Tag: Downing Street

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 January 2025.

This joint statement was released following the meeting between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on 17 January 2025.

Joint Statement following the meeting of the British and Polish Prime Ministers in Warsaw on 17 January 2025.

We met in Warsaw to discuss our close partnership and shared vision for our bilateral and international cooperation.

Today we reaffirmed our unshakeable support for NATO. We discussed a broad range of shared global challenges, including how to shore up European security in the face of an increasingly aggressive Russia. We agreed to continue joint support to Ukraine, including military support, training and reconstruction. Together we will work to tackle Russia’s hybrid attacks, including in cyberspace, take joint action to counter information manipulation, and deepen collaboration on extending sanctions against Putin’s regime. We are committed to holding Russia accountable for the crimes and damages perpetrated on Ukrainian territory.

We welcomed the start of the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of this year and discussed the Presidency’s priorities for the next six months. Together, we underlined the importance of a close partnership between the UK and the EU, including in the security and economic spheres. We looked forward to the UK joining the informal European Council meeting in February.

Here in Warsaw, we agreed to launch negotiations on a new Defence and Security Treaty between the UK and Poland. Building on the 2017 Defence Treaty, the new agreement will provide the framework and ambition for the deepest cooperation across the full range of external and internal security threats, and our shared determination to defend and promote peace and security in Europe together with our allies.

We expressed our strong support for the important and growing defence industrial relationship between the UK and Poland. A new Polish-British Joint Programme Office in the UK, planned to be established in the middle of this year, will give strong support to this work. It will focus on the £4bn bilateral agreement for the next generation of the short range air defence system NAREW. We also discussed Poland’s East Shield project to further strengthen its border, and the UK’s support to the project.

Together we underlined the imperative of tackling irregular migration, and agreed to establish a strategic border security and migration dialogue, to focus initially on tackling the threat from migrant smuggling networks and increased data sharing. We discussed the risks to Poland’s borders of the instrumentalisation of migrants through Belarus and Russia, and agreed to share best practice to address this challenge. We expressed our support for the role of sanctions as one of the tools for tackling irregular migration and organised immigration crime.

We celebrated our close trade and investment relationship, with growing bilateral trade, creating jobs and growth for the people of both countries.  We agreed our governments would deepen bilateral dialogue on energy security and transition. We also agreed to explore a new forum between relevant ministers to address the shared challenges and opportunities, to be announced in the coming months.

The friendship between our countries lies in our close people to people links. We recognised the breadth of our cooperation, including co-operation on science and education. Looking ahead to 2025, we underlined the value of UK-Poland cultural co-operation, and looked forward to the UK-Poland Season of Culture 2025.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 17 January 2025.

The Prime Minister met the Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk today in Warsaw.

The leaders had a warm and productive discussion, beginning by reflecting on the Prime Minister and Lady Starmer’s visit to Auschwitz and how 80 years on from its liberation, the world must never forget the atrocities committed there.

The UK and Poland are close allies and share an important relationship which the leaders agreed to continue to strengthen to deliver economic growth, security and prosperity for both countries.

They were delighted to announce the start of talks on a new Defence and Security Treaty, which will bring the UK and Poland even closer together to tackle shared threats – including Putin’s ongoing aggression, the vile people smuggling gangs fueling illegal migration, and protecting our energy security.

On Ukraine, the Prime Minister updated Prime Minister Tusk on his recent visit and meetings with President Zelenskyy. It was vital that international partners continue to support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, the leaders agreed.

They looked forward to speaking again soon.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 17 January 2025.

The Prime Minister met President Andrzej Duda of Poland in Warsaw this afternoon.

The leaders reflected on the strength of the UK-Poland relationship, agreeing that our countries are the strongest of allies and our partnership will endure for generations to come.

They welcomed the launch of negotiations on the new UK-Poland Defence and Security Treaty. In the face of increasing threats to Europe’s security, they agreed the treaty would bring our two countries closer together to tackle shared threats such as Putin’s aggression and the vile people smuggling gangs wreaking havoc at our borders.

They also underscored the vital importance of NATO, which underpins Euro-Atlantic security.

The Prime Minister reflected on his visit to Ukraine, and both leaders agreed that President Zelenskyy can count on the support of the UK and Poland for as long as it takes.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 17 January 2025.

The Prime Minister’s remarks in a joint press conference with Prime Minister Tusk in Poland today.

Thank you very much Donald [Tusk].

It is a real pleasure to be here.

You know, I remember back in July last year, we spoke on my first day as Prime Minister.

I told you about my wife’s family roots here in Poland. And of course we talked about our shared passion for Arsenal Football Club – which is not what we spent an hour talking about this afternoon I can assure you.

So this was always going to be a great partnership.

But there is so much that brings our two nations together.

You’ve touched on some of these important issues.

The deep bonds of family, of history, and of friendship – shared values and shared interests.

The Polish pilots who gave their lives in the Battle of Britain.

The Polish government-in-exile, which we hosted for many years in my part of London.

