Tag: 2026

  • PRESS RELEASE : New high street unit set up in nationwide blitz on dodgy shops [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : New high street unit set up in nationwide blitz on dodgy shops [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 19 May 2026.

    Organised crime gangs will be hit with raids, shop closures, and cash seizures in a £30 million crackdown on dodgy high street shops.

    Organised crime gangs operating across Britain’s high streets will be hit with a major police offensive in a new nationwide crackdown on dodgy shops.

    Rogue barber shops, vape stores, mini-marts and sweet shops linked to organised crime will face raids, closures and cash seizures under a new £30 million crackdown targeting money laundering, tax evasion, and illegal working over 3 years.

    £20 million of funding will go towards an enhanced law enforcement response, including establishing a new multi-agency co-ordination cell based out of the National Crime Agency (NCA).

    Police officers will also be uplifted across forces in hotspot regions. Altogether, 75 new police officers will be recruited across the NCA, Greater Manchester Police, West Midlands Police and a joint Kent Police and Essex Police Unit, to build intelligence at a national level and increase the number of dedicated officers tackling organised crime on the ground.

    Trading Standards will also be backed with £6 million in new funding to bolster the response to sham businesses in at-risk local authorities. New officer training will be rolled out to identify suspicious businesses, strengthen business compliance, and boost enforcement.

    A new High Street Organised Crime Unit has also been established to bring together government departments, policing partners, and Trading Standards. Together, the additional funding and new unit builds on strong enforcement action such as Operation Machinize, to boost the national and local response to targeting criminal networks operating in plain sight on Britain’s high streets.

    Overseen by the Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, the unit will be responsible for identifying what more is needed – from stronger powers to better co-ordination – to stop this criminal activity from happening in the first place.

    A rapid review of local responders’ powers is underway to explore how these can be strengthened, starting with a consultation on extending the duration of closure orders, where appropriate, to shut criminal businesses down for longer.

    Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said:

    Criminal gangs have exploited our high streets to launder their dirty money and undercut honest businesses.

    We are hitting back with a nationwide crackdown to shut these fronts down, seize dirty cash and drive organised crime off our high streets and put bosses behind bars.

    It comes as the NCA estimate at least £12 billion of criminal cash is generated in the UK each year, with £1 billion laundered through high street businesses like mini-marts, barber shops, vape stores and sweet shops. Some businesses are also connected to the sale of fake goods, tax evasion, illegal working, and illegal drug supply.

    Thousands of businesses are expected to be raided, hundreds of arrests made and millions in cash seized as a national intensification campaign will be put on permanent footing annually to drive co-ordinated enforcement across the country.

    Sal Melki, Deputy Director of Illicit Finance at the National Crime Agency, said: 

    For the past 18 months, the NCA, in conjunction with policing partners, has led Operation Machinize, the largest operation against economic crime on our high streets. By bringing together policing, HMRC, Immigration Enforcement, Trading Standards, and other partners in a co-ordinated approach, over 950 people have been arrested and over £10 million worth of criminal value seized.

    This criminal activity makes our communities less safe and less prosperous. It undermines legitimate business, deprives public services of tax revenues, and fuels a range of predicate offences such as the drugs trade, illicit goods, trafficking, and organised immigration crime.

    We will not stop and having the support of the High Street Organised Crime Unit to grow the Machinize partnership will enable us to target and disrupt more high harm offenders. The HSOCU will be key to a whole of government response, where enforcement action is backed up with the laws, policies and powers required at all levels to get this criminal element out of our high streets.

    Lord Bichard, Chair, National Trading Standards, said:

    Organised high street crime, including the illegal sale of tobacco and counterfeit goods, is damaging communities across the country. These criminal networks undercut honest businesses, draw money away from local economies and expose consumers to unregulated and potentially unsafe products. They are also often linked to wider offending, including money laundering, exploitation, and violence.

    The creation of a new High Street Organised Crime Unit will help drive a co-ordinated national response while strengthening local enforcement capability through additional support and funding for Trading Standards, police and partner agencies on the ground, who will work together to disrupt organised offenders, protect the public and support honest businesses that play by the rules.

    The latest Operation Machinize in November saw 2,734 premises visited and raided, 924 individuals arrested, over £13 million of suspected criminal proceeds seized or restrained, and more than £2.7 million worth of illicit commodities destroyed. It builds on the £300 million in criminal assets recovered by law enforcement last year, with money invested back to the front lines to support agencies leading the fight against crime.

    The new National Police Service will go further by bringing together the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing, and regional organised crime units’ capabilities to strengthen the response to serious and organised crime.

    Deputy Commissioner Nik Adams, City of London Police and National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Financial Investigation and Asset Recovery, said:

    Our high streets should be places where legitimate businesses can grow, not places where organised criminals hide behind shopfronts.

    This task force will harness the efforts of the National Crime Agency, national economic crime leads, local community policing, specialist officers and partners to target the businesses being used to launder criminal money, recover criminal assets and protect legitimate traders.

    Operation Machinize has shown that the most effective response comes when neighbourhood officers, financial investigators and national agencies work as one team. Local officers understand their communities and can identify suspicious activity, while financial investigators, the City of London Police as national lead force, and the NCA help connect that activity to the organised crime groups and the money flows behind it.

    The message to organised criminals is clear. If criminal cash is being pushed through high street businesses, policing and our partners will act. Through the High Street Organised Crime Unit, we will use intelligence, asset recovery and financial investigation to turn local disruption into lasting national impact.

    Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said:

    The new High Street Organised Crime Unit will be welcome news for people across the country. Illegitimate businesses and retail theft are major issues and too often linked to criminal gang activity. Stolen goods are commonly funnelled through illicit supply chains and resold through unscrupulous businesses, helping fund further criminality. This harms businesses, puts colleagues at risk, and pushes up prices for honest shoppers.

    Tackling it requires prioritisation from police and government, and co-ordination and intelligence sharing between retailers, law enforcement, and local partners. We look forward to working together to deliver real progress.

    Association of Convenience Stores Chief Executive Ed Woodall said:

    Local shops tell us that rogue traders on high streets are causing massive damage to their businesses and the wider community, so we strongly welcome this Government action to back responsible retailers and crack down on the organised crime gangs that are fuelling the illicit trade.

