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Tag: 2026

  • PRESS RELEASE : Barnsley becomes UK’s first government-backed Tech Town [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Barnsley becomes UK’s first government-backed Tech Town [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 3 February 2026.

    Barnsley named UK’s first Tech Town – with local schools and college, businesses, NHS and more getting bespoke government support to unleash opportunities of AI.

    • Barnsley named UK’s first Tech Town – with local schools and college, businesses, NHS and more getting bespoke government support to unleash opportunities of AI 
    • Delivers on town’s ambitions to put AI to work in overhauling public services and business, blazing a trail for the rest of the UK to follow
    • Leading firms including Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe and Google back the plans and pledge to support local people’s access to jobs of the future
    • Follows launch of free AI training for all as part of commitment to upskill 10 million UK workers, naming of Lanarkshire as latest AI Growth Zone, and £36 million investment into AI Research Resource supercomputer

    People across Barnsley could see improved public services, better support in local schools, quicker NHS care and new opportunities for jobs and skills as it becomes the UK’s first government backed Tech Town.   

    Announced today (Tuesday 3 February), Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has set out plans to put the full heft of government behind the town’s rollout of AI across everything from education to health and more.   

    Tech Town status will position Barnsley as the UK’s trailblazer, acting as a national blueprint for how AI can improve everyday life. From AI tools that help GPs triage patients quicker, to new digital training for adults – today marks the start of a transformation designed to make like easier, fairer and more prosperous in Barnsley.    

    Over the next 18 months, government will work closely with local business leaders, educators, NHS workers and more to build local talent who can access the jobs of the future, and make local services fit for the AI era. Unleashing AI’s potential to turbo-charge how we learn and upskill is a central part of Barnsley’s regeneration plans, and the government’s ambitions for the UK overall too. Barnsley is set to forge a path the rest of the country, could follow – one that makes sure communities left behind by the economic changes of the 20th century, can seize the benefits of the 21st.  

    This will include:   

    • free AI and digital training – working with Barnsley College and the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology, residents will be able to take part in free courses to boost their career, retrain or simply learn something new
    • help to increase AI adoption – expanding the Seam Digital Campus to give small and growing businesses hands‑on support to use new technology, scale up and create good local jobs. The Seam is already home to 33 digital businesses, with plans for it to become an AI Campus based around a new National Centre for Digital Technologies
    • innovating in healthcare – partnering with Barnsley Hospital to test AI tools that offer quicker check-ins, faster triage and smoother outpatient care – providing a better service and freeing up NHS workers to focus on what they do best
    • tools to support teaching and learning –testing AI and edtech tools in schools and Barnsley College, to improve evidence of the impact of technology on pupil outcomes, inclusion and reducing teacher workload
    • building the right infrastructure – planning how the town will use technology better like public buildings and Wi‑Fi, as well as adding strong cybersecurity so people can use digital services with confidence and boosting connectivity

    Government will use its convening power to get leading tech companies involved in this work in Barnsley, with Microsoft and Cisco’s UK CEOs joining Kendall on a visit to Barnsley, to see the town’s digital and AI ambitions first-hand. Leading tech firms including Cisco, Microsoft, Adobe and Google are backing the plans – with all 3 pledging a package of initiatives to boost Barnsley’s AI and digital talent, so that people of all ages can build the skills that will help them access the jobs of the future in growing tech industries. Key local organisations like Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce and Barnsley CVS are also set to partner the Tech Town initiative. 

    This follows a raft of government action last week to unleash AI’s potential as a force for national renewal: from the launch of free AI training for all as part of commitment to upskill 10 million UK workers, to the naming of Lanarkshire as the latest AI Growth Zone, as well as a £36 million investment to upgrade the AI Research Resource supercomputer in Cambridge. 

    Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:  

    I am delighted to have been invited by Barnsley, to work with them to achieve their ambition to become the UK’s leading tech town.

    If we are going to get AI to work for Britain, we need Britons and British public services that can work with AI. That is why Barnsley’s ambitions are crucial, because if we can show that AI helps young people learn, supports local businesses to be more productive, and improves public services, then we can show what’s possible for the whole country.  

    What we learn here will shape how we roll out AI across the UK – making sure every community sees the benefits.

    Barnsley Council Leader Sir Stephen Houghton CBE said:  

    One of the key missions in our Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy is for Barnsley to become the UK’s leading digital town. Welcoming the Secretary of State to Barnsley to announce that we are the UK’s first Tech Town underlines our ambition and commitment to innovation which will benefit our residents, businesses and partners. This is one of the most important investments in Barnsley in our history and will help secure our long-term economic future. 

