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  • PRESS RELEASE : Cyber attacks are “wake up call” for businesses – Pat McFadden [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Cyber attacks are “wake up call” for businesses – Pat McFadden [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 2 May 2025.

    Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, will set out what action the government is taking to improve cyber security in a speech next week.

    • Pat McFadden led briefing with national security officials and National Cyber Security Centre CEO on Friday about support being provided to retailers
    • He will use keynote speech at CyberUK to say “companies must treat cyber security as an absolute priority”
    • Comes as National Cyber Security Centre works closely with affected organisations to provide expert advice and support

    In the wake of a wave of cyber attacks on retailers, Pat McFadden will set out what action the government is taking to improve the country’s cyber security in a speech next week, as the government secures Britain’s future through the Plan for Change.

    Recognising the impact such attacks have on working people as they go about their daily lives, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will highlight moves to “bolster our national defences” including through the Cyber Security Bill.

    It follows a briefing he led with national security officials and NCSC CEO Richard Horne on Friday about the recent hacks and expert support being provided to retailers.

    In the keynote speech at the CyberUK conference in Manchester next week, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will say:

    “These attacks need to be a wake-up call for every business in the UK.

    “In a world where the cybercriminals targeting us are relentless in their pursuit of profit – with attempts being made every hour of every day – companies must treat cyber security as an absolute priority.

    “We’ve watched in real-time the disruption these attacks have caused – including to working families going about their everyday lives. It serves as a powerful reminder that just as you would never leave your car or your house unlocked on your way to work. We have to treat our digital shop fronts the same way.”

    The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is working closely with organisations that have reported incidents to them to fully understand the nature of these attacks and to provide expert advice to the wider sector based on the threat picture.

    They’re also urging leaders to follow the advice on the NCSC website to ensure they have appropriate measures in place to help prevent attacks and respond and recover effectively.

    In his speech next week, Pat McFadden will encourage firms from all sectors to consider what cyber protections they have in place.

    In a message to business leaders across the UK, he will say: “We are ready to support you. The National Cyber Security Centre is standing ready to support businesses and provide advice, and guidance, on how to raise the cyber security bar.”

    Pat McFadden will set out the action the government is taking to boost the country’s cyber protections.

    He will say: “We’re modernising the way the state approaches cyber, through the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. That legislation will bolster our national defences.

    “It will grant new powers for the Technology Secretary to direct regulated organisations to reinforce their cyber defences It will require over 1,000 private IT providers to improve their data and network security.

    “It will require companies to report a wider array of cyber incidents to the NCSC in the future – to help us build a clearer picture of who, and what, hostile actors are targeting.”

    Last month (April) the government launched a Cyber Governance Code of Practice. This is a package of measures which shows boards and directors how they can manage digital risks and protect their businesses and organisations from cyber attacks.

    It covers a range of areas, including having robust cyber strategies in place, promoting a culture in workplaces so all employees are aware of the potential cyber risks they could face in their daily work, and having incident response plans in place which will mean organisations can respond quickly to cyber incidents as they occur.

    Small businesses looking to strengthen their online defences are also encouraged to engage with the NCSC’s Small Business Guide, which provides quick and easy actions to help bolster their defences and support through the Cyber Local scheme, which provides tailored funding to boost regional cyber skills.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Creative industries and growth boosted with new UK-India cultural agreement [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Creative industries and growth boosted with new UK-India cultural agreement [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 2 May 2025.

    • UK’s arts and culture, creative industries, tourism and sport sectors are set to benefit from a major new cooperation agreement with India
    • Culture Secretary leading a delegation of cultural leaders and UK institutions to Mumbai and New Delhi this week
    • Agreement to boost collaboration between British and Indian creative businesses and cultural institutions, delivering on Plan for Change to drive growth and opportunity

    The UK’s arts and culture, creative industries, tourism and sport sectors are set to benefit from a major new cooperation deal and economic links with India, as the government delivers on its Plan for Change to boost growth and opportunity.

    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who is of Indian heritage, arrived on Thursday for a three-day visit to Mumbai and New Delhi. She has today (Friday) signed a new bilateral Cultural Cooperation Agreement with India’s Minister for Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. She has been joined on the trip by a delegation of senior leaders from VisitBritain, the British Film Institute and the Science Museum, to drive further collaboration between British and Indian creative businesses and cultural institutions.