    John Herriman, Chief Executive of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, (CTSI), said:

    CTSI welcomes the introduction of the High Street Organised Crime Unit, which will bring together partner agencies – including Trading Standards – to tackle organised criminality on our high streets. The proliferation of so called “dodgy shops” puts consumers at significant risk and undermines the legitimate businesses who drive economic growth across the UK. The new unit will bring a much-needed focus to help clamp down on a blight on our high streets and communities.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK National Statement for the 79th World Heath Assembly [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK National Statement for the 79th World Heath Assembly [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 May 2026.

    UK National Statement for the 2026 World Heath Assembly as delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Kumar Iyer.

    Thank you President, dear friends,

    At this very moment, World Health Organization staff are saving lives on the frontlines of crises, responding to public health challenges like Ebola, and are often working in the world’s most dangerous and demanding conditions.

    Whether in Ukraine, Sudan or Palestine, their work embodies what this organisation stands for: science, solidarity, and service. It also serves as a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to protect everyone, and the essential civilian infrastructure that makes that care possible.

    I reiterate that the United Kingdom unequivocally condemns all attacks on civilian infrastructure.

    It is precisely because of these realities that the World Health Organization remains indispensable. At a time of profound and intersecting global challenges, its leadership, grounded in science, technical expertise, and evidence-based action has never been more important. We saw the power of that global technical expertise and collaboration in the response to the Hantavirus outbreak.

    The WHO’s role in convening countries, setting global standards, and providing impartial advice is fundamental to strong health systems worldwide, and the UK is proud to support it.

    To meet the demands of today’s crises and those ahead, the WHO must continue to uphold the highest standards of technical excellence. In that spirit, like others, we call for Taiwan to have meaningful access to all relevant technical WHO meetings and to observe the World Health Assembly, as it did from 2009 to 2016.

    The United Kingdom is committed to translating science and innovation into real-world impact, including through our 66 WHO Collaborating Centres. We also commend Member States working to agree an effective and equitable Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing Annex to the Pandemic Agreement.

    We must now act with urgency on antimicrobial resistance, one of the most serious threats to global health, and on the destructive power of nicotine, where the UK is taking bold steps to create our first smoke-free generation through our Tobacco and Vapes Act.

    The United Kingdom remains steadfast in our commitment to multilateralism. Together, we can strengthen an effective global health system that delivers for those who depend on it most.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Third waste carrier convicted in Environment Agency operation [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Third waste carrier convicted in Environment Agency operation [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 19 May 2026.

    The Environment Agency has secured a third conviction in relation to a major illegal waste site in Kingsteighton, South Devon, where thousands of tonnes of waste were dumped on a floodplain.

    DTM Grab Hire Ltd has been ordered to pay £16,664 for its part in depositing the waste at the illegal site which was shut down by the Environment Agency in 2022.

    The Environment Agency has now prosecuted the landowner of the site and two waste carriers as part of the investigation.

    Plymouth Magistrates Court heard that DTM Grab Hire Ltd deposited 3,490 tonnes of soil, stones and road planings at the illegal site between 3 January 2021 and 11 September 2021. 

    Following Thursday’s hearing, the company was fined £13,653, told to pay the Environment Agency’s costs of £2,821 and a victim surcharge, after pleading guilty to the illegal deposit of controlled waste. 

    The landowner of the site in question, Christopher Garrett, was prosecuted in 2024  after repeatedly ignoring warnings from the Environment Agency. 

    Another waste carrier, David Gorton, was fined last month for his contribution to the deposit of waste on the site. 

    Thousands of tonnes of mixed construction and demolition waste was found at the premises. 

    It is estimated it would cost at least £2.5 million to remediate the site, which sits on a flood plain. 

    The deposits of waste would have significantly increased the flood risk in the area. 

    Registered waste carriers have a duty of care to ensure that they know where they are sending their waste and take steps to ensure that their waste is handled by legal sites. 

    An Environment Agency spokesperson said: 

    We have now successfully prosecuted the landowner of this illegal site, plus two waste carriers who contributed to the deposit of soil and stone. 

    Waste regulations are in place to protect people and the environment, and it is essential that all companies follow the rules. 

    We will take enforcement action against anyone who transports, disposes or stores waste illegally.

    Anyone who suspects illegal waste activity can report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 

    The prosecution comes as the government yesterday announced major reforms to tighten the waste carriers regime, including stricter background checks and tougher sentences for those illegally dumping waste.

    These changes are part of the government’s new Waste Crime Action Plan and the Environment Agency’s 10 Point Plan for ending waste crime.

    Background 

    DTM Grab Hire Ltd was charged with one offence: 

    Between 3 January 2021 and 11 September 2021 on Land at Little Lindridge Farm, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot, Devon you, DTM Grab Hire Ltd, deposited waste not under or to the extent authorised by an environmental permit, namely the deposit of excavation spoil consisting of soil, stones and road planings. Contrary to regulations 12(1)(a) and 38(1)(a) Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

  • Mel Stride – 2026 Speech on Backing Business to Create Economic Growth

    Mel Stride – 2026 Speech on Backing Business to Create Economic Growth

    The speech made by Mel Stride, the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the House of Commons on 18 May 2026.

    This King’s Speech is an empty vessel, which is a surprise, because only last week the Prime Minister was telling anybody who cared to listen that the Government would be leaning into economic growth in a more radical way, and would eschew managerial incrementalism, yet we have heard nothing other than managerial incrementalism, at best, from the right hon. Lady just now. [Interruption.] Of course, I meant the right hon. Gentleman. If only the Chancellor were here, Mr Speaker, I would be right about everything.

    The Prime Minister also said that Labour would tread more lightly on our lives. Well, we have seen what that has meant in the last few weeks. The Chancellor said that it would all be growth, growth, growth. The Secretary of State trots out and trumpets the latest uplift—a very modest one—in the International Monetary Fund’s forecast, but he neglects to mention that although it is forecasting 1% growth today, it forecast 1.3% back in January.

    The Secretary of State also neglects to mention that the increase in growth in the first quarter of this year is on the back of risible growth performance in Q4 of last year. The situation in Q4 was exacerbated, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility and the Bank of England, by the Chancellor’s making every possible tax rise; that had a material impact—it depressed the economy. Some of the growth is simply a bounce back from the mistakes made at the end of last year.