    The Tech Town programme is where cutting-edge technology meets everyday usefulness. It will complement our existing plans at The Seam Digital Campus, including the National Centre for Digital Technologies, and the Health on the High Street programme, which is revolutionising how residents can access health and wellbeing services in Barnsley. 

    We’re looking forward to working with colleagues from DSIT, our residents and our partners to shape the programme to create safer, smarter public services and new opportunities for everyone to thrive in the emerging and fast-paced AI landscape, blazing a trail for the rest of the country to follow. 

    South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: 

    Thanks in no small part to work being led by Steve Houghton and Barnsley Council, we’re building a bigger, better economy in South Yorkshire, creating jobs and opportunities in the industries that will define the next generation and beyond. 

    That’s why the government have recognised Barnsley as the UK’s first Tech Town. Because we have already built a thriving digital ecosystem, from The Seam Digital Campus and the growing cluster of digital and creative businesses, to the cutting edge training at Barnsley College and the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology. Barnsley has all the foundations of a modern, thriving tech economy. 

    This is a place that is driving real change across our region. Being recognised as the first Tech Town in the UK both reflects and reinforces that momentum, strengthening South Yorkshire’s position as one of the most exciting tech communities in the country.

    UK government AI Ambassador, and 2024 Nobel Prize Winner for Economics, Simon Johnson said:  

    AI is changing everything, and the opportunities are massive. We have to make sure that everyone, wherever they live and whatever their background, gets to feel the benefits.  

    But that will only happen with ordinary people in the driving seat. That’s why what’s happening in Barnsley is going to be critical, to the whole country’s AI aspirations. By putting this technology into the hands of local people, working to improve their town, Barnsley can guide us to an AI-powered future that puts people and their families first, and that builds stronger communities. 

    Naming Barnsley as the UK’s first Tech Town is about putting local residents in the driving seat. Over the coming months, they will be invited to a series of “Tech Town Halls” – giving local people a real say in how AI is used across the community and an opportunity to feedback their experience of using the technology.   

    Barnsley is already embracing AI and other technologies to improve people’s lives. Delivery company EVRi recently trialled robot delivery dogs in the town, it is one of the first UK councils to roll out Copilot at scale and it is being used to support overstretched social care teams from paperwork.   

    Becoming a Tech Town will help take these bold ambitions to the next level. Just last month the government announced plans to make safe AI-powered tutoring tools available to up to 450,000 children in a bid to level the playing field for disadvantaged pupils. Trials will start in summer this year with a number of schools in Barnsley being considered.  

    While Barnsley’s Seam Digital Campus is set to be expanded into an AI campus; to help local firms make use of AI, to link them with universities and investors, and to help build a pipeline of local skilled tech talent.  

    Becoming a Tech Town will help take these bold ambitions to the next level. Just last month the government announced plans to co-design and trial safe AI-powered tutoring tools in schools. These tools could support up to 450,000 disadvantaged children; levelling the playing field for those who cannot afford private tutors. The co-design will start in the summer term this year with schools in Barnsley being considered.   

    Support for Barnsley Tech Town

    Nathan Hancock, Vice President and MD, Adobe UK, Ireland and Middle East, said: 

    AI is reshaping businesses, industries and the economy at a rapid pace, but it will only reach its full potential if skills and training programmes are accessible and delivered in partnership with industry to meet the real-world needs of businesses today.  

    By partnering with the government on the Tech Town initiative, we will bring the best of Adobe’s AI-driven tools, skilling and education programmes to the community, accelerating innovation and creativity, transforming careers and creating a talent hub in Barnsley that supports the UK’s ambition of becoming a leading AI economy.

    Sarah Walker, Chief Executive, Cisco UK and Ireland, said: 

    AI is set to be more transformative than the advent of the Internet. But to really matter to our citizens today, it must translate locally. That’s exactly what this first government-backed Tech Town is designed to deliver. How AI can be applied in real places, for real people, to make everyday life and work better. Whether that’s a parent being able to book childcare more easily, or a small business finding the confidence to hire and grow. 

     >Together with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and local leaders, we are excited to support Barnsley showcasing how towns across the UK can turn AI innovation into visible improvements in people’s lives, prospects and public services.

