Tag: Speeches

  • Yvette Cooper – 2026 Statement on the Middle East

    Yvette Cooper – 2026 Statement on the Middle East

    The speech made by Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, in the House of Commons on 9 June 2026.

    Mr Speaker, this weekend we saw worrying and dangerous escalation. Lebanese Hezbollah continuing to fire into northern Israel, Israeli strikes against southern areas of Beirut, and the direct exchange of missiles between Iran and Israel – presenting one of the most dangerous moments since the fragile ceasefire was agreed.

    Over the past 48 hours we have made clear the need for urgent de-escalation, because a resumption of conflict is in no one’s interest, and I spoke to the Iranian Foreign Minister on Sunday evening to convey this directly.

    Both Israel and Iran have indicated that they have ended their strikes, and that is welcome, but there was reporting just before I entered the Chamber of strikes again this morning.

    It is vital that we have a diplomatic way forward, both to end the conflict in Lebanon, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, to restore regional stability, and prevent Iran ever developing or obtaining a nuclear weapon.

    As we have previously made clear in this House, Israel’s recent escalation in Lebanon was reckless and disproportionate, and deepened the humanitarian crisis that has already seen more than a million Lebanese people driven from their homes and thousands killed.

    We strongly condemn Hizbollah’s attacks against Israel, including its northern communities, because at Iran’s instigation, Hezbollah – a proscribed organisation – is dragging Lebanon into a war that is against the interests of its people and its government. It must end this dangerous attack and disarm, and the US-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon must be properly observed by all parties.

    We want to see a swift and successful conclusion to the ongoing talks between the US and Iran. We need an agreement that gets the Strait fully open with no tolls or charges, and last week I discussed this with Foreign Minister Wang Yi in China and Foreign Minister Jaishankar in India.

    Every country has a stake in freedom of navigation, and the UK will continue to speak up for this across the world.

    In partnership with France and other countries, we stand ready to play our part, once agreement is reached, to support demining and provide reassurance to shipping through a multilateral maritime mission. With cost-of-living pressures at home, we need a lasting settlement, which delivers peace and stability in the region and the full restoration of global trade.

    Let me turn now to Palestine. Nine months ago, at the UN General Assembly, I confirmed the UK’s historic decision to recognise the State of Palestine, and we did so alongside partners in recognition of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people, and to defend the viability of a two-state solution.

    We did so as part of a wave of international diplomatic energy in support of peace in the Middle East, and it was a crucial moment of hope that we could end the violence and suffering and begin to build a better future of lasting peace and security for Palestine, Israel, and the wider region.

    But today the situation is bleak, and the viability of the two-state solution remains in grave peril.

    We turn first to Gaza. The ceasefire remains formally in place, but it is being regularly violated. Since October, over 900 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed. 1.9 million Palestinians remain displaced and dependent on humanitarian aid – and aid is down this year, not up, with 90% of water and sanitation infrastructure destroyed and not rebuilt. Families without shelter, a public health crisis with rodent infestations and communicable disease, and currently at barely half the level of the 4200 trucks a week promised in the 20 Point plan.

    Israel’s registration law continues to severely restrict international NGO operations, while key crossings remain closed, and it is a total moral outrage that children are still going hungry while food they need rots on shelves because aid agencies cannot get in.

    Meanwhile, Hamas decommissioning has not yet started, and they retain a tight hold on areas of Gaza, and instead of the phased withdrawal of Israeli troops, Gazans are restricted to just 40% of the territory unable to access their land beyond the yellow line. Mr Speaker, we urgently need new international energy, new pressure and new action to resuscitate the 20 Point Plan.

    For the UK, that means pressure in three priority areas.

    First, increased aid is urgent and must be unconditional. Despite all the challenges, UK aid is making a difference on the ground. Last year, we provided over £80 million of humanitarian and early recovery funding – with funding protected again this year, enabling 650,000 people to receive food and improving access to water, sanitation, and hygiene for 300,000 people.

    UK support for mine clearance has enabled 45 acres of land to be made safe for community use and helped clear 24 key sites, including medical facilities. Today, I can announce a further million pounds to support these mine clearance efforts.

    But some UK aid is still stuck in warehouses, including in Jordan and Egypt, and humanitarian support is a fundamental right – it cannot be bartered against other aspects of the peace plan. So, the Netanyahu government must recognise its urgent humanitarian responsibility to open crossings and to end the arbitrary restrictions, so the UN, UNRWA, and international NGOs can fulfil their life-saving mandates.

    Second, we continue to press for the decommissioning of Hamas weapons to get under way. Hamas must destroy its terrorist infrastructure and weapons production sites as a first step towards full demilitarization, and we have offered UK technical expertise to support this. Meanwhile, Israel must deliver on its commitments to withdraw.

    Third, we need the practical support and access that was promised for the transitional Palestinian National Committee. There are still too many obstacles in its path, and it is still not operating within Gaza itself. That makes it easier for Hamas to retain its hold.

    We have offered practical support to the committee as they endeavour to fulfil their mandate, and we will lead international calls to support them in co-ordination with the Palestinian Authority. Because Palestine should be run by Palestinians.

    Which brings me to the West Bank. Following the ceasefire agreement, I warned that sustained peace would not be possible without a comparable effort to protect the viability of Palestinian statehood and rights in the West Bank. Instead, we have seen the opposite.

