Tag: 2026

  • Angela Eagle – 2026 Statement on the Sustainable Farming Incentive

    Angela Eagle – 2026 Statement on the Sustainable Farming Incentive

    The statement made by Angela Eagle, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, in the House of Commons on 11 June 2026.

    I am today updating the House on the sustainable farming incentive, one of this Government’s environmental land management schemes that pay farmers to manage their land in ways that improve nature, soil health and the environment, alongside supporting sustainable food production.

    Farmers in England will soon be able to apply for the improved SFI. Building on previous announcements, the revised scheme is designed to be simpler to access and better suited to modern farm businesses.

    The new SFI cuts unnecessary complexity while continuing to reward the practical actions that underpin productive, resilient farm businesses, from healthier soils and cleaner water to better habitats for bees, birds and other wildlife.

    We have worked with farmers and industry to shape the new scheme, backed by £240 million for new SFI agreements and building on around £560 million already committed to farmers delivering over 39,000 live SFI agreements.

    Applications are scheduled to open from 30 June 2026 for two groups: small farms and farms without an existing ELM revenue agreement. A second application window will open in September 2026, giving all farmers and land managers the opportunity to apply.

    The first application window opens with up to £60 million available, followed by a second window opening in September to all farms with the remainder of the £240 million budget available.

    The SFI offer in 2026 is an iterated version of the 2024 scheme. For continuity, the large majority of scheme features will remain as they were—the look and feel of SFI should be familiar to farmers who have applied previously. However, we have made some improvements to produce a simpler and more streamlined offer.

    In the previous version of SFI, a quarter of funding went to just 4% of farms. For SFI in 2026, we have introduced a new £100,000 annual agreement cap to help ensure funding reaches more farm businesses. Each farm business will be able to hold one SFI26 agreement, helping spread available funding more fairly across the sector.

    The new offer also contains several actions which encourage the reduced use of synthetic fertilisers in favour of more sustainable options, cutting input costs and boosting resilience to global market shocks such as the closure of the strait of Hormuz.

    The Government have listened to farmers who said they need time to understand the offer before applications open. We published “Get ready to apply” guidance on gov.uk on 6 May and near-final versions of the scheme guidance, terms and conditions, and actions last week on 2 June, allowing farmers to review the offer available and consider which actions may work best for their farm business. Final scheme guidance, developed with industry input, will be published next week.

    Alongside the new SFI offer, the Government are making at least £50 million available for new countryside stewardship higher tier agreements this year, helping farmers and land managers deliver targeted environmental improvements where they can have the greatest impact.

    The Government are also progressing the next group of landscape recovery projects expected to move into implementation this year, supporting large-scale action to restore rivers and habitats across England.

    Together, these schemes form a comprehensive package of support for farmers, helping to boost food production, strengthen farm resilience and drive nature recovery, while underpinning the UK’s long-term food security.

  • Joe Powell – 2026 Speech on the Ninth Anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire

    Joe Powell – 2026 Speech on the Ninth Anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire

    The speech made by Joe Powell, the Labour MP for Kensington and Bayswater, in the House of Commons on 11 June 2026.

    This Sunday will be the ninth anniversary of the Grenfell tower fire. With thousands of others, I will join the silent walk on father’s day to remember the 72 people who lost their lives in an entirely preventable and foreseen tragedy, and to support families who lost parents, siblings and children in unimaginable circumstances.

    I know that for the bereaved and for survivors, and for our community in Kensington and Bayswater, this is always a difficult time, because nine years on, there has been no criminal accountability for those responsible; nine years on, the pace of change at local government and at national level is too often too slow; and nine years on, the cladding crisis still affects hundreds of thousands of people across the country. I pay tribute to all those who continue to advocate for truth, justice and change for Grenfell, and to everyone across the country affected by this national scandal.

    But it would be a mistake to give up hope. The Metropolitan police said last month that it will hand over files to the Crown Prosecution Service in September this year and that the CPS will make charging decisions by the 10th anniversary in 2027—20 organisations and 57 individuals could face criminal charges, and potential offences under consideration include corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, fraud, health and safety breaches, and misconduct in public office.

    Dawn Butler (Brent East) (Lab)

    Justice delayed is justice denied. It is great that the Met has now come to this position. Does my hon. Friend agree that we should try to ensure that the cases are fast-tracked in our criminal system so that justice can now be speeded up?

    Joe Powell

    My hon. Friend is right. We have seen, in recent history, that with events of national significance—from Southport to the recent disturbances on our streets—the criminal justice system has moved really quickly because of the importance of showing that justice is seen to be done. I hope that once the CPS has made its decisions, we will do everything we can to ensure that the court capacity is in place to deliver the trials as soon as possible. I hope the Minister can reassure us that the investigation will continue to be fully funded and that that planning is already taking place with the judiciary and the Ministry of Justice so that the cases are prioritised. If those trials take place, which I obviously hope they will, they will be some of the most complex ever held in the UK. I therefore hope that consideration is also given to a special court or a Nightingale-style court. I know that is being looked at.