    The Secretary of State refused to answer the question from my hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Stamford (Alicia Kearns) about what happened to GDP per capita, so let me tell him that it has been utterly anaemic throughout this Government’s period in office. He also failed to mention that the notes to the IMF’s comments on upgrading the growth forecast for this year point to domestic uncertainty possibly weighing down on consumer spending and investment decisions. I wonder what “domestic uncertainty” could possibly be referring to. As to our record, I remind the Secretary of State that on the day of the general election, the previous Conservative Government had inflation bang on target at 2%. It is now 50% more than that. We also had the fastest growth in the G7, employment at near record levels, and near record low levels of unemployment, and we had 13 consecutive months of real wage growth.

    Max Wilkinson
    (Cheltenham) (LD)
    On the subject of mistakes made and growth, does the shadow Chancellor accept that the Brexit that he and his party left us has knocked between 4% and 8% off our GDP?

    Sir Mel Stride
    As I will come on to argue, our problems actually rest a little closer to home, rather than having anything to do with our relationship with the European Union.

    The Labour party promised stability. It also—Members should try not to laugh too loudly—said that it would create the most pro-business Government in the history of our country. None of that has come to pass. It is not just the Prime Minister who is the problem; if this Prime Minister is replaced, whoever goes on to lead the Labour party will not do any better, because Labour had no plan at all for improving our economy. It had a plan for winning an election—keep as low a profile as possible, hold the Ming vase and tiptoe across the shiny floor towards that loveless landslide—but no plan for the people of our country. The Labour Government are in hock to their Back Benchers. Every time they try to do something that requires some backbone, they are stopped by their Back Benchers.

    The record of this Government is appalling, and not just on growth. I notice that the Secretary of State did not mention unemployment once, and he certainly did not mention youth unemployment. Under this Government, we are seeing the highest unemployment in five years, and youth unemployment is nudging up towards 20%. Under the previous Labour Government, youth unemployment increased by more than 40%; under the previous Conservative Government, it reduced by more than 40%.

    Sir Ashley Fox
    (Bridgwater) (Con)
    Is it not shameful that the Government are having to subsidise employers who take on young people, when it is the Government’s actions—their imposing higher national insurance charges, a higher minimum wage, and a higher burden through the Employment Rights Act 2025—that caused the problem in the first place?

    Sir Mel Stride
    My hon. Friend is entirely right. It is like trying to apply the accelerator while having the brake on fully. That is what this Government are doing. That is the total illogicality of their approach.

    Inflation is up on where it was under the Conservatives. It is about the highest in the G7; it certainly was last year. As we lean into the challenges of oil and gas price spikes, that is a weak position to be in. Most economists will make that point. The Labour Government will have borrowed a full quarter of a trillion pounds more across this Parliament than would have been borrowed under the plans that they inherited. It is no wonder that our borrowing costs are the highest in the G7—higher than those of Greece, and higher, even, than those of Morocco. Why? We know why: it is just what socialists do. Socialists believe that you can tax your way to prosperity, but I tell the Secretary of State: you cannot.

    The £25 billion of additional tax on businesses—national insurance increases—has crucified business in this country. The burden has fallen predominantly on young people, because there was not just an increase in the rate, but a reduction to the threshold at which the tax cuts in, meaning that young people have borne the brunt of that tax increase. The sectors that rely predominantly on first-time jobbers and on young, part-time and female workers have been crucified, including the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, in which more than 100,000 jobs have been destroyed by this Government.

    Alison Griffiths
    (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) (Con)
    On Friday, I opened the new Premier Inn in my constituency—a project that was passed under the last Conservative Government—but many businesses in my constituency are failing because of increased costs and regulation. Does my right hon. Friend agree that this is an absolute travesty for our country?

    Sir Mel Stride
    My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I have had the great pleasure of visiting her constituency to speak to businesses, and that is exactly what they complain of. The Government made no effort, in the King’s Speech, to get on top of the benefits bill. There was a reference to the Timms review of the personal independence payment, but we know that in the review’s terms of reference, there is an explicit statement that it is not about controlling the welfare bill. There will be no savings as a consequence of the Timms review. That is not good enough. We have got to be about getting people off benefits and back into work.

    Tom Tugendhat
    Does my right hon. Friend not agree that we are seeing not only young people let down, but the deeply immoral act of people being kept on welfare? In five or 10 years’ time, people will have been on welfare for so long that they will not have any options. They will effectively have been left slaves of a state that has no concern for them. Nobody in this Chamber will have any power over how the welfare state will behave then, and those people will have no options. It will be the fault of this House and this Government for having kept those people there, and having imprisoned them.

    Sir Mel Stride
    That is entirely right. The Conservatives know that work matters, and getting people off benefits matters. People’s mental health is improved by going to work, and by having the social interaction, routine and sense of pride and self-worth that comes with work. That is why the level of unemployment and the failure of this Government to tackle benefits is so appalling.

    Dawn Butler
    (Brent East) (Lab)
    I used to work in the employment service, and Thatcher encouraged us not to sign people on, and to instead put them on the sick. The Conservatives created a whole generation of people on the sick, just to manipulate the numbers. How do you like those apples?

    Sir Mel Stride
    All these flashbacks to the 1980s are a slightly desperate attempt to get away from the 2020s, I think.

    The other thing that socialists love to do is borrow, borrow, borrow, and spend, spend, spend until they have run out of other people’s money. That is precisely what this Government have done. The Secretary of State mentioned the fiscal rules, but of course he failed to mention that in the run-up to the election, the Chancellor said that she would abide by our fiscal rules, and then promptly changed them, so that she could borrow more, flipping the definition of “debt” from public sector net debt to public sector financial liabilities. That allowed her to take her foot off the brake and borrow and spend even more.

    Charlie Maynard
    (Witney) (LD)
    Flashing back to the 1980s, would the right hon. Member like to remind us when the Conservatives last balanced a budget?

    Sir Mel Stride
    The current account went into a slight surplus just around 2015-16. [Interruption.] It did, actually. That was on the back of our inheriting a £160 billion deficit in 2010, which was over 10% of GDP—another example of the disasters of a Labour Government.

