The comments made by Kemi Badenoch, the Leader of the Opposition, on 14 January 2026.
Labour promised to cut your energy bills. The opposite has happened.
Ed Miliband cares more about ideology and his vanity projects than saving you money.
If Keir Starmer had a backbone, he would back the Conservative’s Cheap Power Plan, abandon the absurd Net Zero ideological zealotry, and lower bills for everyone now.
The speech made by Stephen Doughty, the Minister of State at the Foreign Office, in the House of Commons on 13 January 2026.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumberland (David Smith) for securing the debate and for his tireless work as special envoy. I thank hon. Members from across the House for their thoughtful contributions. I will try to respond to as many of the points that have been raised as I can in the time available.
I declare an interest as a Christian who has worked with Open Doors and others in the past to draw attention to cases where people are persecuted for their beliefs. I genuinely welcome the chance to keep this important matter in the spotlight. I have engaged with the issue for many years, including when I was shadow Minister for Africa. I was glad to hear my hon. Friend mention Nigerian communities in the UK. I have had the pleasure of meeting Nigerian Christian communities in my constituency of Cardiff South and Penarth, and I know the amazing contribution that they make, alongside Nigerian communities across the UK.
My hon. Friend is right that this issue should interest, concern and deeply shock us all because of the horrific things that we have seen. The brutality of the attacks against religious communities in Nigeria is truly appalling. The cold-blooded massacre of over 200 Christians in Yelwata, Benue state, last October was particularly shocking. We have heard many terrible statistics today, but last year’s Open Doors world watch list reported that armed groups murdered 3,100 Christians for their faith in Nigeria in 2025, and abducted a further 3,000. It is shocking to hear that extremists have stormed villages, killed worshippers, kidnapped families and burned homes, and we have heard some truly horrific examples today.
Nigeria’s constitution promises freedom of religion or belief for all. Every person in that country deserves the right to practise their faith or belief safely, without fear or persecution. When we defend freedom of religion or belief, we help to build trust between communities, strengthen Nigeria’s social fabric and create conditions for lasting peace and prosperity for everyone. That is why Nigeria is one of the 10 countries prioritised for targeted action in the Government’s strategy on freedom of religion or belief, launched last July.
We welcome the President’s commitment to religious freedoms and his pledge to safeguard freedom of belief for all Nigerians. I am glad that my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumberland recognised that we are working closely with the Nigerian authorities, along with communities and faith leaders directly, to uphold and protect these freedoms. Indeed, my colleague Baroness Chapman, the Minister for Africa, continues to be engaged closely in this topic, and she is extremely concerned about the violence against many communities, including religious communities, in Nigeria.
My hon. Friend asked about the work that we are doing to raise these issues at the highest levels. Baroness Chapman spoke directly with Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Tuggar about freedom of religion or belief in November. Our high commissioner and his team engage with local authorities, communities and faith leaders in affected areas, including with groups such as the Governors’ Forum, the National Peace Committee and the National Human Rights Commission.
We know that criminality, intercommunal violence and insecurity make things worse for religious communities. That is why we focus on tackling the root causes of instability to protect people’s rights, whether they come from Christian communities or Muslim communities, or whether they are humanists, have different beliefs or, indeed, have no beliefs. We need to create a society where everybody is able to live and to practise in the way that they wish. I am glad that my hon. Friend mentioned the case of Mubarak Bala, which I remember raising on many occasions in the past. We highlight violations of freedom of religion or belief on the international stage and push for joint action, including at the UN, the G7, as part of the Article 18 Alliance and in bodies like the Human Rights Council.
My hon. Friend and other hon. Members rightly pointed to the violent extremist groups, such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa, which continue to attack people in shocking ways in the north-east of Nigeria. They target anyone who rejects their ideology. My hon. Friend made the important point that it is not just Christians, but the mainly Muslim population of the north-east who suffer terribly as a result. However, the Christian minority faces extreme persecution through mass kidnappings and murders. Those are utterly unacceptable and have shocked the world.
Intercommunal violence and criminal banditry are linked, and they fuel deaths and tensions. Criminals smuggle weapons into Nigeria, affecting both Muslims and Christians, and they use motorbikes and all sorts of other techniques to evade the authorities. Conflict over land and resources in Nigeria often takes on a religious aspect as tensions rise and violence escalates. Those ideologies can sometimes be used as psychological warfare, with attacks on churches and mosques being seen as acts of revenge.
However, peaceful dialogue can resolve disputes before they escalate. Since our last debate on this issue in 2024, we have rolled out the UK’s Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria programme across Kaduna, Katsina, Benue and Plateau states; I was glad to hear that referred to. The programme is doing very important work in reducing violence by strengthening local peace and justice systems and supporting practical, community-led solutions. One early success is that 5,000 internally displaced people have returned and resettled after a peace agreement between the Bassa and Egbura communities in Nasarawa state. If we do not tackle the root causes of insecurity, religious communities will remain at risk of these terrible atrocities.
My hon. Friend mentioned our co-operation with Nigeria more broadly on security issues, which I am very pleased to play a role in alongside my colleague, the Minister for Africa. Last July, we hosted the third security and defence partnership dialogue with Nigeria.
Mike Wood rose—
Stephen Doughty
I will be generous and give way to the hon. Gentleman in his new position.
