Tag: 2026

PRESS RELEASE : PM to announce £48 million industry partnership to back dementia research and speed up the development of new treatments [October 2026]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 8 October 2026.
- PM to announce £48 million industry partnership to back dementia research and speed up the development of new treatments
- Dementia to be one of the first priorities for the new Health Data Research Service that will join up NHS and research data for the first time to help new drugs reach patients faster
- Comes alongside commitment to deliver a new National Care Service and reform social care to improve support for people living with dementia and their families
People living with dementia and their families will benefit from a major new partnership making it easier to join clinical trials and helping promising new treatments reach patients faster.

The Government is investing £33 million through the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme, alongside funding from Bristol Myers Squibb, GSK and Gates Ventures, to tackle one of the biggest barriers to dementia research: recruiting enough people into clinical studies to test promising new treatments.

The investment will support the work of The BARBARA Alliance, a UK-wide not-for-profit partnership bringing together government, industry, academia, charities and people with lived experience of dementia.

Its flagship programme, BARBARA, will create a single, co-ordinated platform linking the UK’s health data, research and clinical trial capabilities, making it easier for researchers to find participants and for people across the UK to take part in studies. By tackling one of the biggest bottlenecks in dementia research, the programme will help speed up clinical trials and bring promising new treatments to patients faster.

Dementia remains one of the greatest health and social care challenges facing the country. Nearly one million people are living with the condition in the UK today, and around one in two people will be affected by dementia in their lifetime, either living with the condition, being a carer or both.

The condition places enormous pressure on families, carers, the NHS, and social care services. Dementia is estimated to cost the UK more than £42 billion a year, with the vast majority of costs falling on social care and unpaid care provided by family and friends, and the cost to the NHS at £7 billion.

Yet too few people currently take part in dementia research, compared to other diseases. Anybody over the age of 18 years old can sign up, with or without a dementia diagnosis or memory concerns through the NIHR’s Join Dementia Research service. Taking part gives people the chance to contribute to the search for better treatments and help bring hope to the millions of families affected by dementia.

Speaking ahead of the Innovation Nation Summit, the Prime Minister said there was no reason why Britain could not lead the world in the search for new dementia treatments and that for too long dementia has been treated as something to be managed later on in life rather than a condition which can be properly treated and ultimately cured.

Today’s investment forms part of the Prime Minister’s wider mission to improve support for people living with dementia and their families. Alongside plans for a National Care Service, the Government is backing research that could help people live independently for longer and ease pressure on health and care services.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

Dementia is a devastatingly cruel disease, not only for those who live with it, but for the families who care for them. For too long, we have accepted dementia as something to be managed later in life, rather than a disease we can defeat. I don’t accept that. In fact, I have real hope that we can come together and do exactly that.

I want Britain to be the country that makes the breakthrough and delivers the cure for dementia the world has been waiting for. That is why I am making dementia research a national priority – by backing the NHS, universities, researchers and industry to drive the breakthroughs we desperately need.

This investment goes hand in hand with our plans for a National Care Service, helping ensure that people living with dementia get the care and support they need, and giving families peace of mind that their loved ones will be cared for.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Yvette Cooper said:

This cruel disease has done so much damage to families across our country, and for too long we have lacked the tools to fight back. This investment will help us turn the tide on dementia, helping us to speed up diagnosis, accelerate research and give more people the chance to take part in trials that could transform their futures.

We are also determined to ensure that every person living with dementia gets the care they deserve, and that no family is left to fend for themselves when a loved one needs support. So, alongside this new investment, we will ensure that the treatment of dementia is one of the central priorities of our new National Care Service.

Hilary Evans-Newton CBE, Chair of the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme and Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:

We know that people affected by dementia want the opportunity to be part of the search for better treatments. More than 90% we’ve surveyed told us they would like to take part in research, helping to shape a better future for everyone affected by the condition.

The BARBARA Alliance has been created to change that. By tackling the barriers to dementia research and speeding up recruitment to clinical trials, this funding will help more people contribute to breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment.

CEO of the BARBARA Alliance Jessamy Baird MBE said:

The BARBARA Alliance was essential in clearing some of the barriers that are preventing our life sciences sector from delivering new treatments to patients.

