Tag: Speeches

Rishi Sunak – 2023 Speech on “Fulfilling the promise of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement”

The speech made by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, in Belfast on 19 April 2023.

The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement will always be remembered as one of the most extraordinary political achievements of our lifetimes.

Because step by step, faltering at first, people on all sides began to do things that were once unthinkable, in the search for peace.

But you don’t need me to tell you that because many of you in this room created it.

It is humbling to be with you today.

And with the people of Northern Ireland, who have endured so much.

After three long decades where violence and terror were part of everyday life…

…a generation has grown up in a place that is vastly more peaceful, more prosperous, and more at ease with itself.

Of course, we meet here today in circumstances that are far from perfect.

But my argument today is this: the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement remains the best and only foundation for peace and prosperity.

And if we can take inspiration and instruction from the way peace was achieved 25 years ago…

…we can fulfil the true promise enshrined in that Agreement.

The promise of: Stable devolved government. A prosperous economy. And a more united society.

That’s the future for Northern Ireland we must build.
Now to do that, we must first ask why.

Why did peace talks succeed in 1998 when so many failed before?

I believe that’s because people on all sides showed courage, imagination, and perseverance.

First, those who worked for peace had the personal courage to keep going in spite of daily threats to them and their families.

And the political courage to take risks in pursuit of a higher goal.

John Hume, over his entire career, never relented in his insistence on non-violence.

David Trimble took enormous risks to do what he thought was right for the union.

And they were rightly honoured as the preeminent architects of peace, with a joint Nobel peace prize.

Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness persuaded Republicans to join a constitutional, power-sharing Assembly.

And, encouraged by the intensive efforts of Mo Mowlam, the leaders of loyalism also lent their weight behind the deal.

Female leaders from the Women for Peace and the Women’s Coalition worked so hard for peace.

And Bertie Ahern showed the wisdom and statecraft to see the historic opportunity.

At a critical moment, he recognised unionist concerns over the proposed North-South arrangements and stepped back.

Trimble himself, in his last public appearance, at this university, just weeks before he passed away…

… embraced his old counterpart and thanked Bertie for giving him the space to act.

These acts of courage were more powerful than a thousand bombs and bullets.

Because there is nothing glamorous about violence.

There is nothing glorious about terror.

Squalid acts are always justified with some false dream about what they will achieve.

But they have never worked – and they never will.

Instead, let us glorify moderation; romanticise respect; and make heroes of those with the courage to reject absolutes, not kill for them.

Second, making peace required leaps of imagination.

To conceive of a system for sharing power between traditions.

To design an agreement with three strands of equal importance…

To enshrine the principle of consent – so that Northern Ireland remains a part of the United Kingdom for as long as its people wish…

…while protecting the aspirations of those who seek a different future through peaceful means.

And for the first time…

…the people of North and South were both given the opportunity to support this deal…

…and they did so, in overwhelming majorities.

And let us never forget the crucial work after 1998 to build a broader consensus – helped by the leadership of Dr Ian Paisley.

Third, the peace took extraordinary perseverance.

In the aftermath of the Shankill bomb and Greysteel massacre in 1993, many thought the peace process was over…

…but just two months later John Major and Albert Reynolds delivered the Downing Street Declaration.

George Mitchell persuaded all parties to sign up to the principles of democracy and non-violence, without which the talks could not have begun.

In the difficult final hours, President Clinton’s timely interventions helped get the deal done.

And whenever people walked away, Tony Blair sought to bring them back…

…always committed, always attuned to the concerns of all parts of the community.

Together with Bertie Ahern, he showed us what’s possible when the UK and Irish governments work together…

…a partnership I know will continue alongside my friend, Leo Varadkar.

And in the spirit of perseverance, it’s also fitting to recognise the contribution of the security forces.

Like my predecessors, I acknowledge that at times they made mistakes.

But we must also recognise their bravery, suffering, and sacrifice – and that of the police.

Without their courageous service, there would have been no peace process at all.

They created the conditions that ultimately allowed their own presence on the streets to be reduced or entirely withdrawn.