Mike Wood
The tragic case of Deborah Samuel Yakubu is a reminder of the culture of impunity that has been allowed to develop in too many parts of Nigeria. Can the Minister assure the House that the UK Government do everything and take every opportunity to stress the need for improved security in particularly vulnerable parts of Nigeria to ensure that people are safe to exercise their religious beliefs?
Stephen Doughty
I absolutely can. I mentioned a range of different levels at which we do that—indeed, the Minister for Africa has raised a number of these issues at the highest level—and we continue to engage. The high commissioner and the team do an excellent job of engaging at all levels to raise these cases. That is why we have this dialogue, the SPRiNG programme and the investment that we are making across a range of areas with the Nigerian authorities, who are close partners in many respects and on many issues not just in Nigeria, but more broadly.
We agreed to strengthen our co-operation and provide practical support to defend against these threats. That includes very practical steps such as sharing operational lessons to counter new tactics being used by terrorists, including the use of drones and improvised explosive devices, which have tragically been used against civilians in too many locations.
The UK is trying to address the wider issues of poverty and humanitarian concerns. We support hundreds of thousands of people through our humanitarian assistance and resilience programme. I assure you, Madam Deputy Speaker, as well as the special envoy that we will keep working with the Nigerian authorities and faith leaders to address the shocking violence against people who are simply trying to follow their faith or belief.
I particularly welcome the concerns raised about Christian communities, but this issue affects many. We will work at every level to ensure that this violence is brought to an end, and we will also work globally on these issues. I really praise the special envoy for the work that he does on these important issues.
The speech made by David Smith, the Labour MP for North Northumberland, in the House of Commons on 13 January 2026.
It is a great pleasure to lead this debate on Government support for freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria; I hope that we have some good debate. Recent events have thrown a spotlight on Nigeria in general, and on freedom of religion or belief in particular, so I hope that this debate can strengthen that spotlight.
One fact should make the scale of the challenge clear: more Christians are killed each year in Nigeria for being Christians than in all other countries combined. That is one reason why Nigeria is one of 10 focus countries in the first Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office freedom of religion or belief strategy, which I was pleased to launch last year. I declare an interest: I am the UK special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, or FORB, as I will refer to it from now on. I am committed to that strategy and to seeing Nigeria’s FORB improve in the coming years.
Fifteen years ago, I spent some time in Nigeria, and it was clear even then that persecution was a serious problem. I remember sitting in a hotel room in a very nice hotel in Abuja and hearing directly from a man whose wife had been brutally murdered by a mob in northern Nigeria—I am sad to say, burned to death—purely because she was a Christian. Let me reiterate: that was 15 years ago.
The FORB crisis in Nigeria is persistent and entrenched, with violence in the north and the middle belt a way of life for Christians, Hausa Muslims, those of traditional belief systems, humanists and others. Meanwhile, some federal state legal systems have been manipulated by some politicians and other public officials in order to impose so-called blasphemy and apostasy offences, despite section 38 of the Nigerian federal constitution guaranteeing freedom of religion and of conscience.
Nigeria’s FORB crisis is partly about violence, but it is also about legal suppression of freedoms at the state level, and it is a multi-faith crisis. While the majority of those affected are Christian, all FORB advocates know that persecution of one group invites persecution of others. Moderate Muslims, atheists, humanists and practitioners of traditional religions are all suffering in Nigeria for what they believe.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing this debate. The Government have made an excellent choice of him as their envoy, and God has chosen him for that position, which is more important than anything. Is he aware of the findings of the Global Christian Relief red list 2026, which identifies the top five persecutors of Christians worldwide? One of them is Nigeria. The Minister is an honourable man who addresses our issues. Does he agree that the UK Government must use their diplomatic engagement, development assistance and security co-operation to press for improved civilian protection, accountability for perpetrators and the defence of freedom of religion or belief for all Nigerians, whatever their faith may be?
David Smith
I thank the hon. Member. I know that he is concerned about this issue and has spent a lot of his time in this place addressing it. I am aware of that list. I am pleased to be speaking speak at the Open Doors world watch list launch tomorrow—I understand that Nigeria is also high on that list.
What does this have to do with us in this place? First, the Government are committed to a values-based foreign policy. Our consciences will not let us ignore the suffering of anyone denied dignity, agency and freedom. When people ask, “Why do you care about something like this in Nigeria?” our response is, “How could we not?” I am pleased to support the Government, which have moved to address suffering as far and wide as possible.
Secondly, Nigeria’s business is becoming everyone’s business. The old adage is: “When Nigeria sneezes, Africa catches a cold.” Nigeria is booming, with a population of 240 million that will keep growing for years to come. In the UK, we have 270,000 Nigerian-born residents, who make a dynamic contribution to our economy, society and country. A flourishing Nigeria, built on the common good, pluralism and universal freedoms, will be a blessing to the world, to Africa and to the UK.
Danny Kruger (East Wiltshire) (Reform)
I, too, think it is a very good thing that the hon. Gentleman has taken this role. He mentions the impact of this issue around the world. He is absolutely right to say that what is going in Nigeria is the worst example, but it represents a pattern of Islamist persecution of Christians. It is not just a series of individual atrocities; there is a global pattern of Islamist persecution of Christians. It is right that we in this House acknowledge that. Does he agree?
David Smith
I thank the hon. Member for his contribution. I would certainly say that there are patterns around the world, and we must consider them honestly and address them. It is true that, as in Nigeria, freedom of religion or belief affects everyone, but we must be honest and straightforward when a particular community is affected more than others, and I will say a little more about that in my speech.