    Last week, a seven-month-old baby was killed in his mother’s arms, his name was Sam Abu Haikal, after the IDF opened fire on a family car in South Hebron, and the UK supports the calls for an immediate and transparent investigation and robust accountability.

    Over the weekend, a gunman in Israel opened fire, with one killed and five injured, an attack that shockingly was applauded by Hamas.

    We have also seen rising and incredibly disturbing settler violence, Palestinian families and communities driven from their homes, brutally beaten while farming their own land. 950 violent incidents this year already. In April, settlers shot dead two Palestinians while attacking a school, and one was a boy of 14.

    Mr Speaker, the UK condemns the shocking violence which terrorizes Palestinians. Many Israelis are horrified at what they are seeing from settler extremists. The Netanyahu government has condemned some settler violence, but that rings hollow when there is scant accountability, and when the agenda of the hardline settlers has now become intertwined with the approach of this Israeli cabinet.

    So, let me set out today new action this government will take.

    First, I am announcing a new wave of sanctions targeting the networks that are supporting this violence. Organisations including the Farms Association that fundraises for illegal outposts, strongholds for settler aggression. Ahavat Gilad that serves as the Farms Association’s financial conduit, and Artzenu, that has fundraised for military equipment for armed settler squads.

    This is the fourth package of sanctions under this Labour government against extremist Israeli settlers. We have targeted some of the most notorious individuals, the most significant settler entities, and the extremist figures in the Israeli Cabinet who are inciting these acts. Today’s measures mean the UK is second to none among international partners in targeting those facilitating and inciting settler violence.

    We are also going further – on the 22nd of May, the Prime Minister led a group of other world leaders, warning businesses not to bid for construction tenders for E1 or other settlement developments.

    But this is not just about construction contracts. So today, alongside the Department for Business and Trade, I have strengthened our Business Risk Guidance to make it clear and unambiguous: if you are a British citizen or business, you should not conduct any economic and financial activities in illegal Israeli settlements.

    And today, alongside my Right Hon. friend the Culture Secretary, I have written to the Charity Commission for England and Wales requesting that they open an investigation into evidence of UK charities that have links to illegal settlements. The Minister for the Middle East will meet with the Commission CEO tomorrow, because no UK charity should be supporting or enabling these breaches of international law.

    The principles we are acting on, I believe, are widely supported across this House. We believe that settlements are a fundamental barrier to peace and a flagrant breach of international law. We believe that violent settler groups should not be profiting from the land that they have seized from Palestinians, and we also believe we must continue to distinguish and protect trade with people and businesses across the state of Israel – trade that reflects long-standing and important ties between our countries and communities.

    We will look to continue to co-ordinate our approach with close allies and look at further concrete steps to counter settlement expansion and promote peace and security.

    Finally, let me address our support for Palestinian governance. We are keeping up the pressure on the PA, the Palestinian Authority, to deliver its vital reform commitments on education, welfare payments, and elections.

    We are expanding the direct practical help to the PA to reform and to deliver effective government for its people, drawing on the deep expertise of the UK Envoy for PA governance, Lord Michael Barber.

    But the PA faces an enormous fiscal and healthcare crisis because the Israeli Government has a stranglehold on the Palestinian economy, including withholding $5 billion of Palestinian tax revenue. That means schools and health facilities struggle to stay open for more than one or two days a week.

    An effective PA is directly in Israel’s interest. It is both utterly wrong and incredibly short-sighted for the Netanyahu government to seek to undermine it at every turn.

    So, the UK has stepped up our efforts in support, alongside the support for reforms. This year, we provided PA funding that helped 5,300 health workers sustain front-line services, and today I can announce we will provide at least £10 million further to support the PA over 2026 to pay salaries bolstering the PA’s ability to function, helping dedicated health professionals to do their essential work across hospitals, clinics and maternity services.

    And our focus will be to build more effective, more democratic, and more accountable governance, and to reinforce the unity of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem as inseparable pillars of the state of Palestine.

    International pressure and partnership on the ground have been vital over the last 12 months, and so later this week I will travel to Paris, along with other foreign ministers, in advance of the Peace Building Conference, which is bringing together Israeli and Palestinian civil society groups, alongside international partners dedicated to advancing the two-state solution.

    Because the momentum of last year must be reinvigorated for the sake of peace and security for all, I commend this statement to the House.

  • Stephen Timms – 2026 Speech at the UN Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

    Stephen Timms – 2026 Speech at the UN Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

    The speech made by Stephen Timms, the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, on 9 June 2026.

    As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of its adoption, the UK Government remains strongly committed to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and we continue to make progress towards implementation.

    At international level, as co-chair, the UK hosted the Annual General Meeting recently of the Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network in Edinburgh, alongside the International Disability Alliance.  

    With over 100 attendees, member states, multilaterals, foundations, Disabled People’s Organisations, the event enabled partners to coordinate their strategies to advance disability rights and inclusion globally. 

    At home, we continue to work closely with disabled people and their representative organisations, putting their views and voices at the heart of all that we do.

    Our new Independent Disability Advisory Panel is connecting the expertise of deaf and disabled people, and those with long-term health conditions, into the design and delivery of health and disability policy.  

    I am co-producing the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and others.

    We are continuing to work closely with the British Sign Language Advisory Board in implementing the British Sign Language (BSL) Act 2022, which includes departmental reporting to improve accessibility.