So: courage, imagination, and perseverance.

Those qualities brought an imperfect but enduring peace to a place taught to believe no such peace was possible.

So to all those who led us to that peace…

…including those here in this hall and those no longer with us…

…let us take this moment to say to you:

Thank you.
For those of us, like me, who inherit this extraordinary, even intimidating legacy…

…our challenge today is to fulfil the promise of the work that you began.

To honour your legacy, we need to create a more stable devolved government in Northern Ireland.

And that means getting the institutions up and running.

I believe there are two tasks.

First, to remove the biggest block to the institutions returning.

That’s why, when I came into office, I made it a priority to fix the Northern Ireland Protocol.

And we were deeply conscious of the lessons of history as we did so.

That’s why our aims were to:

Balance and respect the aspirations of all parts of the community.

Protect the relationships between East and West as much as North and South.

And persist through careful, detailed negotiation.

And I pay tribute to Ursula von der Leyen who I am so pleased to see here today.

The Windsor Framework is a breakthrough moment.

It solves practical problems and, crucially, strengthens Northern Ireland’s place in our Union and our UK internal market.

It gives the Assembly significant new powers – ready for when it sits again.

And I am confident we can build broad support for it across all communities.

So I share people’s frustration that the institutions are not back up and running.

But that points to our second task.

We must keep working to persuade all parts of the community that returning to the institutions is the best path.

And we will do that.

We will talk, we will listen, we will try to persuade – and we will not give up.

And I want to speak directly for a moment to the representatives of unionism…

…who include many diverse voices and whose concerns with the Protocol we have focused on addressing.

I urge you to work with us to get Stormont up and running again.

That’s the right thing to do on its own terms.

And I’m convinced that it’s also the right thing to do for our union.

I am a proud unionist.

We believe passionately that Northern Ireland is stronger within the UK…

…and the UK is stronger with Northern Ireland within it.

But we must also build support beyond those of us who already identify as unionists.

To do that, we have to show that devolved government within the United Kingdom works for Northern Ireland.

The fact that the institutions have been down for nine of the last 25 years should be a source of profound concern.

Over the long term that will not bolster the cause of unionism – I believe that deeply.

So we need to get the institutions up and running – and keep them up and running.

And let me also say to those who would seek to reform the institutions right now: I understand your frustrations.

But history reminds us that nothing in Northern Ireland has ever been achieved by trying to get round one community or another.

So any conversation about reform can only begin once the institutions are up and running again…

…and if it attracts widespread consent.

The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement left us an extraordinary and precious legacy.

When we look back in 25 years from now…

…surely we should aspire for our legacy to be nothing less than this:

That the institutions have been up and running for every single year.
Because our focus must be on the future.

Getting the institutions back up and running is our most pressing challenge to honour your legacy.

But that’s only the beginning.

Together we must fulfil the true promise of the 1998 Agreement.

That future enshrined in the very words of the text – of “sustained economic growth”, and where we tackle the problems of “a divided society”.

I will give everything to help deliver that vision.

Because I talked earlier about learning the lessons from history.

One thing I took from George Mitchell is the idea that the agreement itself is only 20% of the task – the rest is delivery.

Once the Agreement was done, people asked of Tony Blair: Would he walk away?

He didn’t.

And neither will I.

Because there is work to be done.

So let me tell you what I’m going to do.

First, economic growth.

Progress has been remarkable – in April 1998, Northern Ireland had the highest unemployment rate in the UK.

Today – it’s the second lowest.

But we need to do more.

In 25 years, when we look back, I want to see that Northern Ireland has changed.

From an economy too reliant on the public sector…

To a thriving, dynamic economy built around the power and innovation of private enterprise.

I talk a lot about the idea of levelling up.

About making sure young people feel they can fulfil their dreams and aspirations in the place they call home.

That idea has particular resonance here in Northern Ireland.

And we won’t achieve it without a cascade of new investment – to create jobs and opportunity.

That journey has already begun.

Last week, President Biden came – and told the world to invest here.

He didn’t say that out of sentimentality.

