Tag: 2026

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 62 – UK Explanation of Position on the draft resolution on Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar [July 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 62 – UK Explanation of Position on the draft resolution on Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar [July 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 July 2026.

    UK Explanation of Position on the draft resolution on Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar. Delivered by UK Chargé d’Affaires ad Interim to Myanmar, Andrew Jackson.

    Thank you Mr President, 

    The UK would like to thank the OIC for presenting Resolution L.20 on the human rights situation of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar. 

    As we have heard repeatedly throughout this Council, including from the High Commissioner and Special Rapporteur, the Rohingya and other minorities in Myanmar continue to suffer from appalling human rights violations and abuses at the hands of the Military and other armed groups.  

    The High Commissioner’s latest report highlights the continued deterioration of the situation in Myanmar, including at least 702 civilian deaths during the reporting period, of which 476 resulted from airstrikes. Behind these stark figures are lives lost, families torn apart and communities living in fear every day. The UK condemns the Military’s continued use of violence, which is inflicting immense suffering on civilians and deepening an already devastating humanitarian crisis. 

    The Rohingya continue to face persecution, discrimination, statelessness, and restrictions on freedom of movement. Ongoing violence in Rakhine State has further exacerbated their vulnerability, alongside other minority communities, exposing many to sexual and gender-based violence and forcing thousands more to flee their homes in search of safety.

    The UK recognises the important role played by Bangladesh in hosting over 1.2 million Rohingya refugees and acknowledges the immense challenges it faces, including pressures on infrastructure and security in the camps. Greater self-reliance for refugees and improved safety and security are vital to supporting the wellbeing of the Rohingya, and in creating the conditions for eventual safe, voluntary, sustainable and dignified returns. 

    This resolution rightly maintains the Council’s attention on the plight of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar. We welcome its strong focus on accountability including through ongoing international processes and mechanisms. Ending impunity is essential to breaking cycles of violence and ensuring justice for victims and survivors. 

    Mr President, 

    While we will join consensus on this resolution, we wish to place on record the UK’s position that though we continue to address human rights violations and abuses, wherever they occur in Myanmar, we must be clear that the military bears primary responsibility for systematic violations against the Rohingya and other civilian populations. 

    The situation in Myanmar deserves sustained collective attention and resolve of this Council. The United Kingdom remains committed to working with the OIC and international partners to address the root causes of the crisis, support accountability, and advance the rights and dignity of the Rohingya and all people of Myanmar. 

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Millions invested in new missile to strengthen British Army’s capability and NATO deterrence [July 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Millions invested in new missile to strengthen British Army’s capability and NATO deterrence [July 2026]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 7 July 2026.

    The UK will join the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) programme, supporting a transformation in the British Army’s ability to strike targets further away and strengthening the UK’s contribution to NATO deterrence.

    • British Army to acquire the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), a proven supersonic ballistic missile capable of hitting targets up to 500km away.
    • PrSM will help the Army’s ability to find, fix and strike threats to destroy enemy systems and supply lines before they can threaten NATO forces and territory.
    • Procurement backed by £190 million from the Government’s £298 billion Defence Investment Plan, expected to support British jobs.

    The UK will join the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) programme, supporting a transformation in the British Army’s ability to strike targets further away and strengthening the UK’s contribution to NATO deterrence.

    Backed by £190 million in the Government’s £298 billion Defence Investment Plan, the procurement of PrSM will extend the Army’s current land-based strike range significantly.

    PrSM is a proven ballistic missile capable of reaching supersonic speeds and travelling up to 500km. It is fully compatible with the UK’s existing upgraded M270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) launchers, meaning no additional vehicle modifications will be required.

    Currently built by Lockheed Martin, the missile provides the capability to take out stationary enemy systems and weapons up to 500km away. Future development could enhance the capability further. 

    The investment in PrSM gives the British Army a deep surface-to-surface ballistic missile capability that will complement the Army’s One Way Effector (OWE) drone and ground-launched cruise missile capability. This will create a mix of long-range precision strike options that the British Army needs to defend and deter as part of NATO.

    PrSM is a collaborative programme between the United States and Australia. Subject to agreement with them, the UK could receive the first deliveries in 2027. The announcement follows NATO Defence Ministers meeting which focused on cooperation and deterrence, and where Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis met with US Secretary of War Hegseth.

    Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis MBE MP said:

    I am absolutely determined to give our soldiers the weapons they need as they defend our nation and NATO.

    This new investment into a precision strike missile will help to strengthen our Army and our security at this increasingly dangerous time.

    The US and Australia are vital defence partners, and I am working with Secretary Hegseth and Deputy Prime Minister Marles to deliver this programme alongside AUKUS.

    UK participation will provide significant benefits to the UK, US, Australia and NATO beyond the immediate military capability. Benefits include working collaboratively to further develop the missile – bringing in the best of British industry, and workshare to produce the missile – creating good jobs in the UK. Working with the US and Australia, the programme aligns strongly with AUKUS Pillar 2.