    Our forthcoming cross-government Plan for Disability will be a key step.

    It will set out a vision for what our government aims to achieve for disabled people in the longer term, and a summary of initial steps that will be taken towards achieving it.  

    It will also set out priority next steps for the government to remove the barriers which confront disabled people and need to be removed. 

    This work is being supported by our Lead Ministers for Disability, one Minister representing the interests of disabled people and championing disability inclusion and accessibility in each government department. 

    We want to ensure positive progress on policy affecting disabled people right across government.  

    To make sure that this support is grounded in the principles of the Convention, we have produced an online training package for government officials which supports consideration of the treaty and the convention in their work.

  • Liz Kendall – 2026 Speech to London Tech Week

    Liz Kendall – 2026 Speech to London Tech Week

    The speech made by Liz Kendall, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on 9 June 2026.

    I want to talk about a great British success story.  

    It’s a story of British talent, British ingenuity, British enterprise, and ambition.  

    A story with one central theme: that this country is uniquely placed to thrive and prosper in the age of AI, to seize the incredible opportunities, and face the challenges that this powerful technology brings. 

    And today, together, we are writing Britain’s next chapter on winning the race for our future.  

    Winning for Britain and the British people.

    With the talent in this room and with a Labour Government that knows our best days lie ahead. 

    I don’t need to tell you about the huge opportunities AI brings. 

    Faster research, new treatments, and even cures for diseases. A transformation in our productivity, breakthroughs in clean energy, and so much more besides.  

    And the speed of change is dizzying. 

    In the last seven years AI models have gone from completing tasks toddlers can do to surpassing PhD level intelligence, with some model capabilities now doubling every four months.

    The potential for discovery, innovation and wealth creation can be intoxicating. But we also know AI brings real challenges and risks.  

    For our defence and national security, for people’s jobs and livelihoods, and inequality. 

    And, through the power of social media and the spread of mis- and disinformation, risks for our democracy too. 

    Dealing with these risks can seem daunting, even overwhelming, leading to some to say: enough – pull up the drawbridge. Stop AI. 

    But my view – from my time in politics and the lessons we learn from history – is that we are not powerless in the face of technological change.  

    We have agency.  We can act.  After all, that is what politics and government are for. 

    We cannot – and must not – retreat from progress as other political parties and politicians argue. 

    Doing so would be a betrayal of British talent, and British interests.  

    And it wouldn’t work even if we tried. 

    Because the choice isn’t between having AI or not.  

    The choice is between shaping AI according to our interests and values, so it works for everyone in this country, or being left at its mercy and whim.     

    This government’s choice is clear.   

    We will seize the opportunities and tackle the challenges AI inevitably brings, so we shape this powerful technology to work for all.  

    I believe Britain is in a better position than almost any other country to reap the rewards of AI and make it work for our people. 

    Because our huge strengths give us vital skin in the game.  

    Our universities are the envy of the world.  We have won more Nobel prizes per capita than any other major economy. A superb talent pool – much of which is right here in this room today. 

    An amazing, thriving tech ecosystem. 

    Our pragmatic, not dogmatic, approach to regulation.    

    A deep well of high-quality data, and our world-leading organisations like the AI Security Institute.  

    All of these alongside Britain’s long-held strengths – the world’s language, the rule of law, our stability and unwavering belief in Parliamentary democracy.   

    I’m clearly not the only one who sees this incredible potential. 

    Last year, Britain attracted more venture capital than France, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland combined.   

    And already this year, almost half of all VC funding in Europe has been invested in Britain – a 16-year high.  

    Just look at the incredible companies backing Britain and growing in Britain.   

    DeepMind, Anthropic, Open AI – all expanding or opening offices here. Isomorphic Labs: using AI to completely reshape medical research, cutting years off the development of new drugs – bringing hope to families everywhere.  

    Ineffable: the new AI superintelligence company, founded by David Silver, which has just raised $1.1 billion in funding – the largest seed round in European history.   

    And Wayve: a home-grown British success story that, in under a decade, has gone from two PhD students, driving around Cambridge with a camera on the roof, to a global tech titan, valued at £6.6 billion.  

    Well done, Mr Kendall. 

    And our strengths aren’t just here in London. Far from it.  

    They’re in Liverpool, where I visited last week to see how AI is transforming materials chemistry; taking months off testing times for new consumer products used in millions of homes across the country.   

    Newcastle – the home of Sage, one of the largest tech firms in the country. 

    In Cardiff, where Space Forge is revolutionising in-space manufacturing. 

    Edinburgh – home of one of the UK’s largest semiconductor clusters and the Edinburgh Parallel Computer Centre. 

    And they are in Bristol, home of semiconductor innovator Graphcore and our Isambard supercomputer. 

    Great British AI enterprise and skill, driving innovation and growth right across the land. 

    Britmaxxing AI industrial policy.

    But I’m not resting on our laurels. And I bet you aren’t either. 

    The white heat of fierce AI competition combined with the lightning speed of change means we must go further and faster to turbo charge our existing strengths and reap the benefits throughout our economy. 

    Yesterday, at our AI adoption summit, I set out the government’s plans to make Britain the fastest AI adopting country in the G7 through a partnership with businesses and workers, backed by an initial government investment of over £200m. 

    Today I want to talk about how we double down on our AI strengths and win the race for Britain, with the next generation of Brit boosting, Brit maxxing, modern industrial policy. 

