Tag: 2026

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK opens door to Japan’s £1.4 billion organic market [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK opens door to Japan’s £1.4 billion organic market [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 April 2026.

    Strengthened UK-Japan trade arrangement slashes red tape for British organic exporters, cutting costs and bureaucracy.

    British organic food producers will see red tape slashed and the doors opened to one of Asia’s fastest-growing organic markets, Food Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle has announced.

    Coming into effect today (Wednesday 1 April), the UK and Japan have formally recognised the equivalency of each other’s organic livestock standards. This will create significant market access for British exporters to meet growing consumer demand for organic products in Japan, from organic bacon and sausages to cheese and butter.

    This means British businesses will need only a single UK organic certification to sell their organic livestock products in both countries, cutting costs and bureaucracy and breaking down a major trade barrier.   

    The government has identified removal of this trade barrier as one of its market access priorities, with the potential to boost British export sales and generate millions in additional trade each year according to industry estimates.

    Food Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle said:

    From Welsh organic cheese to world-class organic British beef, our farmers and producers set the gold standard for quality.  

    This arrangement tears down barriers and gives them access to Japanese consumers who are increasingly seeking out the very best organic products the world has to offer.

    Among those eyeing the opportunity is a Welsh organic dairy producer that has been growing its exports of organic cheese across Asian markets and is now looking to establish a foothold in Japan.

    Stuart McNally, Business Development and Sales Manager for Calon Wen, said:

    This is a very welcome breakthrough for Calon Wen, a farmer-owned organic dairy co-operative, and for the wider UK organic sector.

    This equivalency with Japan allows us to pursue opportunities previously out of reach. This includes organic business tenders worth substantial trade annually. It’s a positive step that supports our family farms and strengthens the reputation of Welsh organic dairy in premium export markets such as Japan.”  

    Japan is the second largest organic market in Asia, valued at an estimated £1.4 billion in 2023, and expanding rapidly, driven by Japanese government initiatives to promote organic consumption domestically.  

    The UK-Japan organics market already enjoys a thriving trade partnership, where British organic produce including tea, fruit and vegetable juices, cereals, sauces, and syrups are already winning over Japanese consumers, who in return export popular staples like organic soy sauce, noodles, and green tea enjoyed by British consumers.
       

    The UK’s organic sector continues its impressive growth trajectory, expanding 4.2% in 2025 to reach £3.9bn retail value – a trend sustained since 2012. The EU, Switzerland, US, and Republic of Korea stand among the other key export destinations for British organic products.

    This arrangement builds on many recent wins for the livestock sector such as the recent beef tariff rate quota, worth up to £70 million a year if fully utilised, and genetics market access in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

    Notes to editors

    • Japan is the second largest organic market in Asia after China, with an estimated value of approximately £1.4 billion in 2023.
    • The new arrangement expands the UK’s existing organic equivalency arrangement for mutual recognition of organic standards between the UK and Japan to cover organic livestock products for the first time and will come into effect on 1 April 2026.
    • This builds on an earlier agreement that was reached between the UK and Japan in September 2025, boosting new trade in organic alcoholic drinks.  
    • The scope of the products covered by the arrangement includes all types of UK organic certified meat and dairy products, including beef, lamb, pork and chicken, processed meat products such as bacon, sausages, hams and cured meats, dairy products such as butter, cheese, yoghurt, milk powders and processed eggs, and other processed food products containing animal ingredients, for example pet food.
  • Grant Shapps – 2026 Comments on Wireless Festival

    Grant Shapps – 2026 Comments on Wireless Festival

    The comments made by Grant Shapps, the former Home Secretary, on 6 April 2026.

    Antisemitism has no place in Britain – full stop.

    Businesses and organisers have a responsibility to act, not look the other way.

    The public rightly expect higher standards.

  • Karl Turner – 2026 Comments on Wireless Festival

    Karl Turner – 2026 Comments on Wireless Festival

    The comments made by Karl Turner, the Labour MP for East Hull, on 6 April 2026.

    Send a message out loud and clear. We DO NOT want antisemites coming to our country to perform here or otherwise.

  • Sajid Javid – 2026 Comments on Wireless Festival

    Sajid Javid – 2026 Comments on Wireless Festival

    The comments made by Sajid Javid, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 6 April 2026.

    Wireless Festival’s booking of Kanye West is disgraceful.

    Yes, he has spoken about mental health challenges. That should be met with sympathy. But declaring yourself a Nazi and promoting a song called Heil Hitler should have consequences – and those consequences don’t include being given a stage to spread your hate to thousands of young Londoners.

    Let us also be honest about what is happening here. This is not a brave artistic decision. It is a commercial one. The organisers know his notoriety will bring headlines, attention and ticket sales.

