of Intent provides a framework for our governments to collaborate on the procurement and operation of three Arrowhead-140 frigates. The Polish Frigates will be a variant of the Arrowhead-140.

    At the end of April, a major £1.9 billion export agreement was signed by the UK and Poland. The contract with UK firm MBDA for a British-designed air defence system is a major boost for Euro-Atlantic security and will support hundreds of highly skilled jobs across the UK.

    It is one of the largest deals of its kind in NATO and will see the UK equip 22 Polish air defence batteries with sophisticated UK Common Anti-Air Modular Missiles (CAMMs) and launchers.

    These announcements are just the latest recent collaboration between our two countries aimed at helping Poland bolster its armed forces to deter aggression, and are in addition to the UK’s deployment of the Sky Sabre air defence system to Poland.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Sir Ron Kalifa and Frances O’Grady reappointed to the Court of the Bank of England [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Sir Ron Kalifa and Frances O’Grady reappointed to the Court of the Bank of England [May 2023]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 22 May 2023.

    Sir Ron Kalifa and Frances O’Grady have been reappointed by His Majesty the King as Non-Executive Directors of the Court of the Bank of England. They have been reappointed for second terms of four years, to 31 May 2027.

    The Bank’s Court acts as a unitary board, and as Non-Executives of the Court, Sir Ron and Frances O’Grady will help determine the Bank’s objectives and strategy, and advise on how to ensure the effective discharge of the Bank’s functions and the most efficient use of the Bank’s resources.

    Court is not responsible for the matters reserved to the Bank’s main policy committees, the Monetary Policy Committee, the Financial Policy Committee, and the Prudential Regulation Committee.

    As Non-Executive Directors, Sir Ron is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee; and Frances O’Grady is a member of the Remuneration Committee.

    The Chair of the Court of Directors, David Roberts, said:

    I am delighted that both Sir Ron Kalifa and Frances O’Grady have been reappointed to the Court of Directors at the Bank of England. Their experience and expertise provide Court with key insights and challenge. I look forward to continuing to work with Sir Ron and Frances during their second terms.

    About the appointments

    The Bank of England is the central bank of the UK. It is governed by a board of directors known as the Court of Directors. Further information can be found at the Bank of England website.

    Members of Court are appointed by HM The King on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

    Sir Ron and Frances O’Grady have both served as Non-Executive Directors of Court since 1 June 2019.

    All appointments to the Court are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.

    These appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, who provides independent assurance that appointments are made in accordance with the Government’s Principles of Public Appointments and Governance Code. In accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any is declared) to be made public.

    Sir Ron has confirmed that he has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years. Sir Ron is Chairman of Network International, a leading payments firm, and a Trustee of the Royal Foundation. He is also a Non-Executive Director for the England & Wales Cricket Board and sits on the Council of Imperial College London. He was knighted in Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee Birthday 2022 Honours List for services to financial services, technology, and public service.

    Frances O’Grady has declared that she served as General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) from 2013 until the end of 2022, and received a life peerage in 2022, sitting in the House of Lords as a working (Labour) peer. Frances O’Grady first joined the TUC in 1994 as a campaigns officer, and launched the Organising Academy in 1997. She took over as head of the TUC’s organisation department in 1999 and became deputy general secretary in 2003.

  • PRESS RELEASE : 45 community groups awarded Windrush day funding [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : 45 community groups awarded Windrush day funding [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 22 May 2023.

    Funding to support educational, arts and sporting projects to celebrate the Windrush generation and their contribution to UK society.

    More than 40 groups have been awarded funding through the Windrush Day Grant Scheme for arts, educational and sporting projects across England on the 75th anniversary of arrival of the MV Empire Windrush to the UK, the Minister for Communities announced today.

    £750,000 has been awarded to projects across England, including The Brixton Project, a community-led carnival of art, theatre and music, and the Blackstory Partnership, a commemorative Windrush 75 event in Birmingham. More than 200 Windrush Day projects have received a share of the £2.75 million funding over four years in celebration of the contributions of the Windrush generation and their families.

    These community-led initiatives will celebrate the anniversary with events and activities taking place between 8 June and 31 August this year.

