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Tag: 2025

  • PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin of Ireland [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin of Ireland [July 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 July 2025.

    The Prime Minister spoke to the Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin this afternoon.

    The leaders began with a constructive discussion on a framework for dealing with legacy and underscored the importance of a way forward that built consensus.

    Turning to the shared challenges faced by the UK and Ireland, including on trade and growth, the leaders agreed on the importance of working closely together to deliver for people in both countries.

    The Prime Minister also updated on his recent visits by the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron. Both the Prime Minister and Taoiseach welcomed the closer relationship between the UK and the EU.

    The leaders looked forward to speaking again soon.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Sovereign Base Areas Specialised Committee meeting joint statement [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Sovereign Base Areas Specialised Committee meeting joint statement [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2025.

    Joint statement following the sixth meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Specialised Committee on issues related to the implementation of the Protocol relating to the Sovereign Base Areas of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Cyprus.

    The sixth meeting of the Specialised Committee on issues related to the implementation of the Protocol relating to the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus was held on 3 July 2025, co-chaired by officials from the European Commission and the UK Government.

    The Committee was established by the Withdrawal Agreement to facilitate the implementation and application of the Protocol. The co-chairs reviewed the operational phase of the implementation of the Protocol since its last meeting in December 2023. This review showed that implementation is operating well in most areas.

    Both sides reaffirmed their continued commitment to the smooth implementation of the Protocol and agreed to finalise further technical discussions with the objective of reaching a common understanding on the correct implementation of the Protocol in the area of taxation (Article 3 of the Protocol) and fisheries (Article 6 of the Protocol) as a matter of priority. The Specialised Committee will revert to this issue immediately afterwards.

  • David Lammy – 2025 Comments at ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

    David Lammy – 2025 Comments at ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

    The comments made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on 11 July 2025.

    Thank you all. Minister Bui, we’re grateful for Vietnam’s support as our country coordinator. And Minister Mohamad, it’s such a pleasure to be here in your beautiful country.

    Last year, I told ASEAN I wanted to reconnect Britain with the world. Today, I’m the first British Foreign Secretary to return to one of these meetings since we became your newest Dialogue Partner.

    I hope this consistency is welcome right now. The world feels no less volatile than it did a year ago.

    Rapid technological change is remaking our societies, rewiring our economies, reshaping the global balance of power.

    I agree countries like ours need to respond with resilience, with innovation and dynamism, and by putting people – our citizens – first.

    Those are the values of your Community Vision 2045, precisely what we hope partnership with Britain can achieve.

    As our recently published Trade Strategy set out, we believe this region offers real potential for our businesses to expand. We are working with you to unlock that.

    That’s why we backed CPTPP’s decision in May to work towards a dialogue this year with ASEAN, why we’ve been supporting development of the ASEAN Power Grid, why we’re backing British firms to scale up their investments here.

    Likewise, as our recently published National Security Strategy stressed, our region’s security and your region’s security are inextricably linked.

    Russia illegally invaded Ukraine – that has consequences for markets here in Asia. North Korean troops fight for Russia – that has consequences for our Ukrainian friends on the European frontline. Smugglers or scammers ply their criminal trade – that has consequences for all our citizens and, ultimately, our tax revenues.

    At the heart of our security cooperation is a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The recent visit of Britain’s Carrier Strike Group and this Dialogue Partnership are just 2 examples of how, together, we can support this goal.

    We stand firmly behind ASEAN centrality, recognising it underpins peace, prosperity and stability across the region.

    All told, we’ve done a lot on both growth and security this past year. Nearly 95% of our Action Plan on track for delivery, the commitments we made last year in our first joint ministerial statement well under way.

    Our job now is to go further, ahead of the fifth anniversary of this partnership next year and a new Action Plan to guide our cooperation to 2030.

    I’m looking forward to discussing how we do so.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The UK welcomes the Colombian Government’s announcement of the Comprehensive Protection Programme – UK statement at the UN Security Council [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : The UK welcomes the Colombian Government’s announcement of the Comprehensive Protection Programme – UK statement at the UN Security Council [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2025.

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Colombia.

    The UK remains committed to the implementation of the 2016 Agreement as the main vehicle for lasting peace in Colombia.