I have mentioned the UK’s Nigerian connections. A flourishing Nigeria, built on the common good is good for us all, but that is sadly some way off. Many of us here will have a rough idea of the situation—I see many colleagues in the Chamber who care passionately about freedom of religion or belief around the world, including in Nigeria. In the last six weeks alone, 13 people have been kidnapped from a church in Kogi state, in what the BBC called
“the second such attack in as many weeks”,
and a bomb was set off in a mosque in Borno state, sadly killing at least five worshippers.
Those are just the latest in a long line of attacks, violence and atrocities. That is why, on Christmas day last year, the American Government launched strikes on the Lakurawa militants in Sokoto state, in the far north-west of Nigeria, who are affiliated with Islamic State. Those strikes raised the profile of the uncertainty, fear and insecurity that many Nigerians live with daily. Between 2011 and 2025, at least 45,000 Christians in Nigeria were killed for faith-related reasons.
Sir Jeremy Hunt (Godalming and Ash) (Con)
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his excellent work as the FORB envoy and the extraordinary effort he is putting into the role. In a world in which geopolitics is becoming increasingly transactional—African Governments are increasingly focused on growth rather than on civil and political rights—and intolerance and bigotry are more widespread than ever, does he agree that it is vital that British foreign policy makes space for those without a voice, such as Christians in Nigeria, and that, however hard that is, we should redouble our efforts to do so?
David Smith
I thank the right hon. Member for his contribution, and especially for his role in the Bishop of Truro’s report, which led to my position and ultimately played a huge part in putting freedom of religion or belief at the centre of our foreign policy. I am certainly advocating for that in my role, and I know that the Government take it seriously. There is a false dichotomy in whether to advance freedoms or build economic relationships; we should have a holistic relationship with all partner countries around the world.
Moderate Muslims are also targeted by the extremists, who we need to call out. Religion is clearly key, but persecution is not necessarily evenly spread in every situation and in every country, and that is true of Nigeria. In Kaduna state, for example—after controlling for population—Christians were 15.8 times more likely to be abducted than Muslims, so there is a particular issue there. The situation continues to deteriorate. It is therefore reasonable to ask questions of the Nigerian military about their security response. In June last year, 258 people were killed in Yelwata, in Benue state. The nearest military base was just 20 miles away, but it took four hours for anyone to respond.
In the face of all this, it is perhaps unsurprising that the United States again announced in late October on social media that it would designate Nigeria a country of particular concern. As the Middle Belt Times in Nigeria put it,
“The message is unmistakable: Nigeria’s government is capable of fighting terrorism when sufficiently motivated. The capacity exists. The resources are available. What has been missing is political will.”
Alex Easton (North Down) (Ind)
Given that reliable sources estimate that tens of thousands of Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009, largely in the north and middle belt, placing the country at the epicentre of global persecution of the Christian Church, does the hon. Member agree that every diplomatic and political lever available to His Majesty’s Government must now be used to help end this violence and secure freedom of religion or belief for all?
David Smith
As I said in answer to the previous intervention, I do agree that it is very important for us not to have segmented or siloed relationships with other countries; we need to treat our relationships holistically. I look forward to the Minister’s response, because I know the Government are doing a lot—they regularly raise cases of freedom of religion or belief with counterparts in foreign Governments. My view is that we need to have a holistic relationship with other countries, and that includes freedom of religion or belief.
Let me quickly move to the issue of legal suppression of freedoms. Freedom House reports that in Nigeria,
“State and local governments have been known to endorse de facto official religions in their territory, placing limits on other religious activity.”
So-called apostasy and blasphemy laws have spread into Nigeria’s social and legal landscape, often led by regional or local Governments. Twelve northern states have enacted the sharia penal code, which Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports is effectively creating a “state religion”, in violation of Nigeria’s constitution.
Lizzi Collinge (Morecambe and Lunesdale) (Lab)
I thank my hon. Friend for bringing attention to the persecution of people of different faiths and beliefs, and particularly the heinous murders of thousands of people. He knows about the case of Mubarak Bala, who was jailed for a Facebook post that was deemed to be blasphemous. After he left Islam, he was sent to a psychiatric hospital, forced to leave his home and state and arrested. He calls on the UK and western Governments to repeal their own blasphemy laws. He has explained that when he was arrested, he was told, “Even the British have blasphemy laws.” Today, blasphemy and blasphemous libel is a criminal offence under common law in Northern Ireland. It is not used in Northern Ireland; it is a dead letter law. However, other countries that do use their blasphemy laws in extreme ways often point to these dead letter laws in other countries to justify their own behaviour. Does my hon. Friend agree that no country should have blasphemy laws, whether directly or by the back door?
David Smith
I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. I have been very pleased to meet Mubarak Bala twice now, most recently in person in Warsaw. He is a great credit to himself. He has suffered very unjustly as a result of being a humanist. I am sure we will hear this from the Minister, but the Government seem to be very clear that we should not be supporting blasphemy laws, and we do see people suffering as a result of them.
In the interests of time, I will move on and maybe not take any interventions for a moment.
Why does this matter to us? We are 3,000 miles away from Nigeria, but we are linked by history, culture and language, and we are linked by friendship. Nigeria and the United Kingdom have a very strong relationship. It would be easy to dismiss Nigeria’s problem as something “over there” and think that persecution of religion or belief abroad is not our problem, but that position would be irresponsible, immoral and ultimately untenable.
