Tag: Downing Street

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 19 December 2022.

– Prime Minister thanks troops for service and dedication in unprecedented year of global instability following the invasion of Ukraine

– Sees first-hand the important work of UK forces as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence on its eastern flank

– Pays tribute to Armed Forces personnel who are spending Christmas abroad without their families, telling them their service will not go unnoticed this festive season

The Prime Minister has today paid tribute to the professionalism and bravery of UK Armed Forces in an unprecedented year of global instability.

Addressing military personnel in Tapa, Estonia, he told British troops their service and dedication would not go unnoticed this Christmas, and their selfless commitment was instrumental to keeping the UK and our allies safe.

Around 6000 marines, soldiers, sailors, and aviators will be deployed across the world this Christmas, serving on 33 military operations in 28 countries. They will be supported by dedicated merchant sailors from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and civilian staff.

More than 1000 of those Armed Forces will be on Op Cabrit across Estonia and Poland, including the King’s Royal Hussars, from Catterick Garrison in the Prime Minister’s constituency in North Yorkshire.

The Prime Minister thanked those troops personally today, and, alongside Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, served Christmas lunch to NATO forces. He also shared mince pies with UK military personnel after dinner, hearing first-hand about their experience as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence across the Baltics.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

This year, we have seen a full-scale war return to our continent, and I am immensely proud of the selfless dedication and bravery of our Armed Forces who responded to that threat to keep the UK and our allies safe.

As thousands of our military personnel prepare to spend Christmas on deployment, I know that this year of all years we will not take their sacrifice, or the sacrifice of their loved ones, for granted.

Christmas, after all, is a time for peace, and as alongside our allies, we’ll continue to support our Ukrainian and European friends in pursuit of a return of that peace.

This year, partly in response to the invasion of Ukraine, more than 12000 UK military personnel have been deployed across Europe, from Cyprus in the Mediterranean to Norway within the Arctic Circle, across land, sea and air.

In Estonia, the UK temporarily doubled its footprint in response to rising tensions, underlining our commitment to NATO and wider European security. We have since bolstered the lethality of the deployment with multiple rocket launch systems and short range air defence, allowing force numbers to be reduced and redeployed in other areas of the world.

The UK’s contribution to European security has not just been on land in 2022, with the Royal Navy deploying on nine different operations across Europe, involving 31 ships and submarines, six Naval Air Squadrons and 1750 Royal Marines.

And the UK played a leading role in protecting European skies, with around 1900 UK military flights patrolling,  gathering intelligence and providing essential transport and resilience across the region this year.

From January 2023, UK Apache and Chinook helicopters will deploy to Estonia. This additional surge capability into Estonia will include an aviation task force of three CH47 helicopters, followed by a deployment of four AH64 and two Wildcat Helicopters.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 19 December 2022.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held talks with Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas today, following the JEF Summit in Riga.

Speaking on the plane from Latvia to Estonia, the Prime Minister underlined the UK’s commitment to Estonia’s security as its NATO framework nation and said he was pleased we had been able to increase the lethality of the battlegroup that remained in Tapa, which sent a strong deterrence message to Russia.

Turning to the trade and technology relationship, the Prime Minister said he was delighted to be able to sign the agreement of a Tech Partnership between the UK and Estonia today. It was important like-minded, technologically advanced countries like the UK and Estonia continued to strengthen cooperation in technology fields, he added.

The leaders both looked forward to visiting troops in Tapa together this afternoon.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 19 December 2022.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 19 December 2022.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 16 December 2022.

The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Jonathan Martin Gainsborough, to the Suffragan See of Kingston, in the Diocese of Southwark.

The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Jonathan Martin Gainsborough, Chaplain to the Bishop of Bristol, in the Diocese of Bristol, to the Suffragan See of Kingston, in the Diocese of Southwark, in succession to The Right Reverend Dr Richard Cheetham following his retirement.

Background

Martin was educated at the University of Bristol and The School of Oriental and African Studies and trained for ministry on the Southern Theological Education and Training Scheme. He served his title at St Luke’s, Barton Hill, in the Diocese of Bristol and was ordained Priest in 2011.