    Corporate manslaughter convictions are incredibly rare, so it is essential that those responsible face the full force of the law. I also believe that it is completely wrong for any company cited in the public inquiry still to be receiving public contracts. In December I uncovered dozens of contracts with implicated companies, including two current NHS contracts with Rydon, the main contractor for the refurbishment, which was cited in the public inquiry. I urge all public bodies to do a full audit of their contracts, including subcontractors and supply chains, and publish exactly what they find. It is good news that this Government have introduced new powers to exclude companies on grounds such as professional misconduct. Now is the time for procurement offices to start using them.

    We have already had a public inquiry that has laid out in stark terms why the fire happened and where responsibility lies, and I am glad that this Government have accepted the recommendations in full and that important progress is being made. It is important not to forget that. The last report shows that 20 of 61 recommendations are complete and 40 are in progress. I am glad that those include progress towards a single construction regulator, the expansion of product regulation, the introduction of residential personal emergency evacuation plans, the idea of a college of fire and rescue, and proposed changes to the statutory fire safety guidance in approved document B.

    I am also pleased that, under Lord Roe in the other place, the performance of the Building Safety Regulator is improving, including signing off remediation works more quickly. I welcome the remediation Bill in the King’s Speech, on which I look forward to engaging in this parliamentary Session, so that we can address the outstanding unremediated buildings and the knock-on effects, such as crippling insurance bills for leaseholders.

    I acknowledge all that progress, but there is one missing piece of the jigsaw: oversight and accountability. The online tracker for Grenfell recommendations is no doubt helpful, but Grenfell would not have happened at all if we had properly learned the lessons from the Lakanal House fire in 2009 and listened to the coroner’s recommendations. Instead, they sat on a shelf, and an opportunity to save lives was missed. We need a proper system of tracking and following up, not just on major inquiries that get a lot of attention here, but on all the inquests and investigations that lead to recommendations for change. That is why I continue to support the idea of a national oversight mechanism as a legacy for Grenfell.

    On 25 February, the Secretary of State said in this House, in answer to my question:

    “Work is continuing across Government, including in my Department, on setting up a national oversight mechanism”.—[Official Report, 25 February 2026; Vol. 781, c. 363.]

    I hope that the Minister can provide us with an update on that work and tell us when we can expect a decision to be made. Such a mechanism would sit alongside the Public Office (Accountability) Bill—the Hillsborough law—which I hope to see back here soon, as landmark reforms that put power in the hands of citizens: a real duty of candour for the state, a level playing field for legal aid, and clear deterrence for misconduct in public office. If we design those well, they will lead to fewer and shorter inquiries, more rapid lesson learning by the state and a culture shift towards openness, which can contribute to the rebuilding of trust in politics and in government in this country.

    The culture shift that we need extends to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. I am deeply disappointed that the first decision of the Conservative leadership in the new council term last month was to remove an opposition chair of the housing scrutiny committee. Since Grenfell, that position has been promised to an opposition councillor. It is still unclear to me why or how that decision was taken, because avoiding scrutiny, especially for this council, which is so culpable for the fire, is an extremely bad look. I call on the leadership to think again and to reverse that decision.

    Residents in RBKC know that the council needs scrutiny. The independent Regulator of Social Housing reported last year that the housing department was seriously failing, giving it a C3 rating. The council has the third worst complaints record in the country. It likes to say that it gets the basics right. Well, meeting the decent homes standard, so that everyone can have the minimum of a safe and healthy home, is surely a basic human right that any council should be delivering.

    The Lancaster West estate surrounding Grenfell is a good example. After the fire, the promise was a model 21st-century housing estate, and that promise is still unfulfilled. I am glad that the Government have stepped in with an additional £8 million to ensure that there are no further delays to the current work, and that that will come alongside additional scrutiny on how that money is spent. I hope that the Minister can provide more details on how residents can be involved, including leaseholders and others, so that new oversight can be shaped by them and that they have confidence in the arrangement. I am also pleased that support was extended to NHS services through the period of the deconstruction of the tower, given the acute risk of mental health issues, and to five local primary schools to provide trauma-informed education around the community.

    My final point is a simple one: with the passage of time, we cannot allow a return to business as usual before the fire. Already, we hear rumbles from parts of the construction industry and even, shamefully, some political parties, saying that Grenfell is somehow responsible for the slowdown in house building or that fire safety is a trade-off worth considering. There will always be policy choices for local and national Government to make, but putting life at risk should not be a trade-off we accept. I hope we can work together with empathy and respect—something I suspect Jo Cox would have wanted—and ensure that the legacy of Grenfell is that everyone in this country, regardless of class, race, geography or age, lives in a safe and healthy home.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with Prime Minister Takaichi of Japan [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with Prime Minister Takaichi of Japan [June 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 14 June 2026.