    Barnsley College CEO and Principal, David Akeroyd, said: 

    Being named the UK’s first government‑backed Tech Town is a significant moment for Barnsley, and Barnsley College is proud to be at the heart of this ambition. 

    This work reflects the long-standing commitment, vision, expertise and dedication of the College and our partners, who continue to push boundaries and provide a sector-leading digital curriculum to ensure our community can build the skills needed for an AI‑enabled future. 

    Together, we are creating new opportunities for people across Barnsley, opportunities that will shape lives, strengthen our economy, and open the door to a more innovative and prosperous future.

    Notes to editors

    Barnsley Tech Town supports Barnsley 2030: Barnsley Council’s long-term plan to build a prosperous, better, fairer and more inclusive town.  

    As part of Barnsley’s ambition to become the UK’s leading digital town, work is already well underway delivering the Seam Digital Campus, part of the South Yorkshire Investment Zone, which is home to DMC: an innovation space for digital and creative scale-ups. This is where the forthcoming National Centre for Digital Technologies will be based.  

    The £15 million Barnsley campus of the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology is also already up and running, offering a state-of-the-art learning environment that replicates industry conditions and uses the latest equipment 

  • PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America – Sir Christian Turner KCMG [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America – Sir Christian Turner KCMG [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 February 2026.

    Sir Christian Turner KCMG has taken up the role of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America.

    Following his appointment by His Majesty The King on 18 December 2025, Sir Christian Turner KCMG has presented his credentials to the US State Department and taken up the role of His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America.  

    Curriculum vitae

    Full name: Christian Philip Hollier Turner

    DateRole
    2023 to 2025 FCDO, Director General Geopolitics and Political Director
    2019 to 2023Islamabad, British High Commissioner
    2017 to 2019Prime Minister’s International Affairs Adviser and Deputy National Security Adviser
    2016 to 2017FCO, Director General MENA and Africa; Acting Political Director
    2016No 10, Director, London Syria Conference
    2012 to 2016 Nairobi, British High Commissioner
    2009 to 2012FCO, Director, Middle East and North Africa
    2008 to 2009FCO, Deputy Director, Middle East and North Africa
    2007 to 2008 Cabinet Office, Deputy Director, MENANA, Overseas and Defence Secretariat
    2007No 10, Private Secretary to Prime Minister
    2002 to 2006Washington, First Secretary
    1998 to 2002Cabinet Office Fast Stream including roles in Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, Private Secretary to Minister of State, Secretary to Economic and Domestic Committees of Cabinet
  • PRESS RELEASE : Enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland round update [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland round update [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 2 February 2026.

    Update following round 9 of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement with Switzerland.

    The ninth round of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Switzerland took place in London between 12 and 16 January 2026. 

    The new deal aims to support British businesses, back British jobs, and put more money in people’s pockets. 

    The enhanced agreement with Switzerland demonstrates the UK government’s commitment to economic growth through strengthening trade ties with our 10th biggest trading partner – a relationship worth £49 billion in the 12 months ending September 2025.

    The FTA aims to deliver long-term certainty for UK services firms by locking in access to the Swiss market, guaranteeing the free flow of data and cementing business travel arrangements. 

    The trading relationship supported 130,000 services jobs across the UK in 2020 in sectors including legal, consultancy and finance. 

    The new agreement will update the current goods-focused UK-Swiss FTA, signed in 2019 and largely based on an EU-Swiss deal from 1972. This does not cover services, investment, digital or data, despite services accounting for over 60% of UK trade with Switzerland.

    We have already extended the Services Mobility Agreement between the UK and Switzerland for a further four years to 2029.

    Provisional agreement was reached on environment and labour policy areas, which both sides have agreed to combine in a chapter called ‘Trade and Sustainable Development’.

    Next steps on FTA negotiations 

    The government is focussed on securing outcomes in an enhanced FTA that boost economic growth for the UK.

    The government will only ever sign a trade agreement which aligns with the UK’s national interests, upholding our high standards across a range of sectors, alongside protections for the National Health Service.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Pension scheme reforms to tackle gender pension gap [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Pension scheme reforms to tackle gender pension gap [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 2 February 2026.

    Millions of working women will be better off with new measures being introduced to tackle historic gender pension gap.

    Millions of women working in local government will see their pensions improve under new reforms coming into force in April, as the government takes action to close the gender pension gap.

    These steps will directly benefit working people on the front line, serving school lunches, cleaning buildings, managing libraries, and cleaning streets. 