    Lee Rowley MP, Minister for Communities, said:

    We wanted to celebrate the positive contribution the Windrush generation and their families bring to this country and recognise the contributions made by all British Caribbean people in our communities.

    Bringing people together is a way to ensure better understanding and social cohesion. I very much encourage everyone to get involved in what’s going on in their local area.

    This year’s celebration of the British Caribbean community will mark the arrival 75 years ago of the MV Empire Windrush, when the first passengers disembarked at Tilbury Docks.

    Next month, communities will come together to honour and celebrate those pioneers who answered the call to come to Britain and help rebuild the nation following the Second World War.

    Last year also saw the unveiling of the National Windrush Monument at London Waterloo station. The Monument is a permanent tribute to the contribution of Caribbean pioneers in communities across the United Kingdom. DLUHC worked with the advisory Windrush Commemoration Committee, chaired by Baroness Floella Benjamin DBE, to complete the project.

    Chair of the Windrush Community Funds and Schemes sub-group of the Windrush Cross-Government Working Group, Paulette Simpson CBE said:

    This year’s celebration of the British Caribbean community will be extra special, as we mark the arrival of the MV Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks 75 years ago.

    From those first passengers who went on to build their lives and make their home here, those that followed, and their descendants have and continue to make an enormous contribution to all aspects of British life.

    National Windrush Day is now a firm fixture in the nation’s calendar and from Brixton to Wolverhampton, fantastic events and activities will be taking place across the country.

    I’d urge everyone to get involved in this significant moment in our shared history.

    Funded projects for 2023 include:

    • The Brixton Project is a community-led celebration with the support of local artists that cements the histories, experiences and voices of the Windrush generation, promoting community cohesion through a carnival of art, theatre and music as well as local landmark visits integral to the Windrush story.
    • Manchester City of Literature is a creative project that allows young people to develop the skills and confidence needed with a professional filmmaker to create documentary films and podcasts of Windrush generation members from South Manchester churches to tell their stories of migration, faith, education, home and community-building.
    • The Blackstory Partnership showcases a truly commemorative Windrush 75 event in Birmingham, including choir performances of West Indian folk songs, a West Indian Army Standard Ceremony, the launch of the ‘Windrush Generation – This Is Our Story’ book, as well as a Windrush 75 Awards Ceremony that will recognise Windrush pioneers.
    • Jamaica Society Leeds presents ‘Here: Windrush 75 Leeds’ – a series of public Windrush installations across the city featuring 75 larger than life portraits to showcase the Windrush generation’s contribution to social and economic life within Leeds. Interactive school sessions, a publicity campaign, and an online gallery of the portraits will form the project’s legacy.
    • Wolverhampton NHS Trust Charity’s ‘Came to Care’ project explores the entwined stories of the arrival of the MV Empire Windrush and the NHS, both of which celebrate a 75th anniversary this year, offering young creatives the opportunity to exhibit artwork at a celebratory Windrush and NHS 75 event.
    • Friends of St Paul’s Luxuriance creates a floral display in central Bristol to honour the Windrush generation, running an educational training programme for young people and launching an afternoon garden party entwining Caribbean and UK native plants to produce a stunningly beautiful, vibrant display.

    The full list of projects being awarded funding can be found here.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Glasgow named as host of the 92nd Interpol General Assembly [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Glasgow named as host of the 92nd Interpol General Assembly [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 22 May 2023.

    Glasgow will host the 92nd Interpol General Assembly from 4 to 7 November 2024 at the Scottish Event Campus previously used as the location for COP 26, the UN Climate Change Conference.

    Already a global leader in security and policing, hosting this event gives the UK a central role in one of the most important policing and public safety events in the world, bringing together Interpol’s 195 members in one common goal – to prevent global illicit activity, and to tackle criminal threats and risk worldwide.

    It is a key opportunity to drive innovation and leadership in international police cooperation to tackle major crime trends and security threats facing the world, including organised crime, counter-terrorism and fraud.

    The General Assembly is Interpol’s highest governing body and the largest global gathering of senior law enforcement officials and heads of ministries.

    UK Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

    Global challenges call for global solutions.

    Hosting the Interpol General Assembly in Glasgow underlines the UK’s role as a global leader when it comes to security and policing, and demonstrates our steadfast commitment to tackle global threats such as organised crime, terrorism and fraud.