    When I describe this government’s approach, I often make the comparison with the Olympics.  

    For those of you old enough to remember, we went from a shameful 36th place in the medals table in Atlanta, in 1992, to second, behind only the US, two decades later. 

    We took what some call a ‘no compromise’ approach. Giving the most resources to our best performing sports, building the best teams, backing our best chances.  

    I think there is a lot we can learn from this for UK innovation. 

    If we want gold medal AI, we have to be strategic and lean into our priorities where we have a competitive edge.   

    That’s why earlier this year, I announced we will make a decisive shift towards backing more British AI companies, especially in the areas where we have real strengths – like life sciences, AI hardware and new approaches to foundational models.  

    This shift is critical for two main reasons. 

    First, we must reap more of the economic benefits AI brings right here in the UK.   

    So we demonstrate AI isn’t just for a powerful few but brings real, tangible improvements for British jobs, livelihoods and opportunities. 

    And second, when AI is the engine of economic power and hard power, and when 70% of global AI compute is now controlled by just 5 companies, we must gain greater sovereign control over this increasingly powerful technology. 

    For Britain, AI sovereignty isn’t about isolationism or attempting to go it alone.  

    It’s about building the best as well as using the best.   

    So we increase Britain’s leverage by being a keystone in the global tech architecture. An indispensable partner.  

    At the heart of our plans is Sovereign AI, which we launched in April – a major step which I believe will be one of the single most important things this government does to build a better future for our country. 

    SovAI is different from anything government has done before: harnessing the speed of venture, backed by the weight of the nation. 

    It will invest £500m in British AI companies to start up, scale up and win globally 

    And – crucially – it will offer the key to unlocking much wider government support where it can make a real difference. 

    Providing fully funded access to the UK’s largest super computers, fast tracking global talent, with super priority visa decisions and free visas for R&D.

    Working seamlessly with the British Business Bank and its £2bn annual investment to take companies to the next stage. 

    And mobilising the huge power and potential of government procurement to back the best of Britain.  

    The interest in SovAI has been overwhelming and they’ve already made direct investments in brilliant companies like Callosum, Ineffable and Isomophic labs.  

    I want to thank James, Suzanne, Josephine and the entire team for all their amazing work. I have no doubt this is just the start of what they will achieve – and they’ll have my full backing every step of the way. 

    And we are not stopping there. 

    Yesterday we published our new AI Hardware Plan – which I promised just a month ago. 

    One of the areas where we have a genuine advantage on the world stage is in semiconductors, and chip design.   

    Right now the global AI chips market is growing at an annual rate of 30% and expected to reach $1 trillion in the early 2030s.   

    If Britain could secure just 5% of this market it would bring $50 billion in revenue to the UK with tens of thousands of high paid jobs in tech.   

    There are those who say this race is already lost. That it is too late to challenge the dominance of the established players.   

    I don’t know if it’s due to my inherent competitiveness, but I do not accept such defeatism.   

    We have a rich history of excelling at hardware.   

    The first programmable computer. The first electronic memory.  

    The first commercial computer, first parallel computer and the first widely used chip IP model all happened right here in the UK.   

    Today, a single British company – Arm – is behind the most widely used processor design on Earth.   

    In almost every smartphone, tablet and in more and more AI servers all over the world.    

    It has also just become the UK’s most valuable company, by market cap.  

    And AI compute is rapidly diversifying, with different hardware needed for different tasks.  

    This shift provides real openings for new entrants and specialist hardware that couldn’t have been predicted, even a few years ago.   

    And it is already happening. 

    Just weeks ago, British chip company Fractile announced their latest $220 million dollar funding round.   

    Following Olix – another brilliant UK chip start-up – with their own $220 million dollar round. 

    That’s nearly half a billion dollars flowing into UK chip companies in the space of just a few months.  

    The next generation of AI hardware is being built here in Britain.    

    So yes, this a competitive market. But we are a competitive nation.   

    And winning this race is what our new hardware plan is all about.   

     The plan brings together £1.1 billion of government support for companies in four key areas.  

    First: invention and early-stage chip development.  

    That is why our new £120m AI Hardware Innovation Programme, delivered by UKRI, will back teams at every stage – helping them move from initial concept to a full, validated prototype, and then on to contracts.  

    This includes an additional £20m for our Scaling Inference Lab, near Cambridge, run by ARIA and Common AI, so companies can test new chip designs in a real‑world setting. That’s £70m in total. 

    Just yesterday, Oriole – a brilliant British AI company – announced it is working with the lab to deploy pioneering photonics technology to supercharge the speed of AI data centres, together with one of the largest chip companies in the world – AMD.  

    A fantastic project. And proof of why this matters. 

    Second, we are investing £80m in the skills the semiconductor industry needs including more funding for PhD-level studies and bursaries for students in fields like electronic engineering and materials science.      

    We’re funding 300 this year, rising to 400 next year and 500 the year after, to give our top companies the talent pipeline they need.   

    Third, our new plan on procurement. 

    We will build a £750m mixed chip supercomputer.  

    Over half of this funding will be earmarked for inference chips. 

    £150m in an expanded Advanced Market Commitment to give start-ups the confidence they will have a buyer, with the government acting as a “first customer”.  

    A further £250 million will buy additional novel inference chips once the most successful versions have reached the market. 