He said it because he can see the opportunity for American businesses.

And because of the enormous potential of this place.

The potential of the people – resilient, ingenious, determined.

The potential of your businesses…

…with world-class strengths in cyber, life sciences, financial services, and the creative industries.

And one of Europe’s most thriving start-up scenes.

I know that journey to prosperity won’t be easy – and we aren’t there yet.

But this is my commitment to you:

I will use the full force of the UK Government…

…to help you make this one of the best places in the world…

…to start and grow a business, create jobs…

…train and learn new skills…

…and attract investment.

And just as we want to look back on a more prosperous, dynamic economy…

…so in 25 years, I also want us to look back on a more integrated and contented society.

Of course, we cannot simply wish away those social realities that have been present for decades.

The tragic loss of Lyra McKee and the attack on DCI John Caldwell remind us how far we still have to go.

But people are already voting with their feet in the choices they make for their children’s education and their social and sporting lives.

A growing body of the electorate does not define themselves solely as Unionist or Nationalist, British or Irish.

A growing portion of people sample life in a different part of these islands but still return.

And a growing number of local communities are signalling that their patience with thuggery is over.

But there’s yet more to do.

In 25 years’, should not the poisonous grip of the paramilitaries…

…those gangsters and drug dealers who wrap themselves in the fake cloak of legitimacy…

…be broken once and for all?

In 25 years’, should not a fragment of a peace wall be nothing more than a stop on the tourist trail?

In 25 years’, should integrated education not be the norm rather than the exception?

Of course, we won’t build that better future overnight. And it won’t be easy.

Every time I visit Northern Ireland, I feel more optimistic and hopeful.

Because to paraphrase the late David Trimble…

…there may be hills ahead of us, but there are mountains behind.
I want to close by reflecting on an extraordinary story.

Just weeks before the agreement, two lifelong friends, Damien Trainor and Philip Allen, were murdered at Poyntzpass.

One was a Protestant, the other Catholic.

The people who murdered them may have hoped to sow chaos and division and derail the peace talks.

They failed.

Because the story of this remarkable friendship inspired one of the most decisive breakthroughs of the whole peace process…

…the agreement to share power between equal first and deputy first ministers, in a co-premiership, with one from each community.

As Mark Durkan, the SDLP’s lead negotiator, said at the time:

“The stories of Philip and Damien’s special friendship…

…could be a parable for the sort of society that we might create if we could reach agreement”.

And he was right.

That is the promise of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

And together we can – and we must – fulfil it.

April 23, 2023
Diane Abbott – 2023 Statement of Apology

The statement made by Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, on Twitter on 23 April 2023.

I am writing regarding my letter that was recently published in the Observer.

I wish to wholly and unreservedly withdraw my remarks and disassociate myself from them.

The errors arose in an initial draft being sent. But there is no excuse, and I wish to apologise for any anguish caused.

Racism takes many forms, and it is completely undeniable that Jewish people have suffered its monstrous effects, as have Irish people, Travellers and many others.

Once again, I would like to apologise publicly for the remarks and any distress caused as a result of them.

April 23, 2023
Oliver Dowden – 2023 Speech at CyberUK in Belfast

The speech made by Oliver Dowden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on 18 April 2023.

Thank you.

I’m delighted to be here in Belfast.

Last year’s CyberUK was held in Wales, and in the years before that, in Scotland and in England.

So it’s great to complete the full Union set with Northern Ireland – and it’s yet more proof that we have strong cyber talent in every corner of our country.

Now, Belfast is clearly a very popular destination right now. You had President Biden visiting last week, along with the Prime Minister.

The Clintons yesterday.

The Prime Minister liked it so much he’s back again this week.

And me today – lucky you.

But of course this city was a natural choice to hold a cyber conference: It has become a global hotspot for cyber and tech companies – including IBM Security, Microsoft and Nvidia…

…and we’re meeting at a very interesting time for cyber in the UK.

Interesting because we have a Prime Minister and a government that is deeply passionate about science and tech, and has put it front-and-centre of our agenda.