    Interpol’s General Assembly meets annually, the UK’s hosting of the event will follow this year’s 91st General Assembly in Vienna, Austria.

    The UK held Interpol General Assembly will include elections for 10 key leadership posts, including the new Secretary General, a critical role for co-ordinating the global response to new emerging threats and criminality.

    This event will be held in partnership with the National Crime Agency, operational leads for tackling serious and organised crime in the UK, including through Interpol.

    Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs Angela Constance said:

    Glasgow has a global reputation for hosting major international events and hosting the Interpol General Assembly is yet another opportunity to add to that impressive list.

    The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with partners in the UK government, law enforcement, local government and Police Scotland – which is already globally recognised for its work keeping the people of Scotland safe – as we welcome delegates from around the world to Glasgow.

    Graeme Biggar, Director General of the National Crime Agency, said:

    We are immensely proud to be the host law enforcement agency for the 2024 General Assembly and to lead the UK delegation.

    Crime has no borders, so now more than ever before the UK must work with its partners around the world to ensure criminals have no place to hide so we can keep our citizens safe.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Strategic Command and Italian delegation discuss cyberspace [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Strategic Command and Italian delegation discuss cyberspace [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 22 May 2023.

    A contingent of senior Italian military officers met with their counterparts from Strategic Command to discuss cyberspace and digital.

    The meetings, conducted in MOD Main Building on 18-19 May 2023, formed part of our efforts to drive integration, and lead the cyberspace and electromagnetic domain.

    Attendees included Major General James Roddis DSO, MBE, Director Strategy at Strategic Command, and Charles Forte, Chief Information Officer. The Italian delegation included Major General Giovanni Gagliano, Head of Division C4I Systems and Digital Transformation.

    Topics discussed included cyberspace operations, training and education, data strategy, NATO and national doctrine, and artificial intelligence (AI) policy.

    Major General Gagliano is leading a review of Italy’s cyberspace strategy, policy, and governance and spearheading work on cloud strategy.

    Italy is highly valued as an ally to the UK and the rest of NATO. British and Italian Defence ministers signed a joint statement of intent on bilateral Defence cooperation in February; and Italy forms part of the UK-led Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).

    The concepts of driving integration and leading the cyber and electromagnetic domain will be incorporated in Strategic Command’s exhibition stand at Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) on 12-15 September 2023 at ExCeL, London.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Domestic seed production boosted with new funding award [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Domestic seed production boosted with new funding award [May 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 22 May 2023.

    Domestic tree seed production is to be ramped up and biosecurity enhanced with new Government funding and measures announced today (Monday 22 May).

    The next round of the Domestic Seed Sourcing Grant is set to be allocated, with £747,000 awarded to 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.

    Alongside, in line with the GB Plant Biosecurity Strategy, the Biosecure Procurement Requirement Pilot has been extended to further Government tree-planting funds to address risks to our biosecurity. Applicants to these funds, such as local authorities, must commit to sourcing their trees from suppliers who are either accredited under the Plant Healthy Certification Scheme or who have passed a Ready to Plant assessment, as provided by Fera Science Ltd for their order, to ensure they are disease and pest free to minimise future threats of invasive species and tree loss.

    Trudy Harrison, Forestry Minister, said:

    This funding will improve the diversity of England’s seed supply, increasing the range of species. 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.

    Increasing seed supply will also be essential to meeting our target to treble tree planting rates by the end of this Parliament.

    Richard Stanford, Forestry Commission Chief Executive, said:

    We need to have healthy and thriving trees to help tackle some of society’s biggest challenges of climate change and nature decline.  Protecting our treescape from biosecurity risks is vital to ensuring resilient trees and woodlands.

    Increasing funding for seed sourcing will help manage the risk of pests and diseases, minimising net loss to the existing treescape and protecting our investment in diversifying and expanding tree cover in England.

    Nicola Spence, Chief Plant Health Officer, said:

    A healthy, high quality, and diverse treescape is integral to meet our target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

    This vital funding will  diversify our domestic seed source supply and reducing the need to import seeds from abroad. In addition, by extending our Biosecurity Procurement Requirement for applicants to the government’s tree planting funds, we will bolster our biosecurity standards and improve the resilience of our trees against harmful pests and diseases.