What makes us different is our work across the whole sector, working with people with lived experience of dementia, charities, commercial companies, the NHS, and regulators,

Taking part in a trial not only means that someone can contribute to the future course of the disease, they also get the opportunity to receive interventions, treatments and better care, which can help them and their loved ones.

Kaivan Khavandi, SVP, Head of R&D Translational & Development Sciences, GSK said:

Our partnership in The BARBARA Alliance is a crucial step to advance research into dementia. By working together with the UK government and other partners, we aim to create a more dynamic and agile way to accelerate scientific trials. We’re proud to be a founding member and believe the partnership will help bring much-needed innovation to patients faster.

Ken Rhodes, Vice President of Neuroscience research at Bristol Myers Squibb said:

By bringing together unique datasets that advance AI/ML approaches, BARBARA will help the Alzheimer’s field ask better questions and accelerate progress for patients in need.

Consortia like The BARBARA Alliance are critical in Bristol Myers Squibb’s efforts to explore both symptomatic and disease-modifying approaches, all in service of our ultimate ambition to bring medicines to patients faster.

Niranjan Bose Managing Director, Health & Life Sciences, Gates Ventures said:

Recruiting the right people, at the right time, remains one of the biggest bottlenecks in developing new treatments for Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The UK has a remarkable opportunity to change that by bringing together its strengths in health data, the NHS, AI, research and clinical trials.

The BARBARA Alliance is exactly the kind of investment the field needs — making it easier for people to find and participate in research, while connecting data, research and clinical capabilities across the UK, and a faster path for researchers to evaluate promising new treatments and recruit participants more efficiently. Gates Ventures is proud to support this partnership and its ambition to turn scientific progress into treatments that reach patients faster.

The Prime Minister will also announce that dementia will be one of the first priorities for the new Health Data Research Service (HDRS), a flagship commitment of the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan and Life Sciences Sector Plan.

Backed by up to £600 million from Government and the Wellcome Trust, HDRS will bring NHS and research data from across the UK into a single, secure system for approved research. Scientists will be able to identify eligible patients and recruit participants more quickly.

Britain has some of the world’s most powerful health data, but it is fragmented across different systems and organisations. Joining it up will help researchers understand how diseases develop, find suitable participants and translate discoveries into treatments.

By making dementia one of its first priorities, HDRS will help cement Britain’s position as a global leader in dementia research while giving more people the opportunity to take part in cutting-edge studies and clinical trials. The service will also complement the work of The BARBARA Alliance, which will help more people take part in trials, while the Health Data Research Service will give scientists the evidence and insight needed to design better studies and drive new discoveries which could bring treatments to patients faster.

The announcement comes a week after the Prime Minister set out a new settlement for older people, bringing together a State Pension that continues to rise every year with plans for a National Care Service that would provide free personal care for older people.

As people live longer, the systems designed to support them have not kept pace. The current social care system is too often failing older people, their families and care workers, while placing growing pressure on the NHS. The proposed National Care Service would be built on the same founding principles as the NHS, ensuring everyone can access the support they need and helping people live independently for longer.

Under the plans, older people would be entitled to a basic level of free personal care, including support with everyday activities such as washing, dressing, eating and personal hygiene. The reforms are intended to give families greater peace of mind, protecting people from the fear that needing care later in life could leave them without the support they need.

As part of her review, Baroness Casey has been asked to provide recommendations on how and when to build up the national care service. Her work will include public deliberation to ensure the public’s priorities are reflected in recommendations and ongoing cross-party talks seeking to build political consensus.

Today’s announcement also follows the launch of UKRI’s £80 million Dementia Challenge last week, which will test nine innovative technologies in the NHS, including faster MRI brain scans and remote cognitive assessments, to speed up diagnosis and improve patient outcomes. The programme aims to help ensure 92% of people receive a diagnosis within 18 weeks of referral, up from around 60% today, by rapidly scaling innovations that prove they work in real-world settings.

Together with the new investment in clinical trials, this marks a major step towards turning Britain’s scientific strength into hope for millions of families affected by dementia, while reducing the financial burden on families and the state.
10/10/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister meeting with Chancellor Merz of Germany [October 2026]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 8 October 2026.

The Prime Minister met Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany in Berlin today.

The leaders welcomed the strength of the UK-Germany partnership under the Kensington Treaty and agreed to set a high level of ambition for its next phase.