    A total of £400m for the chip champions of tomorrow: a fantastic opportunity for all the brilliant AI hardware companies right here in the UK.  

    And last, but by no means least, I’m absolutely delighted that one of the best AI hardware investors in the world – Playground Global – is launching a new fund that will invest in British AI hardware companies. 

    And that the British Business Bank is contributing £150m – the biggest commitment it has ever made.    

    The team at Playground are setting up a new office here in the UK – their first outside the US.   

    Pat Gelsinger – one of their partners, the former CEO of Intel, and author of the US government’s CHIPS ACT – knows a thing or two about hardware investing … and his backing is further testament to the incredible talent and potential in the UK.       

    This is what we mean by winning for Britain on AI. 

    Capitalising on our strengths. Backing the best of Britain. 

    Combining the talent, innovation and ambition in this room with the power of an active, more muscular state. 

    I want to finish by saying this. 

    Back in the 70s, when Britain’s old industrial base was crumbling, the Callaghan government invested £50m in a high risk semi conductor start-up, Inmos.  

    Headquartered in Bristol, and manufactured in Newport, South Wales.  

    That bold move sparked not just a company but an industry, and it has led to many of our strengths today. To Graphcore and Isambard in Bristol, to Wales’s amazing semiconductor cluster.  

    And lest we forget, one team of Inmos alumni went on to help build what is now Britain’s most valuable company … ARM. 

    So for the all the doubters, doom-mongers and naysayers out there … let me say this loud and clear.  

    Labour governments have done this before and we will do it again. 

    We will seize the opportunities and tackle the challenges AI inevitably brings. 

    By shaping the future, not retreating from it. 

    And by securing the benefits of AI for all, not just a powerful few. 

    This is the story of national success we can and will write together.    

    Building a modern Britain for a modern age.    

    And a future that works for all.    

    Thank you.

  • Ed Davey – 2026 Comments on Violence in Northern Ireland

    Ed Davey – 2026 Comments on Violence in Northern Ireland

    The comments made by Ed Davey, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, on 10 June 2026.

    I am horrified by the disorder and racist violence in Belfast last night.

    Far too often now, we see extremists exploiting people’s anger and grief to spread hatred and violence – with the help of divisive algorithms on social media.

    This has to stop.

  • Robert Jenrick – 2026 Comments on Banning Visas from Sudan

    Robert Jenrick – 2026 Comments on Banning Visas from Sudan

    The comments made by Robert Jenrick on 9 June 2026.

    Reform UK have announced we will ban visas for anyone coming from Sudan.

    Enough is enough.

    To those who ask why, here are some indicative statistics:

    -The conviction rate for violence by Sudanese migrants is nearly double that for British people.

    -Only one Sudanese criminal was successfully returned back to Sudan last year.

    -99% of asylum claims from Sudan were granted in 2024.

    -There were 14,150 Sudanese-born welfare claimants in 2019. That means nearly half of all Sudanese migrants here are on benefits.

    The only reason to have immigration is if it makes British people safer and richer. Clearly migration from Sudan is doing the opposite.

    So Reform will ban it, and finally put the British people first.

    I know from my time in Westminster that only Nigel Farage has the conviction to actually get this done.

    As for the Sudanese man arrested in Belfast for trying to behead someone, he needs to be on the first flight out of the country.

    We don’t want to hear any human rights claims from him.

    We cannot live alongside someone so barbaric.

  • Steve Reed – 2026 Business in the Community Speech

    Steve Reed – 2026 Business in the Community Speech

    The speech made by Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on 2 June 2026.

    Good afternoon, I’m sorry I’m the third politician you’ve had today but it’s certainly a pleasure for me to be here to speak to all of you about our work.

    So can I first by start by thanking you Sue and everyone at the BITC for all the work you are leading at Business in the Community and the change you are driving in our communities.

    I know that for over 40 years now Business in the Community have promoted responsible business and shown the benefits it can bring to every part on the country.

    We are nation of a thousand neighbourhoods, where our identity and our sense of belonging, all depend on what we see around us.

    When the streets are clean, and our high streets thriving – that’s good. 

    But when shops are empty and crime is rife – those are the time, people ask what’s going wrong. 

    I know that for Britain to get those good times rolling again, we need the public, private, and voluntary sectors to come together.

    So businesses – like yours – are at the heart of our communities.

    You are what make our places thrive, you are why people have pride in their hometown.

    And we know that if we are to match the ambition that people have for their hometown, our government must support more businesses like yours to get behind their community.

    That’s why community businesses are central to our Pride in Place programme. 

    Across nearly 300 of our poorest communities, we are rebuilding trust by handing power and funding to communities that have been ignored for too long.

    In total, nearly £6bn is being given to Neighbourhood Boards, made up of local people, to spend on whatever the local community believes it needs to succeed.  

    This money won’t end up in the pockets of remote consultants like in previous programmes.  

    Instead, led by the communities in charge – we’ll see this money flow directly into the heart of local high streets and towns. 

    As part of the engagement process, places like Scarborough, Mansfield and Runcorn have funded local businesses to find out the priorities of local residents – bringing economic benefits through supply chains. 

    Through the publications of their 10-year plans we are beginning to see how local tradesmen, electricians, and construction companies will be involved in new youth centres, libraries and community CCTV. 

    Just think about some of the projects being designed – like the new play space in Irvine, the new pool in Abroath and the Youth Zone they built in Wrexham. 