    Eligible activities for the Seed Sourcing 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.

    The Forestry Commission have produced a new Forestry Nursery Directory to help connect people who buy trees with people who grow trees.

    Today’s announcement coincides with the Chelsea Flower Show. This year’s RHS Show shines a spotlight on the importance of protecting biodiversity and strengthening and growing native species.

    Winners of the first round of the Seed Sourcing Grant include:

    • Future Trees Trust’s successful proposal will involve creating a Source-identified seed stand for blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) using seed from the Millennium Seed Bank. They will also carry out a grafting pilot on beech (Fagus sylvatica), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) and field maple (Acer campestre) to address lack of grafting knowledge for these species, and identify beech and hornbeam plus trees across southern Britain (regions of provenance 30 and 40). Beech plus trees will then be grafted for a Qualified Clonal Seed Orchard to be planted after the funded project ends.
    • Jo Clark, Head of Research at Future Trees Trust said: ‘We are delighted to have received funding from the Forestry Commission to improve seed supply of beech and hornbeam.  The grant has enabled us to employ a new research technician to locate plus trees of these species.  We aim to create the first qualified seed orchard for beech with this funding. We are also using blackthorn seed from the RBG Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank to establish a seed stand for blackthorn.’
    • Woodland Trust have been awarded funding to identify, ground truth, and register new Seed Stands across the Woodland Trust England estate. In particular, their project will focus on desk and field studies to identify stands of guelder rose (Viburnum opulus), hazel (Corylus avellana) (specifically non-405), holly (Ilex aquifolium), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), small leaved lime (Tilia cordata), whitebeam (Sorbus aria), service tree (Sorbus torminalis) and yew (Taxus baccata).
    • Duchy of Cornwall will bring an existing Selected sessile oak (Quercus petraea) Seed Stand (region of provenance 40) into management, through thinning, mulching, and installing deer fencing.
  • Rishi Sunak – 2023 Remarks at the G7 Press Conference

    Rishi Sunak – 2023 Remarks at the G7 Press Conference

    The speech made by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, in Japan on 21 May 2023.

    Let me start by thanking Prime Minister Kishida and the people of Japan for their warm and generous welcome and hospitality.

    At this pivotal moment for peace, freedom, and democracy, the G7 came together with our allies and friends to confront a more dangerous world.

    We leave Hiroshima stronger and more united than ever.

    And through this summit, we have advanced the priorities of the British people with two big aims – economic security and national security.

    First, economic security.

    On this trip, we’ve secured almost £18 billion of new investments into the UK from Japanese businesses.

    That’s a huge vote of confidence in the UK – creating hundreds of new jobs, with significantly more to come as projects get underway.

    All helping to grow our economy – one of my five priorities for the UK.

    And alongside our unprecedented new defence and security partnership it’s clear that the UK-Japan relationship has never been closer as we work with G7 allies to support a free and open Indo-Pacific.

    The G7 also demonstrated unity of purpose on China.

    China poses the biggest challenge of our age to global security and prosperity. They are increasingly authoritarian at home and assertive abroad.

    And, as the G7 have showed, the UK’s response is completely aligned with our allies.

    This is all about de-risking – not de-coupling.

    And with the G7, we are taking steps to prevent China from using economic coercion to interfere in the sovereign affairs of others.

    A new theme of this Summit was also AI.

    AI can bring huge benefits for our economy, society, and public services.

    But of course – it needs to be developed safely, securely, and fairly.

    And that will require international cooperation something the UK is in a natural position to lead.

    Our second aim for this Summit was national security.

    All leaders at this Summit are grappling with the issue of illegal migration.

    My policy is this: it is the British government who will determine who comes to Britain.

    We must stop the boats and break the business model of the criminal gangs.

    This is a global issue – and it will increasingly be a focus of our international engagement.

    Just last week, at the Council of Europe we agreed to strengthen cooperation with the EU’s border force.

    At this Summit, we secured the G7’s agreement to deepen our work together.

    And we expect this to be an important focus of the G7 next year, under Italy’s leadership.

    And there is no more pressing issue facing the G7 and the world – than Ukraine.