The Prime Minister expressed solidarity with Germany following the attempted Russian drone attack at Leipzig airport. The leaders agreed on the need for a strong, collective European response to Russia’s hybrid threats, and welcomed the new UK-Germany partnership to deepen information sharing, contingency planning, and crisis response. They agreed there was opportunity to go further, and to work together to counter the malicious misinformation that threatens the resilience of Europe’s democracies.

The leaders reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine and discussed efforts to secure a just and lasting peace. They agreed on the need to keep up the pressure on Russia this winter.

The leaders spoke about the prospect of German participation in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) to develop a 6th generation stealth fighter jet. They agreed closer collaboration on defence supports the interests of both countries, as well as our allies, and committed to tasking their teams to engage further on this issue.

On migration, the leaders agreed that close cooperation is essential to tackling illegal migration and the criminal gangs behind it. The Prime Minister thanked Chancellor Merz for German law enforcement’s efforts to crack down on smuggling gangs and both leaders welcomed the Home Secretary’s recent meeting with Interior Minister Dobrindt and agreed to continue discussions on deeper collaboration.

The Prime Minister said the UK was committed to building a stronger, more ambitious partnership with the EU, focused on delivering practical benefits for citizens and businesses both at home and across the rest of Europe. He underlined the importance of a successful UK-EU Summit this year and the clear benefits that would follow, from jobs to growth, as the UK and EU work together to strengthen European industry, security, and resilience.

The two leaders discussed the shared challenges faced by British and European industries and the need for a collective response.

The Prime Minister and Chancellor Merz agreed that their teams would take forward the priorities discussed today and looked forward to bringing both their cabinets together for joint consultations next year.

10/10/2026
Kemi Badenoch – 2026 Comments on Inheritance Tax

The comments made by Kemi Badenoch, the Leader of the Opposition, on 7 October 2026.

The Conservatives are and always have been the party of home ownership. We understand why putting roots down and having a stake in society matters.

Our homes are where we watch our children take their first steps. They are where we gather every Christmas to put up the same decorations. Passing on your home to your family is one of the most human instincts of all.

That is why the next Conservative government will legislate so nobody will ever pay Inheritance Tax on their family home.

No Stamp Duty when you buy your home. No Mansion Tax when you live in your home. And no Inheritance Tax on your home when you pass it to your children or grandchildren. That is what the next Conservative government will deliver.

07/10/2026
Lucy Rigby – 2026 Speech at UK Digital Assets Week

The speech made by Lucy Rigby, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, in London on 6 October 2026.

Thank you, and good morning everyone.

It is a real pleasure to open UK Digital Assets Week.

Just across the road are the Crown Jewels: some of the most valuable assets in the country, protected by centuries of law, institutions and very serious-looking security. And here we are, discussing assets of a very different form, but those that will undoubtedly play a very significant role in our country’s future and indeed our future prosperity.

And, the question facing us today is not whether digital technologies will change financial services.

They already have.

The question is whether we in the UK are prepared to move quickly enough and ambitiously enough to shape that change.

And my message today is very simple.

We are prepared, we are moving quickly, and we are more than ambitious enough to lead the world in digital assets.

When we take a step back, and we should take a step back, looking at the last couple of centuries, it’s fair to say that we are used to technological development giving us new products and new services.

But on occasion, technology changes something more fundamental: it changes the infrastructure on which an economy operates.

The move from paper to electronic trading transformed our financial markets in the 1980s and 1990s.

And I believe the shift from electronic markets to truly digital markets will prove just as significant.

This isn’t just about getting rid of paper or putting existing processes onto a slightly better computer system.

It is asking whether the architecture of finance itself can be better.

Whether assets can move more efficiently.

Whether transactions can settle faster.

Whether collateral can work harder.

Whether new forms of money can improve payments.

And whether technology can open markets to greater competition and innovation.

That is why digitalisation is not a niche technology agenda.

It is an economic agenda.

A competitiveness agenda.

And, increasingly, a national endeavour.

Government can create the conditions.

Regulators can provide clarity, confidence and appropriate safeguards.

But it is firms, investors and entrepreneurs who will deploy capital, build products and compete in these markets of the future.

That partnership is the basis on which the UK will succeed.

As we take this partnership forward, we also need to work closely with international partners to realise the benefits and avoid fragmented markets.