    The UK remains firmly committed to the Deep Precision Strike and European Long Range Strike Approach with European partners, including Germany. PrSM will be a complementary capability available immediately and does not replace longer-term collaborative programmes.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Sir Andy Marsh announced as preferred candidate for HM Chief Inspector [July 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Sir Andy Marsh announced as preferred candidate for HM Chief Inspector [July 2026]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 7 July 2026.

    College of Policing chief executive has 30 years’ policing experience and led significant reforms in professional standards, leadership and technology.

    The Home Secretary has today (7 July 2026) confirmed Sir Andy Marsh QPM as the government’s preferred candidate for the role of HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in England and Wales and Chief Inspector of Fire & Rescue in England (HMCI).

    Sir Andy Marsh has been Chief Executive of the College of Policing since September 2021.

    Sir Andy has over 30 years’ policing experience, having joined Avon and Somerset Police in 1987 and rising to senior leadership roles including Chief Constable of Hampshire Constabulary and Avon and Somerset Police.

    Sir Andy has led significant reform across policing, including improvements in professional standards, leadership development, and the use of technology and evidence-based practice. He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in 2018 and was knighted in 2024 for services to policing.

    The recommendation follows a fair and open recruitment process, conducted in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    Crime and Policing Minister, Sarah Jones, said:

    Sir Andy Marsh has extensive experience at the highest levels of policing. He is the right person to take on this vital role as we deliver the most ambitious reforms to policing in two centuries and help shape the future of the fire sector.

    I would like to thank Michelle Skeer for her leadership of the Inspectorate since April.

    Sir Andy Marsh said:

    It is a privilege to be named as preferred candidate at what is a pivotal moment for policing and fire. I’ve spent my career alongside the dedicated officers and staff who work every day to keep the public safe, and I know first-hand the difference the right leadership, standards and support can make. My focus will be on the issues that matter most to our communities, and on making sure the people doing this vital work have everything they need to do it well.

    Pre-appointment scrutiny by the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) will follow shortly, which is an important part of the process for some of the most significant public appointments made by ministers. It is designed to provide an added level of scrutiny to verify that the recruitment meets the principles set out in the Governance Code.

    If Sir Andy’s appointment is finalised, he will succeed HMCI Michelle Skeer OBE QPM, who has been in post on an interim basis since the departure of HMCI Sir Andy Cooke QPM DL in April 2026.

    Following a pre-appointment hearing on 14 July, HASC will publish their recommendations, which the government will consider before deciding whether to finalise the appointment.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Local journalism to benefit from new government funding to reach new audiences [July 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Local journalism to benefit from new government funding to reach new audiences [July 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 7 July 2026.

    Local news outlets can now apply for grants of up to £125,000 to support their long-term financial sustainability.

    • Local News Fund is part of the government’s Local Media Action Plan – a strategy backing the essential role of local media in our towns and communities 
    • Second year of the Fund will also be used to tackle ‘news deserts’, by helping to revive a local news presence in communities that currently lack one.

    Local news outlets can now bid for a share of up to £12 million in government funding over the next two years, which will ensure communities can continue to benefit from trusted, high-quality local journalism.

    Part of ‘Amplify: The Local Media Action Plan’, the Fund will provide £6 million in 2026/27 and up to a further £6 million in 2027/28, which will help ensure the long-term provision of high-quality local news by enabling organisations to continue innovating towards a digital and sustainable future.

    The Plan demonstrates the government’s commitment to the future of local journalism, ensuring it can continue to enrich our national conversation, strengthen communities and social cohesion, rebuild social trust, and support local growth.

    The majority of the 2026/27 Fund will be awarded to local news outlets in print, online, or independent local TV and radio stations, through a competitive bidding process, with £125,000 the maximum available to a single organisation. The funding can be used to invest in the tools and services – such as apps or innovative use of multimedia channels – needed for sustainable innovation which can help local media tap into new or younger audiences and generate new sources of revenue.

    The remainder of the Fund will be allocated through a separate bidding process which also opens today, reserved for organisations which are developing the infrastructure that can benefit the industry as a whole, with bids allowed up to £275,000. 

    Evidence shows that up to 37 local authority districts now have no print, online, TV or radio outlet dedicated specifically to that area – leaving as many as 4.4 million citizens in local ‘news deserts’, which disproportionately occur in the most deprived urban areas.

    That’s why in the second year of the Fund, £1 million will be dedicated to tackling these local news deserts in collaboration with key community stakeholders, to revive or establish a local news presence in areas of need. This will help address news inequality, as local news closures disproportionately affect deprived urban districts, while new enterprises are concentrated in more affluent communities.

    Subject to availability, up to a further £5 million in 2027/28 will provide continued support for the financial sustainability and innovation of the sector. 

    To qualify for local news outlet funding, prospective bidders must be able to demonstrate a track record in the provision of local news to audiences in England or Wales. 