    The agreement will open the door for increased UK creative exports to India and enable more partnerships between UK and Indian museums and cultural institutions, helping to grow UK soft power.

    On Thursday the Culture Secretary delivered a keynote speech at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai, which was also attended by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. Her speech celebrated the living bridge that connects the UK and India, and showcased the strength and attractiveness of the UK’s creative industries, one of the growth-driving sectors identified in the UK government’s Industrial Strategy.

    The Culture Secretary then toured Yash Raj Films Studio, where some of the most popular Bollywood films with audiences in the UK are made. Both the UK and India boast rich cinematic traditions and share a deep mutual interest in each other’s storytelling cultures, and the Culture Secretary wants to see more collaboration between UK and Indian film productions.

    UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy said:

    In the arts and creative industries, Britain and India lead the world and I look forward to this agreement opening up fresh opportunities for collaboration, innovation and economic growth for our artists, cultural institutions and creative businesses.

    Growing up as a mixed race child with proud Indian heritage, I saw first hand how the UK’s culture – from food, fashion and film to music, sport and literature – is enriched by the unique contribution of the Indian diaspora. It has given me a deep connection to India’s culture and people and it is an honour to be visiting this magnificent country to forge a closer cultural partnership.

    During the visit:

    • This evening the Culture Secretary will attend a marquee event at the British Council in Delhi, where she will preview performances from India’s Serendipity Arts Festival which is due to hold a mini festival in Birmingham in May and a large-scale event in London next year.
    • At the same reception, Visit Britain CEO Patricia Yates will launch the Starring GREAT Britain campaign in India, which will draw upon film and TV locations as a driver for inward tourism to the UK.
    • In the Okhla neighbourhood of Delhi, she will tour boutique fashion houses and workshops and meet a range of Indian fashion designers with UK links.
    • Earlier today the Culture Secretary met female cricketers at the Sharad Pawar Sports Club, ahead of India hosting the Women’s Cricket World Cup in October 2025. On Saturday she will meet football coaches involved in the Premier League Primary Stars programme in India, a partnership between the Premier League and the British Council to improve physical and sports education in primary schools. Earlier this week the Premier League announced it was opening a new office in Mumbai.
    • As well as her meetings with the Minister for Culture and senior Indian government ministers, the Culture Secretary is also expected to meet with significant Indian investors and business leaders.

    Actor and writer Sanjeev Bhaskar said:

    The creative industries are a powerful, enjoyable way to bring people together so I hope this visit further solidifies a mutual appreciation not just of the long established arts of both countries but also the evolving areas of film, music and theatre that are successfully combining artistic traditions from India and the UK to explore and cement what is a unique relationship.

    Film director Gurinder Chadha said:

    As a filmmaker who has spent my career celebrating being British Punjabi and honouring the connections between Britain and India, it is great to see our cultural bonds further strengthened through this new agreement from my friend and colleague Lisa Nandy.

    Now we have a real opportunity to unlock exciting new creative opportunities for artists and storytellers to the benefit of both our countries.

    ENDS

    UK-India Programme of Cultural Cooperation Agreement

    • The Culture Secretary and Minister for Culture are expected to formally sign the UK-India Programme of Cultural Cooperation. The two nations will commit to enhancing cultural exchange between the UK and India through the arts and heritage, and to encourage long-term partnerships between UK and Indian businesses and cultural institutions.
    • Implementation will involve the British Council in India and the Indian Ministry of Culture, with participation from major UK cultural institutions including Arts Council England, the British Library, the British Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum Group and the V&A Museum. This has the potential for British museums to launch new partnerships on exhibitions or public programmes that engage the Indian diaspora in the UK.
    • The UK will work with India to support best practice and expertise on heritage conservation, museum management and digitisation of collections – including making knowledge contained in South Asian manuscripts more widely accessible, and the protection of cultural property, with both nations committing to combat illicit trafficking of cultural artifacts.

    Further quotes:

    Sir Ian Blatchford, Director and Chief Executive of the Science Museum Group, said:

    This commitment from the British and Indian Governments to deeper cultural cooperation will further strengthen our relationships with Indian cultural and scientific organisations, helping the Science Museum Group to share ever more fascinating stories of scientific discovery with audiences in both the UK and India.

    Visitors to Science City in Kolkata can explore our Injecting Hope exhibition – which delves into the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines and was created in partnership with India’s National Council of Science Museums – now on display as part of an international tour that has inspired nearly five million visitors in museums across India, China and the UK.”

    Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A, said:

    The V&A is delighted to contribute to the new UK-India cultural partnership. It will increase our ability to loan more objects from our world-class collection, and build strategic relationships with the booming Indian arts scene across design, fashion, photography, and performance.

    Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the British Museum, said:

    The British Museum’s collaboration with partner museums across India are some of our deepest and most successful. For example, in Mumbai, we have a groundbreaking partnership with the CSMVS Museum – one of India’s biggest – which is based around the reciprocal exchange of objects, knowledge, and ideas.

    I’m delighted that the UK-India Cultural Cooperation Agreement recognises, at the highest level, the importance of cultural collaboration between our two countries and we look forward to strengthening these partnerships further.”

    Director of the Natural History Museum Doug Gurr said:

    India is clearly a nation of talented, passionate and prolific wildlife photographers! Indian photographers have consistently been well-represented in our prestigious photography competition Wildlife Photography of the Year – and this year we had a record-breaking number of over 300 entrees from India, an increase of 79 per cent!

    It has been our honour to share the awe-inspiring images of our Indian alumni to millions of people worldwide and we have had the pleasure of collaborating with Dhritiman Mukherjee, Ripan Biswas and Nayan Khanolkar to deliver conservation photography workshops for young people in Kolkata. We are thrilled that our connection continues at the Visual Poetries Photography Festival in Gujarat this summer, with our Competition Manager joining their jury and our Wildlife Photography of the Year Highlights on display throughout.

    Rebecca Lawrence, Chief Executive of the British Library, said:

    The British Library has a long history of successful collaboration with our peers in India, including on the landmark ‘Two Centuries of Indian Print’ project and through our Endangered Archives Programme.

    We warmly welcome this agreement which will provide opportunities to further deepen our partnerships, exchange valuable professional skills and insights, and strengthen our shared networks of knowledge and culture.

    More information:

    • VisitBritain forecasts a record 766,000 visits from India to the UK in 2025, up 7 percent on 2024, with travellers spending £1 billion – a 12 per cent year-on-year growth.
    • The BPI has reported that British music exports to India experienced a significant 26.3 percent increase in revenue. This moves India into the top 20 biggest overseas territories for UK recorded music, and there have recently been tours by major British acts including Coldplay in January and Ed Sheeran in February.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Business review on US tariffs has concluded [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Business review on US tariffs has concluded [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Business and Trade on 2 May 2025.

    Government statement on conclusion of US tariff review.

    The process seeking views from businesses and interested stakeholders to shape any future UK action on tariffs has now concluded.

    The four-week Request for Input launched on Wednesday 3 April in response to the US imposing tariffs on a range of products and has received over 200 responses. Work to analyse those responses begins while keeping all options on the table.

    The Government will now rapidly analyse the comments and data which scope out the impacts of possible UK tariffs, as well as views on a range of products that could be included in any UK’s response.

    Negotiations on an economic prosperity deal with the US to remove existing and future tariffs continue at pace and remain our focus.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    We are now in a new era for trade and the economy, and that means going further and faster to strengthen the UK’s economy.

    All options remain on the table and any future UK action will be made in the national interest – and that is exactly why this engagement was so important.

    Our approach so far has been guided by the interests of British business and their voice will continue to be at the heart of our decisions.

    While we analyse responses, this Government’s priority will be to build on the strength of our relationship with the US and continue talks to find a resolution for UK businesses.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Two new Non-Executive Board Members appointed to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Two new Non-Executive Board Members appointed to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 2 May 2025.

    The Secretary of State has appointed Jude Kelly and Janet Pope as Non-Executive Board Members for terms of three years from 23 April 2025 to 22 April 2028.

    Jude Kelly

    Jude Kelly CBE is an internationally acclaimed creative leader who has founded and steered some of the world’s most prestigious cultural institutions, arts festivals, charities, and outreach programmes. A pioneer for social progress, Jude is renowned for championing inclusion, gender equality and diversity. She is the former Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre , founder Artistic Director of the West Yorkshire Playhouse ( now Leeds Playhouse) and the Founder and current Head of Global Advisory of WOW – Women of the World which runs festivals and programmes in  many parts of the UK including Bradford, Durham, Hull, Manchester Rotherham and internationally in 26 countries . Jude has directed over 200 theatre and opera productions, led the Culture programme for the London Olympic and Paralympic 2012 bid and was  a Cultural Leader in Residence for the World Economic Forum 2024. She is the eighth Master of St Catherine’s College, University of Oxford, a Board member of Creative UK and cultural adviser to The Eden Project. She is the inaugural Chair of One Creative North.