    That is what makes it so ugly. Young people are growing up in a culture where hatred is too often dressed up as edge, rebellion or entertainment. Put someone with this record on one of Britain’s biggest stages and you send a poisonous message: no matter how vile your conduct, there is still money to be made for you in the attention economy.

    So well done Pepsi and Diageo for pulling out. Others should now think very carefully about their values and whether they want to be part of this.

    The organisers have a small window to still do the right thing and disinvite him. If they don’t, just like I did with hate preachers, I’m certain the Home Secretary will want to use her powers and block Kanye West from the UK.

  • Chris Philp – 2026 Comments on Wireless Festival

    Chris Philp – 2026 Comments on Wireless Festival

    The comments made by Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, on 6 April 2026.

    Kanye West is guilty of appalling antisemitic and pro Nazi comments

    Below I have written to the Home Secretary asking her to use her powers to ban West from travelling to the UK to appear at the Wireless concert

    She used this power recently to ban an anti-immigration campaigner

    She says she wants to fight antisemitism. Now will now find out how serious she really is.

  • Campaign Against Anti-Semitism – 2026 Comments on Wireless Festival

    Campaign Against Anti-Semitism – 2026 Comments on Wireless Festival

    The comments made by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism on 6 April 2026.

    The Prime Minister is right to be deeply concerned that @WirelessFest
    wants to headline someone whose anti-Jewish bigotry has gone as far as recording a track titled ‘Heil Hitler’ less than a year ago.

    But the Prime Minister is not a bystander.

    The Government can ban anyone from entering the UK who is not a citizen and whose presence would ‘not be conducive to the public good’.

    Surely this is a clear case.

    Pepsi has done the right thing by dropping its sponsorship of the festival, but if management are adamant that they want to headline Kanye West, it is only the Government that can stop them.

  • Piers Morgan – 2026 Comments on Kanye

    Piers Morgan – 2026 Comments on Kanye

    The comments made by Piers Morgan on 6 April 2026.

    Shouldn’t even be a debate.

    Kanye’s Hitler-loving, Nazi-slathering, Jew-hating bullsh*t should be disqualifying for appearances at any music festival.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK Trade envoy visits Dhaka to strengthen two-way trade and economic ties ]April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK Trade envoy visits Dhaka to strengthen two-way trade and economic ties ]April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 April 2026.

    The UK Trade Envoy to Bangladesh Rt. Hon. the Baroness Winterton of Doncaster, DBE is visiting Dhaka this week to reinforce and expand the longstanding and mutually beneficial UK–Bangladesh trade and economic partnership.

    Her third visit to Bangladesh comes at a pivotal time following the formation of Bangladesh’s new elected government in February. It underscores the UK’s commitment to deepening cooperation in trade, economic development, higher education, aviation and defence. 

    During her visit, Baroness Winterton will hold meetings with senior ministers and other government and military officials, to discuss shared priorities for mutually beneficial growth and reiterate the UK’s commitment as a reliable and long-term economic partner for Bangladesh. 

    The Trade Envoy will also meet with business leaders including representatives from UK companies operating in Bangladesh, to explore avenues for increasing bilateral trade and investment and strengthening commercial ties. 

    In addition, Baroness Winterton will visit Bangladeshi businesses that export to the UK using the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS). DCTS is one of the world’s most generous trade preference schemes. It is designed to support developing countries such as Bangladesh by: 

    • Providing duty-free market access for a wide range of products 
    • Simplifying rules of origin to make it easier for exporters to qualify 
    • Encouraging diversification of exports beyond garments 
    • Boosting long‑term, sustainable economic development through job creation 

    Bangladesh is the biggest beneficiary of duty-free access in the DCTS, supplying high quality goods to British consumers at competitive prices and supporting jobs in Bangladesh. 

    Trade Envoy Baroness Winterton said: “The UK and Bangladesh share a strong, historic partnership, and our countries continue to benefit from expanding trade and investment ties. 

    “I look forward to engaging with government leaders, businesses, and entrepreneurs to identify new opportunities that support economic growth and prosperity for both nations.” 

    British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke said: 

    “Shared growth and prosperity are at the heart of the UK–Bangladesh relationship, and Baroness Winterton’s third visit in a year reflects just how seriously we take that commitment. This visit will further solidify our partnership as Bangladesh enters an exciting new chapter.” 

    The UK remains one of Bangladesh’s largest export markets and a leading development and investment partner. This visit reaffirms the UK’s commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s transition toward a more diversified, resilient, and high‑value economy.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Thousands to be supported into work as government reforms welfare system [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Thousands to be supported into work as government reforms welfare system [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 6 April 2026.

