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Tag: Comments

  • Liz Truss – 2022 Comments on the Energy Price Guarantee

    Liz Truss – 2022 Comments on the Energy Price Guarantee

    The comments made by Liz Truss, the Prime Minister, on 8 September 2022.

    Decades of short-term thinking on energy has failed to focus enough on securing supply – with Russia’s war in Ukraine exposing the flaws in our energy security and driving bills higher. I’m ending this once and for all.

    I’m acting immediately so people and businesses are supported over the next two years, with a new Energy Price Guarantee, and tackling the root cause of the issues by boosting domestic energy supply.

    Extraordinary challenges call for extraordinary measures, ensuring that the United Kingdom is never in this situation again.

  • Julian Lewis – 2022 Comments on Continuing Support for Ukraine

    Julian Lewis – 2022 Comments on Continuing Support for Ukraine

    The comments made by Julian Lewis, the Conservative MP for New Forest East, in the House of Commons on 5 September 2022.

    Julian Lewis

    Although the commitment to 3% of GDP on defence is welcome, 2030 is further away in time than the entire duration of the second world war. It would be nice to see that commitment, which the Select Committee on Defence originally called for about six years ago, implemented a little sooner than the new Prime Minister plans. Can the Defence Secretary confirm that the extra expenditure on replenishing the arms supplies that we are giving to Ukraine is being met with extra funds from the Treasury reserve? What steps are we taking to ensure that the Russian people get the same message about the failure of Putin’s campaign that the rest of the world can clearly see?

    Mr Wallace

    On the latter point, in one sense it is sad, because it is people’s lives, but in Russia they cannot ignore the long and continued train of bodies to their loved ones and families. It was not missed by Soviets in the Afghan conflict. The terms “boys in zinc” and “load 200”, which are now in the Russian vocabulary, refer to the planes that brought back the dead bodies: zinc was what they used to wrap them. That is clearly before people in Russia. It is not helped by the misleading, dishonest and manipulative state information that tries to say that these people died fighting Nazis. The only people who are displaying a fascist tendency in Ukraine are the Russian regime; it is not in any way being extolled by the Ukrainians defending their soil. But we obviously do our best.

    On the increase to defence funding, some of that £2.3 billion is replacing gifted equipment from our own stocks; that is already being done. We were able to release the GMLRS M270 because we received some others from another country, which we are refurbishing. We will continue to keep pace and make sure that we do not sacrifice too many of our own stocks. At some stages, there are also opportunities when our stocks come out of life or approach their sell-by date and are perfect for gifting, because they will be used. We have already planned to replace them. Some of the NLAW orders are actually quite old, because we knew anyhow that they were coming out of date; they were a 2003 weapon, so we had already started that process. I think it is NLAWs, but I can happily write to my right hon. Friend about the exact weapon system.

  • Kwasi Kwarteng – 2022 Comments on Becoming Chancellor

    Kwasi Kwarteng – 2022 Comments on Becoming Chancellor

    The comments made by Kwasi Kwarteng, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 7 September 2022.

    We face extraordinary economic challenges in the coming weeks and months and I know that families and businesses across the UK are worried.

    The Prime Minister and I are committed to taking decisive action to help the British people now, while pursuing an unashamedly pro-growth agenda.

    We need to be decisive and do things differently. That means relentlessly focusing on how we unlock business investment and grow the size of the British economy, rather than how we redistribute what’s left.

    With a strong and resilient economy, we deliver more jobs, higher wages, and raised living standards – all while reducing our debt-to-GDP ratio in a fiscally sustainable way.

  • Ben Wallace – 2022 Comments on Exercise Vigilant Knife

    Ben Wallace – 2022 Comments on Exercise Vigilant Knife

    The comments made by Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defence, on 4 September 2022.

    Whilst there is war in Europe, it is more important than ever to strengthen our international partnerships. We welcome Finland and Sweden’s application to join NATO and will continue to exercise together so we are ready to face shared security challenges.