    Media Minister Ian Murray MP said: 

    Local media is a cornerstone of our civic life and when it declines, communities lose access to accurate information, scrutiny of decision-makers and a vital local voice. That’s why we’re launching the Local News Fund – with up to £12 million available over the next two years, it marks an important step towards securing the future of local media across the UK. 

    I encourage local news organisations, publishers and innovators to come forward with ambitious proposals that will help to strengthen local media for the long term, ensuring communities continue to benefit from high-quality, trusted local reporting.

    Polly Curtis, Co-Chair of the Local News Fund Steering Board, said:

    Strong local news creates stronger communities. This £6 million fund is an investment in civic life, democracy and the trusted journalism that helps bring people together. 

    We encourage everyone who is working in local news to put forward their most innovative ideas to help build shared resilience for the future for local journalism.

    Jeremy Clifford, Co-Chair of the Local News Fund Steering Board, said:

    The local news industry has a track record of innovating and responding to the many challenges it has faced down the years. However, often those innovations fail to get off the ground because they cannot be funded. 

    We strongly believe this fund can help to ignite that innovative thinking and be the catalyst for delivering some exciting and imaginative experiments.

    Laura Davison, NUJ General Secretary, said:  

    The NUJ welcomes the launch of the Local News Fund. For many years the union has campaigned for government grants to preserve and bolster local journalism subject to appropriate safeguards. 

    The Fund is recognition that the industry cannot be left to the vagaries of the market and that our members working in local news play a pivotal role in upholding social cohesion and democracy.

  • Jon Sopel – 2026 Comments on Nigel Farage and By-Election

    Jon Sopel – 2026 Comments on Nigel Farage and By-Election

    The comments made by Jon Sopel on 8 July 2026.

    People versus the establishment?

    Are you kidding?

    Nigel Farage is the son of a stockbroker who went to Dulwich College and then follows his dad into the city, gets gifted millions, promotes crypto and gold bullion, been in politics for decades – he IS the establishment.

  • Count Binface – 2026 Comments on Nigel Farage and By-Election

    Count Binface – 2026 Comments on Nigel Farage and By-Election

    The comments made by Count Binface on 7 July 2026.

    Labour, Tories, Lib Dems and Greens: I demand you stand down in Clacton. I will be a unity candidate and pledge to build at least one affordable house.

    Nigel Farage says he wants The People versus the Establishment. So be it.

    Leave him to me.

  • Wes Streeting – 2026 Comments on Nigel Farage and By-Election

    Wes Streeting – 2026 Comments on Nigel Farage and By-Election

    The comments made by Wes Streeting, the Labour MP for Ilford North, on 7 July 2026.

    I’ve always believed that people deserve a Labour choice at an election, but I’m glad we’re not taking part in Farage’s Clacton clown show.

    He’s subject to the same rules as every other MP – he just whinges when he’s held to those same standards.

  • Karl Turner – 2026 Comments on Nigel Farage and By-Election

    Karl Turner – 2026 Comments on Nigel Farage and By-Election

    The comments made by Karl Turner, the MP for East Hull, on 8 July 2026.

    I am not an expert but as I understand it if an MP who is being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards resigns their seat before the investigation is completed, the investigation is generally suspended rather than abandoned. If that person is then re-elected to the House of Commons, the investigation resumes from where it left off. That is the rule.

    Nigel Farage cannot circumvent the rule and will likely face a second by-election.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 62 – UK Explanation of Vote on the draft resolution on Eritrea [July 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 62 – UK Explanation of Vote on the draft resolution on Eritrea [July 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 July 2026.

    UK Explanation of Vote on the draft resolution on the human rights situation in Eritrea. Delivered by UK Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

    Mr President,

    The UK remains concerned by the human rights situation in Eritrea. The system of indefinite national service has a suffocating impact on the lives of Eritreans, especially young people, and has contributed to mass emigration including to the UK. It requires urgent reform.  

    We welcome areas of progress that have been made in Eritrea; including relating to essential health services and education. In particular, and as recognised in this draft resolution, we are pleased to see the release of some arbitrarily detained persons held for political or religious reasons. We encourage the Eritrean government to extend these releases to the many more that remain arbitrarily detained. 

    It is clear that the Special Rapporteur’s efforts to report on the human rights situation in Eritrea continues to be needed. As such, the UK supports the draft resolution on the human rights situation in Eritrea and its outcome to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur.

    We thank the core group behind this resolution for  constructive and transparent engagement with the Council and support the adoption of this resolution by consensus.

    If a vote is called, we will vote YES and encourage others to do the same.

    Thank you.

  • Ed Davey – 2026 Comments on Nigel Farage By-Election

    Ed Davey – 2026 Comments on Nigel Farage By-Election

    The comments made by Ed Davey, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, on 7 July 2026.

    The Government must block Nigel Farage’s resignation until the Standards Commissioner finishes investigating him. The people of Clacton deserve the full facts.

    If a by-election does go ahead, all parties should stand aside. We cannot give oxygen to this vanity project.