    Hundreds of thousands of sick or disabled people will be offered voluntary help towards employment as part of a package of measures coming into force today (6 April) that will encourage work and save taxpayers around £1 billion.

    • Incentives that discourage work and trap people on benefits to be removed via legislation coming into force today.
    • Nearly £1 billion taxpayer money expected to be saved thanks to measures to narrow the gap between payments for people on health-related benefits and those actively seeking work.
    • Comes alongside employment support package of £3.5 billion, with 65,000 disabled people or those with health conditions already given tailored help.

    The system inherited from the previous Government encouraged more people to stay on benefits without support to move into work.

    Reforms coming into force today will change that, tackling perverse incentives by introducing a lower Universal Credit health element rate of £217.26 per month for new claimants, compared to the higher rate of £429.80.

    Those with the most severe, lifelong conditions, those nearing end of life, and all existing Universal Credit health claimants will continue to receive the higher rate.

    Anyone affected by the changes to Universal Credit will be entitled to voluntary employment support, with more than 65,000 people with limited capability for work and work-related activity taking up the offer since March 2025 – exceeding the target.

    And as the Government continues to bear down on the cost of living, the changes will also see almost four million households on the standard rate of Universal Credit receive a boost worth around £295 extra this year in cash terms, around £110 above inflation, for a single person aged 25 or over.

    Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms said:

    The welfare system we inherited has for too long locked disabled people and people with long term conditions out of work.

    Laws coming into force today will change that, reducing projected expenditure on Universal Credit by almost £1 billion.

    Simultaneously boosting the standard allowance and investing £3.5 billion in employment support means we’re creating a welfare system that backs people to work and helps them build a better future.

    From 8 April, customers with limited capability for work or work-related activity will also see a new notification on their Universal Credit account giving information on the support available and allowing them to opt in to being contacted to find out more about the support.

    This will trigger a conversation with a Pathways to Work adviser, who can offer personalised appointments and refer individuals to programmes such as Connect to Work, WorkWell, or local Trailblazer schemes.

    The changes come alongside the £3.5 billion investment the Government is making to help disabled people and those with long-term health conditions move closer to the labour market, offering personalised support aimed at improving employment and living standards.

    This includes the Connect to Work programme, which will provide tailored help to 300,000 people over the next five years, and the groundbreaking WorkWell programme, set to support a further 250,000 people to stay in or return to work.

    With 2.7 million people on Universal Credit assessed as having limited capability for work- and work-related activity, the tailored employment support aims to open up opportunities and remove barriers to work, rather than leave people stuck on benefits.

    Additional information

    • Based in every Jobcentre across England, Wales and Scotland, the advisers offer one-to-one support to people with Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) status – those who receive benefits without any requirement to look for work
    • The Act delivers the first sustained, above inflation uplift to UC’s standard allowance. The four rates of standard allowance will rise above the rate of inflation in each of the years from 2026/27 to 2029/30. From April 2026, monthly rates increase to:
      • £338.58 – Single under 25
      • £424.90 – Single 25+
      • £528.34 – Couple under 25
      • £666.97 – Couple 25+
    • The previous system means that people receiving the Universal Credit health top-up were paid more than twice as much as a single person on the standard rate who is looking for work, without any support to move into employment.
  • PRESS RELEASE : First wave of national Young Futures Hubs open to turn the tide on youth services decline [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : First wave of national Young Futures Hubs open to turn the tide on youth services decline [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 6 April 2026.

    First eight ‘Young Futures Hubs’ opening in Birmingham, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, County Durham, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, and Tower Hamlets.

    • Part of the National Youth Strategy, a network of 50 Hubs will provide joined-up services across mental health and wellbeing, employment and crime prevention
    • Next week the Government will launch its plan to halve knife crime within a decade to save lives, transform the futures of young people and protect communities across the country

    Young people in eight locations across England are to benefit from the first ‘Young Futures Hubs’ opened by the Government. The hubs, targeted in areas with high levels of anti-social behaviour and knife crime, will:

    • Transform the lives of young people, cut crime and protect communities 
    • Divert them away from knife crime and anti-social behaviour
    • Provide them with services and advice to combat social isolation, mental health and unemployment
    • Give access to safe, trusted adults

    Under the government’s National Youth Strategy, Youth Matters, the first eight of 50 Young Futures Hubs have opened or will shortly open in Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Durham, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham and Tower Hamlets.