    The Prime Minister hosted the Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi for a meeting in Downing Street today. 

    The leaders celebrated upgrading the strategic partnership between the UK and Japan and bringing in a new era of cooperation between our two countries.

    They welcomed the signing of the UK-Japan Frontier Technology Partnership, enhancing world-leading British research capabilities with Japan’s advanced manufacturing, along with a joint Economic Security Declaration for advancing cooperation on economic security.

    The Prime Minister also welcomed significant new Japanese investment into the UK, supporting tens of thousands of jobs, including in real estate and financial services.

    The leaders discussed the conflict in the Middle East, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the importance of resilient global supply chains and free trade. 

    On defence, they agreed to deepen industrial collaboration, including through a new Defence Capability and Industrial Council. They also welcomed closer work together including the shared commitment to the Global Combat Air Programme.

    They looked forward to meeting again at next week’s G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains and building further on the close partnership in the months ahead.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK-Japan Frontier Technology Partnership [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK-Japan Frontier Technology Partnership [June 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 14 June 2026.

    Context

    The UK-Japan relationship has reached an all-time high, anchored by a powerful alliance in science and technology. This momentum is driven by high-impact collaboration – including our Strategic Cyber Partnership (2026), Economic Security and Industrial Strategy Partnerships (2025), Semiconductor Partnership (2023), and Digital Partnership (2022) – all of which build upon the enduring foundation of the 1994 Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology.

    As each other’s closest security partners in Europe and Asia respectively, the UK and Japan are uniquely positioned to harness our shared innovation capabilities. By working together as like-minded nations, our science and technology relationship will deliver high-value growth and technological agency. This collaboration will leverage our complementary strengths to enhance our economic and national security in an era of growing geopolitical unpredictability with the overarching goal of achieving peace, prosperity and stability for the international community.

    In January 2026, UK Prime Minister Starmer and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi announced their intent to work together to progress high priority frontier technology challenges, harnessing our foundational science and technology strengths to bolster mutual economic growth and economic resilience.

    Commitment

    This Frontier Technology Partnership will deliver that commitment, combining the UK’s world-class software and research leadership with Japan’s unparalleled hardware and manufacturing power to support collaboration across our distinct yet highly compatible industrial bases. It accelerates and advances our nations’ ambitions as set out in the UK’s Industrial Strategy and Japan’s Growth Strategy.

    We will build on our deep and valued science and technology relationship, setting out a shared ambition to go further, with a focus on the technologies that are most crucial for the future and with innovation ecosystems based on security, safety, trust and cooperation.

    • We will promote and protect these critical and emerging technologies through government co-operation and coordinated, targeted R&D support.
    • We will generate growth and build a competitive edge by mobilising private capital towards strategic technologies​, fostering commercial collaboration and supporting high-potential companies to emerge and scale.
    • We will shape the development of critical technologies and safeguard our shared values through multilateral coordination on international standards and regulation.

    Cooperation

    Both the UK and Japan have identified emerging technologies that are critical for the flourishing of each nation. These are technologies that are already fundamentally disrupting economies and societies across the world.

    The UK and Japan recognise that now is the moment to invest in these technologies and work together as like-minded and complementary innovation ecosystems.

    We have a shared vision and ambition:

    • Together, the UK and Japan will be AI makers and not just AI takers, fostering resilient, safe, secure, and trustworthy AI ecosystems and enhancing our national AI capabilities. We have committed to promoting ties between our respective AI innovation ecosystems, advancing joint research to unlock the power of AI for Science, and exploring formal pathways to interlock our AI semiconductor strengths. We reaffirm the need for a stable and safe AI supply chain, and recognise the importance of promoting efforts, in cooperation with diversified partners and suppliers to enhance the resilience of AI supply chains. We will deepen cooperation between Japan AISI and UK AISI in driving forward the science of AI evaluation through the International Network for Advanced AI Measurement, Evaluation and Science. Furthermore, we will work to further promote the Hiroshima AI Process and to explore synergies between our respective initiatives on AI cooperation with the Global South in co-creating a safe, secure, and trustworthy AI ecosystem globally. We concurred on establishing a high-level dialogue on AI to advance cooperation in these priority areas and supporting Japan toward hosting a successful AI Summit following Switzerland in 2027.
    • We will develop globally competitive, commercially scalable and deployable quantum technologies, including computing, sensing and communications, building on our Quantum Memorandum of Cooperation (2025). We will strengthen the connection between the UK and Japan’s quantum computing capabilities. UK and Japanese businesses will export, invest, and conduct R&D in one another’s markets, and both governments are committed to joint, long-term collaboration on quantum high-performance computing (HPC) integration. In parallel, we will advance practical applications of quantum technologies across computing, sensing, communication and networking domains through strengthened cooperation on testbeds, evaluation frameworks and system integration.
    • We will work in close collaboration to explore new approaches to mobilise investment and accelerate innovation in the next generation of defence and dual-use technologies.
    • We will deepen our efforts to counter and deter novel and emerging biological threats as part of our broader approach to dual-use S&T, strengthening our shared commitment to non-proliferation, and our strategic approaches to enhancing biological security as part of our wider cooperation on science and technology.
    • We will drive forward shared priorities on space through the UK-Japan Space Consultation, including space security, space sustainability, and commercial development, pursuing opportunities for joint industry-led research under JAXA and the UK Space Agency, including on satellite communications technologies to protect and enhance the vital networks that underpin our nations’ shared security and prosperity.
    • We will shape advanced connectivity technologies to ensure that future telecoms networks are secure and resilient and address the needs of our societies and economies. This will include delivering on our joint research programme and working through the Global Coalition on Telecommunications to implement the 6G Security & Resilience Principles.
    • We will deepen efforts to decommission our nuclear legacies more efficiently and safely, furthering the collaboration between our cutting-edge robotics capabilities to solve some of the world’s most complex engineering challenges—more efficient and safer decommissioning of nuclear sites like Sellafield and TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.
    • We will deepen efforts to develop civil nuclear collaboration, including advanced nuclear technologies and fusion energy, by strengthening practical cooperation between industry and research institutions in the UK and Japan.
    • We will build resilience to cyber threats, reinforcing and strengthening long term cyber cooperation through the UK-Japan Strategic Cyber Partnership, welcoming industry-led initiatives that harness complementary capabilities and working together to strengthen the resilience of critical national infrastructure against the full range of cyber threats facing the UK and Japan.
    • We will work together to protect critical and emerging technologies through deepening cooperation on research security, recognising the need to manage risks associated with those technologies, while supporting open, secure, and trusted international research collaboration. We commit to working bilaterally and with like-minded partners to share information on policy measures to reduce loss of critical technology. This work will be complementary to the Joint Declaration on Economic Security Cooperation.
    • We will work together to promote research and development in the field of healthcare whilst building our capabilities as globally connected world-leading hubs for drug discovery.

    Commercial Announcements 

    Alongside this Statement, the UK and Japan welcome commercial announcements by industry partners launching collaborative projects in critical technology sectors identified in the UK-Japan Industrial Strategy Partnership such as Quantum, AI and Cybersecurity. These commercial initiatives demonstrate the real-world practical and economic benefit of our partnership on Frontier Technology.

    This Frontier Technology Partnership does not constitute or create any legally binding obligations.  Nothing in this Partnership is intended to alter or affect any existing agreements between the Participants. Cooperation is intended to take place within the framework of applicable national legislation and international obligations.

    Signed in duplicate at London on 14 June 2026 in the English language

    For the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland:

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer

    For the Government of Japan:

    Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK-Japan Joint Declaration on Economic Security Cooperation [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK-Japan Joint Declaration on Economic Security Cooperation [June 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 14 June 2026.

    UK-Japan Joint Declaration on Economic Security Cooperation.

    1, We, the Prime Ministers of Japan and the United Kingdom, acknowledge that UK-Japan relations are the strongest in living memory, grounded in deep cooperation on economic and security priorities. This Joint Declaration on Economic Security Cooperation, complementing the Hiroshima Accord in 2023, and accompanied by the Japan-UK Frontier Technology Partnership on critical and emerging technologies, sets out our strategic and coordinated vision to advance our bilateral cooperation on economic security.

    Bilateral Economic Security Cooperation

    2, We will deepen our collaboration on economic security through bilateral dialogues such as the Economic 2+2 and the Japan-UK Strategic Economic Policy and Trade Dialogue, the Japan-UK Financial Dialogue, the Japan-UK Energy and Climate Dialogue, the Ministerial Digital Council, and the Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation, as well as through the Industrial Strategy Partnership and the Economic Security Partnership. 

    Bilateral Trade and Investment

    3, We will enhance cooperation to promote trade and investment opportunities in strategic sectors, increasing the predictability and transparency of the investment environment in a way that is consistent with market principles and private-sector ownership. To do this, we will promote our countries as favourable destinations for bilateral investment and trade, and facilitate deeper coordination between our strategic finance agencies. We will deepen collaboration on investment security through furthering information sharing on investment screening policies and practices.

    Public-Private Partnership

    4, We will strengthen our public-private partnerships to maximise opportunities and enhance collective resilience, including by proactively seeking input from industries. We recognise, as embodied in the Joint Statement issued by the Keidanren and CBI in November 2025, the importance of dialogue between the business communities of Japan and the UK on economic security. We will jointly explore approaches to encourage corporate behavioural change across both Japan and the UK to enhance economic security through efforts such as joint initiatives to promote secure and resilient growth in and through critical technologies. We will encourage further exchanges on policy and research in our two countries, and deepen collaboration between our respective policy research institutions, including with the economic security focused think-tank to be established by the Government of Japan.      