I am keenly aware of this as we gear up for our Presidency of the G20 in 2027.

Of course, saying that we want to succeed is the easy bit.

The substantive question is what we are actually doing about it.

And that is where I think the UK story is at its most compelling.

Last year we published our Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy, built around market optimisation, transformation and leadership.

We are removing legacy processes;

Creating the regulatory environment in which new infrastructure can develop;

Building a regulatory framework for cryptoassets and stablecoins;

We are putting our own sovereign issuance onto digital infrastructure.

And critically industry is forging the path ahead.

That is why I appointed Chris Woolard as our Wholesale Digital Markets Champion.

His first report in July set out a clear challenge: that tokenised markets are fundamental to the future of financial services, and that the decisions we take now will help determine whether the UK remains at the heart of the next generation of global markets.

Since then, Chris has announced the composition of his industry action groups, bringing together firms from across the sector to tackle the practical barriers to adoption.

It is fantastic to see both the variety of firms and the seniority of the people involved. I would like to thank everyone involved in the process for committing your time and enthusiasm to this project.

That commitment matters.

Because the challenge now is not proving that the technology works.

It is creating the conditions in which markets can adopt it at scale.

The prize is significant. And this is a moment when the UK has an opportunity to move as one, be brave, and establish itself at the forefront of the next generation of global financial markets.

We can see momentum building across the system.

Take the Digital Securities Sandbox.

The Sandbox was designed to give firms a route from testing new technology to using it in live UK financial markets.

And that journey is now happening.

In July, HSBC became the first firm to receive approval to operate a live Digital Securities Depository in the Sandbox.

ClearToken has become the second firm to receive that approval.

That is real progress.

And as part of making sure the sandbox continues to work for firms, we intend to lay secondary legislation over the coming months to support the delivery of digital services and issuances in the DSS.

So we are moving from experimentation to live activity, with digital financial-market infrastructure trading digital securities here in the UK.

DIGIT is a symbol of the government’s commitment to this agenda, and of its willingness to play an active role in digitalisation.

The Digital Gilt Instrument – DIGIT – will be a digitally native UK Government debt issuance issued onto the HSBC Orion platform in the Digital Securities Sandbox.

The DIGIT pilot issuance in the first quarter of 2027. And, we are taking steps to prepare for potential further issuances, subject to the success of that first transaction.

To support the government’s objectives, HSBC and LSEG are working together to develop a bilateral link – the first of its kind – which will allow investors to access DIGIT through either infrastructure.

We are intending to list DIGIT as the first digital asset on the LSEG main market. And we are engaging the sector more widely to support the delivery of the pilot.

Today, I am pleased to be able to announce that we have appointed six firms to act as Joint Lead Managers for the pilot issuance of DIGIT.

This is an important moment for the project and is another major step toward delivering on our ambitions for digital assets in the UK.

These institutions will bring vast experience from both traditional sovereign debt issuances, and from digital markets, and their appointment reaffirms the commitment to ensuring the success of DIGIT.

The United Kingdom’s strength comes from being one of the world’s great meeting places for international capital.

And our ambition is that the same should be true of digital capital markets. One of the objectives of DIGIT is to act as a catalyst to support the development of DLT.

We want to build an ecosystem that connects the world with the UK right at the centre.

But digital securities are only one part of this transformation.

If we are going to build genuinely digital markets, we also need to think about digital money.

There is little point transforming one half of a transaction if the other half remains dependent on older technology.

And this is an area where developments are moving quickly.

Our approach is not to pick which form of digital money will ultimately win.

Instead, our job is to create conditions in which responsible innovation can compete.

Stablecoins.

Tokenised commercial bank deposits.

A diverse system, where different forms of money play their own role and can be freely exchanged.

And over recent months we have made substantial progress towards putting that framework into practice.

This year marked an important change in the UK’s approach to cryptoassets.

We moved from debating the shape of regulation to implementing it.

The regulations I took through in February bring a broad range of cryptoasset activities within the FCA regulatory perimeter from 25 October 2027.

In June, the FCA published a substantial package of final rules and guidance covering stablecoin issuance, regulated cryptoasset activities, prudential requirements and more.

And just last month, the FCA published its final perimeter guidance to help firms understand where authorisation will be required. The application window opened last week (30 September) for firms seeking to use the transitional arrangements.