    Hubs will build on existing services, and create safe, welcoming spaces bringing a range of local support services under one roof. Young people aged 10-18 (and up to 25 for those with SEND) will have access to trusted adults who will provide wellbeing support, careers guidance, and positive activities like sport, arts and volunteering. The government is committed to ensuring that success for young people is not determined by their background, and the hubs will also offer support for vulnerable children. These activities help divert young people away from knife crime and anti-social behaviour, as well as combat social isolation and mental health, and increase access to job opportunities for young people.

    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

    The closure of over a thousand youth centres since 2010 didn’t just take away facilities, it took away community, connection and opportunity for a generation. We are determined to rebuild that.

    These hubs are about more than bricks and mortar, they’re a statement that this government believes in young people and is investing in their futures. What makes them different is that we’re joining things up – wellbeing support, crime prevention, work coaches, youth services, all in one place. 

    We’re making sure teenagers have somewhere to go, someone to talk to, and a real chance to thrive.

    This comes as the Government launches its plan to halve knife crime within a decade. Titled “Protecting Lives, Building Hope”, it will save lives, transform the futures of young people and protect communities across the country. The Government will support young people so they get the best start in life, stop those at risk from turning to knife crime and police our streets to catch and punish perpetrators. 

    In some areas, the Hubs will work with new multi-agency Young Futures Panels, to ensure children at risk of knife crime are provided with the support they need.  The panels bring together the police, children’s services, schools, and community organisations to identify vulnerable children early, spot risks that may otherwise go unnoticed, and ensure they are quickly referred into the right support before issues escalate. 

    Sarah Jones, Policing Minister, said: 

    Knife crime devastates lives. Behind every statistic is a child who didn’t make it home, a family whose world has been shattered, and a community left with fear. This Government will halve knife crime within a decade, saving lives and protecting communities. We will roll out Young Futures Hubs in crime hotspots across the country to divert young people from violence, cut crime and protect communities.

    The Prime Minister has spoken of how young people have become “collateral damage” over the past decade, prompting the launch of the National Youth Strategy – the first in 15 years. The ambitious 10-year plan to rebuild youth services is backed by over £500 million of investment, and was designed in collaboration with more than 14,000 young people across England.

    £70 million will be invested to establish 50 Young Futures Hubs and transform local youth services, rebuilding Local Authority capability after a decade of declining investment, with spending falling by 73% since 2010. As a result, many young people have been left without access to safe, supportive environments or a community to belong to, while reliance on online interaction has grown in the absence of face-to-face opportunities.

    Minister for Youth and Civil Society Stephanie Peacock said:

    When this Government developed the National Youth Strategy, we listened to over 14,000 young people from across the country. What came through clearly was that they wanted somewhere to go, something to do, and someone who cares. Young Futures Hubs are part our response to this and we are delighted to see the first eight up and running. Hubs are places where young people can belong, with trusted adults and positive activities all under one roof. Keeping young people safe and away from crime starts with making sure they have the right support around them, and that’s exactly what these hubs deliver.

    The Young Futures Hubs programme has been designed to respond directly to these challenges by creating welcoming, youth-led spaces where young people can enjoy real-life connections, with somewhere to go, something to do, and someone who cares for them.

    From the Barca Leeds in Bramley to the Full Circle Docklands in Bristol, each hub has been co-designed with young people themselves, ensuring the atmosphere and activities reflect their true needs and passions.

    The eight Young Futures Hubs have opened or will shortly open in the following locations:

    • Manchester: Young Futures Hub (YF Hub) network based across Moss Side Millenium Powerhouse (Moss Side), Manchester Youth Zone (Harpurhey), and Woodhouse Park Lifestyle Centre (Wythenshawe), with further outreach planned in six smaller neighbourhood hubs across the city. 
    • Birmingham: YF Hub to open in temporary location at Library of Birmingham before moving to permanent Cannon Street site from summer 2026. 
    • Brighton and Hove: Main YF Hub based at 67 Centre, with linked sites in central locations at Brighton Youth Centre, Tarner and Impact Initiatives, as well as in Hangleton and Knoll. Further offers in the east of the city are under development. 
    • County Durham: YF Hub based at Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre.
    • Bristol: Main YF Hub based at Full Circle Docklands, with enhanced provision and a connected network across five venues in Ashley, Central and Lawrence Hill wards, connecting the Hub with additional outreach in the community and schools. 
    • Tower Hamlets: YF Hub based at Haileybury Youth Centre in the central St Dunstan’s ward.
    • Leeds: Main YF Hub based at Barca Leeds in Bramley, with additional ‘spokes’ sites at LS-TEN in south Leeds and Imagination Station in east Leeds. 
    • Nottingham: Main YF hub based at Beaumont Street Community Centre with plans to work with partners to provide services for all children and young people to access across the City.

    More information on specific provision at each site is available on request.