It is immoral because when we see other humans in need, we want to respond, as humans. How could we turn away from the suffering in Nigeria when we see families ripped apart, innocent people killed and power brokers restricting the agency, liberty and conscience of others? We in the UK have a rich history of experiencing and rejecting religious intolerance that we can share in humility, hopefully, with others. We had civil wars and riots. Those riots became debates, debates became freedoms, and those freedoms led to flourishing. The hallmark of freedom is wanting freedom for others.
That brings me to irresponsibility. It would be irresponsible to assume that Nigeria’s problems are not our own. Nigeria is playing an increasingly influential role globally. It is young, resource-rich and growing. The UN has projected that Nigeria will become the third most populous country on Earth by 2050, and as I have said, the UK is home to a substantial and growing community of Nigerian-born residents. They are a hard-working, law-abiding, enterprising part of our nation, and we are privileged to have them with us. Working well with Nigeria is in our interest for the sake of all.
Nigeria also represents a genuine democracy in a region where military Governments are common and civil society precarious. As climate change disrupts the Sahel and central Africa further, the promise of a resilient Nigeria with a strong sense of its future as a pluralist democracy cannot be understated.
Dr Al Pinkerton (Surrey Heath) (LD)
I am hugely grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving way and for his excellent speech. He is giving a powerful evocation of the significant crisis that exists within Nigeria in terms of intolerance and faith-related death. Can he indicate—this is a genuine question of inquiry—to what extent there are intersections with other sources of conflict such as terrorism and the resource competition he mentioned, and potentially even climate change? To what extent are those drivers of the kind of religious intolerance that we see playing out in his speech?
David Smith
The hon. Gentleman is right to draw other factors into the equation, whether it is competition over land in the middle belt of Nigeria, the climate change that leads to it, or other forms of identitarian conflict and competition for resources. Those things are true, without question. In my estimation it is also true that there is a specifically religious dimension, and at times a political dimension, to the persecution—I would say it can be both at the same time.
I am concerned that this can lead to a slippery slope. For example, we could compare it with the situation in China, where Tibetan Buddhists have been persecuted for years. That was later followed by a crackdown on Falun Gong and Christians, and religious prisoners ultimately end up joined by journalists, activists, trade unionists and other rabble rousers who the state would prefer not to deal with. We must robustly defend freedom of religion or belief, to avoid that slippery slope.
Jim Shannon rose—
David Smith
I will make a little progress, as I want to ensure that the Minister has time to respond.
The Government are doing some great things that I get to see and making a great deal of progress. We will hear from the Minister, but in my estimation the Government are supporting security work in Nigeria, working closely with the Nigerian Government, including on the SPRiNG—Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria—programme, which I hope we will hear more about, and building a sense of communal interfaith relationship and peace building—something I did in the past in a different context. That is really important, and I would love to hear more from the Minister about what that could look like if we grow it more.
Carla Lockhart (Upper Bann) (DUP)
Let me just remind the House of Matthew 5:10:
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
We must all bear that in our minds tonight. The question I would ask is this: how many more burned churches and murdered worshippers do we have to see before concrete action is taken? The hon. Member is doing an amazing job in this area—well done on that—but we need more concrete action. UK aid should be conditional on demonstrable action to protect religious freedom—surely that is a question for the Minister tonight.
David Smith
Again, I agree that we should have holistic relationships with all our partners; there should not be a hierarchy of importance when it comes to an economic trade deal versus pursuing our values as a country on things like freedoms. I am sure we will hear more from the Minister on that.
I mentioned what is happening on law and politics. In a way, that is almost a more worrying issue, because it creates a context in which it becomes acceptable to persecute. As long as ethno-religious fiefdoms are maintained, contrary to the promises of the Nigerian constitution, widespread reconciliation may be out of reach. The Government are clear in their opposition to the spread of blasphemy and apostasy laws, and I support that. In our complex and committed relationship with Nigeria, Britain has a range of tools at our disposal to support change in the direction of freedom of religion or belief, and I look forward to hearing from the Minister about the excellent work that the Government are doing, to which I remain committed.
Mike Wood (Kingswinford and South Staffordshire) (Con)
Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
David Smith
I will take one last intervention.
Madam Deputy Speaker (Caroline Nokes)
Order. It might be helpful to explain that interventions are not allowed from the Opposition Front Bench, so the hon. Member will not take the intervention.
David Smith
Thank you for your guidance, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I apologise to the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire (Mike Wood).
In conclusion, Nigeria is rich with potential and possibility, but in my view violent and legal suppression of FORB is undermining the country’s future. A plural Nigeria, rooted in the common good, in which 250 million people have genuine freedom to reason, question and believe is a blessing to Nigeria itself, to Africa and to the world. A flourishing Nigeria is good for Britain and a challenge to the autocrats of west Africa in declaring that freedom is, in the end, worth it.
Conversely, every Christian kidnapped, every mosque bombed and every atheist imprisoned risks the continuation of the cycle of ethno-religious conflict, and a diminishing of all that Nigeria can be. No one wants that and I am pleased that the UK Government are serious about freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria. I am committed to working with the Government in every way possible to support a better way forward. This issue needed attention years ago and I am glad that it now has that attention.