    5, In this context, we welcomed the announcement of concrete cooperation projects across the spectrum of our Industrial Strategy Partnership sectors. These include offshore wind, with the launch of the “Offshore Wind Industrial Compact” to promote finance, R&D, and supply chain development collaboration.

    Supply Chain Resilience including Energy

    6, Transparent, diversified, secure, sustainable, trustworthy and reliable supply chains and access to key sectors are central to our economic security and resilience. We will further enhance cooperation to develop resilient and reliable supply chains, complemented by efforts to enhance collective resilience among Japan, the UK and our strategic partners. Recognising heightened risks to the global economy amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, especially through pressures on energy supply chains, we reaffirm the importance of ensuring energy trade flow, effective emergency response measures including through national oil reserve systems, and close international cooperation including with relevant international organisations such as the IEA, coordination between producer and consumer countries, and via initiatives including Global Clean Power Alliance (GCPA) and Partnership On Wide Energy and Resources Resilience Asia (POWERR Asia). We underscore the importance of restoring free navigation of critical commodities that underpin the resilience of our economies, and recognise the heightened impact of disruption on vulnerable countries.

    7, We express our grave concerns regarding economic coercion and arbitrary export restrictions, including on critical minerals, that destabilise global supply chains and undermine economic security and resilience. We reiterate that, whenever implemented, export control measures should be narrowly defined, non-discriminatory, and in line with international law and practice, so as not to disrupt strategic supply chains, notably those for critical minerals. We will work together to share information and consult on instances of economic coercion and consider appropriate responses.     

    Critical Minerals and Related Supply Chains

    8, We will deepen cooperation on critical minerals under the 2023 Japan-UK Memorandum of Cooperation on Critical Minerals. We will work together with partners to reduce critical dependencies by enhancing cooperation among G7 members and like-minded countries in areas such as mining, refining, processing, recycling, and stockpiling. We will encourage closer engagement between relevant public finance institutions and other agencies. We have tasked officials to take forward a focused dialogue on projects of mutual interest, including in battery materials and recycling, and on opportunities for cooperation in third countries.

    9, We further recognise the importance of maintaining and strengthening our midstream and downstream industries’ competitiveness, including in relation to critical minerals, by protecting critical technologies, and commit to working bilaterally and with like-minded partners to coordinate on policy measures for technology control.

    Innovation

    10, Jointly maintaining and developing our respective strengths and indispensability in critical technologies will help drive resilience, productivity and economic growth in both our countries and sustain essential manufacturing and technological capability. We remain committed to deepening cooperation on Critical and Emerging Technologies, including in areas outlined in the Frontier Technology Partnership (FTP).

    11, Both innovation and protection of such technologies are equally important. We will coordinate our efforts to do this, for example on research security and research integrity where we will work together to manage risk in international research collaboration while supporting open, secure and trusted research.

    12, We will increase collaboration among our innovation, VC and startup ecosystems and relevant agencies, including by encouraging greater two-way investment and supporting joint commercialisation in emerging technology, including dual-use, and jointly explore approaches to understand and mitigate potential risks to innovation and commercialisation.

    13, Collaboration in critical and emerging technologies, including in the defence industry, plays a vital role in strengthening our collective resilience and economic security. We are committed to further deepening cooperation between our defence industries through industrial and supply chain collaboration, leveraging technology transfer, and expertise sharing, with GCAP as a catalyst for promoting such cooperation.

    The Rules-Based International Economic Order

    14, We reaffirm that a well-functioning rules-based multilateral trading system regulated by the set of trade rules within the World Trade Organization (WTO) should continue to serve as the bedrock of our economic prosperity, resilience and security. To this end, we will work towards the meaningful and necessary reform of the WTO to ensure that it is fit for purpose and addresses the challenges we face. We also reaffirm our shared concerns about the use of non-market policies and practices (NMPPs) leading to harmful overcapacity and market distortion, which could deepen economic dependencies and vulnerabilities.

    15, We will work together to ensure that the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) continues to support the prosperity of our economies including through implementation and continued expansion in line with the Auckland Principles, while reaffirming our commitment to adhering to the CPTPP, the Japan-UK Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and WTO rules. We will update and enhance the CPTPP, including through the areas of supply chain resilience, economic coercion, and market-distorting practices.

    16, We share the importance of further enhancing cooperation with Global South countries, including those in the Indo-Pacific, to enhance their economic resilience and security and to maintain and strengthen a rules-based international economic order through respective and coordinated outreaches in providing assistance and sharing best practices and knowledge including on relevant legislations and systems to address economic security challenges.

    Signed in duplicate at London, UK, on 14 June 2026 in the English language.

    For the Government of the United Kingdom                          For the Government of Japan

    Keir Starmer                                                                 Takaichi Sanae     

    Prime Minister                                                               Prime Minister

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK forces intercept Russian shadow fleet vessel for the first time in blow to Putin’s war chest [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK forces intercept Russian shadow fleet vessel for the first time in blow to Putin’s war chest [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 14 June 2026.