    The Secretary of State rightly spoke of artificial intelligence and the opportunities that it presents, but what we know of artificial intelligence is that it will have a profound and very uncertain effect on the labour market. We need a flexible skills offer to deal with that, and flexible labour markets, but through the Employment Rights Act, the Government are making the labour market more rigid, and that will hurt younger people in particular, who do not have a track record in employment, so do not be surprised if youth unemployment continues to hover around 16% or 17% as a consequence of the actions of this Government.

    When it comes to leaning into these challenges, we know that there is no plan. This Government are not going to do anything. They are just involved in internecine introspection—a civil war, now—within the Labour party. They said that they would tread lightly on our lives; in fact, they are now stampeding all over them. The rivals to the Prime Minister will be looking to double-down on the ruinous policies that I have just set out.

    We have seen the real effects of this in recent days. On Friday, after the former Member for Makerfield said that he would step down in order to ease the passage of Andy Burnham to this place, what happened to gilt yields? They spiked up 18 basis points. I have done a little bit of research, and I can tell the House that, if sustained through the forecast period, that would mean over £5 billion of additional debt servicing costs. That is about £300 for every working family in this country. That is the effect of Andy Burnham, and he has not even arrived here yet.

    We are on the edge of a precipice economically, leaning into a very turbulent time. These are the policies of the madhouse, yet we are told not to worry. The hon. Member for Liverpool Wavertree (Paula Barker), who I believe is an outrider for Andy Burnham, said of the bond markets that they would just have to “fall into line”. Andy Burnham himself said in the New Statesman:

    “We’ve got to go beyond this thing”—

    Paula Barker
    (Liverpool Wavertree) (Lab)
    Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

    Sir Mel Stride
    I will in a moment.

    Paula Barker
    On a point of order, Mr Speaker. My understanding is that if an hon. Member wishes to mention another hon. Member in the Chamber, they are supposed to give advance notice of that. I have received no such notice.

    Mr Speaker
    That is not the case. A Member should be informed if they are not here, but the hon. Lady is sitting here, quite rightly, and I am sure that the shadow Chancellor is ready to give way immediately.

    Sir Mel Stride
    I am always ready to give way, Mr Speaker, and to take your direction.

    Paula Barker
    Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the shadow Minister for giving way. I agree that what I said might not have been the most eloquent of answers. However, I would say that people in this country are fed up of the bond markets dabbling in the democracy of our country.

    Sir Mel Stride
    That is a rather unfortunate example of doubling down or continuing to dig, if I may say so. Also, the hon. Lady’s comments pale in comparison with Andy Burnham’s comments in the New Statesman, where he said:

    “We’ve got to go beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets”.

    He also suggested that defence spending should lie outside the fiscal rules, as if spending and borrowing to defend our country were a different form of borrowing from any other borrowing that this Government might entertain. He is not so much the king of the north; he is more like King Canute, sitting in his chair on the sand, dressed in his football kit, trying to push back the tide of the bond markets and saying things like, “You’ve got to fall in line” as the waters lap at his ankles and we all ultimately get swept away. It is ludicrous.

    The King’s Speech included a holiday tax that will increase the cost of the most budget holidays in this country, clobbering people who have saved up hard and just want to make some memories with their children. We also have the nationalisation of steel, which seems to be just some kind of political sop to the left on the Labour Benches.

    The Government are also going to put a stop to new oil and gas exploration. This is lunacy, when we are importing gas from Norway that is extracted from the same basin. We are also importing liquefied natural gas, formerly from Qatar and now predominantly from the United States, which has four times the carbon footprint compared with if we had extracted it ourselves using our own resources. All that energy security blown, all those jobs destroyed and all that tax revenue forgone, simply because of the ideological madness of the Labour party.

    Harriet Cross
    The shadow Chancellor is completely right to reflect on the plight of the oil and gas sector under this Labour Government: 1,000 jobs are being lost in the sector every single month, which is affecting all our constituents, not just those in the north-east of Scotland. Does he share my dismay that a Labour Government do not take that more seriously?

    Sir Mel Stride
    I do indeed. I have been up to Aberdeen, met my hon. Friend and heard at first hand about the economic effect this is having. It is utter madness. If we have an opportunity in government, we will put that right.

    I have already mentioned benefits. There was nothing of any substance about welfare in this King’s Speech. There was nothing about the defence investment plan. Where is it? It was promised back in September.

    Then we have the regulating for growth Bill—an oxymoron if ever there was one. “Regulating for growth” says all we need to know about this Labour Government. They know nothing about the economy, nothing about job creation and nothing about businesses.

    Jim Shannon
    Will the shadow Minister give way?

    Sir Mel Stride
    Briefly.

    Jim Shannon
    I thank the shadow Minister for what he is saying. Does he share my concern, and the concerns of probably many in this House, that small and medium-sized businesses will suffer more than most? The figures for Northern Ireland indicate that between 85% and 89% of the job creators there are small businesses. Northern Ireland needs something special from this Government. Does he see something special coming, or are we just wondering what is going to happen?

    Sir Mel Stride
    I am afraid that what I see coming is what is already baked in: business rates going through the roof. In some cases, small businesses on our high streets are facing 140% increases in the amount they have to pay in business rates.

    Conservative Members believe in enterprise, opportunity, aspiration and markets. We believe in risk takers, in people who work hard, and in people who get up early in the morning and do the right thing—go out and create wealth, create jobs and grow our economy. Because of that, at our last conference we set out £47 billion-worth of savings, predominantly—£23 billion—on the welfare budget. With that we could do two wonderful things: first, we could start to bear down on the deficit and get on top of the debt, which is out of control under this Government; and secondly, we could get taxes down, particularly on the productive parts of the economy. We therefore announced the abolition of stamp duty and a tax cut for young people.

    There is more in our alternative King’s Speech: a Bill to back our high streets and cut business rates for a quarter of a million of our high street businesses; a get Britain working Bill to reverse the damage done by the Employment Rights Act; a reducing bureaucracy Bill to remove the mountain of environmental, social and governance regulations; a save British industry Bill to get rid of the Climate Change Act 2008 and abolish the zero emission vehicle mandate; a cheap energy Bill to get rid of renewables subsidies and bring down bills for households and businesses; a getting Britain drilling Bill to reinvigorate our North sea oil and gas industry, creating jobs and boosting our exports; and a welfare reform Bill to get the benefits bill under control and restore the two-child cap. That is the serious plan that our economy needs. That is the plan to back our businesses and deliver growth. That is a Conservative plan for a better Britain.