    I’d like to start by welcoming the Colombian Government’s announcement of the Comprehensive Protection Programme in June as a measure to address increasing levels of violence across the country, including the assassination attempt on Senator Miguel Uribe on 7 June.

    And I join others in hoping for his continued recovery.

    Nine signatories were killed during the reporting period, bringing the total to 469 since the Agreement was signed.

    These attacks, often deliberately targeting those who are committed to peace and societal change, underline the urgent need to implement the Comprehensive Protection Programme and for stronger protection measures.

    President, as SRSG Massieu reminded us, transitional justice remains a critical component of the 2016 Agreement, as we also heard during our visit last year.

    Colombians need to see restorative justice in action. So, we encourage the Jurisdiction to maintain the pace of sentencing and the government to ensure complementary actions advance in parallel.

    We welcome the presence of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace in this chamber and its President, Alejandro Ramelli.

    We understand that the Special Jurisdiction for Peace will shortly issue sentences under two Macro Cases.

    This would represent a significant advance in the work of the Jurisdiction.

    And this, as SRSG Massieu reminded us, is essential to maintain the trust of the victims, the signatories and the Colombian people.

    Finally, President, as this government enters its final year in office, and with elections in view, we urge the government to prioritise implementation of the Agreement and to fund it adequately.

    The Secretary General’s latest report shows that implementation of the 2016 Agreement remains uneven, with key challenges unaddressed across several chapters, despite progress in others.

    We welcome the meeting in May of the Commission for the Follow-up, Promotion, and Verification of the Implementation, ‘the CSIVI’, where parties agreed an action plan for the remainder of the year.

    We commend efforts to strengthen institutional coordination and support civil society.

    Convening institutional structures of the Agreement is key to sustaining peace efforts, particularly as Colombia transitions into its electoral period.

    President, the UK is and will remain a key partner on the path to sustainable peace in Colombia.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Official visit from Paraguayan President Santiago Peña to the UK [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Official visit from Paraguayan President Santiago Peña to the UK [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2025.

    During the visit, a United Kingdom-Paraguay Friendship Charter was signed between both nations.

    Paraguayan President Santiago Peña visited the United Kingdom this week, marking a historic milestone in UK–Paraguay relations. The Paraguayan Head of State was received in audience by His Majesty King Charles III at Windsor Castle.

    The visit comes as the two countries celebrate over 170 years of diplomatic ties and reflects a shared commitment to deepening cooperation in key areas such as trade, sustainable investment, education, and climate action.

    Throughout the visit, President Peña engaged with high-level political, business and academic leaders. His agenda included a keynote address at Canning House, and a business roundtable with leading UK companies in the energy and technology sectors.

    The Royal Audience with King Charles III, described by President Peña as a “historic moment,” underscored the mutual respect and shared values that continue to bind both nations. British Ambassador to Paraguay, Danielle Dunne, who accompanied the visit, stated: “It was an honour to witness this historic occasion. The UK and Paraguay are natural partners, and this visit demonstrates our shared commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth for our nations.”

    During the visit, a United Kingdom-Paraguay Friendship Charter was signed between Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano and British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs David Lammy, committing both nations to enhanced cooperation across trade, security, democracy, climate action, and education.

    This landmark visit marks a new chapter in UK–Paraguay relations. Trade between the two countries has grown significantly, with total goods and services exchange reaching £70 million in the last recorded period – a 42.9% increase from the previous year. President Peña’s visit reflects Paraguay’s growing strategic relevance as a reliable partner in Latin America, and the UK’s intention to strengthen diplomatic and commercial ties with nations committed to progress and shared prosperity.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Record £14.5 billion of export financing supports 70,000 jobs [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Record £14.5 billion of export financing supports 70,000 jobs [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 18 July 2025.

    UK economy and workers have benefited from the export credit agency’s highest level of business ever.

    • UK Export Finance provided a record £14.5 billion in new financing last year, helping over 667 UK companies to export and grow
    • Up to 70,000 jobs and £5.4 billion to national GDP supported by UKEF financing, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change
    • Detailed in UKEF’s annual report for 2024-25, support for UK businesses helps turbocharge the economy and deliver growth opportunities across the country

    UK Export Finance (UKEF) provided £14.5 billion in loans, guarantees and insurance over the last year and supported tens of thousands of jobs in key industrial sectors around the country, according to its latest accounts published today.

    UKEF is the UK’s export credit agency and a government department, working alongside the Department for Business and Trade. Established in 1919, it exists to ensure that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance or insurance from the private market, while operating at no net cost to the taxpayer.

    UKEF provided the highest level of support in its 106-year history in 2024-25 to help 667 UK firms break into international markets and grow as exporters.

    Businesses benefitting include Yorkshire-based Angloco and Ayrshire-headquartered Emergency One which won contracts to supply 62 fire engines to Iraq after UKEF provided a loan to its Ministry of Finance, and Northern Ireland pressure washer manufacturer Maxflow is entering new markets overseas after it gained access to capital with help of a guarantee provided through UKEF’s General Export Facility.

    UKEF’s efforts to champion UK exporters supported up to 70,000 jobs including in key industrial sectors like clean energy industries, advanced manufacturing, life sciences and automotive which are central to the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy.

    Overall, UKEF’s financing in the year backed the contribution of up to £5.4 billion (GDP) to the economy – helping to drive productivity and raise living standards as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    Sustainability and helping sectors transition to the low-carbon economy are key priorities for UKEF as part of its 2024-2029 Business Plan, strengthening the government’s efforts to make the UK a clean energy superpower.

    The department provided £2.3 billion of strategic clean growth financing supporting ventures like the expansion of AESC’s new gigafactory in Teesside – announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves – producing batteries that will power up to 100,000 electric vehicles a year, and to recycled paper manufacturer Shotton Mill in North Wales that is to become the largest of its kind in the UK and reducing net carbon emissions.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:

    Our number one mission is delivering growth to put more money in people’s pockets.

    That’s why we increased UKEF’s lending capacity by billions and have given more flexibility to invest in priority sectors like defence, building on its record levels of support for businesses to export and grow, and the tens of thousands of jobs it has secured.

    Smaller firms remain central to UKEF’s mission to boost exports. The department supported 496 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 2024/25, of which 83% are based outside of London.

    Business and Trade Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, said:

    Our Plan for Change is backing British business to take advantage of export opportunities abroad to create jobs and growth at home.

    Through record support, UKEF is playing a key role in achieving this, providing financial backing to exporters across the UK looking to grow and compete overseas.

    UK Export Finance CEO, Tim Reid, added:

    I’m proud of our record-breaking year in which we’ve achieved real impact by forging new strategic global partnerships, boosting hundreds of exporters and supporting tens of thousands of jobs.

    With customers at the heart of everything we do, we’re committed through our ambitious business plan to helping more British exporters firms succeed globally.

    We’ve strengthened our products and supported more small businesses too – spreading the benefits of trade across the entire UK.

    As we continue in our mission, we’re eager to play a key role in supporting the Industrial and Trade Strategies to drive sustainable economic growth.

    Marco Forgione, Director General at Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade, said:

    The record year for UK Export Finance is hugely welcome, and has helped small businesses up and down the country take that first step on their export journey.

    Finance is often the missing piece in the jigsaw when looking to new markets. Access to the right tools at the right time can turn local ambition into international growth.

    We now need to keep the momentum going, and help even more small businesses feel confident about exporting their fantastic goods and services around the world.

    Marcus Dolman, Vice President of The British Exporters Association (BExA), said

    BExA congratulates UKEF on their strong, record-breaking results. They show continued growth in both value and reach to the UK’s exporting community, particularly in the increased number of SMEs supported. The record level of support shows the value UKEF adds to the UK economy through its proactive approach in bringing new and genuinely useful products to market such as the Export Development Guarantee (EDG) and the General Export Facility (GEF).

    HMG’s increase in UKEF’s overall capacity is also a welcome development and demonstrates the importance of UKEF in supporting UK economic growth through increased exports. We need to get more UK businesses exporting and access to finance is often a critical enabler.

    We look forward to continuing to support UKEF in defining and refining its product range to ensure UK export success and that no viable export fails through lack of finance.

  • PRESS RELEASE : 7th Round of Pakistan-UK Dialogue on Arms Control & Non-Proliferation – Joint statement [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : 7th Round of Pakistan-UK Dialogue on Arms Control & Non-Proliferation – Joint statement [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 July 2025.

    The 7th Round of the United Kingdom-Pakistan Dialogue on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament was held in London on 16 July 2025.

    Director of Defence and International Security at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Stephen Lillie CMG, and Additional Foreign Secretary for Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security (ACDIS) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Islamabad, Ambassador Tahir Andrabi, led the respective delegations.

    The two sides engaged in comprehensive discussions on a wide array of issues, including international and regional security, strategic stability, arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation. Deliberations also focused on the dynamics of the United Nations General Assembly (First Committee), the Conference on Disarmament (CD), international conventions (such as the BTWC, CWC, and CCW), multilateral export control regimes, and the use and implications of new and emerging technologies.

    In addition, both sides exchanged views on UK-Pakistan bilateral cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear technology.

    Since its inception in 2015, the Dialogue on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, and Disarmament has remained a key component of the broader bilateral engagement between the two countries.

    Both sides recognized the vital role of regular dialogue in fostering mutual understanding and promoting cooperation. In this context, they agreed to convene the next round of consultations in Islamabad next year.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Boost for travelers and businesses as Germany opens up eGates [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Boost for travelers and businesses as Germany opens up eGates [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 18 July 2025.

    UK and Germany agree to phased opening of German eGates for UK travellers.

    • Germany agrees to phased opening of e-gates for the over 3 million Brits visiting each year
    • Follows UK-EU Summit in May and agreement that there were no legal barriers to allow UK citizens access to e-gates in more EU Member States after the introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit System

    Millions of UK travellers to Germany will be able to use e-gates in the future thanks to a new agreement made between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz today (Thursday 17 July). Part of a landmark bilateral treaty between the two countries.

    Germany will roll out the first phase of e-gates access for UK travellers by the end of August, starting with frequent travellers such as Brits with family in Germany or who travel regularly for business. Access for all UK nationals will be possible once Germany has completed  technical updates to its entry systems as it introduces the new EU’s Entry/Exit System.

    3.2 million Brits visited Germany in 2023, with numbers growing steadily since the Covid pandemic. Opening up e-gates in Germany, and across the EU, will support UK trade and tourism and boost growth through the Plan for Change.

    The agreement follows the successful UK-EU Summit in May, where the UK and EU made clear that there were no legal barriers to even more EU countries allowing UK citizens to use eGates at airports. EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas Symonds also visited Berlin in June to discuss e-gates, among other issues, with German ministers.

    Since then, the UK has secured e-gates access for UK citizens traveling to Bulgaria and now into Germany. Other countries and airports have also opened up access, including Portugal (Faro airport) and  the Czech Republic (Prague airport) and Estonia has confirmed they will open up access at (Tallinn airport) in 2026.

    EU Relations Minister, Nick Thomas-Symonds said:

    eGates can make the slog of travelling through an airport that bit easier, which is why I have been working with the EU and member states to get more airports opened up to Brits abroad.

    With £30 billion of services trade between the UK and the EU, this agreement isn’t just good for holidaymakers, it’s good for British businesses too. Making traveling easier between Europe’s biggest economies, to get deals done and boost growth.

    The UK and Germany have a trading relationship worth almost £150 billion a year. Germany is the UK’s second largest trading partner behind the USA, where the UK agreed a new trade deal last month.

    The UK exports almost £30 billion worth of services to Germany each year, a growing market for British service providers. Services trade, like financial services, IT and consultancy are heavily reliant on face to face meetings and this e-gates agreement will save British firms valuable time.

    While many EU countries now allow UK citizens to use e-gates, the government is continuing to work with others to do so.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of the Senior President of Tribunals [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of the Senior President of Tribunals [July 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 July 2025.

    His Majesty The King has been pleased to approve the appointment of Sir James Dingemans as the Senior President of Tribunals.

    Background

    Biography of candidate

    Lord Justice Dingemans was called to the Bar (Inner Temple) in 1987 and took Silk in 2002. He was appointed as a Recorder in 2002, authorised to hear cases under section 9(1) of the Senior Courts Act 1981 in the King’s Bench division in 2010 and a High Court Judge in 2013. He was a Presiding Judge on the Western Circuit between 2015 and 2018 and was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2019. He served as Vice President of the King’s Bench Division between 2020 and 2025, and as lead judge for international relations for the judiciary between 2021 and 2025.

    The appointment

    The appointment of the Senior President of Tribunals is made by His Majesty The King on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Lord Chancellor following the recommendation of an independent selection panel chaired by Baroness Carr, the Lady Chief Justice. The other panel members were: Lady Wise (President of the Scottish Tribunals), Helen Pitcher OBE (Chair of the JAC), Ms Sue Hoyle OBE (Lay JAC Commissioner) and Ms Clare McGlynn (Lay JAC Commissioner).

    The Senior President of Tribunals (“SPT”) is a free-standing judicial office created by Parliament through the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007. The SPT is the independent head of the reserved tribunals’ judiciary in the United Kingdom.

    The SPT establishes and communicates the judicial strategic direction within the tribunals’ jurisdiction and is the judicial leader of more than 5000 judicial office holders. The SPT is supported by 14 Tribunal Presidents, and works with them to ensure the tribunals system is accessible, efficient and fair. The SPT has a number of statutory responsibilities, which includes representing the views of tribunal judges and members to Parliament, the Lord Chancellor and Ministers and having responsibility for training, welfare and guidance within tribunals. The Senior President will regularly liaise with the geographic Chief Justices, the heads of devolved tribunals in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Heads of Division and the Senior Presiding Judge in England and Wales, and the Judicial Offices in each jurisdiction, as well as Ministers and senior officials in each Government, to discuss strategy and operational issues affecting the tribunals justice system.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Tomb Raider video game composer jailed for Covid loan fraud [July 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Tomb Raider video game composer jailed for Covid loan fraud [July 2025]

    The press release issued by the Insolvency Service on 18 July 2025.

    Composer sentenced for Bounce Back Loan abuse following Insolvency Service investigations.

    • Video game composer Peter Connelly has been jailed after fraudulently obtaining a second Covid Bounce Back Loan for his company
    • Connelly, known for his work on Tomb Raider, inflated his company’s turnover during the first few months of the pandemic in 2020
    • Insolvency Service investigations have also resulted in the 52-year-old being banned as a company director for six years

    A video game composer and sound designer who fraudulently applied for a Covid loan has been jailed.

    Durham-based Peter Connelly, best known for his work on the Tomb Raider series, overstated his company’s turnover to obtain a second Bounce Back Loan of £37,500 in 2020 when businesses were only entitled to a single loan.

    Connelly had previously secured a legitimate Bounce Back Loan worth £22,000 one month earlier.

    The 52-year-old, of Lambton Court, Peterlee, was jailed for 16 months at a hearing of Durham Crown Court on Thursday 17 July.

    He was also disqualified as a company director for six years.

    David Snasdell, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

    Peter Connelly blatantly disregarded the rules of the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, designed to support small and medium-sized businesses during the pandemic.

    Connelly not only secured two loans when businesses were only allowed one, but deliberately inflated his company’s turnover to receive more money than he was entitled to.

    The Insolvency Service is the lead agency for tackling Bounce Back Loan misconduct and we remain committed to ensuring fraudsters who stole from the public purse during a national emergency are brought to justice.

    Connelly was the sole director of Peter Connelly Limited, established in June 2008.

    The company was known as Universal Sound Design Limited up until November 2012, and it described its trading as “sound recording and music publishing activities”.

    Connelly’s first application for a Bounce Back Loan was in May 2020, when he secured £22,000. This application was within the rules of the scheme.

    However, one month later in June 2020, Connelly applied to a different bank for a Bounce Back Loan of £37,500, claiming his company’s turnover for 2019 was £150,000.

    Insolvency Service analysis revealed his turnover was just over £58,000, meaning he substantially inflated it on his second application.

    Connelly also falsely declared that this was the only loan he had applied for.

    In interviews, Connelly told the Insolvency Service that he had been given the opportunity to re-imagine the music for the Tomb Raider soundtrack. This was a significant project which had the potential to be very lucrative, he added.

    To complete the project, Connelly said he had taken out personal loans and sold his car.

    However, Connelly said everything stalled at the start of the pandemic.

    Peter Connelly Limited went into liquidation in August 2021. Neither loan had been repaid at this time.

    Connelly himself entered into an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) in June 2022, a legally binding agreement where he has committed to making regular payments to an insolvency practitioner to repay his debts.

    The IVA remains active.

    Further information

    • Peter Connelly is of Lambton Court, Peterlee, County Durham His date of birth is 8 September 1972