    British forces this morning boarded a sanctioned shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel in the latest blow to Russia’s war economy.

    • British Armed Forces interdict Russian shadow fleet vessel in the early hours of this morning
    • Royal Marine Commandos and National Crime Agency board the ship in the channel, which will disrupt Putin’s war chest
    • Vessel will now be held and monitored off the South Coast as investigations continue

    In the first UK-led operation of its kind, the vessel SMYRTOS was boarded by Royal Marine Commandos and specially trained law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency, despite Russia’s best efforts to evade sanctions and continue fuelling its barbaric war with Ukraine.

    The military operation, which lasted 6 hours, was supported with aircraft from the Maritime Air Group (Chinooks, Merlin Mk4 and Wildcat), an RAF P-8 aircraft, as well as HMS SUTHERLAND and HMS LEDBURY.

    The Prime Minister agreed in March that British Armed Forces and law enforcement officers were able to board shadow fleet vessels, in accordance with international law.

    The SMYRTOS will be provisionally moved to an anchorage off the South Coast of England and will be monitored for any environmental or safety concerns.

    The enforcement action against this vessel in UK territorial waters was carried out in accordance with domestic and international law.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    This operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fueling Putin’s war in Ukraine that they cannot hide.

    I want to pay tribute to all those involved, including our Armed Forces and law enforcement officers who keep this country safe 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

    Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis said:

    Operations like this require skill, professionalism and courage. I pay tribute to our Armed Forces personnel and all those involved.

    Russia relies on its shadow fleet to fund their conflict in Ukraine and our interdiction delivers a blow to Putin’s illegal war.

    The operation builds on recent support provided by the UK to its allies to interdict shadow fleet vessels, which included RAF and Royal Navy capabilities supporting US and French operations. Today’s operation was conducted in close coordination with the French.

    By disrupting the shadow fleet, we and our international partners are directly bearing down on the resources sustaining Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and reducing its capacity to threaten security across Europe and beyond.

    Responsible for carrying 75% of Russia’s sanctioned oil, the shadow fleet of over 700 vessels provides a critical lifeline for the Kremlin, generating a war fund that supplies missiles and drones targeting innocent Ukrainian civilians and sustaining Russia’s illegal war.

    The UK is a leader in tackling the shadow fleet, having already sanctioned over 500 vessels. And these sanctions are working, Russia’s oil and gas revenues fell by 24% year-on-year in 2025.

    Today’s action sends a clear message to Russia that the UK will use the full range of legal tools available to enforce those sanctions and protect our security.

    Background

    • The UK has sanctioned almost 600 Russian shadow fleet vessels to date.
    • Russia’s oil revenues are down 27% compared to October 2024, the lowest since the start of the war.
    • In the first quarter of 2025, ships sanctioned by the UK carried $1.6 billion less in Russian oil than a year ago.
    • Over 72% of shadow tankers are more than 15 years old. There have been over 50 incidents involving Russia’s shadow fleet.
    • UNCLOS Article 110 permits a warship to exercise a right of visit to verify the flag where there are reasonable grounds to suspect the vessel is without nationality. Where a vessel is determined stateless, the UK can exercise powers available under its domestic legislation.  Potential domestic powers include the ship-sanctions provisions in the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, criminal and maritime enforcement powers under the Policing and Crime Act 1979
  • PRESS RELEASE : Tens of thousands of new jobs and more than £18 billion boost to British economy as Prime Minister meets Japanese leader [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Tens of thousands of new jobs and more than £18 billion boost to British economy as Prime Minister meets Japanese leader [June 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 13 June 2026.

    The UK and Japan are expected to agree investment creating tens of thousands of new jobs and more than £18 billion in economic gains, alongside a new partnership at the forefront of next-generation technologies.

    • UK and Japan unlock significant inward investments totalling more than £9 billion in infrastructure and financial services and up to £9 billion in offshore wind. 
    • New technology partnership will accelerate cooperation on cutting-edge tech including AI, semiconductors, and quantum computing. 
    • Visit drives forward partnership with UK’s closest security partner in Asia, marking a step change in the UK–Japan relationship.

    The UK and Japan are expected to agree investment creating tens of thousands of new jobs and more than £18 billion in economic gains, alongside a new partnership at the forefront of next-generation technologies.

    Together the deals will back British industries across technology, clean energy, infrastructure development, and life sciences, supporting long-term growth across the country. These are sectors at the heart of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and building on a relationship with Japan already worth £140 billion.

    The Prime Minister will welcome his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi to Downing Street today [Sunday] ahead of the G7 in Évian-les-Bains.

    Japanese and British business leaders will join the two prime ministers for a roundtable discussion on future opportunities for economic growth where over ten commercial and government agreements are expected to be signed. 