![PRESS RELEASE : Russia’s use of Oreshnik hypersonic missile should be universally condemned – UK statement at the UN Security Council [January 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/newfco-150x150.png)
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 January 2026.
Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.
At the end of last week, Russia launched yet another brutal assault upon Ukraine.
Ukraine has confirmed that on the night of 8 January, Russia launched 242 drones and 36 missiles, including an Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, against targets across Ukraine, particularly critical energy infrastructure.
The attack caused the death and injury of dozens of civilians, the deprivation of millions of power and heating at a time when temperatures reached as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius, and additional pressure on vital services including healthcare and water supplies.
Russia’s use of another Oreshnik IRBM should be universally condemned. This hypersonic missile capable of travelling at over Mach 10, is reported to have hit a site in the region of Lviv, just 50 miles from the Polish border. Such action is reckless – it threatens regional and international security, and carries significant risk of escalation and miscalculation.
Russia has attempted to justify this escalation by claiming an attack on one of President Putin’s residences.
But this claim is false; there was no such attack. This is just another case of Russia’s use of disinformation to justify egregious and escalatory activity in Ukraine.
Russia’s latest assault came in the same week that President Zelenskyy and the US were in Paris with European and international leaders to discuss peace.
President Putin claims to want peace, and yet his actions tell a different story.
The rest of the world wants peace in Ukraine – a peace in line with the UN Charter – and we welcome the significant progress which has been made. Together with our international partners, the UK will continue to work hard towards that goal.
Russia’s attacks are clearly intended to erode the morale of the Ukrainian people. But their resilience and determination over the past four years remains undimmed. Energy services are being restored, damaged homes being rebuilt. Ukraine will survive this latest attack, as it has survived so many before.
And if President Putin think this violence will deter Ukraine’s partners, he is wrong about that too. We will continue to ensure that Ukraine gets the military and financial support it needs to defend itself. And we will increase pressure on Russia to de-escalate and engage in meaningful negotiations.
For the sake of international security and the integrity of the UN Charter, Ukraine must emerge from this war as a sovereign, secure, and independent country.
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 January 2026.
UK Statement at the World Trade Organization’s General Council. Delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and the UN, Kumar Iyer.
On the question of deliverables for UK the following items must be on table at MC 14: clear political direction on reform and a clear path to outcome at MC15; delivering the plurilateral agreements on E-Commerce and the Investment Facilitation for Development; maintaining the E-Commerce moratorium and a recommitment to achieving a well functioning Dispute Settlement system accessible to all Members. The UK also welcomes efforts underway across the CTD and elsewhere to find a set workable development outcomes. These are the UK priorities but we recognise everyone will want to see value in MC14 and have something that reflects their most critical priorities. The UK stands ready to work with all Members in this regard. To that extent, progress will only really be possible if Members engage in good faith, and don’t block out comms across files, especially on items that cause them no material harm. As other Members have said, the overwhelming priority for the UK is the reform agenda. To that extent, the UK thanks and strongly supports the work and report of Reform Facilitator, and the aim to develop a work plan between MC14 and MC15 as a basis for Ministerial Decision at MC14. We also support the idea of including clear checkpoints between MC14 and MC15. As you know the UK has not been a strong proponent of an outcome document, but if we are going to proceed, we would welcome it being very short, with early clear deadlines, and far in advance of MC14 to determine if we have consensus around it.
We note that consensus has not been reached and is unlikely to be reached on this topic. On the current version of the proposal the UK views this is an important issue that we remain committed and open to working with Members to finding a solution between now and then MC14. We note the idea contained in the report the Chairperson of the LDC sub committee to explore a process oriented outcome and LDC graduation that is establishing in focus session on obviously graduation with a view to examine particular challenges of graduating and graduated LDCs.
We welcome the constructive approach that had been taken by the G90 grouping and the focus on moving technical discussions to technical committees. We note that consensus has not been reached, and we would appreciate further discussions in the New Year with a view to finding a solution before MC14. We support technical aspects of the implementation and operation of the SPS and TBT Agreements being considered in technical committees. We would also encourage the G90 to engage with activity that is underway in the SPS and TBT to progress related matters, following the report and recommendations for the 6th review from the SPS agreement under the 10th triennial review of SDT agreement.
Thank you Chair, the UK believes this is a crucial means of direct investment and we align ourselves with this statement of the co-conveners. There is currently a 4 trillion investment gap, funding gap, to achieve the SDGs. Governments are not going to be able to fill this gap, and it is important that we enable the private sector to do so.
The IFDA is a crucial means of doing so and OECD analysis suggests that the investment it will generate will increase global GDP by up to 1% – with that amount being skewed heavily towards developing countries. This is not abstract, this is real jobs, this is real money. This is money that is life changing and lifesaving. When we hold back this agreement, we should reflect on the real-world impacts that this will have on people.
We believe the agreement is ripe for ministerial action, and we welcome Egypt as the 128th member of the IFDA. This does not mean that we all need to agree now, we recognise that some Members continue to have concerns, and we have noted the new communication from India setting out their longstanding concerns which will be covered under the agenda item 19.
Between now and MC14 we stand ready to continue our dialogue with all countries. We recently had a very constructive dialogue with Türkiye in Ankara where we heard their concerns loud and clear, and we will continue to follow up bilaterally. However, we are clear that this is now a political decision for our ministers at MC14. In practice for the UK this means ensuring IFDA is on the MC14 agenda, a ministerial facilitator is appointed with a separate, and a dedicated IFDA event at the conference in the programme. Thank you.