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2026 Speech to UKREiiF 2026

    Matthew Pennycook – 2026 Speech to UKREiiF 2026

    The speech made by Matthew Pennycook, the Housing Minister, in Leeds on 19 May 2026.

    [This is the version issued by the Ministry of Housing with two small sections of political content redacted]

    Thank you for that kind introduction and good morning, ladies and gentlemen – it is a pleasure to join you here in Leeds.

    Since its launch four years ago, UKREiiF has gone from strength to strength.

    It is now a catalyst for significant investment and growth, generating economic activity in every part of the country including this growing and fast, dynamic city, and the wider West Yorkshire region.

    As a domestic forum for discussion, networking and deal making between investors, developers and local authorities looking to shape the future of our towns, cities and regions, it is now unrivalled.

    And for those looking to attract global capital, and, dare I say it, government ministers whose diaries don’t always lend themselves to intense four-day events in the Mediterranean, it arguably now surpasses its overseas rivals.

    I want to thank everyone involved in organising this annual event, including the City Council and various partners, for all they have done to make it the success that it is.

    I’m here at UKREiiF today to discuss what more can be done to secure investment; drive regeneration; and accelerate development in every part of the country.

    To exchange views about how together, we can tackle the housing crisis, support economic growth and ensure that the real estate, property and infrastructure sectors flourish.

    And I come with a simple message: this [Political content removed] government arrived in office with a bold and comprehensive plan to build the homes and infrastructure the country needs.

    We are faithfully executing that plan.

    It is beginning to bear fruit.

    And while the headwinds are undoubtedly growing stronger, we are going to stay the course and finish the job.

    Uninformed critics will no doubt decry my reference to stronger headwinds as an attempt to deflect blame for early falls in housing delivery that I can assure all of you were fully expected and anticipated in opposition.

    But everyone in this room will know that the very real challenges that the sector has experienced over recent years – rising interest rates, significant increases in building materials costs, and dampened buyer demand – have been exacerbated by the global turbulence of recent months.

    I want you to know that the Secretary of State and I are acutely aware of the more uncertain environment in which you are now operating.

    We also appreciate that your present challenges follow a series of housing market downturns, the scars of which your cash reserves, supply chains and project pipelines still bear.

    Where compatible with our objectives as a government, we remain committed to doing everything we can to reduce development risks and associated transaction costs so that you can get on and build.

    But it is only together that we can successfully navigate these tumultuous times, working in partnership to create a housing system that is more resilient to economic shocks of the kind produced by the conflict in the Gulf.

    The case for fundamentally transforming the housing system that we inherited is unarguable.

    By any metric, it has been an abject failure.

    As I’ve argued many times, in many different parts of the country: the crisis of housing availability, affordability and quality that that system has produced is blighting lives and hampering economic growth and productivity.

    That is why, as a government, we set ourselves the task of reforming this failing system root and branch.

    Over recent days, I’ve listened with some amusement to colleagues claim that we arrived in government underprepared and lacking clarity of vision and direction.

    When it comes to housing and planning, nothing could be further from the truth.

    We used every waking moment in opposition to develop a bold and comprehensive plan – one that over the past twenty-two and a half months has allowed us to undertake the most rapid, holistic and radical overhaul of the housing and planning system in decades.

    Within six months of taking office, you will know that we published a revised National Planning Policy Framework.

    Through it, we restored and raised mandatory housing targets; strengthened brownfield land policy; and introduced a modernised, strategic approach to Green Belt land designation and release.

    The Office for Budget Responsibility have estimated that these changes alone will boost GDP by £6.8 billion by 2029/30 and will lead to the highest level of housebuilding in 40 years.

    In December last year, we built on those initial revisions, publishing for consultation a wholly restructured Framework.

    This modified NPPF incorporates new clear and rules-based national policies for both plan and decision-making and includes new policies such as a permanent presumption in favour of suitably located development and a “default yes” for suitable proposals that develop land around rail stations.

    In the same month, our landmark Planning and Infrastructure Act received Royal Assent.

    This Act is already enabling us to speed up and streamline the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure, not least by allowing the dismissal of legal challenges to DCOs that are ‘totally without merit’.  

    Once we have switched on the Act in its entirety, including overhauling the consenting process for critical infrastructure; our new Nature Restoration Fund; new mechanisms for cross-boundary strategic planning; and the modernisation of planning committees, we estimate that this single piece of legislation could boost GDP by up to £7.5 billion over the next decade.

    Having received the final report of the independent New Towns Taskforce in September last year, we launched a public consultation in March on our proposed New Towns Programme.

    The large-scale new communities that this will create will make a significant contribution to meeting housing need across England and support economic growth by releasing the productive potential of our constrained towns and cities.

    The programme is an integral part of our plans to boost innovation, quality and competition in housebuilding.

    Given the critical importance of boosting the supply of social and affordable housing for meeting housing need, sustaining the wider development pipeline and supporting timely build out, we have delivered the biggest boost to grant funding in a generation through our £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme and we’ve given Registered Providers the regulatory certainty and stability they need to quickly ramp up investment in existing and new stock.

    And that is not all.

    On arriving in office, we quickly established a New Homes Accelerator that has helped remove blockages and speed up the building of over 130,000 homes across England…

    We have created a new, permanent National Housing Bank backed by £16 billion of new financial capacity…

    We are putting in place a new plan-making system and taking concerted action to drive up local plan coverage…

    We are progressing a range of policy and regulatory easements to help small and medium sized housebuilders thrive and grow and thereby diversify our housebuilding market…

    We have allocated almost £100 million of investment to support local planning authorities with capacity and capability…

    We have invested over £600 million in training tens of thousands of new construction workers.

    We’re reforming the Building Safety Regulator established by the previous government to improve its operations and processes.

    I could easily go on ladies and gentlemen.