    The visit delivers a major vote of confidence in the UK economy, with Japanese investors setting out a five-year investment pipeline worth more than £9 billion, expected to build new towns and provide high-quality office space and innovation hubs.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 

    These landmark agreements will bring multibillion pound investment into the UK, creating tens of thousands of new jobs and driving new developments. 

    As G7 economies and close security partners, we are working together with Japan on some of the most innovative technology in the world, harnessing the best of British and Japanese research and industry to deliver growth and security to every corner of the United Kingdom.

    At the heart of the visit will be a landmark Offshore Wind Compact, developed in close partnership with Great British Energy to unlock up to £9 billion in Japanese investment into the UK’s offshore wind sector. 

    It will support the development of 5.9GW of floating offshore wind projects in the UK, including the Ossian and Green Volt projects off the East Coast in Scotland alongside the Erebus project in the Celtic Sea. 

    These pioneering projects will support jobs across the country, and when built, generate enough clean electricity to power 8 million homes.

    By boosting homegrown clean energy, the deal will help reduce reliance on volatile global fossil fuel markets, strengthen energy security, help get bills down for good, and makes the UK Japan’s leading clean energy partner in Europe.

    Hitachi Energy UK is set to create at least 500 new jobs over the next five years, providing vital expansion of the UK grid and bringing clean power that delivers growth. This includes 100 highly skilled roles at Hitachi Energy’s newly opened Glasgow Centre of Excellence, and over £18 million investment in a purpose-built facility in Stafford.

    Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce will deepen collaboration with Japan’s Atomic Energy Agency signing a new agreement with the UK National Nuclear Laboratory to develop next generation nuclear technologies. And our national laboratories (UKAEA and QST) and leading private companies will deepen their collaboration on fusion energy. 

    Communities like Hatfield are set to benefit from the package of deals, where Japanese life science firm, Eisai, is set to invest £48 million. The investment will create a new packaging facility for its innovative dementia treatment, backed by government funding. 

    The leaders are also expected to agree a new partnership to accelerate cooperation on the technologies of the future. The cutting-edge UK-Japan Frontier Tech Partnership (FTP), will see British research translated into scalable technology with Japanese investment, from AI and quantum, to civil nuclear and defence tech.

    Building on momentum from London Tech Week, the FTP will deliver groundbreaking impact for the UK and Japan. This includes British firm ORCA Computing landing a landmark export deal – one of the first times a major corporation anywhere in the world has bought a quantum computer.

    For the first time, a formal partnership between the UK Semiconductor Centre and Rapidus, Japan’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, creates a direct pathway for the UK semiconductor sector to manufacture cutting-edge chips used to power mobile phones, vehicles and modern devices.

    During the meeting, the Prime Ministers are expected to confirm their shared commitment to the Global Combat Air Programme, and discuss the launch of the next phase of the international programme, including through the international contract that will be signed by the end of the month.

    A new Defence Capability and Industrial Council will foster greater industrial cooperation between the UK and Japan, accelerating the development of each other’s dual-use technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence, helping UK defence firms access significant Japanese investment.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Every child to get access to enriching activities to build skills and confidence for life [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Every child to get access to enriching activities to build skills and confidence for life [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 June 2026.

    Children in every part of the country to get access to enriching activities to beat isolation online and build connections in the real world.

    • New benchmarks to give every school and college the tools to offer high-quality enrichment across arts, sport, nature, civic life and life skills
    • £132.5 million ‘Every Child Can’ programme will fund activities within school and in communities at weekends and in the holidays, ensuring enrichment is a common entitlement for all — not just those who can afford to pay

    Every child, regardless of where they grow up or which school they attend, will benefit from enriching activities that build the skills, confidence and relationships they need for life and work thanks to government action announced today.

    Greater access to opportunities in sport, creative activities, nature and the arts will be made available to children both in and out of school in order to halve the participation gap and reclaim childhood for all young people.

    The drive to make sure all children are supported to develop new skills and explore their talents includes new benchmarks for schools and colleges published today. These will ensure schools and colleges have the practical tools and guidance to offer a wide range of opportunities across five categories: civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; life and future skills including STEM, sport and physical activities. Leading figures within these categories will soon be announced as ambassadors using their influence and expertise to inspire participation, raise awareness and help drive support for enriching opportunities for young people.

    Activities could include music groups, engineering clubs, debating societies, football clubs and much more. These clear benchmarks will work in partnership with civil society and help schools and colleges develop inclusive, engaging enrichment offers that reflect the needs of their pupils and communities.

    Ofsted will consider a school’s enrichment offer as part of how it assesses personal development, and parents will be able to see their local school’s offer through new ‘school profiles’ – a one stop shop with key information on a school’s offering.

    This complements the government’s wider reforms to bring the national curriculum into the modern day, break down barriers to opportunity and better prepare young people for life and work in today’s world and beyond. 