    Measures include making gender pension gap data reporting statutory and making unpaid additional maternity, shared parental and adoption leave automatically pensionable.  

    Around three-quarters of the scheme’s near seven million members are women and one of the most significant causes of the gender pension gap is due to maternity leave.  

    Making unpaid additional maternity leave automatically pensionable is a critical step that will help close the gender pension gap.   

    Minister for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern said 

    It is shocking that this gender imbalance in our pension system has persisted so long, and I am proud that these reforms will help correct this historic inequality.  

    These crucial changes will give hard working cleaners, librarians, school cooks and other public servants the security in retirement they deserve.

    Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said:  

    For too long, women have been penalised in retirement simply for having children.

    These reforms mean that for millions of women working in local government, taking time out to care for a new baby will no longer cost them their pension security.

    This is about a pension system that works for modern families and properly values the vital contribution of working women across our public services.

    TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said:

    Everyone deserves a decent quality of life in retirement, but the gender pension gap means that too many women are pushed into hardship. 

    It’s not right. That’s why these measures are an important step forward – they will make a meaningful difference for millions of women working in local government, helping them to build up a decent pension.

    It’s now vital we see more action to close the gender pensions pay gap across the whole workforce, including by extending this approach to the rest of the public sector.

    Other measures include backdated payments and increased future pension payments to ensure that all surviving partners of eligible members are given the same pension as other survivors regardless of the type of relationship they were in.   

    Due to issues with the existing regulations, there have been instances where people in same-sex marriages and civil partnerships have received a more generous pension entitlement than those in opposite-sex marriages and partnerships.  

    Under these new reforms, all discrimination on the basis of the sex of those affected will be removed.      

    Another reform will remove an age cap currently in place that requires an LGPS member to have died before the age of 75 for their survivor to receive a lump sum payment. 

    The government is also taking steps to keep people in the scheme by enhancing data collection on why people opt out, in a bid to ensure as many people as possible benefit.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement on the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee and Trade and Cooperation Agreement Partnership Council meetings [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement on the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee and Trade and Cooperation Agreement Partnership Council meetings [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 2 February 2026.

    Joint statement by the UK Minister for the Cabinet Office Nick Thomas-Symonds and the European Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič.

    The United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) today held meetings of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) Partnership Council in London. The meetings were co-chaired by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, the Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, and European Commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič.

    These were the first meetings of the two joint bodies to take place since the UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025 in London, when the EU and UK leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the full, timely and faithful implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework and of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as agreeing on areas to strengthen the relationship through a new Strategic Partnership.

    Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee
    The Joint Committee took stock of the state of play of the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, focussing on citizens’ rights, the Windsor Framework and the Protocol relating to the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus.

    On citizens’ rights, the co-chairs reiterated their joint priority in protecting the rights of UK nationals in the EU and EU citizens in the UK, now and in the future. They welcomed the solution on the true and extra cohort enshrined in UK law and agreed to accelerate the transition from temporary to permanent residence of these citizens. They committed to further strengthen their cooperation on all pending citizens’ rights issues.

    On the Windsor Framework, the co-chairs welcomed the positive trajectory in its implementation. They highlighted the new milestones reached for the benefit of people and businesses in Northern Ireland, including new simplified customs arrangements since May 2025 and reduced sanitary and phytosanitary checks since December 2025. They noted the transition to veterinary medicines arrangements in January 2026. They also noted positive developments in the delivery of safeguards for the protection of the EU Single Market, including customs IT access to all relevant UK systems and progress on sanitary and phytosanitary aspects. They agreed to continue work swiftly on delivery of all remaining safeguards.

    The co-chairs welcomed a newly adopted Joint Committee decision on the implementation of the Windsor Framework. They also took stock of the ongoing exchange of views on the implications of the Artificial Intelligence and Cyber

    Resilience Acts for the proper functioning of the Windsor Framework and agreed to work towards a conclusion at pace.

    The co-chairs also discussed the Protocol relating to the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus and agreed to accelerate work to reach effective implementation of the Protocol in all areas.