    My point in reeling off this long list is a simple one: no government in living memory has done more to tackle the country’s housing and infrastructure deficit than the one I am proud to be a member of.

    While much has been done, there obviously remains much more to do as we strive to hit our incredibly stretching target of 1.5 million new homes in this Parliament.

    We do need to finalise a range of legislative and policy measures.

    We have to publish a final, revised NPPF, and we will do so this summer.

    We have to bring into force our new National Scheme of Delegation, and we will lay the required regulations in the coming weeks.

    We have to consult on the first of our Environmental Delivery Plans concerning nutrient pollution and we will do so in the coming months.

    We must reform the role of statutory consultees in the planning system, and we will announce the outcome of our consultation on this matter before the summer recess.

    Yet, the focus of my Department has now turned very firmly towards ensuring the new system delivers.

    Among other things that means a renewed emphasis on removing ‘grit’ from the planning process to ensure that the application journey is as fast and easy as possible, and it also means a greater focus on what more we can do to support consented sites that are struggling.

    Our New Homes Accelerator will play a crucial role in this effort.

    It has already unblocked and accelerated the delivery of scores of large sites that were encountering significant delays or obstacles – providing planning advice, technical assistance, and brokering across government, including with stat cons.

    To take just two examples:

    At Hampden Fields in Buckinghamshire, engagement with the Environment Agency through the NHA enabled all flood risk activity permits to be promptly issued and the first homes are now being occupied.

    At Langley in the West Midlands, the NHA provided funding for technical support for site design that will enable the project to deliver homes more efficiently.

    Across the country, the NHA is currently supporting 28 sites, and we’ve expanded the scope of the sites that it can now support.

    New sites, like Northwest Sittingbourne in Kent and Benthall Grange in Shropshire, are continuously being added and the NHA online portals remain permanently open for any projects that might require support.

    Homes England, as the government’s principal housing delivery arm, also has a critical role to play in accelerating development and ramping up housing supply.

    Under the leadership of Pat Ritchie and Amy Rees, it is delivering.

    In the last financial year, the Agency supported the completion of over 40,000 homes and leveraged £22.6 billion of private sector investment.

    Under its new regional operating model, it is working more closely than ever with local leaders to support housing delivery including Richard and our partners in the West Midlands who will launch the Birmingham East Mayoral Development Corporation at this event later this morning.

    The Agency is also integral to the delivery of important initiatives such as our Small Sites Aggregator and building on the pilots in Bristol, Lewisham, and Sheffield, I am pleased today to confirm its national rollout.

    The initiative will unlock dormant, unviable small brownfield sites and through the forging of new partnerships between the public and private sector will attract investment to use them to build 10,000 social rent homes a year.

    And to further support communities build new homes and drive innovation, I can announce today that we are working with 23 ambitious local authorities to co-develop a pattern book of standard house designs which we intend to publish by the end of the year.

    These designs will help unlock economies of scale to support investment in MMC, remove barriers for SME developers, and help local authorities deliver homes on small sites they own.

    Ladies and gentlemen let me finish by saying this…

    As a government, we have been clear that we refuse to accept the stagnation and decline that we were bequeathed.

    As a country we enjoy world leading expertise in engineering, construction, planning, design, finance and project management.

    We have a well known tendency to downplay our strengths but the quality of some of our placemaking is second to none.

    We have it in our power, in other words, to lead the world when it comes to urban development and regeneration.

    And yet our full potential remains unfulfilled.

    When it comes to housing and infrastructure, unlike [Political content removed], we have been prepared to will the means as well as the ends and to bear the opprobrium of those content with a failing status quo.

    But getting Britain building again is not in the gift of ministers alone. Much as I wish it were otherwise.

    It requires every part of industry to play its part.

    Now we know things are incredibly tough right now.

    We want you to be frank with us about the challenges you face, and what might be done to help you overcome them.

    If you share our objectives, we want to support you in any way we can. 

    But we also need your help because it is only together that we can ensure that our country enjoys high and sustainable rates of housebuilding and world class infrastructure provision in the years ahead.

    And I very much look forward to continuing to work with you all in pursuit of that aim.

    Thank you for listening.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New urban village with nearly 2,000 homes another step closer for Leeds thanks to £16 million government funding boost [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : New urban village with nearly 2,000 homes another step closer for Leeds thanks to £16 million government funding boost [May 2026]

    The press release issued by Homes England on 19 May 2026.

    Transformation of redundant brownfield land into a thriving urban neighbourhood by Caddick Group boosted by £16 million Homes England grant.

    Plans to turn derelict land in the heart of Leeds into a thriving new mixed-use neighbourhood with nearly 2,000 homes have taken a major step forward. 

    Homes England, the government’s housing and regeneration agency, has announced it will provide a £16 million infrastructure grant to Caddick Group to help deliver Leeds South Village.

    The long-term funding will allow Caddick Group to progress vital infrastructure works at South Village including roads, utilities and significant green space. 

    The site has outline planning permission for 1,925 homes, a proportion of which will be affordable, alongside commercial and significant green spaces. It is part of the city’s South Bank, a former industrial heartland now at the centre of significant regeneration efforts and is one of the focus areas of Homes England’s Strategic Place Partnership (SPP) with West Yorkshire Combined Authority.  

    The site will also be part of bold new plans to establish a Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ), unveiled today (19 May) by West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin and Leader of Leeds City Council Cllr James Lewis. Subject to approval by West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the MDZ would cover a broad area across Leeds city centre, acting as a powerful delivery vehicle to unlock up to 20,000 new homes, local jobs, major new public spaces, cultural destinations and commercial developments. 

    Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:

    The government is building the homes we need and transforming neglected brownfield into thriving places where people want to live.

    Our cash injection in Leeds will not only see local families achieve the homeownership dream but it will also open the door to job opportunities, community facilities, and more green spaces. By working together, we can make a real difference in this special part of the city.

    Amy Rees CB, Homes England Chief Executive, said:

    The agency is proud to support meaningful collaboration, powered by new funds, blended interventions and even deeper regional relationships, that mean once redundant spaces can become thriving places to live, work and grow for generations to come. We are working at pace with partners across Leeds and West Yorkshire, and in places across England, to accelerate housing and regeneration delivery for people the length and breadth of the country and to help boost economic growth.