    Janet Pope

    Janet Pope is currently Chair of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Bank and Environment and Social Purpose Committee Chair at Yorkshire Building Society. She is also a Trustee at StepChange, the debt advisory charity. Janet recently retired from her role as Chief of Staff and Chief Sustainability Officer at Lloyds Banking Group where she was a Group Director for more than ten years and previously Savings Director.  Her earlier roles include CEO Alliance Trust Savings, EVP Strategy at Visa and Retail Banking Director (Africa) at Standard Chartered Bank. Janet’s previous non-executive roles include board roles at the Banking Standards Board and government audit committee roles at DCLG and ODPM. Janet read Economics at the LSE and holds an MSc Economics and MBA from London University.

    As well as sitting on the Departmental Board, Janet has been appointed to chair the Department’s Audit and Risk Committee.

    Remuneration and Governance Code

    These roles receive an annual remuneration of £15,000 per annum (£20,000 for Audit and Risk role). These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election.

    Jude Kelly has declared that she is a member of The Labour Party and canvassed on their behalf at the last general election.  Janet Pope has declared that she was a Labour  Councillor for the London Borough of Camden from 1986-1990, Chair of Camden Town with Primrose Hill Branch of Holborn & St Pancras Labour Party 2021-2023 and from 2024 she is currently Treasurer of Camden Central branch Holborn & St Pancras Labour Party 2024

    DCMS has around 400 regulated Public Appointment roles across 42 Public Bodies (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations) including Arts Council England, Theatres Trust, the National Gallery, UK Sport and the Gambling Commission. DCMS is committed to ensuring that the boards of public bodies benefit from a range of talents, backgrounds, and perspectives, and welcome applications from across the country. To find out more about Public Appointments or to apply for a role visit the HM Government Public Appointments Website.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Response to arbitration tribunal final report – UK-Sandeel [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Response to arbitration tribunal final report – UK-Sandeel [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 2 May 2025.

    UK Government statement on the sandeel Arbitration Tribunal’s final ruling in the UK-Sandeel case.

    • The UK Government has received the sandeel Arbitration Tribunal’s final ruling in the UK-Sandeel case.
    • While the UK succeeded in the majority of its arguments, the Tribunal identified a procedural error in the decision to close English waters.
    • The ruling does not mean the UK is legally obliged to reverse the closure of English waters, and the decision to close Scottish waters was fully upheld.
    • The government will undertake a process in good faith to bring the UK into compliance.

    The sandeel Arbitration Tribunal has published its final ruling.

    This relates to decisions taken in March 2024 by the UK and Scottish Governments to close our North Sea Waters to sandeel fishing. The decisions were taken to protect vulnerable seabird populations and support the wider marine environment.

    In April 2024, the EU launched dispute proceedings to challenge the closures. In October 2024, the EU referred the challenge to an arbitration tribunal to rule on the dispute.

    The report found that the UK successfully demonstrated that the measures taken to close English and Scottish waters were based on the best available science and had sufficient regard to the principle of non-discrimination. The tribunal also found that the Scottish measures had sufficient regard to the principle of proportionality.

    The Tribunal found that during the decision-making process to close English waters to sandeel fishing, the UK did not have sufficient regard to the principle of proportionality, specifically in relation to EU rights during the adjustment period – a requirement under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement  (TCA).

    The government will now undertake a process in good faith to bring the UK into compliance.

    There is no legal obligation for the UK to reverse the closures while the compliance process takes place, and the report does not indicate that compliance must require reversing the closures.

    A government spokesperson said:

    We welcome the clarity provided by this decision, and we will undertake a process in good faith to bring the UK into compliance on the specific issues raised by the Tribunal.

    The ruling does not mean the UK is legally obliged to reverse the closure of English waters, and the decision to close Scottish waters was fully upheld.

    We remain committed to protecting our seabirds and the wider marine environment, in accordance with our commitments to the TCA and other international agreements.

    Disputes and the use of resolution mechanisms are a normal part of a mature relationship with international partners. We will continue to act in the national interest as we work towards a strong and lasting partnership with our European neighbours.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Solicitor General’s intervention leads to increase in sex offender’s sentence [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Solicitor General’s intervention leads to increase in sex offender’s sentence [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 2 May 2025.