Thank you Chair. The UK welcomes the Philippines joining the ECA as its 72nd participant. We think this clearly demonstrates the continued strong interest in this agreement and we look forward to further Members joining in due course.
We believe the ECA, together with the IFDA, is a clear demonstration of the positive use of flexibilities of the WTO’s negotiating function. It is an agreement fully in line with WTO rules and procedures with strong support from a significant number of Members, representing all corners of the world, and all levels of development.
The economic significance of this agreement cannot be underestimated. A number of colleagues have referenced the OECD WTO research, so I won’t repeat that, but I will highlight two things. One, as others have said, the benefits are skewed to favour low and lower-middle income countries – particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The second is that the agreement has no known material negative impacts on non-participants. Indeed, it is estimated to benefit those participants.
In summary, to contribute to real-world growth, and to show this organisation is still relevant to the world that we live in, the UK remains fully committed to seeking Annex 4 incorporation. We call on all Members to support the bringing of this agreement into effect as soon as possible for the benefit of all.
This intervention will serve for both the LDC and the African group (item 14 and item 24) agenda items. The UK would like to thank both groups for their submissions.
We appreciate the emphasis on advancing agriculture reform however with clear divergences remaining it is important to focus on outcomes that are balanced and achievable.
In advance of MC12 the UK led work to develop a Food Security statement which was supported by around 60 WTO members and recognised the critical global challenges on food security. This became a big part of the MC12 Food Security Declaration, an important milestone which has helped to refocus work in the agriculture negotiations.
Global Food insecurity has worsened since MC12 and we have to do more in the WTO to address this.
To this end, the UK has been championing work on export restrictions and prohibitions. It is clear these measures can, and have, exacerbated global food crises and make trade less reliable. Enhancing disciplines on these measures would be a meaningful contribution this organisation can make towards this issue.
We welcome the focus on food security of several proposals submitted by the African Group, the LDC as well as Jamaica. We are committed to working towards a consensus seeking text.
The UK welcomes these proposals and looks forward to engaging. The UK is also open to the General Council playing a guiding role and facilitating a structured discussion in this area which recognises the shifting landscape and the diverse priorities amongst Members.
We very much recognise the importance of this issue particularly to developing and least developing countries. The UK has actively participated in the discussion on remittances in the CTFA since MC13 and we thank Morocco for their proposal. At present we are not yet fully clear on whether the aim of the proposal is to agree the substantive ideas that it contains which has been mentioned before are topics that are already considered in other multilateral fora or whether the aim is to get ministerial support for further discussions as has been mentioned in discussions, we have been part of. We would need to have further clarity on this first before we are able to consider if this should be taken to Ministers. At this stage, we cannot support taking proposals to Ministers, but we look forward to continuing discussions to get further clarity.
The UK aligns with the statement made by the co-coordinators. We have read India’s paper. We note these are concerns that have been raised before. We note that the UK has responded to them both verbally and in writing before. We would note that the coordinators have done so as well. But there’s a phrase in Tamil which my Mum always tells me which is “you should never let anyone say, ‘if only you had said’”. As my good friend the Indian PR will know. So, I will repeat if that’s okay. First concerning the Doha ministerial mandate, the IFDA was launched plurilaterally, not multilaterally, thereby overriding any previous decision. Secondly, the scope of the IFDA is different. As we’ve made clear before, the IFDA does not cover market access, investment protection, and investor state dispute settlement. On India’s second and third arguments relating to the core foundational principles of the WTO and the requirements of article 10.9 of Marrakesh Agreement, we would note WTO’s Members’ right to request the incorporation of plural agreement into the WTO rule book is recognised in article 10.9 of WTO agreement. Fourth, regarding the relationship between trade and investment and whether IFDA constitutes a trade agreement, we would note investment plays a key role in trade flows. There are large amounts of trade in services are cross border flows and investment and count as investment through mode 3. The WTO therefore already substantially covers investments through GATS and we already have the TRIMS agreement which sets a clear precedent. Fifth, on the marginalisation of mandated issues and the diversion of limited WTO resources, we would note we have a clear ministerial mandate on the IFD from MC11. It is a priority for developing Members who have led negotiations themselves to tackle the issues of economic development that they face in their own countries. The IFDA has the support of 128 out of 166 Members more than three-quarters of the membership almost 90 of those are developing countries. Chair this is something that the organisation has to agree to it is if we can’t agree to this. I really don’t know what we are able to agree to.
![PRESS RELEASE : New chairs of Network Rail and DFTO named [January 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/transportlogo-150x150.png)
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 12 January 2026.
Richard George and Sir Andrew Haines bring extensive experience to help improve passenger experience and operational performance we will see under Great British Railways.
Two key rail leaders have been appointed to oversee the railways at a monumental time for the industry today (12 January 2026).
Richard George has been appointed Chair of Network Rail, the public body that owns, operates, maintains and develops Britain’s railway infrastructure.
Sir Andrew Haines will become Chair of Department for Transport Operator Limited (DFTO), the government body bringing all currently privately-owned train services into public ownership ahead of the creation of Great British Railways (GBR).
With significant experience in the rail industry, both appointees will support the government’s mission to bring together track and train – delivering a better service for passengers.