That is a significant step forward.

We want businesses to build here.

We want them investing here.

Hiring here.

And launching products here.

Being a leading digital assets centre means having standards as well as ambition.

The two go hand in hand.

Trust is an asset.

Clear rules are an asset.

And a jurisdiction in which consumers, investors and counterparties know where they stand has a genuine competitive advantage.

Our approach to stablecoins brings that philosophy to life.

Stablecoins have real potential to support growth and make financial markets more efficient.

They can enable faster, lower cost transactions, more efficient settlement and new forms of innovations, including programmable payments.

But that potential can only be realised if stablecoins are appropriately regulated and truly stable.

That is why we have acted to create a clear regulatory framework for stablecoins in the UK.

Through the cryptoassets regulatory regime, we have established a regulated activity for issuing stablecoins, giving firms certainty to invest, innovate and grow.

And we are continuing to refine that framework.

In September, we laid legislation making targeted amendments to the cryptoassets regulations, following extensive engagement with industry.

These changes are designed to provide greater certainty for firms providing stablecoin payment services and to remove barriers to important use cases.

As many of you will know, we are consulting on reforms to the payments regulatory framework, including proposals to bring UK-issued stablecoin within the payments services perimeter.

The amendments to the cryptoassets regime will ensure firms are not required to secure cryptoasset permissions now, only to seek reauthorisation following the planned payments reforms.

Taken together, these are the building blocks for a credible and competitive UK stablecoin market.

We also recognise that stablecoins are inherently global.

That is why international cooperation matters.

Through the Transatlantic Taskforce, we are working with the United States to promote appropriate alignment on stablecoins; helping to provide firms with the confidence and clarity they need to operate across borders.

Because if we get this right, stablecoins could be transformative for consumers, businesses and financial markets alike.

We are also considering how we use our powers to establish Overseas Recognition Regimes for digital assets.

And this brings me back to the bigger picture.

It is easy to view each of these initiatives separately.

But that misses the point.

These are different components of the same strategy.

Transactions need digital forms of money with which they can settle.

A digital asset needs infrastructure on which it can be issued, traded, settled and held.

That infrastructure needs appropriate regulation.

Markets need standards and interoperability between platforms

Firms want government vision, to enable innovation to follow and capital to flow.

And international markets require connectivity across borders.

Money. Assets. Infrastructure. Regulation. Industry adoption. International connectivity.

That is the package.

And it is why I am so optimistic about the UK’s prospects.

Because few jurisdictions can combine everything that Britain can.

Deep capital markets.

Global financial institutions.

World-class regulators.

A strong legal system.

A thriving technology sector.

And an international financial centre that has spent centuries adapting itself to the needs of global commerce.

Digitalisation doesn’t make those advantages irrelevant.

It gives us an opportunity to renew them.

But we cannot be complacent.

Other jurisdictions are moving quickly.

Leadership in the next generation of financial markets will be earned by jurisdictions that can combine innovation, regulation, infrastructure and adoption.

That’s why we’re laying the necessary foundations for success.

There is a lot still to do, but we are making substantial progress.

And I want the markets of that future to be built, connected, financed and scaled here in the United Kingdom.

That is the opportunity.

That is our ambition.

And that is the national endeavour I hope everyone in this room will join us in delivering.

Thank you.

07/10/2026
PRESS RELEASE : UK takes next step towards first digitally native government bond [October 2026]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 6 October 2026.

The UK’s first digitally native government bond is moving closer to market.
- Government appoints six firms as Joint Lead Managers for the pilot issuance of DIGIT, the UK’s first digitally native government bond.
- Announced in City minister’s keynote speech at Digital Assets Week, the appointments completes the procurement process and will allow investor engagement to begin.
- The Digital Gilt Instrument (DIGIT) is part of the government’s wider work to digitalise financial markets, strengthen the UK’s competitiveness and support innovation in digital finance.
Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, Morgan Stanley, NatWest, and RBC Capital Markets have been appointed as the Joint Lead Managers for the Digital Gilt Instrument (DIGIT) pilot issuance following a competitive procurement process.

The appointment of Lead Managers is a key step towards the DIGIT pilot issuance, and these organisations bring expertise in both traditional sovereign bond issuance and digital markets.