    Exercise Vigilant Knife is an invaluable opportunity for UK personnel to develop their skills and experience of warfighting in cold weather conditions, enabling them to be effective on the battlefield alongside their Finnish and Swedish counterparts.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments on GLA Spending Power

    Sadiq Khan – 2022 Comments on GLA Spending Power

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 2 September 2022.

    As a group, the GLA has immense purchasing power and we can harness that to directly support the capital’s small businesses and contribute to making London net zero by 2030. We need to implement bold initiatives to ensure that the decisions we make help to build a better London – a safer, fairer, greener and more prosperous city for all Londoners.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2022 Statement on Universal Free School Meals for All Schoolchildren

    Sadiq Khan – 2022 Statement on Universal Free School Meals for All Schoolchildren

    The statement made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 2 September 2022.

    Families are sending their children back to school this week and many will be wondering how they’ll be able to keep putting food on the table as the cost-of-living crisis worsens.

    The Government must act now to introduce universal free school meals for all primary school children. This would help build a better London for everyone, saving families hundreds of pounds a year, ensuring all primary pupils are eating a healthy, nutritious meal at school and also eliminating the stigma associated with being eligible for free school meals, to increase uptake among those who need it most.

  • Greg Clark – 2022 Comments on Thurrock Council

    Greg Clark – 2022 Comments on Thurrock Council

    The comments made by Greg Clark, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 2 September 2022.

    Given the serious financial situation at Thurrock Council and its potential impact on local services, I believe it is necessary for government to intervene.

    I strongly believe that when a council gets into difficulties its local government neighbours should be the preferred source of help in turning it around.

    I know that Essex County Council possesses the expertise and ability to help its local government neighbour. Working together, I believe the councils can deliver the improvements local people expect and deserve.

  • Nadhim Zahawi – 2022 Comments on G7 Statement on Russian Aggression

    Nadhim Zahawi – 2022 Comments on G7 Statement on Russian Aggression

    The comments made by Nadhim Zahawi, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 2 September 2022.

    Since Putin’s brutal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine the UK and our allies have imposed hugely damaging sanctions on the Kremlin war machine, pushing the Russian economy into a deep recession and putting the majority of Russia’s $640billion foreign exchange reserves beyond use.

    Following a productive meeting with Secretary Janet Yellen in Washington, and together with our G7 partners, we have agreed to go further. This has been a personal priority for me as Chancellor. We will curtail Putin’s capacity to fund his war from oil exports by banning services, such as insurance and the provision of finance, to vessels carrying Russian oil above an agreed price cap.

    We are united against this barbaric aggression and will do all we can to support Ukraine as they fight for sovereignty, democracy and freedom.

  • Priti Patel – 2022 Comments on Removals to Albania

    Priti Patel – 2022 Comments on Removals to Albania

    The comments made by Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, on 2 September 2022.

    This flight sends a clear message to those who flout our laws and immigration rules that you will be swiftly removed. Anyone who comes to our country in a small boat or other dangerous, illegal means should not expect to stay in the UK for long.

    We are working closely with the Albanian government to tackle illegal immigration and have this week agreed our joint operational plans to expedite the removal of Albanians who enter the UK illegally via small boats.

    Alongside measures in our Nationality and Borders Act, this will help end the cycle of last-minute claims and appeals that can delay removals. We will stop at nothing to remove those with no right to be here as the public rightly expects.

  • Priti Patel – 2022 Comments on Sir Tom Winsor’s Review

    Priti Patel – 2022 Comments on Sir Tom Winsor’s Review

    The comments made by Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, on 2 September 2022.

    In thanking Sir Tom for his report, I hope now that those responsible for delivering policing in London – as well as those responsible for holding the Met to account – will concentrate their efforts on delivering safer streets for the capital and restoring integrity in policing.

    Public confidence in the Met has been dented by a series of appalling incidents and it is vital that failings are addressed and professional standards restored to the level that Londoners deserve.

    The police need to ensure that they get the basics right, which should include a relentless focus on cutting neighbourhood crime and the serious violence that has blighted too many communities.