Richard has 45 years of experience operating at the most senior level in the UK transport industry and is the current chair of DFTO. His extensive career includes roles as Managing Director of Great Western Trains and HS1 Project Director for Eurostar, as well as an advisor to DfT on matters relating to rail performance and investment in the north of England. Prior to privatisation, Richard had 20 years of railway management experience with British Rail.
Sir Andrew has overseen rail and transport at the highest level, most recently as CEO of Network Rail between 2018 and 2025, where he maintained a strong focus on putting passengers first and driving improved performance. Prior to this, Sir Andrew had a wide-ranging career in the rail industry, including roles as Managing Director of South West Trains and Managing Director of the Rail Division for First Group plc.
Their new positions will take effect on 2 February 2026.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:
With legislation now making its way through Parliament, we’re making good progress with our ambitious programme of rail reform. When Great British Railways is established, it will help us to deliver a network which is run for the public, owned by the public.
Richard and Sir Andrew both bring a wealth of experience, helping to improve passenger experience and operational performance, supporting the integration of our railways and building towards the world-class railway we will see under Great British Railways.
I’d like to thank Mike Putnam for his work overseeing Network Rail at this pivotal time. I’m pleased we will continue to benefit from his knowledge and skills as he remains part of the Network Rail board.
Sir Andrew Haines said:
I am delighted to be joining DFTO at this pivotal time, as it focuses on its mission of successfully bringing more services into public ownership, improving passenger experience and helping create Great British Railways.
I look forward to working closely with so many talented colleagues from across the publicly owned train operating companies, Network Rail, the Department for Transport and the wider rail industry.
Richard George said:
I am delighted and honoured to be appointed Chair of Network Rail. The rail reform journey we are on towards the creation of Great British Railways is an exciting one with changes across all railway organisations, including Network Rail, as we work to create an integrated railway fit for the 21st century.
But those changes must never be at the expense of safety and operational performance, and the whole system relies on Network Rail to deliver that. I am excited to be a part of this, leading Network Rail, alongside DFTO and the publicly-owned train operators, to improve performance on the railway and drive rail reform.
The new appointments come as legislation to establish Great British Railways goes through Parliament, marking the next phase of the Government’s bold rail reforms. Great British Railways will build a simpler, more unified railway that delivers reliable, safe and more affordable journeys.
![PRESS RELEASE : New rules on police requesting counselling notes come into force [January 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/homeoffice-150x150.webp)
The press release issued by the Home Office on 12 January 2026.
Victims to be given more privacy with new rules blocking police from requesting counselling notes during investigations unless in exceptional circumstances.
Victims and survivors of rape and sexual assault will be provided greater privacy and dignity during police investigations under significant changes announced by the Home Office today.
Under the new measures, police and other agencies will only be able to request crime victims’ private counselling notes in special circumstances, in a move designed to improve the experience of victims, encourage more to come forward and eventually result in higher prosecutions.
Historically, police investigating crimes routinely asked for the counselling notes of victims as part of their investigations, leading to many feeling their privacy was being further violated after a traumatic experience and putting many off continuing with their case.
In the worst-case examples, these notes were used to decide on whether to proceed with a prosecution, particularly where victims had disclosed issues with their mental health to therapists.
As a result, victims had often been advised to avoid seeking counselling while police investigations were ongoing, despite many rape cases not reaching trial for 2 years or more, prolonging their suffering.
With a recent case review finding that almost 30% of rape cases included requests for counselling records, this is a significant step to ensure victims receive the privacy they deserve.
The new guidance follows the publication of the violence against women and girls strategy which was published last month. It aims to prevent violence against women and girls before it takes place.
It will also support more victims through a raft of hard-hitting measures, including putting dedicated units in every police force to more effectively tackle rape and sexual assault and provide better care for victims.
Violence against women and girls is a national emergency with 1 in 8 women a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking last year. Two hundred rapes are recorded by the police every day, with many more unreported.
The changes announced today are expected to improve victim experience by:
Under the new rules, police requests for counselling notes must be necessary, proportionate, and relevant – as set out in a new victim information request code of practice. Requests for counselling information must also be cleared at the chief inspector level – significantly raising the bar for these types of requests.
With around half of rape victims withdrawing support for police investigations last year, it is hoped by improving victims’ experience, this will encourage more to come forward to help bring more vile predators to justice.
Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls Jess Phillips said:
Rape and sexual assault devastate victims’ lives, but the sad truth is police investigations often only prolong that trauma.
But by stopping police routinely accessing counselling notes, we hope that more victims will have the confidence to come forward and help us bring more predators to justice.
This is about more than just words. We are deploying the full power of the state to make this country safe for women and girls.
Siobhan Blake, National Crown Prosecution Service Lead for Rape and Serious Sexual Offences, said:
No victim of rape should have to suffer further trauma when receiving justice. Alongside policing partners, our prosecutors are determined to make sure each victim experiences a justice process which is supportive, sympathetic, and victim-centred.
Today, we welcome the announcement from the Home Office that a higher threshold for requesting victims’ personal counselling notes will be imposed, protecting victims and encouraging policing and legal professionals to scrutinise a suspect’s actions over everything else.
Andrea Simon, Director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) said:
We’re delighted that from today, police officers will no longer be able to routinely access rape survivors’ private counselling notes, following our campaign to keep counselling confidential. Counselling is a space to explore feelings, and access to it is critically important in healing from trauma.
We now need to see strong implementation of the new guidance so that it is followed by police forces across the country, as well as an information campaign to inform survivors and therapists of their new rights.