    TCA Partnership Council
    The Partnership Council welcomed the Common Understanding agreed at the UK-EU Summit in May 2025 and the positive progress made in the implementation of the Trade & Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The co-chairs highlighted key deliverables achieved since the last meeting of the Partnership Council in May 2024, including the conclusion of the Competition Cooperation Agreement negotiations and decisions stemming from the UK-EU Summit. In particular, the UK and EU agreed to put reciprocal arrangements on fishing access on a long-term footing, to secure stability and continued access for both parties and to extend the TCA’s energy chapter on a continuous basis. The Partnership Council also noted the conclusion of negotiations between the Commission and the UK for the UK’s association to Erasmus+ in 2027 and the conclusion of exploratory talks on the UK’s participation in the EU’s internal electricity market. The EU and the UK will proceed swiftly on these issues in line with their respective procedures, legal frameworks and in respect of their decision-making autonomy.

    The UK and the EU recalled that the Common Understanding led to a number of negotiations for new agreements. They aim to conclude by the time of the next EU-UK Summit the negotiations on the Youth Experience Scheme, on establishing a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area and on linking their Emissions Trading Systems.

    In this light, the co-chairs also discussed the commitment under Article 776 of the TCA to jointly review the implementation of the agreement. They acknowledged the evaluation of implementation already undertaken by both sides, the on-going role of the Specialised Committees in considering and addressing new or outstanding points of implementation, and the agreement to hold annual summits. They also noted the importance of input from stakeholders, including the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly and the Domestic Advisory Groups.

    The Partnership Council welcomed the third UK-EU dialogue on Cyber issues in December 2025, and discussed the next steps towards progressing cooperation on cyber security in line with Articles 704–707 of the TCA. The co-chairs looked forward to deepening the UK-EU partnership across these areas to address shared threats based on reciprocity and mutual interest.

    In the area of trade and the economy, the co-chairs exchanged views on global challenges, including measures relating to global steel overcapacity, economic and

    supply chain security, and parties’ respective industrial policy measures. They also discussed the development and implementation of their respective Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms.

    The co-chairs also welcomed continued cooperation on security of supply and exchanges on clean energy technologies.

    Finally, the Partnership Council took stock of the relationship on fisheries, acknowledging successful bilateral consultations, and discussing UK-EU cooperation in coastal state forums as well as upcoming fisheries management measures.

    The co-chairs agreed that the joint bodies should continue to work at pace to take forward these priorities and reaffirmed their commitment to fully exploiting the potential of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Victoria Buhler as the Prime Minister’s Deputy Adviser on Business, Investment, and Trade and Hannah Bronwin as the Prime Minister’s Expert Adviser on Energy and NetZero [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Victoria Buhler as the Prime Minister’s Deputy Adviser on Business, Investment, and Trade and Hannah Bronwin as the Prime Minister’s Expert Adviser on Energy and NetZero [February 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 2 February 2026.

    The Prime Minister has appointed Victoria Buhler as The Prime Minister’s Deputy Adviser on Business, Investment and Trade and Hannah Bronwin as The Prime Minister’s Expert Adviser on Energy and NetZero.

    Victoria Buhler

    Victoria brings extensive experience as a finance and strategy professional, with a background spanning investment banking, management consulting and a range of sectors.

    Victoria will advise Ministers while working across No10 and Government advising economic, business and trade teams.

    Since 2015, she has worked at Robey Warshaw (Evercore), advising corporate boards on complex M&A transactions, UK public takeovers, and shareholder activism, contributing to deals worth approximately £85bn across diverse industries. Previously, she was a consultant at Boston Consulting Group in London and New York.

    Victoria holds an MPhil in International Relations and Politics from the University of Cambridge and a BA in Economics and Global Affairs from Yale University. She has also worked as a research assistant to Nobel laureates Robert Shiller and George Akerlof.

    Hannah Bronwin

    Hannah brings with her extensive experience as a senior policy professional, a strong background in energy policy, and a range of roles within and external of Government.

    Hannah will advise Ministers while working across the No10 and Government energy teams, having already supported our ambitions as an expert adviser to the Clean Power Commission.

    Before this she was the Director of Business Development for SSE Thermal responsible for strategy, origination of new projects and partnerships and M&A.

    In addition, she has worked as Commercial Director at the innovation agency Energy Systems Catapult; Deputy Director for new nuclear financing at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; and spent ten years as a project finance lawyer at global law firm Linklaters LLP.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Office summons Russian Ambassador [February 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Office summons Russian Ambassador [February 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 February 2026.

    The Russian Ambassador was summoned for a meeting to revoke the accreditation of a Russian diplomat.

    An FCDO spokesperson said:

    “We condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified decision to expel a British diplomat last month and its baseless accusations against our staff.

    “Summoning the Russian Ambassador, a senior FCDO official made it clear that the UK will not stand for intimidation of British Embassy staff and so we are taking reciprocal action today, revoking the accreditation of a Russian diplomat.