And I think our two countries are as close as ever today, because we have a shared view of the challenges that are before us.

Those challenges were of course the focus of our meeting this afternoon.

We talked about how we can strengthen our economic ties, boosting a trade relationship that is already worth £30 billion, how can we do more together on energy security and climate, and how can we deepen our cooperation on migration.

Poland of course faces Belarus and Russia, facilitating criminal gangs, driving migrants over the border – we discussed this – horrendously exploiting innocent people.

So we’re determined to work more closely together to smash the vile gangs that operate across Europe.

And of course we spent much of our time today focusing on defence and security.

As two of Europe’s biggest military powers, with our troops serving together, guarding the eastern flank.

We share an unbreakable commitment to NATO and an unbreakable commitment to Ukraine.

So Donald, I want to thank you for everything you have done to support Ukraine.

It’s been a huge and important part of the defence of Ukraine, and it is important that we recognise that, and we say thank you to that – and of course to the President as well.

We’re clear, together, that the route to a just and lasting peace comes through strength –

The strength to secure that peace, on Ukraine’s terms. And the strength to maintain it.

We will work with all allies to that end to step up our efforts to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position now, and guarantee that Ukraine will be able to defend herself and deter Russia in the future.

The defence of Ukraine is vital for the defence of Europe.

Poland currently holds the presidency of the EU Council.

And I want to congratulate you, Donald –

On making European security the focus of your presidency.

Because this is the issue of our time. This is where the challenge is that we must rise to.

We share your view that this is the central issue. The scale of the threat to Europe today must be matched by the scale of our collective response.

I am determined to deepen our security collaboration. Both with the EU and of course bilaterally.

And I am very pleased that we have agreed today to launch negotiations on a new UK-Poland security and defence treaty, covering all aspects of the threats we face.

And the steps we must take to meet them –

This includes deepening ties between our defence industries.

The UK has secured £8 billion worth of defence deals together over the last three years alone.

And we’re going further today, opening a new Joint Programme Office in Bristol to deliver our £4 billion partnership, to deliver the next generation air defence system to Poland.

Through our new treaty, we will keep deepening these ties.

Exploring what more we can do for our shared security, and ensuring that this is a strong, strategic partnership to rival any other.

In closing, I want to say that is a moment for determination, yes. But it is also a moment for reflection.

This month we mark Holocaust Memorial Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, when the full horror of the Holocaust was exposed for the world to see.

I visited Auschwitz earlier today. I stood on those railway tracks, looked at the shoes and the suitcases piled high, the hair, the teeth, taken from those murdered by the Nazis.

For eight decades, the memory and pain of what the Jewish people suffered – of what Poland and others suffered, in that camp, has been passed from country to country. Generation to generation. Family to family.

I will never forget what I saw today.

And I will never forget my responsibility to pass this on to the next generation.

To remember, to learn, and to respect.

Our solemn promise: Never again.

That is our duty – now and always.

Thank you.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 16 January 2025.

The UK and Ukraine will sign a historic partnership, as the Prime Minister travels to the country to meet President Zelenskyy.

• Treaty will bolster military collaboration on maritime security through a new framework to strengthen Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea security and deter ongoing Russian aggression
• Will bring together experts to advance scientific and technology partnerships, in areas such as healthcare and disease, agri-tech, space and drones, and build lifelong friendships through classroom projects
• New UK-built Grain Verification Scheme will also be launched to track stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian territories

The UK and Ukraine will sign a historic partnership, as the Prime Minister travels to the country to meet President Zelenskyy.

The unbreakable bonds between the UK and Ukraine will be formalised through the landmark new 100 Year Partnership between the two countries, broadening and deepening the relationship across defence and non-military areas and enabling closer community links.

From working together on the world stage to breaking down barriers to trade and growth and nurturing cultural links, the mutually beneficial partnership will see the UK and Ukraine advocate for each other to renew, rebuild and reform for generations to come.

The partnership underpins the Prime Minister’s steadfast leadership on Ukraine as his government continues to provide support. Spanning nine key pillars, it will harness the innovation, strength and resilience that Ukraine has shown in its defence against Russia’s illegal and barbaric invasion; and foster it to support long-term security and growth for both our countries. The Treaty and political declaration, which form the 100 Year Partnership, will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks.

It is expected to bolster military collaboration on maritime security through a new framework to strengthen Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea security and deter ongoing Russian aggression, bring together experts to advance scientific and technology partnerships, in areas such as healthcare and disease, agri-tech, space and drones, and build lifelong friendships through classroom projects.

It also cements the UK as a preferred partner for Ukraine’s energy sector, critical minerals strategy and green steel production.

The 100 Year Partnership is a major step in supporting Ukraine’s long-term security – ensuring they are never again vulnerable to the kind of brutality inflicted on it by Russia – and committing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a sovereign Ukraine for the next century.

Ukraine has a highly trained military, and a thriving technology sector that is rapidly designing and deploying state of the art battle-ready equipment: a security partnership with Ukraine will make Britain stronger.