    Building each of these will mean more money being spent throughout supply chains and across the economy. 

    We want Pride in Place to support small businesses and we want to see Neighbourhood Boards using local suppliers wherever they can.

    Later this year we will publish guidance to make sure Neighbourhood Boards have our full support to use local suppliers and invest in local businesses.

    Business in the Community’s Place programme shows what is possible when businesses back their communities. In 19 places, they are bringing the community together to make change happen. 

    We want to build on this, and I am delighted that our Pride in Place Programme reaches communities where Business in the Community have already got to work. 

    Some areas – like Redcar and Cleveland – have a local Business in the Community representative sat on their board and I want to see that everywhere.

    And in other neighbourhoods, like Weston in Southampton, the local BITC lead is helping to reach out across the community to get more local people involved. 

    But we don’t want to stop there. 

    We will support every Board to work with local businesses and social enterprises – because those wider partnerships are how we deliver the change local people want to see, and we are already seeing the results of that.

    This programme amounts to £6bn for the most deprived communities in Britain – if we can use that to support community business, we can make this investment go so much further. 

    Working with you, Pride in Place can also be an engine for work and skills – creating a pipeline of employment that will sustain long-term regeneration. 

    Bexhill-on-sea is a great example of how this can work – they are now repurposing a town centre building as a co-working and skills hub.

    In Darwen, the local board are supporting bespoke programmes to bridge the skills gap and support scaling up. 

    And in Carlton, the community are developing a skills programme to improve the employment prospects of offenders. 

    These are only a few examples of the work under way. 

    Every neighbourhood in the programme has been selected because of deprivation – and so often that is because they lack good, decent work. 

    I still remember the day when I was younger that Dad, my Grandparents, my Aunt and my Uncle all lost their jobs when the printing industry collapsed in Watford.

    That pain they felt at being thrown on the scrapheap still lingers right across this nation’s former industrial heartlands. 

    If the Pride in Place programme is going to be a success, it must bring new employment and skills that are the pathway to a better future.

    We need this ‘change you can feel’ in every part of the country, but the Pride in Place programme can only focus on the most deprived neighbourhoods.

    Through a wider focus on these principles of place right across government, we can make sure everyone lives in an area they are proud of and they can thrive.

    Earlier this month we announced plans for a new Neighbourhood Guarantee to set out clear expectations of local, regional and national government, to bring visible improvements right to people’s doorsteps.

    The Guarantee will include clear expectations for keeping streets clean and accessing the full range of public services.

    To deliver this, we will launch a new digital tool which will show our progress in every single neighbourhood.

    The guarantee will benefit every part of the country, and that includes local businesses.

    The point is this – more attractive high streets draw people into town centres, and that means people spend more in local retailers and local hospitality venues.

    Places to be proud of creates consumer confidence, and that pushes more money through local supply chains.

    Improving how every neighbourhood looks is good for the economy, good for business, and good for communities.

    That’s why we need to guarantee minimum standards.

    This is about a recognition that Whitehall alone cannot back the pride people have in their area.

    This time we are putting it in the hands of those who know their area best and that’s the local businesses and local people who live there.

    Alongside the Pride in Place programme, we are devolving radical new powers to Mayors, councils and communities.

    They are the drivers of local economic growth, and they are the ones who create jobs and put money in people’s pockets

    The new right to request process means that Mayors have a direct route to ask for new powers – and we can then more easily devolve them.

    Already we have signed off on more powers to extend public transport and provide innovation funding.

    This will support real economic growth, bringing areas out of generational stagnation, and lifting the strain on welfare budgets.

    Our approach to high streets too will echo the pride people have in their town and their local city centres.

    The state of the local high street is one of the ways people measure whether, not just their area, but the whole country is going backwards or forwards.   

    They feel a profound sense of loss when a place they are proud of and which was thriving is now boarded up, closed down, and covered in graffiti. 

    We all know that the 20th century model of high streets isn’t coming back, but we should never settle for anything less than a future better than the past.

    Our village, town and city centres need to once again become true civic centres – the places where people go to meet friends and family.

    We need to support retail and hospitality, but also turn empty units into public services and community spaces.

    I want our high streets to be thriving – full of people spending time together.

    We need the right mix of retailers and venues on the high street.

    Right now, there are too often vape shops, bookies, and barbers shops that don’t appear to have any customers. 

    The answer to how we can renew our high streets rests in supporting good business, and clamping down on those who don’t play by the rules.

    We’ve already given councils new powers to limit the number of bookies in their areas. 

    And now we’re giving councils further powers to restrict the kind of shops that bring down an area down.

    Everyone can see organised crime has been moving onto our high streets, and yet councils have lacked the power to deal with it.   

    That changes with our new High Street Organised Crime Unit in the Home Office.

    This is about supporting businesses that are good for the community, by taking on those that are not.

    Our high streets are ecosystems – and vacant shops are bad for business.

    Through the high streets rental auctions programme, we are reducing vacancies by helping councils to forcibly take over the lease of long term vacant premises.

    This will open these spaces to new tenants – not just because taking out eyesores, but providing businesses with access to tenancies at below market rent.

    In the first year of the programme, this helped bring down vacancy rates in one of our pilot areas – Harworth & Bircotes – from 11% to just 3%.

    Just imagine if we could replicate that on every high street.