The Lead Managers will support the government by providing traditional Lead Manager services, including underwriting services, supporting investor engagement and distributing DIGIT on issuance day.

The DIGIT pilot, which is expected to take place by Q1 2027, will explore how distributed ledger technology (DLT) can be applied across the issuance and lifecycle of the bond. The pilot will put the new technology to the test—and show how the UK can turn its ambition for digital markets into practical action.

Lucy Rigby KC MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said:

Digitalisation is central to ensuring that the UK can be a global hub for digital assets and the government’s commitment to the issuance of a digital gilt is a core part of this agenda. The appointment of Lead Managers marks an important step as we work towards issuance early next year.

DIGIT is part of the government’s wider strategy to digitalise wholesale financial markets and keep the UK competitive as distributed ledger technology changes how finance works. The Government is taking an active role in that shift, testing new infrastructure and helping create the conditions for firms to innovate and invest.

Today’s (6 October) announcement follows the appointment of HSBC as the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) supplier in February, and the announcement in July that HSBC and LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) have signed a memorandum of understanding to deliver a bilateral Digital Securities Depository link.

The six Lead Managers were chosen following a procurement process that evaluated suppliers against transparent and objective criteria, and marks another major step towards delivering on our ambitions.

The DIGIT Pilot

DIGIT will support the government’s commitment to maintain the UK as a world-leading and global financial centre. As other financial hubs explore DLT, the potential for significant growth in this area is clear. By launching now, the government is positioning the UK financial services sector to take advantage of this opportunity.

The pilot is seeking to:
- Enable the government to explore how DLT can be applied to UK sovereign debt issuance processes.
- Catalyse the development of UK based DLT infrastructure and the adoption of DLT across UK financial markets.
The pilot’s design features include DIGIT being digitally native, short-dated, issued on a platform operating within the Digital Securities Sandbox (DSS), delivering on-chain settlement and independent of the government’s main debt management programme.
06/10/2026
PRESS RELEASE : The UK will press for practical reforms that improve the UN’s effectiveness, sharpen accountability, and deliver value for money – UK Statement at the UN Fifth Committee [October 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2026.

Statement by Archie Young, UK Ambassador to the General Assembly, at the UN Fifth Committee.

We begin the 81st session after a year of significant achievement and we recognise the work of the previous Chair and Bureau in driving it forward.

June’s agreement on a revised credits methodology demonstrated what constructive engagement can deliver.

We urge all members to bring that same spirit to our work: translating reform commitments into concrete results that strengthen our delivery on the ground.

During this Main Session, the UK will press for practical reforms that improve the UN’s effectiveness, sharpen accountability, and deliver value for money.

All of this can help strengthen the UN’s positive impact for people across the world.

We will focus on three priorities.

Firstly, the Regular Budget.

Last year, this Committee endorsed the UN80 agenda through the Revised Estimate.

Reform, however, requires sustained effort.

We welcome its continuation in the 2027 budget and look forward to further proposals, including to reduce senior posts in 2028.

Second, the Resident Coordinator (RC) System.

An empowered RC System is essential to a coherent UN Development System.

We will assess the proposals against the need for sustainable and predictable funding, underpinned by strong accountability.

Third, the Common System.

The Committee will consider the Comprehensive Review and recommendations on the Noblemaire principle.

This is a significant opportunity to secure a modern, fair, and sustainable compensation package.

Across these priorities, our work should reflect the principles agreed in resolution 80/251.

Reporting should be streamlined, duplication reduced, and new proposals accompanied by early indicative financial implications.

Mandate discipline and budget discipline must go hand in hand.

We encourage the Secretariat and Bureau to set out how the Fifth Committee will take this work forward.

Chair, the 80th session may be over, but the work of UN80 is not.

By bringing the same spirit of constructive cooperation to the session ahead, this Committee can translate reform commitments into concrete results, maintaining momentum, exercising budget discipline, and concluding its work on time.

In doing so, we can give the incoming Secretary-General and their team the strongest possible foundation to deliver a positive impact for people across the world.

05/10/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Holding Russia accountable for its war against Ukraine – UK statement to the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference [October 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2026.

Deputy Ambassador James Ford highlighted reports of Russia’s violations of international law, including torture, enforced disappearances and the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children. He reaffirmed support for accountability mechanisms and urged Russia to agree an unconditional ceasefire and pursue a just and lasting peace.