To mark the signing of the partnership today, the Prime Minister is expected to announce new UK support for Ukraine from lethal aid to economic resilience.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

Putin’s ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level.

This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges, and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come.

The power of our long-term friendships cannot be underestimated. Supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s barbaric invasion and rebuild a prosperous, sovereign future, is vital to this government’s foundation of security and our Plan for Change.

Through this partnership, we are creating a strong economy that works for the British people, a safe country that protects our interests at home and abroad, and a prosperous society.

The Prime Minister will join a Ukrainian class dialling into a primary school in Liverpool today, who will be joined by the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson. He will hear from the next generation about how the partnership will deliver brighter futures for children in both countries, fostering cultural exchanges and learning for youngsters.

100 schools in the UK and Ukraine will be partnered over the coming months as part of a two-way programme built around reading for pleasure. Through sharing stories from their own cultures, they will explore the power of reading to overcome adversity – building links between the countries for generations to come.

The Prime Minister is also expected to see firsthand how UK aid is supporting Ukrainians living under bombardment through a visit to a Ukrainian hospital. He will meet patients and doctors and hear how £100m of UK humanitarian funding is supporting needs across Ukraine and specialist medical care for burn victims, including those maimed by Russian missiles raining down on neighbourhoods.

The hospital is being supported by specialist NHS doctors, who are upskilling Ukrainian medical teams and providing lifesaving opinions on treatment for severely injured patients, both virtually and through short deployments to the country. Many admitted to the hospital have burns to between 30% and 40% of their body surface.

The Prime Minister will also announce £40m for a new economic recovery programme to unlock hundreds of millions of pounds worth of private lending to bolster the growth and economic resilience of small and medium businesses in Ukraine, which form the backbone of the country’s economy.

The programme will create opportunities for UK companies by supporting key growth sectors in Ukraine, opening up enhanced trade and investment opportunities with one of our closest allies. The funding will be targeted at businesses supporting the green economy, women, veterans and marginalised groups.

It is hoped over the long term, the programme, called TIGER (Triggering Investment Growth and Economic Resilience), will reduce reliance in Ukrainian communities on humanitarian support and help build economic resilience.

And as part of the partnership, a new Grain Verification Scheme will also be launched to track stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian territories. The UK developed the new scheme following an ask from Ukraine to the G7 to help trace snatched grain from Ukraine fields under Russian control, which is then relabelled and sold on.

Using cutting edge science to help determine where grain has been grown and harvested, the UK has developed a database to support Ukraine’s efforts to trace and stop theft of grain from occupied regions.

Ukraine, a country which remains a major supplier of agricultural produce, is crucial for global food security. The database will be handed over to Ukraine from the Environment Secretary in the coming weeks.

Today’s announcement builds on the £12.8 billion package of support the UK has given Ukraine, including £7.8bn of military assistance, a commitment for £3bn in military aid until as long as it takes, and ongoing energy infrastructure support to help hospitals and community facilities provide light and warmth to innocent civilians impacted by Putin’s invasion.

The UK and Ukraine will use an annual high-level Strategic Dialogue to ensure progress on the partnership for decades to come.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 15 January 2025.

The Prime Minister welcomed Prime Minister Anwar of Malaysia to Downing Street this afternoon.

The Prime Minister began by saying he was delighted to have the opportunity to host Prime Minister Anwar at No10, and the leaders agreed that now was an opportune moment to strengthen the relationship between the UK and Malaysia.

They discussed closer cooperation and to upgrade the relationship to a strategic partnership across trade and investment, education, clean energy and defence.

Both agreed on their shared ambition for economic growth, and the Prime Minister reiterated that the UK is a great place to do business. He welcomed the £4 billion investment by YTL businesses announced today by Prime Minister Anwar which will deliver for people in Bristol, creating 30,000 jobs and building new homes on brownfield sites.

They underscored their shared commitment to net zero ambitions and noted that clean energy will support future growth in both our countries.

As a dialogue partner to ASEAN, the Prime Minister welcomed Malaysia’s 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship. Both leaders underlined their joint commitment to build a strong UK-ASEAN Partnership, underpinned by respect for ASEAN‘s role in maintaining a prosperous, peaceful Indo-Pacific.

They looked forward to seeing one another soon.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 14 January 2025.

This joint statement was released following the meeting between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP, hosted the Prime Minister of The Republic of Iraq, His Excellency Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani as part of the Iraqi Prime Minister’s official visit to the United Kingdom, from 14-16 January 2025.

Prime Minister Starmer congratulated PM Al-Sudani on the stability and growth that Iraq has enjoyed under his leadership. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the vision of a prosperous, sovereign Iraq through a new partnership focused on trade and investment, deepening educational and cultural ties, as well as tackling security, migration and climate change challenges. This visit re-affirms the UK and Iraq’s commitment to work together on shared regional and global interests and underlines a shared commitment to the long-term strategic relationship.

The Prime Ministers signed a landmark Partnership & Cooperation Agreement (PCA), a wide-ranging treaty on trade and strategic cooperation and agreed a trade package worth up to £12.3 billion, underpinned by a series of export agreements, to bolster the growing trading relationship between the UK and Iraq.