Interesting because we have a thriving tech sector to match, and because government and industry are building a strong partnership including through the new National Cyber Advisory Board, which I am co-chairing again this afternoon with Sharon Barber from Lloyds.

But it’s also an interesting time because of the world we live in today.

The last time CyberUK was held, last May, attendees were gathering in the shadow of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

And the brutal reality is that a year on, we continue to live in a more dangerous, more volatile world – one that has far-reaching consequences for the British people.

Now that’s partly a consequence of Russia’s aggression.

It’s partly because of the growing economic coercion of other countries.

And it’s also because of the way that climate change and technology continue to transform and disrupt our world.

All of those things are putting our systems under more pressure than ever before.

And so in Government, we are devoting a lot of time and energy on how we can improve our overall resilience of the Government in the face of those and future challenges.

Now many of you will have seen that a few weeks ago the government published a refresh of our defence and national security strategy – the Integrated Review – setting out how we intend to fortify our national defences against the challenges both today and tomorrow.

And it’s something the Prime Minister has asked me to lead on at the Cabinet Office – particularly when it comes to economic security and bolstering our national resilience.

So I wanted to use this opportunity to take you through how that applies to cybersecurity;

where I think we are as a country;

and what the government intends to do to make sure we stay ahead of our adversaries every step of the way.

THE CYBER THREAT

It’s been a couple of months since the world was gripped by the progress of that Chinese balloon floating across the skies of the United States.

Now I’m sure you will recall, that spy balloon dominated the headlines because it was a very visible symbol of America’s borders being breached by an uninvited guest.

And yet every day, a combination of criminals, spooks, hacktivists and cyber soldiers silently and invisibly breach our digital defences – both in the UK and in the rest of the world.

And we saw it earlier this year with Royal Mail, when a ransomware attack disrupted overseas deliveries for weeks.

And last August when an attack on a third party supplier caused severe disruption to NHS 111.

So what does the overall cyber threat to the UK look like today?

Well, according to the latest assessments from the National Cyber Security Centre, the most acute state threats in cyberspace continue to come from those usual suspects – Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

The NCSC are also devoting a lot of their energy today to defending democracy…

…including by tackling threats against both the Conservative Party leadership contest last year and the recent Scottish National Party leadership contest – both of which took place online.

And there is another new front opening, as we see more and more adversaries able to buy and sell sophisticated cyber tools and spyware like Pegasus.

These are the types of tools that we used to only see in a handful of powerful state actors, and which can cause serious damage.

So it’s something we are taking very seriously, and to which we are responding with our international partners.

Meanwhile, cyber crime is estimated to cost the UK billions of pounds each year.

According to new figures published today, 32% of UK businesses and charities suffered a cyber breach or attack in the past year.

That is a third of our businesses.

And ransomware continues to run rampant.

And as President Biden rightly recognised a few weeks ago, thanks to its scale and impact, ransomware is no longer just a crime.

It is a national security threat – and our response needs to reflect the severity of that threat.

These are attacks on our citizens, our businesses and our democracy. They are an attempt to undermine our society.

And we are determined to stop them, with your help.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

In the UK we grasped the need for urgent action early, and we’ve been doing a lot over the past few years to strengthen our cyber defences.

We have published the National Cyber Strategy…

…and we have a new and effective cyber sanctions regime, which we recently used for the first time against a group of Russian cyber criminals as part of a joint campaign with the United States.

And we are working closely with international partners to tackle the proliferation of sophisticated commercial cyber tools.

At the same time, the government itself continues to face a range of attacks, including ransomware and espionage – and so we are constantly looking to strengthen our cyber defences.

As part of that, today, I can announce that we are launching GovAssure, a transformational new cyber regime for the whole of government.

GovAssure will be rolled out across Whitehall. It will be used to assess every department’s cyberhealth on an annual basis, against stringent new measures…

…so that government can better identify the risks we face, and make sure we are protecting systems that help us run public services.

So with each day, as the threat evolves, so does our response.

NCSC THREAT ALERT

But a new adversary has emerged.