Thank you, Moderator.

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues to inflict immense suffering on civilians.

More than four years after the start of the full-scale invasion, evidence assembled by OSCE/ODIHR, successive OSCE Moscow Mechanism expert missions, the United Nations and other independent bodies continues to paint a deeply disturbing picture. This reporting documents the Russian Federation’s persistent violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

OSCE/ODIHR has recorded accounts of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture and ill-treatment, conflict-related sexual violence, and the fabricated prosecution of Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war. It has also documented systematic restrictions on fundamental rights in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, alongside the humanitarian consequences of Russia’s attacks on populated areas and civilian infrastructure.

Successive OSCE Moscow Mechanism expert missions have reinforced these findings. Experts have documented Russia’s unlawful transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children, efforts to alter their identity, and programmes of militarisation and indoctrination. They have also reported widespread torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war, as well as allegations of executions, sexual violence and the denial of protections required under international law.

Moderator, the international community has not forgotten Bucha. It has not forgotten Irpin. Nor has it forgotten the countless communities across Ukraine where civilians have suffered as a result of Russia’s aggression.

Today, that suffering continues.

Russia has now intensified its attacks on Ukrainian cities to unprecedented levels. August saw record numbers of jet-powered drone attacks and near-record numbers of ballistic missile strikes. July and August brought the two highest monthly civilian casualty totals of 2026. In the first eight months of this year, civilian casualties rose by 55 per cent compared with the same period last year.

As winter approaches, Russia has openly signalled its intention to intensify large-scale strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Millions of civilians once again face attacks that threaten to deprive them of electricity, heating and essential services.

The United Kingdom remains committed to accountability. We will continue to work with Ukraine to support efforts to document violations and preserve evidence, including of the over 260,000 recorded alleged war crimes. We will also continue to pursue justice through international and domestic mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression and the Register of Damage.

The background context for this growing humanitarian suffering is clear. Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated its readiness for peace. But Russia has instead chosen to intensify its attacks.

The United Kingdom calls again for Russia: to agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire; to enter – in good faith – into serious negotiations; and to commit to a just and lasting peace – ending the dire humanitarian consequences of its war against Ukraine.

05/10/2026
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 63 – Introductory Statement on the draft resolution on Sudan [October 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2026.

UK Statement on behalf of the Sudan Core Group, on the draft resolution on the human rights and humanitarian situation in Sudan, as delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Kumar Iyer.

Mr President,

On behalf of a core group of Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom, I present draft resolution L.26, which responds to the Human Rights and Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan.

Mr President, the UN Fact-Finding Mission’s report paints a devastating picture: communities shattered, millions displaced, and civilians trapped in a cycle of violence. Drone warfare conducted by both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces has extended the geographical reach of hostilities. Attacks on hospitals, markets, even a kindergarten, have left civilians with nowhere safe to go. Illegal flows of weapons and external support are enabling these atrocities, wreaking havoc across the region, and undermining prospects for peace. It is imperative that States and other external actors cease arming, financing and otherwise sustaining this devastating conflict.

The core group calls for accountability across the full chain of responsibility, and via every avenue available. In this context we commend the critical work of the International Criminal Court to ensure accountability and justice for victims of atrocities in Sudan, and call for full Sudanese cooperation with the Court.

Faced with unconscionable horrors across Sudan, this Council cannot look away. We must stand united. The UN Fact-Finding Mission is the only independent investigative body documenting and reporting on these violations and abuses across Sudan. We welcome its commitment to working in-step with other independent accountability efforts, in particular the Joint Fact-Finding Mission of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The Banjul Joint Declaration in May of this year is testimony to the collaboration and complementarity between the UN mechanism and the African Union, whose leadership remains crucial to ending the conflict.

Renewing the Fact-Finding Mission’s mandate is essential to enable justice in Sudan and lay the groundwork for future accountability.

Throughout the session, we have held consultations and discussed this draft extensively with all delegations, starting with Sudan. We took on board many of the proposals made, including a number from Sudan themselves.

It is regretful that these changes were not enough for the Sudanese authorities as this is a resolution very much for the people of Sudan.

We reiterate the Banjul Joint Declaration’s recognition of the courage and resilience of victims, survivors and human rights defenders across Sudan who remain committed to peace and documentation efforts, often at great personal risk.