    Tom Bridges,  Homes England Executive Regional Director for the North East and Yorkshire, said: 

    Leeds South Village is an example of how collaboration with multiple partners, coupled with essential, long term support to the sector, breeds confidence and breathes renewed energy into tailoring place-based solutions and realising a clear locally-led vision. It is so important to work closely with leaders and communities who know their area best to unlock progress, find solutions and create sustainable, high-quality homes and places that work for local people.

    Lee Savage, Director at Caddick and project lead for South Village, Leeds, said: 

    The funding from Homes England marks a major milestone for South Village and Caddick’s aspirations for the Leeds’ South Bank, enabling us to move decisively into delivery. 

    The infrastructure works now getting underway are significant in both scale and complexity and will lay the foundations for the new neighbourhood, delivering essential roads, footpaths and cycleways, and unlocking the site for rapid onward development. 

    We’re proud to be working in close partnership with the Government, Homes England, Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to transform this long-derelict site into a vibrant, sustainable mixed-use neighbourhood for the city.

    Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council said: 

    The momentum we are seeing across the South Bank is clear. Between the ongoing works at Elland Road and now the progress here at South Village, we are transforming this area into a vibrant destination for residents and businesses alike. 

    With future milestones at sites like the Royal Armouries still to come, the scale of our ambition is becoming a reality. The progress and speed which we are making this happen is a testament to the power of partnership and the spirit of collaboration that defines our city.

    Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said: 

    Having a safe and secure home is a basic human right that everyone deserves, and this funding will help us support the delivery of thousands of much-needed homes for families. 

    Transforming disused land in Leeds South Village to build almost 2,000 new, high‑quality homes will help us deliver record numbers of affordable homes, create new thriving communities, as well as protect vital green spaces. 

    Devolution is working in West Yorkshire, and we remain committed to working with partners such as Homes England as we build a stronger, brighter region that works for all. 

    The Homes England grant is an example of how new funds and interventions launched earlier this year by the agency is supporting the sector, partners and local leaders at pace, with more tailored support, flexibility, longer-term funding and the ability to support delivery at scale.   

  • PRESS RELEASE : ‘Appalling’ director, Ademilson Nascimento, banned for maximum 15 years after securing Covid loan for company which never traded [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : ‘Appalling’ director, Ademilson Nascimento, banned for maximum 15 years after securing Covid loan for company which never traded [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Insolvency Service on 19 May 2026.

    South London director disqualified for Bounce Back Loan abuse.

    • Ademilson Nascimento secured £46,500 in Bounce Back Loan funds for a construction company which never traded
    • His actions were described by the judge as “bluntly appalling”, “dishonest”, and “deliberate”
    • Nascimento has been banned as a company director for 15 years, the maximum period possible

    A South London man who secured Covid support funds for a construction firm which never traded has been disqualified as a company director for the maximum period of 15 years.

    Ademilson Nascimento obtained a £46,500 Bounce Back Loan in July 2020 by falsely claiming that his Buildan Construction Ltd company had a turnover of £192,000.

    The 53-year-old also failed to use the money for the economic benefit of his business as required under the terms of the scheme, because the company never traded.

    Indeed, the company filed dormant accounts for 2019, 2020 and 2021.

    Nascimento, of Ridgemount Close, was disqualified as a company director for 15 years at a hearing of the High Court in London on Tuesday 28 April.

    His ban started on Tuesday 19 May.

    He was also ordered to pay costs of £5,667.

    Simon Gillett, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

    Ademilson Nascimento’s conduct was described by the judge as ‘bluntly appalling’ and it’s clear to see why.

    His selfish actions caused real harm to the public purse and showed utter contempt for a scheme designed to support genuine businesses during the pandemic.

    The Insolvency Service will not tolerate those who abuse their position as a company director, as this lengthy disqualification demonstrates.

    Nascimento’s disqualification runs through until May 2041 and prevents him from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

    Buildan Construction Ltd went into liquidation in April 2023 and was dissolved in December 2025.

    Further information

    • Ademilson Nascimento is of Ridgemount Close, London. His date of birth is 9 July 1972
  • PRESS RELEASE : Homes England achieves highest number of completions since 2020 as new era of housing and regeneration delivery hits the ground running [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Homes England achieves highest number of completions since 2020 as new era of housing and regeneration delivery hits the ground running [May 2026]

    The press release issued by Homes England on 19 May 2026.

    Government agency surpasses number of starts, completions and land unlocked compared to previous year and exceeds two of three 2025/26 key targets.

    Homes England achieved the highest number of housing completions for six years in 2025/26 and outperformed against two of its three government set targets, preliminary figures show.

    The government’s housing and regeneration agency, working in close collaboration with thousands of regional and national stakeholders:

    • enabled the completion of more than 40,200 homes, up 9% on 2024/25 (36,900) and a 97% achievement against the latest government target (41,500).
    • facilitated the start of construction for an additional 42,400 homes, up 11% on 2024/25 (38,300), and a 114% achievement against the latest government target (37,100).
    • unlocked land capable of delivering 61,7008 further homes, a 115% achievement against the latest government target (53,700).

    The figures represent a snapshot of progress during a pivotal year of change for the agency including the launch of its new Strategic Plan to 2030, setting out new support to partners including more tailored support, flexibility, longer-term funding and the ability to support delivery at scale.  

    Delivering on the plan at pace, key agency developments in 2026 have so far included:

    • Completion of hundreds of millions of pounds investments, aiming to support the delivery of thousands of new homes across the country.
    • Launch of a new regionally focused operating model, strengthening collaboration with Mayors, local leaders and partners and ensuring tailored solutions for housing and regeneration reflect local priorities, building on 10 strategic place partnerships the agency has with combined authorities across the country.
    • Launch of the £27.2 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) 2026-2036 (excluding London) to accelerate the delivery of hundreds of thousands of new homes for social rent, affordable rent and shared ownership, helping to meet housing need while creating thriving, sustainable communities.
    • Launch of the National Housing Bank, a Homes England company, which will work with house builders, developers, investors and registered providers to deploy up to £16 billion of debt, equity and guarantees.
    • Launch of the agency’s wider Investment Prospectus, setting our investment principles, themes and criteria, alongside the products and interventions available to partner organisations including the National Housing Delivery Fund.