    “It is deeply disappointing that Russia continually seeks to disrupt the work of the UK’s diplomatic missions and deter our support for Ukraine. Any further action taken by Russia will be considered an escalation and responded to accordingly.”

  • Ed Davey – 2026 Speech on the Prime Minister’s Visit to China and Japan

    Ed Davey – 2026 Speech on the Prime Minister’s Visit to China and Japan

    The speech made by Ed Davey, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, in the House of Commons on 2 February 2026.

    With your indulgence, Mr Speaker, I start by paying tribute to my friend Jim Wallace, one of the great Scottish Liberals. I offer our thoughts and prayers to his family and many friends. Jim devoted his life to public service, his Christian faith and the cause of liberalism. But his judgment was not always impeccable, for it was Jim who gave me my first job in politics. We will miss him.

    I thank the Prime Minister for advance sight of the statement. I listened to the Conservative leader, whose position now seems to be to oppose trade with the world’s biggest economies—so much for global Britain. With President Trump threatening tariffs again, just because of the Prime Minister’s trip, and with Vladimir Putin still murdering civilians in Ukraine, now more than ever the United Kingdom must forge much closer alliances with nations that share our values, our belief in free trade and our commitment to mutual defence. China shares none of those.

    The Prime Minister’s main focus should be on the closest possible ties with our European neighbours, our Commonwealth allies and our friends such as Japan and Korea. Once again, he has made the wrong choice. However, unlike the Conservative party, we think he was right to go and engage. But just like with President Trump, he approached President Xi from a position of weakness instead of a position of strength, promising him a super-embassy here in London in return for relatively meagre offers from China.

    The Prime Minister rightly raised the case of Jimmy Lai, whose children fear for his health after five years held in captivity, so will he tell us what Xi said to give him confidence that Mr Lai is now more likely to be released? Did he also challenge Xi on the bounties on the heads of innocent Hongkongers here in the United Kingdom, or the revelation that China hacked the phones of No. 10 officials for years? In other words, did he stand up for Britain this time?

    Yet again, the Prime Minister had to spend time on a foreign trip responding to revelations about the vile paedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein’s relationship with Lord Mandelson. The Prime Minister has rightly said that Mandelson should resign from the other place, but since he has not, will he back a simple piece of legislation to strip him of his peerage? Surely this House could pass it tomorrow.

  • Kemi Badenoch – 2026 Speech on the Prime Minister’s Visit to China and Japan

    Kemi Badenoch – 2026 Speech on the Prime Minister’s Visit to China and Japan

    The speech made by Kemi Badenoch, the Leader of the Opposition, in the House of Commons on 2 February 2026.

    I thank the Prime Minister for advance sight of his statement, but it is utterly reprehensible that he began it by accusing the previous Government of isolationism—the same Conservative Government who—[Interruption.] The Business and Trade Secretary is laughing, but let me tell him this. That same Conservative Government led the world in our response to the invasion of Ukraine and signed the vital strategic alliance of AUKUS—[Interruption.] The Business Secretary asks how many free trade agreements we did. We signed Britain’s biggest post-Brexit trade deal—the CPTPP—bringing us closer to the 11 Indo-Pacific nations, including Japan. I know about that deal because I signed it myself.

    I welcome the Prime Minister’s efforts to collaborate more with our long-standing ally Japan, but let me turn to China. Of course Britain should engage with China. Even though the Chancellor was not allowed to go, even though it is an authoritarian state that seeks to undermine our interest, even though it spies on us—sometimes within the walls of this building—and even though it funds regimes around the world that are hostile to our country, China is a fact of life, a global power and an economic reality. Let me be clear: it is not the Prime Minister engaging with China that we take issue with. What we are criticising is his supine and short-termist approach.

    I am sure that the Prime Minister means well, but his negotiating tactic has always been to give everything away in the hope that people will be nice to him in return. Before the Prime Minister had even got on the plane, he had already shown that he would do anything to demonstrate his good relationship with China. China, however, uses every interaction to improve its own position. The Prime Minister looked like he enjoyed his trip—in fact, it looked like a dream come true for a man who was virtually a communist most of his life.

    Apart from the Labubu doll in his suitcase—which I hope he has checked for bugs—the Prime Minister has come back with next to nothing. We all want cheaper tariffs for Scotch whisky, but if the Prime Minister had bothered to speak to the whisky industry, as I did two weeks ago, he would know that what it really needs is cheaper energy and lower taxes. The Prime Minister also got us visa-free travel, but China already offers that to other countries. It is not big enough for a prime ministerial visit.