    A sex offender who sexually assaulted multiple young women and girls has had his sentence increased after the Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP intervened.

    Robert Emmerson, 40, from Manchester, had his four-and-a-half years sentence increased to seven years with a further three on licence after it was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

    The court heard that between 6 November 2023 and 15 April 2024, Emmerson committed five separate sexual assaults and seven acts of exposure against 11 girls and young women in central Manchester and Wythenshawe areas.

    The victims said that Emmerson’s attacks took place in broad daylight and that they were “shocked” and “terrified” with some noting that he was smiling throughout.

    The court also learned that Emmerson has a history of sexual offences, with previous convictions for indecent exposure and stalking. Some of his victims were schoolgirls.

    Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said:

    I was sickened and angered to read of the offenders’ numerous sexual assaults against women and young girls His increased sentence clearly shows that sex offenders will be brought to justice and face the penalty they deserve.

    This government is committed to halving violence against women and girls in a decade as part of the Plan for Change and this increased sentence will keep predators like Emmerson off our streets. My thoughts today are with the young women attacked by Emmerson.

    On 30 January 2025, Emmerson was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court for four years and six months for five counts of sexual assault, and seven counts of exposure. He also received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and is subject to indefinite notification requirements.

    On 1 May 2025, his sentence was increased to seven years with a further three on licence after it was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UKHSA publishes new analysis of health inequalities in England [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UKHSA publishes new analysis of health inequalities in England [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the UK Health Security Agency on 2 May 2025.

    Data shows current state of health inequalities caused by infectious diseases, as well as environmental health hazards.

    As part of its commitment to achieving equitable health security outcomes for everyone, the UK Health Security Agency is publishing (Friday 2 May) comprehensive new data, the Health Inequalities in Health Protection report. The report provides a high-level summary of the current state of health inequalities in England caused by infectious diseases, as well as environmental health hazards.

    The analysis mainly uses hospital admissions as a measure of infectious disease levels; key findings include:

    • people living in the 20% most deprived areas in England are almost twice as likely to be admitted to hospital due to infectious diseases than the least deprived
    • those living in the North-West are 30% more likely to be hospitalised for an infectious disease (3,600 per 100,000 admissions for Sept 23-Aug 24), compared to the England average (2,800 per 100,000)
    • areas of high levels of deprivation typically experience higher levels of air pollution than less deprived and less ethnically diverse areas
    • the scale of inequalities between ethnic groups varies by specific disease. For example, emergency admission rates for tuberculosis were 29 times higher for ‘Asian other ‘, 27 times higher for ‘Indian’ and 15 times higher for ‘Black African’, compared to ‘White British’
    • As well as the costs to the social, physical and mental health of our communities, it was estimated that inequalities in emergency infectious disease hospital admissions cost the NHS between £970 million and £1.5 billion in 2022-23.

    People living in deprived communities experience higher emergency hospital admission rates, compared to the least deprived communities; the data show these are:

    • twice as high for respiratory diseases in general and up to seven times higher specifically for tuberculosis and six times higher for measles.
    • twice as high for invasive infections in general, and up to 2.5 times higher specifically for sepsis
    • 1.7 times higher for gastrointestinal diseases

    People from more deprived areas are also disproportionately impacted by radiation, chemical, climate and environmental hazards through their exposure, direct impact on their health, and the exacerbation of existing health conditions​. Areas with high levels of deprivation typically have higher levels of air pollution than less deprived and less ethnically diverse areas.

    Dr Leonora Weil, Deputy Director for Health Equity and Inclusion at UKHSA said:

    The report reveals some stark facts on the state of inequalities in health security faced by some people, in particular those living in the most deprived communities and certain areas of the country, some ethnic groups, as well as excluded groups such as those experiencing homelessness.

    These health protection inequalities – where there are poorer health outcomes based on where you live, your socio-economic status or ethnicity are avoidable, pervasive, and preventable. That is why it is so important to shine a light on these findings to increase action to support communities to live longer and in better health.

    Going forward our data and analysis of the evidence will help us, and our partners apply a health equity lens to all our health security work, to inform how we better target effective health services and wider interventions to those most at need.

    This report is just the start. We need to build on these insights, as only through persistent and dedicated effort across all health organisations will we make a real difference to helping all people live longer and in better health.