    Pat Ritchie CBE, Chair of Homes England, said:

    These figures tell the story of the positive impact of collaboration – when organisations with a common aim, from communities to town halls to central government, work together to deliver the new homes and thriving places that people want and need across the country.

    Agency colleagues are not just experts but enablers and collaborators within this context. Our new regional operating model, which is embedding at pace, deepens the tailored support we can provide to local leaders with a clear vision for their communities, and I expect 2026/27 to be a year of even stronger collaboration for the benefit of people across England.

    Amy Rees CB, Chief Executive of Homes England, said:

    I am proud of what the agency and its many partners achieved in 2025/26, but our ambition is to go further and faster. Our new funds and greater autonomy, including the National Housing Bank and the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, equip us to do this at pace and provide the sector – from SME builders to global investors – with flexibility and long-term confidence to invest and deliver homes and regenerated places that are desperately needed.

    The provisional performance figures are part of Homes England’s annual report, which will be published this summer.

    Notes to editors:

    • ‘Unlocked’ refers to land that is capable of delivering homes.
    • Homes England is the government’s housing and regeneration agency. We’re here to drive the creation of more affordable, quality homes and thriving places so that everyone has a place to live and grow.  We make this happen by working in partnership with thousands of organisations of all sizes, using our powers, expertise, land, capital and influence to bring investment to communities and get more quality homes built.  Link to learn more about Homes England.
    • Figures in the press release are rounded to the nearest 100 for ease of understanding. Exact figures are below, with the exception of starts and completions delivered in 2025/26, which will be published as official statistics at the end of June. All 2025/26 figures in this release are provisional management information and may be subject to change following further validation.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Maternity Advisor to champion safer care for mothers and babies [May 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Maternity Advisor to champion safer care for mothers and babies [May 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 19 May 2026.

    Michelle Welsh MP appointed as the government’s first Maternity Advisor.

    Women and families failed by maternity services will be better heard and their experiences will drive lasting improvements to care, as Michelle Welsh MP has been appointed as the government’s first Maternity Advisor.

    Welsh will work directly with families, the government, the NHS and key maternity organisations to push for better, safer care for mothers, babies and families.

    She will meet regularly with ministers to share evidence and advice, and work with families and communities to bring a wide range of voices into the heart of the government’s action to improve maternity services. There will be a special focus on those from communities that face the greatest health inequalities.

    Health and Social Care Secretary James Murray said:

    Far too many women and families have been let down by maternity services, and that must change.

    Michelle Welsh brings exactly the commitment and expertise this role demands, and I know she will be a powerful champion for the women and families.

    Today marks a significant step forward in our determination to make maternity care safer for every mother and baby in England.

    Michelle Welsh, MP and Maternity Advisor said:

    I am honoured to have been appointed as the National Maternity Advisor to the Government.

    This role is deeply personal to me. Like far too many women across this country, I know what it feels like to come through childbirth carrying both physical and emotional scars. That experience has strengthened my determination to fight for safer, more compassionate maternity care for every family.

    As National Maternity Advisor, I will work tirelessly to drive forward meaningful reform focused on safer staffing, stronger accountability, listening to women, tackling inequalities and ensuring lessons are learned when failures happen.

    This is about rebuilding trust and creating a maternity system that is not only safer, but kinder too.

    Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England, said:

    I warmly welcome Michelle Welsh to this new role of Maternity Advisor and look forward to working together to improve maternity care across the country.

    Michelle will be a fantastic advocate to ensure women’s experiences and voices are heard and help us continue to shine a light on and address the inequalities faced by mothers and babies from ethnic minorities.

    Her appointment and the work of the taskforce will be vital to our drive to ensure that all women experience the best maternity care before, during and after their pregnancy.

    Welsh brings both personal and professional experience to the role. As a harmed mother from Nottinghamshire, she has lived through the failures she is now fighting to fix.

    As Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Maternity, Welsh has also spoken to thousands of other women and families across the country about their experiences and has been a tireless advocate for making maternity services safer, particularly for Black, Asian and minority women who face the greatest inequalities in care.

    Welsh was also the first elected member in Nottinghamshire to call for an independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, in 2020.

    Welsh will also sit as a member on the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce – set up to drive change in response to Baroness Amos’ independent investigation into maternity and neonatal care. Welsh will work closely with the Taskforce on the response and implementation of the actions from the investigation, expected in June.

    Separately, the Taskforce has today published its Terms of Reference.

    The Taskforce has two core jobs: developing a national action plan covering the full maternity journey, from pre-pregnancy through to postnatal and bereavement support, and holding the NHS to account for delivering real improvements for women, babies and families. A key focus will be closing the stark inequalities that mean Black and Asian women are significantly more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than white women.

    Families and those with lived experience remain at the heart of the Taskforce’s work. This includes membership of the Expert Reference Groups announced today, which bring together families, clinicians, charities and academics to directly inform its decisions.

    This builds on significant action the government has already taken since July 2024, including investing £149 million in maternity and neonatal facilities, and expanding mental health services and baby loss support for families.

  • Yvette Cooper – 2026 Comments on the Strait of Hormuz

    Yvette Cooper – 2026 Comments on the Strait of Hormuz

    The comments made by Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, on 19 May 2026.

    The world is sleepwalking into a global food crisis. We cannot risk tens of millions of people going hungry because one country has hijacked an international shipping lane. Iran’s continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz while the agriculture clock is ticking shows why we need urgent global pressure to get the Strait reopened, fertiliser and fuel moving and ease the costs of living pressures. That is why we will continue to lead calls for the immediate and unrestricted opening of the Strait and advance plans for the Strait of Hormuz Multinational Mission to support any agreement. 

    This crisis is affecting developed and developing countries, the private and public sectors alike. It shows why we need a new approach to global partnerships, to drive international development to prevent crises in the first place.  

    The world has changed faster than the international system can support it. This conference reflects our modern approach to development working in a new spirit of partnership and building new coalitions to drive a world free from poverty on a liveable planet.  

    Our commitment to international development reflects our values and our national interest. In an increasingly interconnected world, instability abroad affects us here at home, from energy prices to food security. Building resilience abroad makes the UK stronger, that’s what this week’s conference is about.