    The worst thing was the Prime Minister claiming a glorious triumph with the lifting of sanctions on four Conservative MPs, as if he had done us a favour. Let me tell him this: those MPs were sanctioned because they stood up to China. They stood up against human rights abuses, and they stood up against a country that is spying on our MPs in a way that the Prime Minister would not dare to do. Those Members do not want to go to China. The Chinese know that. They know that they are giving him something that costs absolutely nothing. Why can the British Prime Minister not see that?

    I say to you, Mr Speaker, and to the whole House that, like with the Chagos islands, the Prime Minister has been played. China is about to build an enormous spy hub in the centre of London—a ransom he had to pay before he could even get on the plane. I would never allow Britain to be held over a barrel like that. Yet again, the Prime Minister has negotiated our country into a weaker position in the world. His entire economic policy is to tax businesses more, regulate them harder and make energy so expensive that we deindustrialise, and then we can import Chinese wind turbines, solar panels and batteries for electric vehicles—all manufactured in a country that builds a coal-fired power station every other week. Did he speak to the Chinese about that?

    What did the Prime Minister’s trip achieve for Jimmy Lai? Nothing. Did China promise to stop fuelling Putin’s war machine in Ukraine? It does not sound like it. What did this trip achieve for the Uyghurs who are being enslaved? Absolutely nothing. Has China agreed to stop its relentless cyber-attacks? We all know the answer to that. The reality is that China showed its strength, and Britain was pushed around, literally. It is no wonder that President Xi praised the Labour party; the Conservatives stood up for Britain—we do not get pushed around.

    Britain is a great trading nation. Of course we should engage with other countries, even hostile ones—[Interruption.]

    Mr Speaker

    Order. Mr Kyle, you said to me when you were going to China how well you would behave and how you owe me a big thank you. You are not showing it today!

    Mrs Badenoch

    Mr Speaker, I am not worried about the Business Secretary; the entire business community thinks he is a joke and does not know what he is talking about.

    As I was saying, of course we should engage with other countries, even hostile ones, but we need to do so with our eyes open and from a position of strength. That requires a Prime Minister and a Government who put our national interest first.

  • Keir Starmer – 2026 Statement on Visit to China and Japan

    Keir Starmer – 2026 Statement on Visit to China and Japan

    The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, in the House of Commons on 2 February 2026.

    With permission, I will update the House on my visit last week to China and Japan, where we delivered for the British people.

    With events overseas directly impacting on our security and the cost of living, I made it a founding principle of this Government that, after years of isolationism, Britain would face outwards once again. This was an 18-month strategy to rebuild our standing and we have delivered: strengthening our US relationship with our world-first trade deal; resetting our relationship with the EU; striking a groundbreaking free trade agreement with India; and now, thawing our ties with China to put this relationship on a more stable footing for the long term.

    China is the second biggest economy in the world. Including Hong Kong, it is our third biggest trading partner, supporting 370,000 British jobs. It is also an undeniable presence in global affairs. It would be impossible to safeguard our national interests without engaging with this geopolitical reality. Yet we inherited a policy from the previous Government not of engagement with China, but of hiding away and sticking their heads in the sand. While our allies developed a more sophisticated approach, they let the UK fall behind. We became an outlier. Of my three predecessors, none held a single meeting with President Xi. For eight years, no British Prime Minister visited China—eight years of missed opportunities. Meanwhile over that period, President Macron visited China three times, German leaders four times, the Canadian Prime Minister was there a few weeks ago, and Chancellor Merz and President Trump are both due to visit shortly.

    Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge) (Con)

    They went on their feet, not on their knees. [Laughter.]

    Mr Speaker

    Order! Mr Tugendhat, you will withdraw that remark.

    Tom Tugendhat

    I am sorry, Mr Speaker. I withdraw it.

    Mr Speaker

    Thank you. Can we calm it down? I am sure you will want to catch my eye and I would like to hear what you have to say, so let us not ruin the opportunity.

    The Prime Minister

    In this context, refusing to engage would be a dereliction of duty, leaving British interests on the sidelines. Incredibly, some in this House still advocate that approach. But leaders do not hide. Instead, we engage and we do so on our own terms, because, like our allies, we understand that engagement makes us stronger.