![PRESS RELEASE : New national forest in the OxCam Corridor moves a step closer [January 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1000074910-150x150.png)
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 12 January 2026.
Bids must be able to demonstrate they have the capacity, experience and knowledge to deliver a new national forest.
A new national forest in the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor has moved a step closer today (Monday 12 January) with the announcement that the search for official delivery partners has begun.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has opened an Expression of Interest process with interested parties needing to demonstrate they have the capacity, experience, and knowledge to deliver the outcomes required for a new national forest in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor – along with expertise in large-scale woodland creation, community engagement, and cross-sector partnerships.
The new national forest in the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor will be the second of three new national forests pledged in the government’s manifesto, following the Western Forest in the West of England.
These new national forests will help deliver national renewal for communities, driving economic growth while enhancing nature and bringing trees closer to where people live.
Millions of trees are expected to be planted in the years ahead as part of a wider commitment to allocate over £1 billion this parliament to tree planting and support to the forestry sector.
“This is a landmark moment in delivering our manifesto pledge to create three new national forests. This new forest in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor will bring millions of trees closer to where people live, supporting wildlife and creating green jobs for local people.
“I urge organisations with experience in large-scale woodland creation and community engagement to submit their Expressions of Interest.”
Interested parties are invited to submit Expressions of Interest in becoming a key delivery partner for this work in the region between 12 January and 30 January 2026. Satisfying the eligibility criteria will help Defra and strategic delivery partners the National Forest Company understand who is suitable and how the work should be delivered.
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 January 2026.
UK Latin America Minister visits Ecuador to deepen security ties and work to disrupt cocaine trade at source.
The UK and Ecuador are working side by side to stop cocaine flooding the streets of Europe, Minister for Latin America Chris Elmore confirmed today as he begins his first visit to the country.
The majority of the UK’s cocaine transits through ports in Ecuador, and Minister Elmore is in the country to see first-hand the joint work to stop the illegal trade at source – meeting frontline police officers, who have received training and equipment from the UK; and observing canine training for drug interception.
Ecuador saw its deadliest year on record in 2025 due to organised crime, and the UK and Ecuador’s joint work aims to tackle the damaging drug trade to help keep both countries’ streets safe.
As a “platform country” for cocaine produced elsewhere in Latin America, up to 80% of the drugs arriving in Europe come via Ecuador. This threatens both countries’ security, with Ecuadorian communities affected by associated gang violence.
Ecuador is one of the UK’s closest partners in Latin America, and the visit underscores the shared commitment of both nations to protect communities by stopping drugs at source.
Joint action is essential to dismantle criminal networks and prevent illicit flows, and drugs seizures are already increasing thanks in part to the joint work the UK and Ecuador are undertaking.
Latin America Minister Chris Elmore said:
Every year, hundreds of thousands of kilos of cocaine are smuggled from South America into Europe. In the UK alone, more than 28 tonnes of cocaine were seized by the police and Border Force in 2023/24.
It’s a vast criminal industry, but amazingly, the majority of cocaine that ends up on the streets of Europe comes through Ecuadorean ports.
That criminal industry does huge damage to communities in the UK, but it’s also causing devastation here in Ecuador, with 10,000 gang-related deaths recorded last year. That’s why it’s in the interests of both the UK and Ecuador to tackle this trade together, and put the criminal gangs behind it out of business.
There is huge potential in our relationship with Ecuador – it’s a vital partner for Britain on security and climate change, and the trade and investment opportunities here for British businesses are rising fast – but for Ecuador to succeed, we need the drug gangs to fail, and that’s why our cooperation on organised crime is so important.
During the visit, Minister Elmore will meet with senior Ecuadorean leaders, including Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld and other authorities to deepen cooperation on security and crime prevention, as well as visiting the specialist Police Canine Unit in Quito, where UK support is helping Ecuador intercept narcotics and disrupt trafficking networks.
Beyond security, the visit will also celebrate UK–Ecuador collaboration across sustainable growth and climate resilience. Minister Elmore will visit Welsh company Hydro Industries’ new water treatment plant in Quito – whose business is expected to reach £100m in the next few years– an example of UK innovation and investment in Ecuador’s future.
The Minister will also engage with environmental initiatives in the Galapagos Islands, including the Global Plastics Action Partnership (GPAP).
The visit comes amidst US action in nearby Venezuela, where the UK supports a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate government. Ecuador is one of the UK’s closest partners in Latin America, and this visit underscores its ongoing commitment to our allies, and to peace and democracy in the region.
![PRESS RELEASE : DWP Secretary of State appoints Skills Adviser [January 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/dwp-150x150.png)
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 12 January 2026.
An expert adviser has been appointed to support the government’s mission to unlock opportunities and drive economic growth through adult skills policy.
An expert adviser has been appointed to support the government’s mission to unlock opportunities and drive economic growth through adult skills policy.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has appointed Praful Nargund as a skills policy adviser. He will help the government maximise the impact of adult skills policy in England following its transfer to the Department for Work and Pensions.
The part-time unpaid appointment starts in January 2026 and will last for 6 months, with the option to extend.
Praful is the founder and director of the Good Growth Foundation, a think tank focused on inclusive economic policies. Previously, he sat on Labour’s Council of Skills Advisors, which worked to better prepare individuals for the workforce.
Established processes for the declaration and management of interests have been followed.
The postholder will seek to: