Tag: 2026

  • PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Holy See – Tammy Sandhu [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Holy See – Tammy Sandhu [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 May 2026.

    Ms Tarandip Kaur Sandhu MBE has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Holy See in succession to Mr Christopher John Trott CVO.

    Ms Tarandip Kaur Sandhu MBE has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Holy See in succession to Mr Christopher John Trott CVO who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Sandhu will take up her appointment during August 2026.

    Curriculum Vitae

    Full name: Tarandip (Tammy) Kaur Sandhu

    YearRole
    2025 to presentPre-posting Training (including Italian language training)
    2023 to 2025San Francisco, His Majesty’s Consul General
    2021 to 2023San Francisco, Deputy Consul General
    2020FCDO, Chair, Race and Ethnicity Network
    2017 to 2020FCO, Human Resources Directorate
    2014 to 2017Chennai, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Department for International Trade
    2012 to 2014Brussels, Deputy Spokesperson, UK Permanent Representation to the EU
    2009 to 2012Rabat, Second Secretary (Political/Economic)
    2009Pre-posting Training (including French language training)
    2007 to 2008FCO, Counter Terrorism Department
    2005 to 2007FCO, Parliamentary Relations Department
    2005Joined FCO
  • PRESS RELEASE : Multimillion-pound competition drives cutting-edge innovation in rail industry [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Multimillion-pound competition drives cutting-edge innovation in rail industry [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 11 May 2026.

    Modernising track and train will help improve the passenger experience, while supporting jobs, growth and homes in Britain.

    • rail industry innovation boosted as ninth round of the First-of-a-Kind competition launched with entries aimed at improving passenger experience on the railways
    • government partners with Innovate UK to provide £4.8 million funding to back ambitious new projects in lead up to the creation of Great British Railways
    • previous winners applauded for creating tech-led solutions and utilising AI to improve train performance and on-platform safety

    Railway passengers and staff to benefit as the Department for Transport (DfT) funds the development of pioneering, tech-led projects aimed at improving safety and reliability on Britain’s rail network.

    Opening today (11 May 2026) in partnership with Innovate UK, the First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) competition offers £4.8 million grant funding to new projects so innovators can bring their ideas to life and present them to industry, boosting their chances of being rolled out on the network.

    The competition aims to address persistent issues on the railway, such as safety concerns, service reliability or anti-social behaviour. This year, applicants will put forward ideas to help deliver major projects on time and in budget, improve the passenger service performance and reduce the industry’s impact on the environment.

    Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said:

    Innovation is central to bringing Britain’s railway into the 21st century and our funding for the First-of-a-Kind competition puts this principle into action, helping turn creative concepts into real-life solutions.

    Supporting new ideas is all part of our plan to modernise track and train under Great British Railways, designing and adopting world-leading technology that improves passenger experience while supporting jobs, growth and homes.

    Now in its ninth round, the FOAK competition has been backed with £62.5 million in government funding to date. Previous winners include Transmission Dynamics Ltd, 1 of 7 project entrants from 2025, who developed intelligent roadside warning and analysis systems designed to prevent disruption following collisions between large goods vehicles and low-clearance bridges or tunnels.

    See the list of FOAK rail competition 2025 winners for more information.

    Trials of the technology are underway, including in Northumberland, where the detection system alerted Network Rail when a bridge was recently struck, enabling the team to quickly assess damage and minimise the likelihood of disruption for passengers travelling on the East Coast Mainline.

    Claire Spooner, Director of the Innovation Service at Innovate UK, said:

    Since 2017, Innovate UK has delivered the Department for Transport-funded First-of-a-Kind competition to accelerate the development, demonstration and adoption of breakthrough technologies into rail innovation.

    FOAK26 marks the next step, introducing more focused, industry-led challenges aligned to DfT priorities and supported by strong sponsorship across the sector. By working closely with industry partners and stakeholders, FOAK26 will maximise the impact of public investment, support the commercialisation of innovation and drive economic growth by helping new solutions reach the rail network faster.

    Another of the FOAK competition winners from 2025 developed an automated monitoring system to track deliveries to an HS2 development site. The cameras worked by integrating AI software, alerting site workers to the delivery of time-critical supplies, helping to keep projects on track.

    Hao Zheng, Co-founder and CEO of Robok Limited, said:

    Innovate UK’s FOAK funding allowed us to develop SiteFlow with EKFB on a live HS2 site, turning existing CCTV into supplier-assurance and safety insight. That foundation is now enabling us to take the product to the wider HS2 community and to scale this practical AI across UK infrastructure.

    Noel Dolphin, GB Managing Director of Furrer+Frey, said:

    The FOAK competition has allowed us to take risks and innovate further and faster than we otherwise would. We’ve taken sound, but commercially risky concepts and used FOAK funding to develop and demonstrate them, working with a broad range of partners, into real-world products.

    Developing Lineform AI in the FOAK 2025 has already delivered cost savings to Network Rail and UK infrastructure.

    These projects will help to deliver better services for passengers, encouraging more people to travel by rail as the government rebuilds a publicly owned railway that the country can rely on and be proud of under Great British Railways (GBR).

    As a single organisation, GBR will deliver lasting change and build a railway fit for Britain’s future, owned by the public, for the public. The full public ownership programme is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, with 8 out of the 14 train operators now publicly owned and operators managing more than 1,100 stations. By bringing track and train under a single directing mind, GBR will drive up standards for passengers and make journeys easier and better value for money.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Digital future of Essex supercharged with 9,500 more homes and businesses getting upgraded broadband [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Digital future of Essex supercharged with 9,500 more homes and businesses getting upgraded broadband [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 11 May 2026.

    • An extra 9,500 homes and businesses in Essex to receive faster, reliable internet as part of the government’s Project Gigabit roll out.  
    • Expansion of gigabit rollout to cover full fibre blackspots in urban areas, as well as the countryside.  
    • Openreach will extend its broadband rollout to additional homes, supported by £8.3 million government funding.  

    More than 9,500 more homes and businesses in Essex burdened with older broadband will be upgraded to fast and reliable internet as the government expands its Project Gigabit rollout. 

    Building on the success of upgrades in rural Essex – where over 10,000 premises are already set to benefit from this agreement and 500 have been completed already – this marks the first Project Gigabit contract to target pockets of poor connectivity in towns and cities as well as the countryside. 

    Backed by an extra £8.3 million in government funding, Openreach is extending its broadband rollout to more homes and businesses in Essex – connecting communities that would have otherwise missed out in earlier commercial plans. This latest investment builds on the £1.2 billion originally earmarked for the provider to build in disconnected areas.  

    Work to connect the premises will begin immediately, covering areas including, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Basildon, Clacton and Ardleigh. 

    UK Telecoms Minister Liz Lloyd said: 

    “Project Gigabit is bringing better internet to more blackspots across the UK, thanks to government backing. This is the very first contract that’s focusing on urban areas, not just the countryside.  

    “Pockets of our towns and cities are still left disconnected. To reach our 99% coverage target, it is vital no urban neighbourhood slips through the net. 

    “We’ve already got the ball rolling to connect areas of Essex missing out, and now we’re extending our efforts so that even more residents can access the digital opportunities they deserve.”  

    Kieran Wines, Openreach Partnership Director for London and the South East, said:  

    “As well as reaching rural communities, it’s vital we keep strengthening connectivity in towns and cities. This Project Gigabit contract helps us extend full fibre broadband into more urban neighbourhoods across Essex, adding to the almost 575,000 homes and businesses across the county that we’ve already reached through our own rollout.” 

    While much of Essex can be quickly upgraded through existing underground ducting that avoids the need for digging up roads, some areas – including housing estates, business parks and blocks of flats – are currently connected via underground cables without it, making them too costly for providers to reach via commercial rollout due to the additional engineering works.  

    Over 1.3 million premises across the UK have been upgraded thanks to government support to date, largely in rural areas where gigabit coverage is lower. Connecting hard-to-reach premises in urban areas will be vital to achieving the government’s target of full gigabit coverage by 2030 and the government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity across the country.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Cambridge South – new station’s opening date revealed [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Cambridge South – new station’s opening date revealed [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 11 May 2026.

    New Cambridge South rail station opening in June 2026.