In 2013, Martin was appointed Priest-in-Charge at St Luke’s and in 2016 he became Canon Theologian at Bristol Cathedral. During this time, Martin was also Professor of Development Politics at the University of Bristol.

Martin took up his current role as Chaplain to the Bishop of Bristol in 2019.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 15 December 2022.

The King has been pleased to appoint Mrs Beatrice Grant, DL, as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the County of Worcestershire on the retirement of Colonel Patrick Holcroft, CVO, OBE, on 17th March 2023.

Background

Beatrice Grant has devoted much of her life to voluntary charity work.  She has been a Visitor for the Henry Smith Charitable Trust, making grants to local charities across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire; a Trustee for Maggs Homeless Day Centre in Worcester; and a volunteer for a London-based homeless charity, for St Richard’s Hospice Day Centre, and for various projects with the British Association of the Knights of Malta, helping the homeless, the sick and the disabled with which she is still involved.  She is currently a volunteer with the Alfrick and Lulsley Community Shop, Post Office and Hub; a volunteer for a local foodbank; a fund-raiser for St Richard’s Hospice; a Trustee for the Albright Grimley Charity, a local charitable trust; a committee member for Arts Worcestershire and President of Bewdley Civic Society.

Mrs Grant lives at Bransford, near Worcester, with her husband Andrew. They have two adult sons.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 15 December 2022.

The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Emma Gwynneth Ineson, BA MPhil, Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, to the Suffragan See of Kensington, in the Diocese of London, in succession to The Right Reverend Dr Graham Tomlin following his resignation.

Background

Emma was educated at the University of Birmingham and trained for ministry at Trinity College, Bristol. She served her title at Christ Church, Dore in the Diocese of Sheffield and was ordained priest in 2001. Emma took up the role as Chaplain at Lee Abbey, Devon in 2003 before being appointed as Tutor of Practical and Pastoral Theology at Trinity College, Bristol in 2006, and Director of Pastoral Studies in 2010. She was appointed Principal in 2014. During this time she also served as Associate Minister of St Matthew’s, Kingsdown, and of St Mary Magdalene, Stoke Bishop, in the Diocese of Bristol.

In 2019, Emma was appointed Bishop of Penrith in the Diocese of Carlisle, and in 2021 she took up her current role as Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

Emma was a member of the 2022 Lambeth Conference Design Group, chairs the Church of England Minority Ethnic Vocations Advisory Group, is a member of the Commission for Theological Education in the Anglican Communion, is a member of Tearfund Theology Committee, and is Central Chaplain to the Worldwide Mother’s Union.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 12 December 2022.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 9 December 2022.

This afternoon Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to President-elect Lula da Silva.

The Prime Minister reiterated his congratulations following President-elect Lula da Silva’s victory in Brazil’s election in October, and both leaders agreed on the importance of promoting democratic values.

They discussed plans to strengthen cooperation to address shared priorities, including expanding the work they do to preserve the planet’s natural resources.

Both leaders highlighted the importance of taking action to reverse forest loss, and the President-elect updated the Prime Minister on his plans to preserve biodiversity and transition to a greener economy.

The leaders wished each other good luck in their respective upcoming World Cup matches.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 9 December 2022.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this afternoon.

The Prime Minister spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this afternoon.

The leaders discussed the fresh wave of Russian attacks on critical national infrastructure in Ukraine, and President Zelenskyy thanked the UK for its crucial support to help restore power through the supply of generators.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to the success of Ukraine’s Armed Forces in intercepting dozens of potentially devastating missiles this week, and said the UK was thinking of the Ukrainian people as they continued to defend their country through the winter.

Updating on the latest lethal aid deliveries from the UK, the Prime Minister said that more anti-air guns and further short range air defence missiles would arrive in the coming weeks.

Both leaders agreed on the importance of pre-empting Russia’s insincere calls for a ceasefire, and the Prime Minister added that the Kremlin needed to withdraw its forces before any agreement could be considered.

The leaders agreed to speak again in the coming weeks.