Prime Ministers Starmer and Al-Sudani agreed to develop and further UK-Iraq co-operation on a wide range of sectors, including:

Trade, Economy and Investment

Prime Ministers Starmer and Al-Sudani discussed their shared objective of increasing prosperity and their commitment to an ambitious expansion of UK-Iraq trade and investment.

They agreed to utilise UK private sector expertise on critical water, energy, telecoms and defence infrastructure, and to secure future investment projects in the clean energy, pharmaceutical, logistics, and financial services sectors. This will be supported through a UK Export Finance (UKEF) Memorandum of Cooperation to boost private sector investment and financing in Iraq, signed by the UK Foreign Secretary and Iraqi Foreign Minister. The Prime Ministers welcomed the recently announced agreement between the Government of Iraq and BP for a long-term investment in Iraq.

The Leaders announced a trade and export package of £12.3 billion, over 10 times last year’s total UK-Iraq bilateral trade, consisting of the following UK-led projects in Iraq:

• De-mining: UK Companies have been appointed to remove legacy mines across all of Iraq: a contract worth £330mn.
• Rehabilitation and reconstruction of Al-Qayyarah airbase: UK private sector expertise will deliver the £500mn rehabilitation of Iraq’s Al Qayyarah airbase providing Iraq with air defence coverage and capability for North & West of Iraq.
• Comprehensive Water Project: a UK-led consortium will lead a significant water infrastructure project worth up to £5.3bn in UK exports. This will improve water quality, irrigate agricultural land, and provide clean water in the South and West of Iraq, improving living conditions for millions of Iraqis.
• Basra Water Project: a UK company has been appointed to build large-scale infrastructure for desalination and water processing plants, providing clean water for the 3 million Iraqis in the Basra province. This project is worth up to £3.3bn in UK exports.
• Iraq-Saudi Grid interconnection: UK-made power transmission systems will interconnect the Iraq and Saudi grids, a project worth at least £1.2bn.
• Enhancement of the Iraqi National Grid: GE Vernova will supply and install £82mn worth of power substations to improve Iraq’s electricity grid.
• 5G rollout: Vodafone has been appointed to design the new 5G network planned by the government in a project set to be worth £410mn over twenty years.
• Iraqi Railway project: A UK company will deliver a £82mn construction project to build a new railway in Iraq.
• Hilla Phase 2: a UK company has been appointed to deliver sewage and water processing solutions serving 3 million Iraqis, worth £260mn in exports.
• Baghdad Sanitation Project: a UK company has been appointed to provide up to £655mn worth of water management, and sewage treatment solutions for the Mayoralty of Baghdad.
• Provision of UK Firefighting vehicles: 62 British-made fire-fighting vehicles will be exported to Iraq, in a UKEF-facilitated £27.5mn export.
• Provision of radio communications equipment: UK firms will export £98mn worth of communications technology to provide the Iraqi emergency services with equipment to tackle emergencies and incidents more efficiently across Iraq.
• Border technology: UK companies will provide £66.5mn worth of border security equipment to the Iraqi Ministry of Interior, to make Iraq’s crossings, checkpoints, and airports safer.

The UK is supporting Iraq as it undertakes the bold long-term reforms needed to grow its economy. As a global financial leader, the UK is harnessing expertise to support the establishment of PM Al-Sudani’s high ambition for the Iraq Fund for Development (IFD), Iraq’s first Strategic Investment Fund. The IFD has the potential to support socio-economic infrastructure development projects in Iraq and provide a gateway to the world for attracting private investment.

Defence and Security

Prime Ministers Starmer and Al-Sudani re-affirmed the strong historical UK-Iraq defence and security relationship. Noting that 2025 marks over ten years of the Global Coalition’s military mission in Iraq, both Prime Ministers reflected on the historic successes of the Iraqi Security Forces and the Coalition in achieving the territorial defeat of Daesh in Iraq and honoured the sacrifices made by Iraqi, UK, and other forces in securing this aim.

The Prime Ministers signed the Joint Statement on the Strategic Bilateral Defence Relationship that establishes the basis for a new era in security cooperation and paves the way for a new agreement to reflect the ambition of both countries. This deepens our defence cooperation for the future, including through the provision of UK-Iraq military education exchange, UK advisory support on capability and institutional reform, and the development of defence industrial partnerships. The Defence & Security Joint Statement underlines shared objectives, including counter-terrorism, regional security and stability and a strong and prosperous Iraq. The Prime Ministers Starmer and Al-Sudani jointly highlighted the importance of aviation safety and security standards.

Migration and Organised Immigration Crime

Prime Ministers Starmer and Al-Sudani committed to enhance vital migration cooperation between the UK and Iraq, given the importance of our strategic partnership in disrupting irregular migration upstream, and the significant work being led by the Government of Iraq to provide reintegration support to those returned.