    Today I can announce an expansion of the programme with an additional £10m over the next two years, giving councils access to more refurbishment grants.

    I want all councils to use these powers and tackle vacancies.

    It’s all part of a wider plan to support local businesses to drive change in their area.

    Just this week we announced changes to the planning system to speed up decision-making.

    New regulations will let planning officers – rather than council committees –make the call on minor applications.

    This means that if shopkeepers or pub landlords want to make improvements, they’ll be able to get on with it much quicker.

    Now we have passed the landmark English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, we also have new powers to support the hospitality industry.

    In historic city centre nightlife areas like Soho, businesses are in a constant battle with groups that intentionally try to close down local hospitality businesses and stop new venues from opening

    Through the new powers we’ve just taken, we will give the Mayor, who’s got a London-wide mandate, the ability to overrule important licensing decisions, so that hospitality venues can stay open, create jobs and provide for the millions who just want to go out and enjoy themselves.

    The future of our high streets relies on a partnership, and I know that many of you will have formed that through Business Improvement Districts.

    We want to let BIDs get on and make their area thrive.

    That is why our High Streets Strategy will also include measures to modernise the BID rule book.

    We will simplify voting procedures, strengthen transparency and accountability,  and crucially, include property owners in the process.

    This will unlock huge potential for investment.

    Across the country , businesses and BIDs have shown what they can contribute to revitalising high streets – as a government we need to support that, and show you that we are on your side.

    This is about a politics that respects people enough to back the pride they feel in their community.

    Respect for hometowns and for high streets.

    respect for the roads and the neighbourhoods that people live in.

    Partnering with business is the way that we can build that kind of politics.

    It is central to our Pride in Place programme, our Neighbourhood Guarantee, our devolution and our approach to high street regeneration.

    But it must also be a principle embedded right across government.

    I look forward to working with all of you, as we outline a radical new approach that shares the pride people have in their own community and in their own home town.

  • Kate Osborne – 2026 Comments on Pride Volunteers Being Abused

    Kate Osborne – 2026 Comments on Pride Volunteers Being Abused

    The comments made by Kate Osborne, the Labour MP for Jarrow and Gateshead East, on 7 June 2026.

    Overnight, Pride in Hebburn banners were torn down and damaged – less than 24 hours after volunteers had put them up. Volunteers trying to repair the damage were then subjected to abuse, which is absolutely disgraceful.

    At a time when Reform leaderships in South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and Durham have shown indifference, and in some cases disdain, towards Pride, this shows exactly why it matters so much.

    I have already written to Cllr Paul Mackings expressing my disappointment at the decision to remove the Pride flag after just one day.

    Let’s be clear the financial contributions to Prides from Council is minimal – but the signal this rhetoric sends is that the LGBT+ community are not welcome.

    This hate will not win.

    To every LGBT+ person who has seen this and felt unsafe or unwelcome: you are not alone, our community stands with you, and the majority stand with you.

  • Shabana Mahmood – 2026 Statement on the Henry Nowak Case

    Shabana Mahmood – 2026 Statement on the Henry Nowak Case

    The statement made by Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, in the House of Commons on 2 June 2026.

    With permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement about the murder of Henry Nowak.

    Last December, Henry – aged just 18 – was a first-year university student with his life ahead of him. He was kind, hard-working, loved by his family and friends. His murder – at the hands of Vickrum  Digwa – was a horrifying act.

    Digwa murdered Henry and then lied about him, as he lay dying, falsely accusing him of racism. It was an evil act and I know the thoughts of the whole House will now be with Henry’s family and his friends just as mine are.

    What they have been through is heart-breaking and for most of us, unimaginable. I know nothing can take their pain and loss away, but yesterday, we saw some measure of justice. Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment. He will serve a minimum term of 21 years.

    His mother, Kiran Kaur, has been convicted of “assisting an offender”. She is due to be sentenced on 17 July and today, the Crown Prosecution Service has authorised further charges against other members of the attackers’ family with further sentencing and possible charges pending. We must be cautious still in what we say about this case so that we do not place any proceedings at risk.

    However,I can and must pay tribute today to the dignified and powerful words of the Nowak family, in the statement they gave after yesterday’s sentencing. They deserve answers. They deserve answers, in particular, about what happened on that awful night and the actions of the police officers who arrived on the scene.

    I expect many in this House and many more across this country have now seen the police officer’s bodycam footage, released last night. It is, without question, a disturbing and tragic thing to see.

    People are rightly asking questions about how the situation was handled and they are shocked, and disquieted, to hear Henry’s words: “I can’t breathe.”

    I know that it is difficult to wait any longer for answers but there is a proper process to assess whether there have been incidents of police misconduct led by the Independent Office for Police Conduct – the IOPC. They will determine what could and should have been done differently. They will determine what action may need to be taken against individual officers.

    The family yesterday called on me and I quote: “To ensure the IOPC has the resources, authority and independence it needs to conduct a full, fearless and transparent investigation.” I can confirm to you today that we will do so. The IOPC will be equipped and encouraged to act, to find the truth and to ensure, if necessary, that there are consequences.

    There have been accusations, I know, of two-tier policing: That one community has been prioritised over another. It will be for the IOPC to determine the facts with regards to this specific case and I cannot and will not comment on them, but let me say this on the question of preferential treatment more widely. The police in this country have a sacred duty: To police without fear or favour.