    Protecting our national security is non-negotiable. We are clear-eyed about the threats coming from China in that regard, and we will never waver in our efforts to keep the British people safe. That is why we have given our security services the updated powers and tools they need to tackle foreign espionage activity wherever they find it, and to tackle malicious cyber-activity as well. The fact is that we can do two things at once: we can protect ourselves, while also finding ways to co-operate. It was in that spirit that we made this visit.

    I had extensive discussions, over many hours, with President Xi, Premier Li and other senior leaders. The discussions were positive and constructive. We covered the full range of issues, from strategic stability to trade and investment, opening a direct channel of communication to deliver in the national interest, enabling us to raise frank concerns about activities that impact our national security at the most senior levels of the Chinese system. We agreed to intensify dialogue on cyber issues and agreed a new partnership on climate and nature, providing much-needed global leadership on this vital issue.

    I raised a number of areas of difference that matter deeply to this country. I raised the case of Jimmy Lai and called for his release, making clear the strength of feeling in this House. Those discussions will continue. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is in touch with Mr Lai’s family to provide further briefing.

    I raised our human rights concerns in Xinjiang and Tibet. We discussed Taiwan, wider regional stability, Iran and the middle east. I called on China to end economic support for Russia’s war effort, including the companies providing dual-use technologies, and urged it to use its influence on Putin to push for the much-needed ceasefire in Ukraine.

    I also raised the fact that Members of this House have been sanctioned by the Chinese authorities. In response, the Chinese have now made it clear that all such restrictions on parliamentarians no longer apply. I want to be clear: this was not the result of a trade. Yes, Members will want to see more—I understand that—but that is precisely the point: ignoring China for eight years achieved nothing. This step is an early indication, not the sum total, of the kind of progress that this sort of engagement can achieve through leader-to-leader discussion of sensitive issues, in standing up for British interests.

    My visit was also about creating new opportunities for British businesses to deliver jobs and growth for the British people. We took with us a brilliant delegation of nearly 60 businesses and cultural powerhouses—the very best of British—as an embodiment of what this country has to offer. If anyone is in doubt as to why this matters, I urge them to spend a few minutes with any one of those businesses; they will describe the incredible potential there and the importance of getting out there and accessing the market.

    We made significant progress, paving the way to open the Chinese market for British exports, including in our world-leading services sector. We secured 30-day visa-free travel for all Brits, including business travellers. We secured China’s agreement to halve whisky tariffs from 10% to 5%, which is worth £250 million to the UK over the next five years—a significant win for our iconic whisky industry, particularly in Scotland. That lower tariff comes into force today. In total, we secured £2.3 billion in market access wins, including for financial services, £2.2 billion in export deals for British companies and hundreds of millions of pounds-worth of new investments.

    In addition, we agreed to work together in some key areas of law enforcement. Last year, around 60% of all small boat engines used by smuggling gangs came from China, so we struck a border security pact to enable joint law enforcement action to disrupt that supply at source. We also agreed to scale up removals of those with no right to be in the UK and to work together to crack down on the supply of synthetic opioids.

    We will continue to develop our work across all these areas, because this is the start of the process, not the end of it. My visit was not just about coming back with these agreements, but about the wider question of setting this relationship on a better path—one that allows us to deal with issues and seize opportunities in a way that the previous Government failed to do.

    Finally, I will say a word about my meetings in Tokyo. Japan remains one of our closest allies; together, we are the leading economies in the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership, and we are partners in the G7, the G20 and the coalition of the willing. Japan is the UK’s largest inward investor outside the United States and Europe.

    I had an extremely productive meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan, where we set out our shared priorities to build an even deeper partnership in the years to come. Those include working together for peace and security, supporting Ukraine as we work for a just and lasting peace, and deepening our co-operation in cutting-edge defence production, including through the global combat air programme. We discussed how we can boost growth and economic resilience by developing our co-operation: first, in tech and innovation, where we are both leaders; secondly, in energy, where Japan is a major investor in the UK; and, thirdly, in trade, where we are working together to maintain the openness and stability that our businesses depend on. That includes expanding the CPTPP and deepening its co-operation with the EU. We will take all of that forward when I welcome the Prime Minister to Chequers later this year.

    This is Britain back at the top table at last. We are facing outward, replacing incoherence and isolationism with pragmatic engagement, and naive posturing with the national interest. In dangerous times, we are using our full strength and reach on the world stage to deliver growth and security for the British people. I commend this statement to the House.