The Prime Ministers agreed the principles of a specific returns agreement that delivers on a joint commitment to ensure those who have no right to be in the UK can be returned swiftly. They discussed the practical next steps on how to do so, building on the Home Secretary’s recent visit, in which landmark agreements set out how the two countries will strengthen border security and enhance law enforcement cooperation to tackle people smuggling organised crime organisations.

Both agreed that the increasingly global nature of organised immigration crime underscores the need to stop people smuggling gangs from putting so many lives at risk and that strengthening the border security of our nations is a key part of this effort – UK private sector expertise plays an important role in this, announcing the provision of police communications equipment, border technology and comprehensive training programmes to Iraq’s Ministry of Interior, ensuring Iraq has state-of-the-art technology and emergency response capability to support our shared objective of strengthening border security, whilst also contributing to UK growth.

Culture and Education

Prime Ministers Starmer and Al-Sudani noted the importance of educational and cultural exchange in building shared opportunities and mutual trust and understanding and acknowledged strong people-to-people connections between the two countries. They discussed Iraq’s history of educational achievement and PM Starmer strongly welcomed Iraq’s investment in international scholarships with PM Al-Sudani announcing a significant scholarship scheme enabling over 2000 Iraqi students to study in the UK. They noted the potential for high-quality teaching, learning and research collaboration between UK and Iraqi universities and academics with a number of high-level agreements being signed with UK Universities. They discussed the importance of English language learning and UK international school qualifications, which unlock opportunities for greater educational and cultural exchange, and recognised the work of UK and Iraqi institutions working to widen access.

Women, Peace and Security

Prime Ministers Starmer and Al-Sudani committed to deepening cooperation on the Women, Peace and Security agenda, with PM Starmer welcoming Iraq’s plans to launch its third National Action Plan and a network of Iraqi women peacebuilders in March 2025. The Prime Ministers agreed on the importance of supporting women-led and women’s rights organisations. They recognised the need for on-going support, justice and accountability for all survivors of Daesh-perpetrated sexual violence, including mothers and their children born of conflict-related sexual violence, and continued efforts to end violence against women and girls. They agreed on the importance of girls completing a quality education and women’s economic empowerment, benefitting all of society.

Climate and Environment

Prime Ministers Starmer and Al-Sudani underlined the importance of working together to tackle climate and environmental issues. The Prime Ministers welcomed the Government of Iraq’s commitment to end flaring of associated gas by 2028, as a part of its transition towards a cleaner energy system, and dry gas venting, that has negative environmental and economic consequences, and the UK’s commitment to clean power by 2030.

The parties signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on Climate Change, the Environment, Energy Transition and the Carbon Economy. This will deepen cooperation on a broad range of climate and environment issues. In particular, it recognises a partnership to enhance co-operation to deliver Iraq’s commitment to end flaring.

Sport Cooperation

The two Prime Ministers underlined the importance of developing sports exchange mutual benefit. The leaders encouraged further contact and development of cooperation over sports affairs and encouraged their sports associations to coordinate their activities and strengthen exchange and cooperation, including in sports science and medicine. The Prime Ministers expressed a strong interest in exchanging visits among sport teams of the two countries.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 13 January 2025.

The UK will benefit from boosts to trade and further cooperation on tackling illegal migration as Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani visits Downing Street.

The UK will benefit from boosts to trade and further cooperation on tackling illegal migration as Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani visits Downing Street today (Tuesday 14 January) for talks with the Prime Minister.

As part of the closer economic relationship being forged today, the Prime Minister and his counterpart will announce an up to £12.3 billion export package, worth around ten times last year’s trade between the UK and Iraq.  This package is underpinned by a series of export agreements which will boost the growing trading relationship between the UK and Iraq, representing significant opportunities for UK businesses and contributing to the government’s mission to deliver economic growth.

The leaders will also discuss a new specific migrant returns agreement between the UK and Iraq. Once in place, the deal will ensure those who have no right to be in the UK can be returned swiftly.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

Today marks a new era in UK-Iraq cooperation, which will deliver mutual benefits from trade to defence, as we continue to work together towards stability in the wider region.

It’s clear that Iraq shares our priority of delivering economic growth and the £12.3 billion export package being unveiled today offers huge opportunities for British businesses, representing a step-change in the trade and investment relationship between our two countries.

Secure borders are a vital foundation of our Plan for Change, so I am also very pleased get started on talks for a bespoke returns agreement between our countries. The deal will help dismantle the people smugglers’ business model by sending the clear message that if you come here illegally, you cannot expect to stay.

The leaders will sign a milestone Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, leveraging UK private sector expertise on water, energy, telecoms, and defence infrastructure to secure future investment projects and major opportunities for British business.

Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds said:

This yet another vote of confidence in Britain. As an open, proud trading nation our trade strategy will build upon deals like this to strengthen our economy. This announcement reflects our evolving bilateral relationship and represents a step forward in our growing trade partnership.

This agreement – a significant £12 billion export package, helped by our UK Export Finance – will give UK and Iraqi business more certainty and help lead to growth and genuine shared benefits for both our economies.