    UKHSA’s approach to reducing health inequalities in health protection involves:

    • building our understanding of the people and places that experience these inequalities
    • taking a ‘people and place’ approach, working with local and national systems to support integrated, tailored and accessible interventions that better meet the needs of different communities and groups
    • working in partnership across national and local government, the NHS, the voluntary, faith and charity sector and communities themselves
    • equipping the UKHSA workforce with the capacity and capability to address inequalities in health protection in everything we do

    Inclusion health groups, such as people seeking asylum, people in prison, people experiencing homelessness and people who inject drugs are often disproportionately impacted by a range of infectious diseases. For example, it is estimated that over 80% of people in England living with chronic Hepatitis C have an injecting drug history. However, inclusion health groups are often not visible in routine health surveillance data.

    In addition to the social, physical and mental health costs to our communities, health inequalities also have a significant economic burden. It was estimated that inequalities in emergency infectious disease hospital admissions cost the NHS between £970 million and £1.5 billion in 2022-23. In a recent UKHSA report summarising infectious disease trends, it was estimated that infectious diseases were the primary reason for over 20% of hospital bed usage, at an annual cost of almost £6bn in 2023 to 2024.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Former St Helens pub landlord failed to declare he was bankrupt when applying for Covid loan [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Former St Helens pub landlord failed to declare he was bankrupt when applying for Covid loan [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Insolvency Service on 2 May 2025.

    Suspended sentence for former St Helens pub owner.

    • Gary Wright was the owner of the Talbot Ale House in St Helens before it ceased trading in 2019, prior to the pandemic
    • Wright was subsequently declared bankrupt in early 2020
    • This did not stop him applying for a £25,000 Bounce Back Loan on behalf of the pub, failing to tell the bank he was bankrupt in the process
    • The loan was repaid in full earlier this year

    A former St Helens pub owner who failed to disclose his bankruptcy when he applied for Covid support funds has been handed a suspended sentence.

    Gary Wright did not inform the bank that he was bankrupt when he obtained a £25,000 Bounce Back Loan in the summer of 2020.

    The 46-year-old made the application on behalf of the Talbot Ale House on Duke Street in St Helens town centre, the pub he ran before his bankruptcy earlier that year.

    Wright, of Bleak Hill Road, St Helens, was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday 24 April.

    He was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,500 in costs.

    The Bounce Back Loan was repaid in full shortly before Wright was sentenced.

    David Snasdell, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

    Gary Wright incurred significant debts after his business failed and he was ultimately declared bankrupt.

    He then attempted to take advantage of a scheme which was backed by taxpayers and designed to support viable small businesses through the pandemic.

    Bankrupts are legally required to declare their status when applying for loans or credit. Wright clearly failed to do this which is why he now has a criminal conviction.

    Talbot Ale House ceased trading in September 2019 and Wright was declared bankrupt in February 2020 due to debts owed to a major utility company.

    Despite this, Wright applied for a £25,000 Bounce Back Loan in June 2020, claiming the turnover of the pub was £400,000.

    Wright remains an undischarged bankrupt, meaning he has not been officially released from his bankruptcy.

    Individuals subject to a bankruptcy order must disclose their status if they borrow or obtain credit of £500 or more.

    A pub continues to run from the same address but under different management.

    Further information

    • Gary Wright is of Bleak Hill Road, St Helens. His date of birth is 15 December 1978
  • PRESS RELEASE : Rapist who posed as professional photographer has sentence increased [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rapist who posed as professional photographer has sentence increased [May 2025]

    The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 2 May 2025.

    A sexual predator who posed as a photographer to lure women to his home before sexually abusing them has sentence increased after Solicitor General intervenes.

    Anthony Williams (40), from Gloucester, has had his eight-year sentence increased to 12 years by the Court of Appeal after the Solicitor General referred his case under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

    The court heard that Williams pretended to be a professional photographer, approaching women online and luring them to his makeshift studio at his home.

    During the photoshoot, Williams encouraged the women to undress before he sexually abused them.

    He carried out 17 attacks over the course of nine photoshoots between July 2021 and December 2021.

    In victim impact statements several women spoke about how much Williams had impacted their mental health. One victim said: “I find myself feeling like a mere shadow of my former self.”

    The Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said:

    Williams exploited and manipulated women into thinking they were taking part in professional photo shoots but this was just part of a grim scheme to brutally assault them for his own sexual gratification.