    Everyone in this country is equal before the law. It is the promise upon which our whole justice system rests and the equality of every citizen is the foundation on which the openness, tolerance and generosity of this country rests.

    Let me also be clear about one other thing – a dangerous undercurrent that I have seen in the reaction to this awful crime. Threats against police officers are utterly unacceptable. There can be no justification for intimidation, abuse or attempts to take the law into one’s own hands.

    A police officer, unrelated to this case, has been misidentified online and subjected to death threats. He has been forced to relocate, to protect himself and his family. Misinformation and inflammatory commentary is making a dreadful situation even worse. We must all, together, condemn it and we must allow the facts to be established through the appropriate investigations and the courts. We must do so calmly and responsibly.

    The Nowak family, and Henry’s memory, deserve answers. They have also called on us all to take action: action to address the daily tragedy of knife crime in this country. This government is committed to halving knife crime in this decade.

    Since the start of this Parliament, we have made progress: knife crime has fallen by 10%, Knife homicides are down 27%, at their lowest level in a decade. Clearly, we must do more, while there are still tragedies like this one. For that reason, we have recently published our Halving Knife Crime Plan. It sets out how we will go further to drive sustained reductions in violence. It brings together action across government and across society to stop people from turning to knife crime and to ensure perpetrators are caught and brought to justice.  

    Amongst a range of measures, this will see: Schools and families supported to address the root causes of knife crime through the establishment of 50 Young Futures Hubs; police using new crime mapping tools to target enforcement more precisely; and making better use of Stop and Search and cruel and exploitative drug gangs stopped from criminally exploiting children, preventing the knife violence driven by the county lines trade.

    In relation to knife controls, there have been calls to limit the right of Sikh’s to carry their ceremonial knife, the kirpan – one of the 5 holy items in their faith. The Offensive Weapons Act of 2019, passed under the previous government, clarified and strengthened existing legal protections in relation to long kirpans. This included extending defences so that kirpans can be lawfully possessed for religious reasons and used in religious and ceremonial contexts.

    Let me be clear: carrying a knife for the purpose of religious observance is one thing. Using it, as so tragically occurred in this case, is quite another: it is a vile act. A crime of the utmost severity and it will be met with the severest punishment.

    Yesterday, the Nowak family ended their statement with a powerful call to us all. I quote: “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension.” They quoted the words of the prosecuting lawyer and I quote again: “This is not a case about Sikhism. This is not a case about racism. This is a case about murder.”

    I echo those words. We cannot allow this murder to turn communities against one another. We must condemn those who seek personal political profit from tragedy.

    Instead, we must show who we really are in this country. This was a murder: a vile and violent crime. The punishment must be reserved for those who are responsible for the act. We do not believe in collective punishment in this country.

    Instead, we stand together against an act of pure evil. We condemn those who committed this heinous crime, not all those who share their faith or their ethnicity.

    Yesterday, a sentence was handed down in court. I know it will never be enough. The loss felt by Henry Nowak’s family and friends will last forever. A wonderful young man will never enjoy the promise of the life that stretched out before him.

    The evil acts of his murderer and accomplice will never be undone. But we can choose to use this moment to pursue positive change. We are still limited in what we can say: there is a sentence to be handed down and further charges may follow and there is an IOPC investigation ongoing.

    I call on everyone here to be responsible in this moment, to allow justice to run its full course. However, while we must be limited in what we say, we must not be limited in how we act.

    I will end with the words of the Nowak family, once more. Last night, they wrote that “no other family should experience the heartbreak and horror of losing a child to knife crime.”

    Let that be the challenge to us all. Across this House, across government and across society.

    It is the very least we can do to honour the memory of Henry Nowak.

    I commend this statement to the House.

  • Ed Miliband – 2026 Comments on Clean Energy

    Ed Miliband – 2026 Comments on Clean Energy

    The comments made by Ed Miliband, the Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero, on 2 June 2026.

    As Britain faces the second fossil fuel shock of the decade, the only way to protect family and business finances is to drive for clean homegrown power that we control.  

    What has been achieved so far by businesses and communities across the country is a great British success story – cutting costs by upgrading homes, backing British businesses, supporting one million good jobs according to new analysis from CBI Economics, and protecting our beautiful countryside.  

    Some people want to stick their heads in the sand and let our children face the consequences of climate breakdown – but this government believes in the timeless British value of protecting our country for generations to come.

  • Keir Starmer – 2026 Response to Nigel Farage Comments on Henry Nowak

    Keir Starmer – 2026 Response to Nigel Farage Comments on Henry Nowak

    The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, in the House of Commons on 3 June 2026.

    I do not believe that there is two-tier policing in this country. I am really shocked that the hon. Gentleman pretends to have respect for Henry’s family and then acts in this way.

    The grieving family have asked us not to respond in the way that the leader of Reform has responded. They have lost their son in the most appalling circumstances, and they make a simple plea of us as human beings to please not exploit that. We all need to reflect on the words of Henry’s father.

    My response, and the response of others, to be fair, has been focused on the lessons to be learned so that we can deliver justice. The hon. Gentleman’s response has been to appeal for rage. That is his response to a father who has lost his son and asked for that not to happen. Exploiting this tragedy to create grievance and division would be wrong in any circumstances, but to do it when the family are expressly saying, “Please don’t,” is unforgivable. It shows exactly who he is.