In a further demonstration of how our cooperation with international partners delivers for the UK, the leaders will also mark the export of £66.5 million worth of equipment from the UK to strengthen Iraq’s borders and disrupt smuggling gangs, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change by securing our border and delivering economic growth.

This comes as the government fulfils its pledge deliver the highest rate of removals since 2018 with a surge in returns activity leading to 16,400 people with no right to be in the UK removed. The talks also build on the Home Secretary’s visit to Iraq in November, where she signed agreements including the largest-ever operational package between the UK and Iraq on border security and law enforcement, in order to enhance Iraq’s capability to tackle people smuggling. Today’s talks will strengthen the implementation of this pact.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

When I signed the landmark deal with Iraq in November, it was a clear signal of our commitment to dismantle the criminal smuggling gangs together.

Our world-first security agreement with Iraq is already showing its impact. By strengthening border security with our Border Security Command, enhancing intelligence-sharing, and providing additional funding to support Iraq’s law enforcement capabilities, we’re targeting people smuggling gangs where it hurts.

Today is the next step in ensuring this important partnership with Iraq goes from strength to strength. As a result, we are making it harder for criminals to exploit vulnerable people, and ultimately we are bringing them to justice.

Last week, the UK also launched the world’s first standalone sanctions regime targeting people smugglers. Expected to come into force within the year, the regime will clamp down on illicit financing rings who make huge profits exploiting vulnerable people by facilitating illegal migration.

The meeting with Prime Minister Al-Sudani follows the Prime Minister’s visit to the Gulf in December to support stability in the Middle East and deliver a foundation of security at home.

The Prime Minister will further bolster the UK’s defence relationship with the region today with the signing of a joint statement which will deepen the UK’s cooperation with Iraq a decade on from the establishment of the Global Coalition’s mission in Iraq and Operation Inherent Resolve leading to the territorial defeat of Daesh.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 13 January 2025.

Artificial intelligence will deliver a decade of national renewal, as part of a new plan announced today (13 January 2025).

• AI to drive the Plan for Change, helping turbocharge growth and boost living standards
• public sector to spend less time doing admin and more time delivering the services working people rely on
• dedicated AI Growth Zones to speed up planning for AI infrastructure
• £14 billion and 13,250 jobs committed by private leading tech firms following AI Action Plan

Artificial intelligence will be unleashed across the UK to deliver a decade of national renewal, under a new plan announced today (13 January 2025).

In a marked move from the previous government’s approach, the Prime Minister is throwing the full weight of Whitehall behind this industry by agreeing to take forward all 50 recommendations set out by Matt Clifford in his game-changing AI Opportunities Action Plan.

AI is already being used across the UK. It is being used in hospitals up and down the country to deliver better, faster, and smarter care: spotting pain levels for people who can’t speak, diagnosing breast cancer quicker, and getting people discharged quicker. This is already helping deliver the government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future.

Unveiling details of the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan today, the Prime Minister will say AI can transform the lives of working people – it has the potential to speed up planning consultations to get Britain building, help drive down admin for teachers so they can get on with teaching our children, and feed AI through cameras to spot potholes and help improve roads.

Backing AI to the hilt can also lead to more money in the pockets of working people. The IMF estimates that – if AI is fully embraced – it can boost productivity by as much as 1.5 percentage points a year. If fully realised, these gains could be worth up to an average £47 billion to the UK each year over a decade.

Today’s plan mainlines AI into the veins of this enterprising nation – revolutionising our public services and putting more money in people’s back pockets. Because for too long we have allowed blockers to control the public discourse and get in the way of growth in this sector.

The plan puts an end to that by introducing new measures that will create dedicated AI Growth Zones that speed up planning permission and give them the energy connections they need to power up AI.

The UK occupies a unique place in the world. We can learn from the US’s and EU’s approach – delivering the dynamism, flexibility and long-term stability that we know businesses want.

The Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:

Artificial Intelligence will drive incredible change in our country. From teachers personalising lessons, to supporting small businesses with their record-keeping, to speeding up planning applications, it has the potential to transform the lives of working people.

But the AI industry needs a government that is on their side, one that won’t sit back and let opportunities slip through its fingers. And in a world of fierce competition, we cannot stand by. We must move fast and take action to win the global race.

Our plan will make Britain the world leader. It will give the industry the foundation it needs and will turbocharge the Plan for Change. That means more jobs and investment in the UK, more money in people’s pockets, and transformed public services.

That’s the change this government is delivering.

It comes as three major tech companies – Vantage Data Centres, Nscale and Kyndryl – have committed to £14 billion investment in the UK to build the AI infrastructure the UK needs to harness the potential of this technology and deliver 13,250 jobs across the UK. That’s on top of the £25 billion in AI investment announced at the International Investment Summit.

Vantage Data Centres – which is working to build one of Europe’s largest data centre campuses in Wales – plans to invest over £12 billion in data centres across the UK – creating over 11,500 jobs in the process.