    I want to pay tribute to my friend, Volodymyr. It was a privilege to welcome him to Chequers earlier this week.

    And I believe his attendance at this G7 was a moment of historic significance.

    The image of the G7 and our partners standing shoulder to shoulder with President Zelenskyy sends a powerful message about the unity and determination of the G7 allies.

    We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes, because their security is our security.

    The G7’s strategy is clear:

    Our military, diplomatic and economic tools are all part of the Ukrainian counter-offensive.

    We’re delivering more support on the battlefield through air defence, artillery, tanks, and long-range missiles – which the UK was the first country to provide.

    We’re supporting Ukraine to develop the air force it needs for the future with the UK training Ukrainian pilots, starting this summer.

    And we’ve made a real breakthrough at this Summit, thanks to President Biden’s support for an international coalition to provide F-16 jets.

    We’re ratcheting up the economic cost to Russia with a new package of sanctions.

    And we know that Ukraine must not only win the war but win a just and lasting peace.

    We’re working with allies to provide coordinated bilateral security arrangements and a collective commitment to Ukraine’s future defence, to guarantee they can deter future attacks.

    And any peace settlement must be on Ukraine’s terms.

    I want to just quote from the statement that the G7 and our partner countries have just agreed:

    “We support a just and durable peace, based on respect for international law, the principles of the UN Charter, and territorial integrity and sovereignty.”

    In other words: we must, and we will show that violent territorial aggression does not reap rewards.

    There could be no more fitting place to discuss the urgent need for peace, than Hiroshima.

    I was deeply moved to visit the peace memorial on Friday.

    What we saw there was haunting.

    A child’s tricycle, twisted by the blast.

    School uniforms bloodied and torn.

    And with those images in our minds, we resolved never to forget what happened here.

    And at this historic summit, G7 leaders recommitted ourselves to the path of peace, freedom, and democracy.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : PM remarks at the G7 Press Conference [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : PM remarks at the G7 Press Conference [May 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 22 May 2023.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s remarks at the at the G7 press conference.

    Let me start by thanking Prime Minister Kishida and the people of Japan for their warm and generous welcome and hospitality.

    At this pivotal moment for peace, freedom, and democracy, the G7 came together with our allies and friends to confront a more dangerous world.

    We leave Hiroshima stronger and more united than ever.

    And through this summit, we have advanced the priorities of the British people with two big aims – economic security and national security.

    First, economic security.

    On this trip, we’ve secured almost £18 billion of new investments into the UK from Japanese businesses.

    That’s a huge vote of confidence in the UK – creating hundreds of new jobs, with significantly more to come as projects get underway.

    All helping to grow our economy – one of my five priorities for the UK.

    And alongside our unprecedented new defence and security partnership it’s clear that the UK-Japan relationship has never been closer as we work with G7 allies to support a free and open Indo-Pacific.

    The G7 also demonstrated unity of purpose on China.

    China poses the biggest challenge of our age to global security and prosperity. They are increasingly authoritarian at home and assertive abroad.

    And, as the G7 have showed, the UK’s response is completely aligned with our allies.

    This is all about de-risking – not de-coupling.

    And with the G7, we are taking steps to prevent China from using economic coercion to interfere in the sovereign affairs of others.

    A new theme of this Summit was also AI.

    AI can bring huge benefits for our economy, society, and public services.

    But of course – it needs to be developed safely, securely, and fairly.

    And that will require international cooperation something the UK is in a natural position to lead.

    Our second aim for this Summit was national security.

    All leaders at this Summit are grappling with the issue of illegal migration.

    My policy is this: it is the British government who will determine who comes to Britain.

    We must stop the boats and break the business model of the criminal gangs.

    This is a global issue – and it will increasingly be a focus of our international engagement.

    Just last week, at the Council of Europe we agreed to strengthen cooperation with the EU’s border force.

    At this Summit, we secured the G7’s agreement to deepen our work together.

    And we expect this to be an important focus of the G7 next year, under Italy’s leadership.

    And there is no more pressing issue facing the G7 and the world – than Ukraine.

    I want to pay tribute to my friend, Volodymyr. It was a privilege to welcome him to Chequers earlier this week.

    And I believe his attendance at this G7 was a moment of historic significance.