    ‘Every Child Can’, funded through the Dormant Assets Scheme, will deliver £132.5 million  for new activities programmes delivered through schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision. It is structured around the same five categories as the Enrichment Framework, ensuring a consistent approach to building skills and confidence wherever young people engage and removing the postcode lottery that has held children in underserved parts of the country back.

    It responds directly to the State of the Nation survey of more than 14,000 young people, which found that despite being the most digitally connected generation, young people today face some of the highest levels of isolation globally. They want safe spaces, trusted adults, better mental health support and greater access to enriching activities. However, access to these opportunities remains unequal, with too many children locked out because of where they live and what school or college they go to.

    Education Secretary Bridget Philipson said:

    Every child should be able to enjoy sport and the creative arts, not just the lucky few.

    Whether it’s performing on stage, playing sport, exploring nature or getting involved in their community, these experiences build confidence, spark ambition and help young people discover what they are capable of.

    As the world around our children continues to move fast, investment is about making sure the childhood experiences we truly value can once again be for every young person, wherever they live.

    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

    Every child deserves the chance to find their spark through great art, sport, music, dance or drama, because arts and culture belong to all of us – not just a privileged few. A child who loves the arts shouldn’t have to be born into the right postcode to pursue it.

    That is why we are rebuilding opportunity in the classroom and in communities and ensuring every young person has something to do, somewhere to go, and someone who cares through our National Youth Strategy: Youth Matters.

    For too long we have underinvested in generation with appalling consequences. Every child should have the chance to live a richer, larger life and we will ensure they do.

    This package forms part of the government’s commitment to restore lost childhood freedoms – investing in playgrounds, in music hubs, sports partnerships, youth services and youth spaces and support for families through measures including VAT relief on children’s activities this summer. 

    With children growing up in an increasingly fast-changing world the package is designed to protect and nurture childhood, ensuring young people are equipped with skills and confidence to achieve and thrive.

    Participating in enrichment activities has been associated with higher attainment and a stronger sense of school belonging and wellbeing among children and young people.

    According to EPI research, children who attended sport clubs during secondary school were more likely to be in education or employment as young adults, while those who participated in hobbies, arts and music clubs were significantly more likely to progress to higher education.

    Today’s announcement builds on the government’s work to ensure young people have access to enriching and cultural activities including:

    • More than £500 million for an ambitious 10-year National Youth Strategy – co-designed with young people – to connect half a million more young people with a trusted adult outside their home and equip them with skills to boost their resilience and stay safe online.
    • Over £1 billion of investment in school sport over the next three years, including the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, which will bring national sporting expertise into every primary and secondary school to tackle inactivity and ensure more young people have access to high-quality PE and sport. Alongside this, an additional £400 million will also be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities across the country 
    • £1.5 billion would be provided to cultural venues across England over the course of this parliament, including £27.5 million for public libraries to help them upgrade their buildings and technology to meet changing needs to better serve their communities.
    • Inviting 400 schools in the most deprived areas of England to take part in the £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme, to support them to meet the benchmarks set out in the Enrichment Framework, helping them build a strong offer shaped by their own pupils.
    • Revitalising the curriculum to ensure young people are given the chance to experience the arts, while maintaining a strong academic core, removing school performance measures that constrain subject choice, and making sure GCSEs in arts subjects are fit for purpose.

    The government is working with The National Lottery Community Fund to develop Every Child Can. Further details on the remaining funding, how each programme will work and how to apply to take part will be published in due course.

    The Department for Education will work closely with schools, colleges and sector partners, including the Enrichment for All Coalition, to support implementation of the framework and understand its impact on children and young people. This will help build a shared approach to ensuring high-quality enrichment opportunities can support attendance, engagement, wellbeing and achievement for all pupils.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with President Trump of the United States [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with President Trump of the United States [June 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 13 June 2026.

    The Prime Minister spoke to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister expressed his support for President Trump’s efforts to bring the conflict with Iran to an end, welcoming the progress made and underlining the importance of ensuring any deal delivers a durable and lasting peace.

    The Prime Minister reiterated that the UK stands ready to support the implementation of any peace agreement and to work with international partners to ensure its success.

    Both leaders agreed that freedom of navigation must be restored to ease the economic impacts felt globally.

    They agreed to stay in close contact and looked forward to speaking at next week’s G7 summit.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte [June 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 13 June 2026.

    The Prime Minister spoke to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte this morning.

    Both agreed that in the face of shared and evolving threats, Allies must step up together – strengthening collective defence and delivering more, faster.

    The Prime Minister updated on plans for the Defence Investment Plan, underlining his commitment to publish it ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara.

    The NATO Secretary General welcomed the UK’s increased investment in defence as an important contribution to the Alliance and to meeting the threats we face.

    The Prime Minister also reiterated his commitment to reaching 3% of GDP on defence in the next Parliament, making clear that national security will remain the Government’s top priority, backed by the hard‑edged decisions needed to deliver it.

    They agreed to stay in close contact.