Kyndryl – the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider and a leading IT consultancy – announces plans to create up to 1,000 AI-related jobs in Liverpool over the next three years. This new tech hub will share the Government’s ambition to roll AI out across the country to help grow the economy and foster the next generation of talent.

Nscale – one of the UK’s leading AI companies – has announced a $2.5 billion investment to support the UK’s data centre infrastructure over the next three years. They have also signed a contract to build the largest UK sovereign AI data centre in Loughton, Essex by 2026.

The plan includes initiatives that will help make the UK the number one place for AI firms to invest, which is vital if Britain is to be at the forefront of this industry and be a changemaker rather than a change-taker. The key changes include:

• forging new AI Growth Zones to speed up planning proposals and build more AI infrastructure. The first of these will be in Culham, Oxfordshire
• increasing the public compute capacity by twentyfold to give us the processing power we need to fully embrace this new technology – this starts immediately with work starting on a brand new supercomputer
• a new team will be set up to seize the opportunities of AI and build the UK’s sovereign capabilities
• creating a new National Data Library to safely and securely unlock the value of public data and support AI development
• a dedicated AI Energy Council chaired by the Science and Energy Secretaries will also be established, working with energy companies to understand the energy demands and challenges which will fuel the technology’s development – this will directly support the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower by tapping into technologies like small modular reactors.

Taken together, the 50 measures will make the UK irresistible to AI firms looking to start, scale, or grow their business. It builds on recent progress in AI that saw £25 billion of new investment in data centres announced since the government took office last July.

This Action Plan is also at the heart of the government’s Industrial Strategy and the first plank of the upcoming Digital and Technology Sector Plan, to be published in the coming months.

Science, Innovation, and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle said:

AI has the potential to change all of our lives but for too long, we have been curious and often cautious bystanders to the change unfolding around us. With this plan, we become agents of that change.

We already have remarkable strengths we can tap into when it comes to AI – building our status as the cradle of computer science and intelligent machines and establishing ourselves as the third largest AI market in the world.

This government is determined that the UK is not left behind in the global race for AI, that’s why the actions we commit to will ensure that the benefits are spread throughout the UK so all citizens will reap the rewards of the bet we make today. This is how we’re putting our Plan for Change in motion.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves MP said:

AI is a powerful tool that will help grow our economy, make our public services more efficient and open up new opportunities to help improve living standards.

This action plan is the government’s modern industrial strategy in action. Attracting AI businesses to the UK, binging in new investment, creating new jobs and turbocharging our Plan for Change. This means better living standards in every part of the United Kingdom and working people have more money in their pocket.

Matt Clifford CBE said:

This is a plan which puts us all-in – backing the potential of AI to grow our economy, improve lives for citizens, and make us a global hub for AI investment and innovation.

AI offers opportunities we can’t let slip through our fingers, and these steps put us on the strongest possible footing to ensure AI delivers in all corners of the country, from building skills and talent to revolutionising our infrastructure and compute power.

Notes to editors:

The plan has 3 main pillars that will lay the foundations for AI to grow, boost adoption in existing private and public sectors, and keep the UK ahead of the pack internationally.

First – laying the foundations for AI to flourish in the UK.

The first ever AI Growth Zones will be set up. These are areas across the country that will speed up planning approvals for the rapid build-out of data centres, give them better access to the energy grid, and draw in investment from around the world.

The first of these will be in Culham, Oxfordshire – home to the UK’s Atomic Energy Authority and some of the brightest scientific minds in the world.

This will also serve a testing ground to drive forward research on how sustainable energy like fusion can power our AI ambitions.

More will be announced in the Summer, with a particular focus on de-industrialised areas of the country with access to power and strong support from local government.

That means local jobs, improved communities, and a growing economy – all of which puts more money in people’s pockets.

Build a brand new supercomputer with enough AI power to play itself at chess half a million times a second. This is part of the plan to increase compute capacity by twenty-fold by 2030 – supercharging our capacity to power AI products.

Our ten-year compute plan also includes a commitment to rapidly develop and implement a long-term compute strategy that will bring together the key ingredients for AI – compute, data, and skills – to keep us at the forefront of the technology and attract the best brains in the world.

That gives the industry the long-term stability it needs to choose the UK as the place to invest – helping drive up growth and deliver our plan for change.

Second – boosting adoption across public and private sectors

A new digital centre of government is being set up within DSIT. This will revolutionise how AI is used in the public sector to improve citizens lives and make government more efficient. It will scan for new ideas, pilot them in public sector settings, then scale them as far as they can go.

Driving adoption across all sectors in the UK. The Prime Minister has personally written to his entire Cabinet, tasking them with driving AI adoption and growth in their sectors, and making that a top priority for their Departments.

Third – keeping us ahead of the pack

A new team will be set up to keep us at the forefront of emerging technology. This team will use the heft of the state to make the UK the best place for business. This could include guaranteeing firms access to data and energy.

Taken together, this package will set us on course to full embrace the potential of AI – making it work for Britain.