    The image of the G7 and our partners standing shoulder to shoulder with President Zelenskyy sends a powerful message about the unity and determination of the G7 allies.

    We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes, because their security is our security.

    The G7’s strategy is clear:

    Our military, diplomatic and economic tools are all part of the Ukrainian counter-offensive.

    We’re delivering more support on the battlefield through air defence, artillery, tanks, and long-range missiles – which the UK was the first country to provide.

    We’re supporting Ukraine to develop the air force it needs for the future with the UK training Ukrainian pilots, starting this summer.

    And we’ve made a real breakthrough at this Summit, thanks to President Biden’s support for an international coalition to provide F-16 jets.

    We’re ratcheting up the economic cost to Russia with a new package of sanctions.

    And we know that Ukraine must not only win the war but win a just and lasting peace.

    We’re working with allies to provide coordinated bilateral security arrangements and a collective commitment to Ukraine’s future defence, to guarantee they can deter future attacks.

    And any peace settlement must be on Ukraine’s terms.

    I want to just quote from the statement that the G7 and our partner countries have just agreed:

    “We support a just and durable peace, based on respect for international law, the principles of the UN Charter, and territorial integrity and sovereignty.”

    In other words: we must, and we will show that violent territorial aggression does not reap rewards.

    There could be no more fitting place to discuss the urgent need for peace, than Hiroshima.

    I was deeply moved to visit the peace memorial on Friday.

    What we saw there was haunting.

    A child’s tricycle, twisted by the blast.

    School uniforms bloodied and torn.

    And with those images in our minds, we resolved never to forget what happened here.

    And at this historic summit, G7 leaders recommitted ourselves to the path of peace, freedom, and democracy.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with Prime Minister Modi of India [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with Prime Minister Modi of India [May 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 22 May 2023.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, at the G7 Summit in Japan.

    Prime Minister Modi passed on his warm congratulations on the coronation of his Majesty King Charles III.

    The leaders reflected on the deep ties between the UK and India, rooted in our human connections, and the vital importance of democracy and fair and open trade.

    They discussed progress on a UK-India Free Trade Agreement. The leaders agreed that their teams would continue to work at pace to finalise an ambitious and mutually beneficial deal.

    The leaders discussed the wider objectives of the G7 Summit and the Prime Minister committed his strong support for India’s G20 Presidency, which comes at a crucial time for global security and prosperity.

    He looked forward to working closely with Prime Minister Modi ahead of a successful Summit later this year.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government sells £1.26 billion of NatWest shares reducing stake to 38.6% [May 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government sells £1.26 billion of NatWest shares reducing stake to 38.6% [May 2023]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 22 May 2023.

    NatWest is a step closer to being returned to full private ownership as the government sells c. £1.26billion in shares back to NatWest via a Directed Buyback.

    • Government sells c. £1.26 billion of NatWest shares to NatWest as stake reduced to c. 38.6%
    • Announcement marks a further major milestone in returning the bank to private ownership
    • Sixth block sale of NatWest shares since the government intervened in NatWest to protect financial and economic stability during the global financial crisis in 2008

    NatWest is a step closer to being returned to full private ownership as the government sells c. £1.26 billion in shares back to NatWest via a Directed Buyback.

    The sale reduces the government’s shareholding to c. 38.6% – down from around 84% at its peak – delivering significant progress against the government’s intention as announced at Spring Budget to fully exit the shareholding by 2025-2026, subject to market conditions and achieving value for money for taxpayers.

    The Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Griffith said:

    Today’s sale is another major milestone in returning NatWest to full private ownership as promised. The government has now sold well over half of its shareholding.

    The government intervened in NatWest (formerly the Royal Bank of Scotland, RBS) with the objective of protecting financial and economic stability during the 2008 global financial crisis.

    The Office for Budget Responsibility has been clear that – without the government’s interventions in the financial sector – the cost of the 2008 global financial crisis would almost certainly have been far greater.

    The government will only dispose of its NatWest shareholding when it represents value for money to do so and market conditions allow.

    Alongside progress being made by the ongoing trading plan, HMT and UK Government Investments continue to keep all options under active consideration for future sales, including via accelerated bookbuilds if conditions permit.