    Protecting women and girls is an absolute priority for this government and I would like to offer my sympathies to the victims. I welcome the court’s increase to this sentence.

    Anthony Williams was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment on 22 January 2025 after a jury at Gloucester Crown Court found him guilty of 14 counts of sexual assault, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of rape. The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

    On 15 April 2025 at the Court of Appeal, Anthony Williams had his sentence increased to 12 years.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister hails game changing UK-made RAF drones [May 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister hails game changing UK-made RAF drones [May 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 2 May 2025.

    Hundreds of highly skilled jobs are being supported by the RAF’s new cutting-edge UK made drones.

    • New British-made ‘StormShroud’ drones are at the cutting edge of defence combat air, taking advantage of learnings from countering Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine
    • Brand new tech supports hundreds of jobs and shows investment in UK defence is driving economic growth, making communities better off, and bolstering national security by delivering on the Plan for Change
    • Getting from the factory to the frontline at an unprecedented pace, the drones will fly alongside crewed aircraft as part of crucial RAF frontline missions, to knock out enemy air defences
    • Tekever, who manufacture the drones, announce a further £400 million investment in the UK

    Hundreds of highly skilled jobs are being supported by the RAF’s new cutting-edge UK made drones, known as ‘StormShroud’, which come into operation today (Friday 2 May), as the Prime Minister further bolsters UK national security.

    It is the latest boost to the UK’s defence capabilities as the armed forces reap the benefits from Ukraine’s battlefield experience, and comes as the UK continues to play a leading role in peace negotiations, including building momentum in talks between leaders in Rome last weekend. The UK is also driving forward Coalition of the Willing planning as well as accelerating UK-Ukrainian defence industrial cooperation.

    The StormShroud drone is a groundbreaking first-of-its-kind drone that will make the RAF’s world-class combat aircraft more survivable and more lethal. The drones offer a step change in capability by using a high-tech BriteStorm signal jammer to disrupt enemy radar at long ranges, protecting our aircraft and pilots. In revolutionary new tactics, the drones support aircraft like Typhoon and F35 Lightning, by confusing enemy radars and allowing combat aircraft to attack targets unseen. This means for the first time, the RAF will benefit from high-end electronic warfare without needing crew to man it, freeing them up for other vital frontline missions.

    The RAF is investing an initial £19 million into the cutting-edge drones, which are made in the UK and directly support 200 highly skilled engineering jobs at multiple UK locations already from West Wales to Somerset, with further opportunities expected in future. StormShroud is just the first of a family of next-generation drones – known as Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACPs) – being delivered to the RAF.

    The Tekever AR3 and AR5 have had extensive use on the frontline fighting Putin’s illegal war, racking up more than 10,000 hours of flight for Ukraine’s forces. The RAF is taking the next step by integrating best-in-class signal scrambling technology into the drones to boost the UK’s defences at home, as the Prime Minister steps up UK defence capabilities to counter complex threats in the face of global instability.

    In a further vote of confidence in Britain’s defence industry, British-Portuguese tech company Tekever, who manufacture the drones in the UK, plan to invest a further £400 million over the next 5 years across the UK and create up to 1,000 more highly skilled jobs.

    The Prime Minister will visit to a Leonardo UK site in the South East today to see first-hand the expertise that goes into manufacturing the drones, and meeting the staff involved in delivering it, including many engineering apprentices representing the next generation of British defence industry excellence.

    As well as stepping up to protect our interests on the world stage, this government’s commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 means more secure, well-paid jobs for a generation that’s proud to keep our country safe.

    Just last week, the Carrier Strike Group launched its eight-month deployment and will join exercises, operations and visits with 30 countries across the Mediterranean, Middle East, south-east Asia, Japan and Australia – led by the Royal Navy’s largest and most powerful aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales. The deployment sends a powerful message that the UK and its allies stand ready to protect vital trade routes in the Indo-Pacific region.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    Investment in our defence is an investment in this country’s future.  Putting money behind our Armed Forces and defence industry is safeguarding our economic and national security by putting money back in the pockets of hard-working British people and protecting them for generations to come.

    Together with our allies, this government is taking the bold action needed to stand up to Putin and ruthlessly protect UK and European security, which is vital for us to deliver our Plan for Change and improve lives of working people up and down the country.

    It is a privilege to meet and learn from the young minds driving innovation in defence technology, and we will continue to invest in the industries of the future to deliver security and opportunity for the British people through our Plan for Change.