Industry reaction to the AI Opportunities Action Plan

Darren Hardman, CEO, Microsoft UK, said:

The scale of this government’s ambition for AI development and adoption in the UK is exactly what’s needed to drive economic growth, transform public services and create new opportunities for all.

Maintaining the UK’s position as a global leader in AI demands innovation and investment across the public and private sectors and Microsoft is fully committed to helping make this vision a reality.

Mike Beck, Global Chief Information Security Officer at Darktrace, said:

The ambitious and wide-ranging recommendations in the AI Opportunities Action Plan have the potential to turn AI into an engine for the UK economy.

As a home-grown AI company, we know that the UK has world-class research talent, brilliant institutions and a strong tech ecosystem. Governments can and should move at a faster pace to help realise the benefits of rapid technological change, and we look forward to the government swiftly implementing this Plan. This will help to turn AI from abstract opportunity to real-world benefit in offices and shop floors across the country.

Companies and consumers also need to be confident that AI innovation is safe and secure. The upcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill offers the opportunity to better safeguard data and AI infrastructure, and it will be important to ensure a more digitised and AI-enabled public sector is secure and trusted.

Dario Amodei, Co-Founder and CEO of Anthropic, said:

The UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan is a bold approach that could help unlock AI’s potential to solve real problems. By combining infrastructure investment with strategic planning, the UK could be among the first and fastest governments in the world to transform how services are delivered to its citizens.

We look forward to working with them to turn this vision into a reality.

Alex Kendall OBE, Co-Founder and CEO, Wayve, said:

Embodied AI in highly regulated sectors, like automated vehicles, will require international regulatory collaboration.

I’m excited to see the government use the levers at its disposal to help make the UK’s leading AI startups winners on the global stage. We now welcome the new targeted support for international expansion for AI scale-ups, and will pursue our global growth goals with the confidence that we have the UK Government’s full support.

Chris Lehane, Chief Global Affairs Officer at OpenAI, said:

From the locomotive to the Colossus computer, the UK has a rich history of leadership in tech innovation and the research and development of AI.

The government’s AI action plan – led by the Prime Minister and Secretary Peter Kyle – recognises where AI development is headed and sets the UK on the right path to benefit from its growth. The UK has an enormous national resource in the talent of its people, institutions and businesses which together, can leverage AI to advance the country’s national interest.

Aidan Gomez, Co-Founder and CEO of Cohere, said:

With AI unlocking productivity gains and boosting business growth, we welcome the government’s focus and attention to foster this generational economic transformation.

Cohere has long viewed the UK as a hotbed of industry talent and a market highly supportive of technology innovation, which is why we were among the earliest foundational model companies to build a major presence in the country, and why we have doubled down here over the last year.

Tim Bestwick, Deputy CEO, UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), said:

AI and High-Performance Computing are central to UKAEA’s mission to lead the delivery of sustainable fusion energy.

UKAEA welcomes the AI Opportunities Action Plan and its vision for building cutting-edge AI infrastructure to drive innovation and develop the ‘industries of the future’. As highlighted in the Action Plan, Culham Campus’ high-capacity and connection to the UK’s national electricity grid, coupled with its available land on the Campus, positions it as a prime location for deploying substantial computing facilities.

Julian David OBE, CEO of techUK, said:

Through this announcement the Prime Minister has set out how the Government sees AI as central to their plan for change.

These well thought out initiatives will boost the UK’s AI capabilities with positive effects across our society and economy.

Now that the government has set out its Plan, it is time to act, and at pace. To drive new investment, Industry will want to see more detail on how this plan will be actioned within the next six months, particularly as we face growing competition from other countries.

Further Information:

• the £47 billion estimate is based on IMF figures but derived from separate calculations and assumptions, and as such, is not an official IMF estimate
• estimates from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) show that while the exact economic impact hinges on the wider development and adoption of AI, and realisation could be gradual, the UK could ultimately see productivity gains of up to 1.5% annually
• if fully realised, these gains could be worth up to an average £47 billion to the UK each year over a decade
• the Vantage Data Centres anticipated investment, some of which is subject to planning permission and agreed connection timelines, is expected to support over 10,000 local construction jobs over the next decade, and create over 1,500 operational roles at its data centres

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 12 January 2025.

The Prime Minister spoke to His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait, this morning.

The Prime Minister began by highlighting the close and historic relationship between the UK and Kuwait, which has endured for 125 years.

Across defence, security, trade and investment, the leaders discussed the cooperation between the UK and Kuwait, which they looked forward to strengthening.

The Prime Minister congratulated the Amir for the successful Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in December and reiterated the UK’s commitment to a Free Trade Agreement as negotiations continue.

Discussing investment from Kuwait into the UK, the leaders discussed further opportunities to drive growth in both countries across every sector.

They agreed on the importance of the work of the UN sponsored mission in Iraq (UNAMI), which leads efforts to locate missing people from the First Gulf War. They welcomed the extension of UNAMI’s mandate until 31 December 2025 and to identify a suitable follow-on process for this vital work.

They looked forward to seeing one another at the earliest opportunity.