These brave actors deserve more than this Council’s attention; they deserve our solidarity.

We urge all members to stand with the people of Sudan and vote in favour of this resolution.

Thank you.

05/10/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Warsaw Human Dimension Conference 2026 – UK statement to opening session [October 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2026.

Deputy Ambassador James Ford reaffirms the UK’s commitment to human rights, democratic institutions and media freedom, condemns Russia’s violations in Ukraine, and pledges continued support for civil society and the OSCE’s autonomous institutions.

Chair,

The UK strongly supports the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security, and the central place of the human dimension within it. Democracy, human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are essential to our collective security – and as the UK Foreign Secretary has made clear, defending these values is the only real route to peace and prosperity across our continent.

That is why the UK remains strongly committed to supporting the OSCE’s autonomous institutions, including ODIHR. Its work on election observation, democratic governance and human rights supports participating States and strengthens public confidence in democratic processes.

At a time of growing hybrid threats and attempts to undermine democratic elections, ODIHR’s role remains as vital as ever. We have seen the value of its independent election observation in recent elections this year, notably in Armenia and Hungary.

As 2026 co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition, the UK will continue to champion independent and pluralistic media. We firmly support the mandate of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, whose work remains indispensable as journalists face intimidation, harassment, censorship and violence in parts of the OSCE region. Minister Elmore, the UK Foreign Office Minister for Human Rights, will focus on this issue when he visits Warsaw to attend this conference next week.

Supporting Ukraine remains the UK’s priority number one at the OSCE. ODIHR and other international reporting documents Russia’s continuing, widespread and systematic violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, such as arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

The UK condemns Russia’s illegal war of aggression, including its attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, its repression in temporarily occupied territories, and its wider assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Russian air attacks intensified significantly this summer. Russia’s increased use of ballistic missiles and jet drones in urban areas has caused extensive harm to civilians.

Russia’s illegitimate attempts to organise Duma elections in Crimea, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia are instruments of occupation, not democracy. These regions are part of Ukraine, and sham elections cannot change that.

Russia must stop these violations, withdraw from Ukraine, and respect its OSCE commitments. The UK remains resolute in supporting Ukraine and holding Russia to account.

Likewise, we commend ODIHR and other OSCE institutions for supporting Ukraine now, and for helping its institutions prepare for future democratic processes when conditions allow.

The human dimension is at the heart of the OSCE’s purpose, and this conference is an opportunity to demonstrate our shared commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The UK will continue to raise concerns where these commitments are not met, and support participating States, civil society and independent institutions working to uphold OSCE principles.

Thank you.

05/10/2026
PRESS RELEASE : UK Speaker of House of Commons to attend 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Tanzania [October 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 October 2026.

The Speaker of the UK House of Commons, the Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, will visit Arusha to attend the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

More than 600 parliamentarians from around the world will gather for the Assembly, which is hosted for the first time by Tanzania and takes place in Arusha between 5-9 October 2026.

Sir Lindsay and his counterparts will discuss how to deliver good governance, empower communities, and tackle shared challenges, including climate change and inequality.

He will meet young Tanzanians and alumni of UK-supported Commonwealth and Chevening scholarship programmes, to hear about their achievements and leadership aspirations.

He will also visit students and teachers at a Special Secondary School – and learn more about longstanding UK-Tanzanian efforts to strengthen inclusive education for children with disabilities and special educational needs.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, UK Speaker of the House of Commons, said:

In a world that faces a number of challenges, it’s so important for parliamentarians to have a forum to discuss how we deal with these in an ever more interconnected society. The IPU Assembly will be a great opportunity to exchange ideas and best practice with parliamentary colleagues from across the globe.

I am also looking forward to witnessing first-hand how UK-supported programmes have helped develop Tanzania’s leaders of the future, as well as our joint efforts to expand inclusive education in the country.

Sally Hedley, UK Chargé d’Affaires to Tanzania, said:

I am delighted to welcome UK Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to Tanzania for the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, to engage with fellow parliamentarians on good governance and tackling shared global challenges.

The UK is proud to be a longstanding development partner in Tanzania, working alongside Tanzanians to expand inclusive education and provide opportunities for ambitious young leaders to study at the UK’s world-class universities.

05/10/2026