    • date revealed for opening of new Cambridge South station next month giving direct rail link to Europe’s largest medical research facility and its 40,000 daily visitors
    • backed by £250 million government funding the station will host up to 9 trains an hour to Cambridge alongside further direct services to London, Stansted and Birmingham Airport – boosting access to jobs, opportunities and housing
    • Cambridge South will be the first new Great British Railways branded station as the rail reform programme ramps up with over 660 million passengers now travelling on publicly owned services annually

    Passengers will soon be able to take trains from the new Cambridge South station after its opening date was revealed today (11 May 2026). Services will begin calling at Cambridge South on Sunday 28 June before the station’s official opening ceremony takes place the following day.

    The first Great British Railways (GBR) branded station in the country, Cambridge South, is expected to welcome 1.8 million passengers annually as the government’s public ownership programme gathers steam.

    The station will benefit from up to 9 trains an hour to the centre of Cambridge as well as a direct link to the city’s Biomedical Campus, with its world-class science, NHS hospitals and business facilities. The Cambridge Biomedical Campus contributes £4.7 billion annually to the UK economy, a figure expected to rise to £18.2 billion by 2050 alongside a doubling of its 20,000 current employees, thanks in part to the boost brought by the new station.

    Passengers will also be able to take trains to London, Birmingham, Stansted Airport and international rail services via St Pancras, with up to 20 services calling at Cambridge South in peak hours. This signals a huge boost to vital links to jobs, housing and businesses.

    Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said:

    Backed by £250 million government investment, Cambridge South will open up access to jobs, homes and world-class facilities for people across the region, boosting the growth of the Biomedical Campus as one of the most important engines of growth in the country.

    As the first new Great British Railways branded station, the opening is an important milestone for our railways and a sign of the real change public ownership will deliver. Faster connections supporting economic growth, thousands more jobs and homes and a railway that works for the communities it serves.

    The opening comes as the public ownership programme continues apace alongside the creation of GBR, which will coordinate the whole rail network in the UK. The creation of GBR will end the country’s convoluted rail system involving over 17 different organisations, cut through the frustrating bureaucracy and instead run Britain’s railways as a single organisation for the first time in decades.

    As a single organisation, GBR will deliver lasting change and build a railway fit for Britain’s future, owned by the public, for the public. The full public ownership programme is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, with 8 out of the 14 train operators now publicly owned and operators managing more than 1,100 stations.

    Jeremy Westlake, Chief Executive for Network Rail said:

    We’re excited to welcome passengers to this landmark station from next month, providing direct access to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and better connections across the UK and beyond. Cambridge South station will significantly improve travel and connectivity for campus staff, visitors and the wider community for many years to come.

    Thousands of people have worked tirelessly on this fantastic project to build a modern, accessible and sustainable station that reflects the excellence of the work that is being undertaken in Europe’s largest biomedical facility. It’s been a truly collaborative experience working alongside government, contractors, industry partners and the wider rail network to make this station a reality and we’re really proud of the result and the role it will play in connecting people to jobs, research and opportunity across the region.

    Alongside setting up GBR, the government is focused on getting better value for passengers now and keeping the cost of rail tickets down. Regulated rail fares have been frozen across England until March 2027 so passengers are not paying a penny more on season tickets, peak returns for commuters and off-peak returns between major cities.

    Cambridge South station has been built thanks to more than £250 million of government funding, alongside £5 million contributions from AstraZeneca, Cambridge & Peterborough Combined Authority and the Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership.

  • Angela Rayner – 2026 Comments on Labour’s Performance at Local Elections

    Angela Rayner – 2026 Comments on Labour’s Performance at Local Elections

    The comments made by Angela Rayner, the former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, on 10 May 2026.

    Our party has suffered a historic defeat.

    Many good Labour colleagues have lost their seats despite working hard for those they represented. We have lost good Labour administrations and lost the chance for more.

    What we are doing isn’t working, and it needs to change. This may be our last chance.

    The Labour Party must now live up to our name: we must be the party of working people.

    We’ve heard the same on the doorstep as we’ve seen in the polls – the cost of living is the top issue for voters of all parties. People have turned to populists and nationalists because we have not done enough to fix it.

    Living standards are barely higher than they were a decade and a half ago. People feel hopeless – that the cost of living crisis will never end, and now they see oil and gas companies use global instability to post record profits.

    Once again, ordinary people are paying the price for decisions they didn’t make. It’s no wonder that across the UK, working people feel the system is rigged against them.

    Things can be so much better than this. Countries including Spain and Canada have shown that economies can grow and people can thrive when governments stay true to labour and social democratic values and put people first. We need to learn from that.

    In London, we lost young people who fear they will never afford a home. In my patch and across the north, we lost working people whose wages are too low and costs too high. In Scotland and Wales, people do not currently see Labour as the answer.

    We are in danger of becoming a party of the well-off, not working people.

    The Peter Mandelson scandal showed a toxic culture of cronyism.

    Decisions like cutting winter fuel allowance just weren’t what people expected from a Labour government.

    For too long, successive governments have allowed wealth and power to concentrate at the top without a plan to ensure the benefits of economic growth are shared fairly. The result is an economy that does not work for the majority, with wealth concentrated in too few hands. This level of inequality, alongside squeezed living standards, is the outcome of a model built on deregulation, privatisation, and trickle-down economics.

    But we have the chance to fix this.

    We need immediate action to cut costs for households and put money back into the everyday economy. This can be done within the current fiscal rules, by ensuring those who benefit from the crisis contribute more so that everyone can thrive.

    Our Employment Rights Act was just the first step in our plan to Make Work Pay. Now is the time to take the next steps, starting with a Fair Pay Agreement in social care – but not ending there. A rising minimum wage must go alongside our programme to get young people into work.

    The investment we secured in social and affordable housing should now unleash a building boom that benefits British business and workers. We must double down on renters’ reform and show leaseholders our action on tackling ground rents and charges was just a first step to ending freehold for good.

    Our devolution revolution has begun, but is nowhere near done.

    Giving mayors powers to transform planning and licensing can boost local business and good growth, in the interests of local people. They must go alongside economic powers and public services.

    Boosting community ownership and stopping the sell-off of local assets from pubs to playgrounds will put power back in local hands, helping restore the pride they feel in the places they live.

    We must go further on planning reforms, to build the schools, hospitals, roads and infrastructure the country needs to grow.

    We should be unafraid to promote new forms of public, community and cooperative ownership across the board. Buses and trains being brought back into public hands can now operate for the public good, at prices passengers can afford.

    Thames Water is an iconic failure of privatisation, which resonates for the same reasons. People are rightly sick of bonuses for bosses who deliver nothing but higher bills. We must face down demands that the public pay the price of private failure.

    We must create good jobs that pay decent wages by ensuring defence investment includes a secure manufacturing base. Use our house building programme to boost construction, invest in the green economy, backing SMEs by reforming business rates and increasing support to revive our high streets and local economies, raise the minimum wage and get young people into work.

    And then there is politics itself, putting power back into people’s hands so that they are shaping the decisions that impact them. We must tackle the inflow of dodgy money in our politics – something that Nigel Farage, who took 5 million pounds in a secret personal gift from an offshore crypto baron, will never do. We must make politics work for ordinary people.

    We can only prove we mean it by putting the common interest ahead of factionalism.

    This is bigger than personalities, but it is time to acknowledge that blocking Andy Burnham was a mistake. We must show we understand the scale of change the moment calls for – that means bringing our best players into Parliament – and embracing the type of agenda that has been successful at a local level, rather than reaching back to an agenda and politics that has failed people.

    These are the fights we need to have, and the change in direction we need to see. Policy tweaks will not fix the fundamental challenges facing our country. This government needs, at pace, to put measures in place that make people’s lives tangibly better, while fixing the foundations of a system rigged against them.

    The Prime Minister must now meet the moment and set out the change our country needs.

    Change our economic agenda to prioritise making people better off, change how we run our party so that all voices are listened to, and change how we do politics.

    Labour exists to make working people better off. That is not happening fast enough, and it needs to change — now.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Military conducts daring parachute drop to deliver critical medical support to Tristan da Cunha [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Military conducts daring parachute drop to deliver critical medical support to Tristan da Cunha [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 10 May 2026.

    An Army specialist team has parachuted onto Tristan da Cunha to deliver critical medical support after it was confirmed that one British national on the island was suspected of contracting Hantavirus.

    • Specialist Army team parachute from an RAF A400M onto remote island, with medical personnel in-tandem and oxygen supplies and medical equipment.
    • Tristan da Cunha – Britian’s most remote overseas territory – is located deep in the South Atlantic, has no airstrip, and is normally only accessible by boat. 
    • Drop comes after the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Friday confirmed one suspected case of Hantavirus of a British national on Tristan da Cunha.

    An Army specialist team has parachuted onto Tristan da Cunha to deliver critical medical support after it was confirmed that one British national on the island was suspected of contracting Hantavirus.

    The team of six paratroopers and two military clinicians, all from 16 Air Assault Brigade, parachuted from an RAF A400M transport aircraft. Meanwhile, vital oxygen supplies and other medical aid were air dropped almost simultaneously onto the remote island. 

    This operation is the first time the UK military has inserted medical personnel to provide humanitarian support via a parachute jump, demonstrating how the military can deploy at very short notice across the world on a range of tasks.

    Tristan da Cunha, a group of volcanic islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, is Britian’s most remote inhabited overseas territory. It is accessible only by boat, has no airstrip, and has a population of 221 inhabitants. 

    Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

    “I am deeply grateful to the personnel across the Armed Forces and the RAF who acted at pace to get urgent medical support to Tristan da Cunha. This extraordinary operation reflects our unwavering commitment to the people of our Overseas Territories and to British nationals, wherever they are. The safety and well-being of all members of the British family is our number one priority.

    “We will continue to work closely with international authorities and the Tristan da Cunha administration, keeping those affected informed and ensuring the right support is in place in the UK and across the Overseas Territories.”

    With oxygen supplies on the island at a critical level, an airdrop with medical personnel was the only method of getting vital care to the patient in time. The operation will also ensure the resilience of wider healthcare on the island by supporting Tristan da Cunha’s two-person medical team.

    The military team flew 6,788 km from RAF Brize Norton to Ascension Island. The aircraft then proceed to fly over 3,000 km to Tristan da Cunha, where the personnel parachuted onto the island. They were supported by an RAF Voyager aircraft to refuel the A400M mid-air.

    Weather conditions at Tristan da Cunha can be exceptionally challenging, with average wind speeds often exceeding 25mph, presenting difficult conditions for the paratroopers. 

    Minister for the Armed Forces Al Carns said:

    “This was an extraordinary operation in incredibly challenging circumstances to get vital help to our citizens on Tristan da Cunha.

    “I want to pay a huge tribute to our brave personnel for carrying out their task with the utmost professionalism and composure under pressure. 

    “This is a real cross-government effort showing our determination to support our overseas territories and British nationals affected by the Hantavirus outbreak.”

    Brig Ed Cartwright, Officer Commanding 16 Air Assault Brigade said:

    “This was a joint effort with the Royal Air Force and highlights the speed, reach and utility of parachuting.

    “The arrival of paratroopers, medical personnel and medical supplies from the sky has hopefully reassured the people of Tristan da Cunha.”

    The mission comes as the UK government continues to work with international authorities to respond to the outbreak of Hantavirus from the MV Hondius cruise ship.

    British nationals are being repatriated from the MV Hondius to the UK via a special chartered flight. None of the British citizens who are being repatriated have reported symptoms but are being closely monitored.

    All British passengers and crew on board the MV Hondius are being isolated for 45 days upon returning to the UK and UKHSA is closely monitoring these individuals, with testing as required. 

    Follow up is underway for individuals who may have been in contact with cases and have since returned to the UK or are in in UK Overseas Territories. The UK government will ensure those self-isolating are given appropriate support. 

    The Ministry of Defence has worked with UKHSA to provide vital diagnostic supplies, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which were delivered to Ascension Island via a military plane on 7 May.

    The risk to the general public remains very low.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Foreign office Summons Chinese Ambassador [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Foreign office Summons Chinese Ambassador [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 May 2026.

    The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office summoned the Chinese Ambassador on Friday 8 May following convictions under the National Security Act.

    An FCDO spokesperson said: 

    On instruction from the Foreign Secretary, the Chinese Ambassador was summoned to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This summons follows the conclusion of a case which resulted in convictions under the National Security Act to assist the Hong Kong authorities. 

    It was made clear that the UK will not tolerate any attempts by foreign states to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK, and that such activity constitutes a serious breach of the UK’s sovereignty. We will continue to use the full range of tools available to protect our security and hold China to account for actions which undermine our safety and democratic values.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Gordon Brown as the Prime Minister’s Special Reviewer on Global Finance and Cooperation [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Gordon Brown as the Prime Minister’s Special Reviewer on Global Finance and Cooperation [May 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 9 May 2026.

    Keir Starmer has appointed Gordon Brown as the Prime Minister’s Special Reviewer on Global Finance and Cooperation today.

    The former Prime Minister will advise on how global finance cooperation can build a stronger Britain, boosting the country’s security and resilience.

    His appointment comes as the UK prepares to hold the Presidency of the G20 next year.

    He will be tasked with developing new international finance partnerships that can support defence and security-related investment, including measures that underpin the UK’s relationship with Europe.

    As part of the role he will engage with international leaders and finance institutions as well as private finance partners to establish multilateral finance mechanisms.

    Gordon Brown was Britain’s longest-serving modern Chancellor of the Exchequer.

    As Prime Minister, he worked with international counterparts as they responded to the worldwide financial crisis.

    In April 2009, he hosted the G20 Summit in London where world leaders pledged to make an additional $1.1 trillion available to help the world economy through the crisis and restore credit, growth and jobs.

    Gordon Brown will report directly to the to the Prime Minister. This is an unpaid part-time role.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Settlements in the West Bank are a flagrant violation of international law and must cease – UK statement at the UN Arria meeting on the West Bank [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Settlements in the West Bank are a flagrant violation of international law and must cease – UK statement at the UN Arria meeting on the West Bank [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 May 2026.

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Arria meeting on the West Bank.

    Colleagues, at the outset, I want to underline UK concern at rising conflict in the region and beyond. 

    I also want to stress that peaceful co-existence between communities is essential. 

    The United Kingdom was shocked by the despicable antisemitic terror attack in London last week. 

    There is no place in our societies for racially motivated hatred and violence, and we will continue to work to end such attacks and to promote tolerance amongst all communities. 

    Returning to the Arria, I will make three points.

    First, the United Kingdom is clear that a two state solution remains the only way to achieve lasting peace and security for the Israeli and Palestinian people.

    However, as we have heard today, the viability of that future is being deliberately and rapidly eroded.

    The current Israeli Government has nearly doubled the number of illegal settlements, including the E1 plan, which would cut the West Bank in two as we’ve just seen.

    Security Council Resolution 2334 is clear. 

    These settlements are a flagrant violation of international law and must cease.

    And while settlements expand, so does the displacement of Palestinians from that same land.

    This includes Basel’s hometown of Masafer Yatta. 

    It also includes the homes of many more. 

    2,500 Palestinians have been displaced this year due to demolitions, evictions, and settler attacks.

    In Silwan in East Jerusalem, families have been forced out and watched as settlers take over the homes they have had for generations.

    And as we’ve heard today, Israeli restrictions on movement and the withholding of Palestinian tax revenues are worsening the humanitarian situation, weakening the Palestinian Authority, and driving instability.

    Second, these policies are accompanied by extreme violence. 

    OCHA report that 2025 saw the highest number of settler attacks on record. 

    Last year, Israeli security forces and settlers killed 240 Palestinians, with Palestinian militants killing 17 Israelis. 

    The United Kingdom strongly condemns all attacks on civilians.

    As the occupying power, the Israeli Government has clear responsibilities for the protection of civilians, which are not being met.

    Acts of settler violence are not a series of isolated incidents. 

    They represent an accelerated campaign to prevent a future Palestinian State driven by an extremist ideology, which even includes acts of settler terrorism.

    Finally, these actions are underpinned by a culture of impunity. 

    While attacks by Palestinians are rightly investigated and prosecuted, the same cannot be said for crimes by settlers. 

    Accountability remains weak, with few criminal investigations and many cases closed without justice.

    The United Kingdom is also concerned by recent comments by a senior IDF figure, noting that lethal force is used against Palestinian stone-throwers, but not against settlers committing the same crime. 

    If accurate, this suggests a discriminatory application of force that raises serious concerns under international law.  

    Colleagues, these actions constitute a coordinated effort to permanently change the demographic makeup of the West Bank and prevent the two state solution.

    They undermine President Trump’s 20-Point Plan and risk further violence in the region. 

    Depriving the Israeli and Palestinian people of the peace they deserve.

    We desperately want to see a different future: one that delivers peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians. 

    That different future is possible.

    And it is our duty to strive to achieve it.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Second World War veterans to travel to overseas commemorations paid for by the Government [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Second World War veterans to travel to overseas commemorations paid for by the Government [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 8 May 2026.

    The Ministry of Defence will pay for Second World War veterans to attend commemorations in Europe this summer in partnership with the Royal British Legion.

    Second World War veterans will travel overseas for commemorations of the Normandy Landings and the Battle of Arnhem, paid for by the Government.  

    This commitment ensures that those who served can attend remembrance ceremonies in Europe, returning to sites of profound historical and personal importance. 

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) will provide the funding to the Royal British Legion, which offers lifelong support and expert advice to the Armed Forces community including serving personnel, veterans, their families and the bereaved.

    The Royal British Legion will give the funding to charities such as The Spirit of Normandy Trust and The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans to make the visits to commemorative events possible. 

    Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

    VE Day reminds the nation of the importance of coming together to honour those who secured our freedom more than eight decades ago.

    Standing at Utah Beach during previous D-Day commemorations, I was struck by the extraordinary courage of those who came ashore in 1944 – young men facing unimaginable danger to secure the freedoms we endure today.

    While we can never repay the depth of their service, I am determined to ensure we honour our Second World War veterans and their extraordinary contribution to our freedom.

    The funding follows the 2025 publication of a 10-year Veterans Strategy and the Strategic Defence Review, which commit to use a whole-of-society approach to defence and celebrate the contribution of veterans to the community and national security. The government is investing record levels in veterans, with Office for Veterans’ Affairs in the MOD rolling out a new £50m support system called VALOUR across the UK.  

    Minister for Veterans and People, Louise Sandher-Jones MP said: 

    We are delivering on our promise in our Veterans Strategy, providing visible support to the devoted veterans who have served in our Armed Forces.

    This government is renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve, and our actions are guided by the change that veterans want to see. 

    I have seen firsthand how important these commemorations are to our veterans and am committed to supporting their continued attendance.

    With the number of living Second World War veterans declining, the government recognises the importance of supporting them to pass on their legacy to future generations.  

    The enduring relationship between the UK and its Armed Forces remains invaluable and must be protected. 

    This essential defence funding enables veterans to return to the places where they served, honour those who did not come home, and reconnect with their shared history.  

    From the beaches of Normandy to battlefields in Europe, these journeys are a vital act of remembrance. 

    Richard Palusinski, Chairman, Spirit of Normandy Trust said: 

    Over the many years that I have been taking veterans to Normandy for the annual D-Day commemorations I have come to understand that they make the trip each year not out of any sense of bravado, but to remember those who paid the ultimate price.   

    As a small charity we have limited ability to raise the necessary funds to ensure a safe and meaningful pilgrimage for the veterans, particularly as they have reached a great age and their needs are more complex. The funding from the Office for Veterans Affairs is vital, enabling us to embark or the pilgrimages with confidence and give the veterans the opportunity to honour their friends.

    Steve Baynes, the Royal British Legion’s Head of Grants, said:

    The freedoms we enjoy today would not have been possible without the courage and sacrifice of the Second World War generation, and as the nation’s champion of Remembrance, the RBL is dedicated to ensuring their legacy is always remembered.

    We’re proud to be working with the Office for Veterans’ Affairs to ensure those who served can attend commemorative events across Europe, and delighted to be collaborating with the Spirit of Normandy Trust and the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, whose long-standing experience in organising these deeply meaningful visits is invaluable.

    This government remains committed to supporting veterans emotionally and financially as they continue to pay their respects through these annual pilgrimages.