Over the last 18 months, the National Cyber Security Centre has seen the rise of several Russian-aligned groups sympathetic to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Now these are fringe state threats – the cyber equivalent of the Wagner group – and initially these groups focused their attacks on Ukraine and the surrounding region.

But recently, they have begun to turn their attention to the UK and its allies.

They are now seeking opportunities to compromise our Critical National Infrastructure.

We have experienced attempted attacks in the past – but these groups operate differently.

Instead of seeking to profit or spy on us, their primary motive is to disrupt or destroy our infrastructure.

These adversaries are ideologically motivated, rather than financially motivated.

Secondly, though these perpetrators are aligned to national actors, crucially, they are often not controlled by those foreign states.

That makes them more opportunistic, and less likely to show restraint.

Together, those factors make the current situation particularly concerning.

And so today I can confirm that the National Cyber Security Centre is issuing an official alert to operators of our critical national infrastructure, to highlight the risk they currently face.

That alert is now live on the NCSC’s website – along with a number of recommended actions that operators should follow right now, to increase their resilience and help defend our infrastructure against these attacks.

Disclosing this threat is not something that we do lightly.

This is an unprecedented warning for businesses.

We have never publicly highlighted the threat from these kinds of groups attempting such attacks before.

And I should stress that we do not think that they currently have the capability to cause widespread damage to our infrastructure in the UK.

But we do believe it is necessary at this point in time, if we want companies to understand the current threat they currently face…

… and to take action to defend themselves and the country against such attacks.

This approach fits with that wider national security strategy.

And last year, when we saw that Russian forces were gathering at the Ukrainian border, we declassified the information to let the world see what they were doing.

Today with cyber threats you will increasingly see us say what we are seeing.

We won’t allow these groups to stay in the shadows.

We are shining a light on these threats because we need to work together to strengthen our defences. That means that businesses need to see the threats clearly, too.

And over the last few years we have done lots of things to make it easier for businesses to secure themselves…

…including issuing world-leading guidance…

…offering threat assessments underpinned by intelligence…

…and providing key services like the Early Warning system.

But given the constantly evolving cyber threat, I believe this is the right moment to look at our cyber defences more widely – particularly when it comes to those of our businesses.

The reality is that we in government can only do so much.

Businesses large and small sit on the front line of our cyber defences.

They face attacks on a daily basis – and any gap in that front line leaves us all vulnerable.

And when we published the National Cyber Strategy just over a year ago, we said we would review the government’s ability to hold operators of critical national infrastructure to account.

I’ve concluded now that we do need to go further.

So today I can confirm that I will be setting specific and ambitious cyber resilience targets for all critical national infrastructure sectors to meet by 2025…

…And that I am actively examining plans to bring all private sector businesses working in critical national infrastructure within the scope of cyber resilience regulations.

These are the companies in charge of keeping our country running. Of keeping the lights on.

Our shared prosperity depends on them taking their own security seriously – and that extends to their cybersecurity.

A bricks-and-mortar business wouldn’t survive if it left the back door open to criminals every night.

Equally in today’s digital world, businesses can’t afford to recklessly ignore cyber risks, either – to leave their digital back door open to cyber crooks and hackers.

And while we’re doing this to combat certain risks, there is also a real opportunity for our businesses.

We have a huge amount to gain by making the UK the safest country in the world to do business.

Because the fact is that in today’s modern world, prosperity and economic security go hand in hand.

You can’t have the former without the latter.

Investors want to put their money in a safe country, in businesses that take security seriously.

So the safer we make our defences, the safer we make our country – and the more attractive we become as a destination for entrepreneurs and investors all over the world.

And the fact that the UK has in the last few years taken cybersecurity so seriously already makes us one of the best places in the world to invest.

So this is my call to arms for businesses: look again at your security.

Strengthen it wherever you can.

The stronger your business, the stronger our economy, and the more prosperous we become together.

And in turn, we in government will continue to do as much as we can to support the cyber industry and businesses more widely…

…and so finally, I just want to outline how we are fulfilling our part of this partnership.

OPPORTUNITIES

Cyber is an industry that continues to grow in every sense.

New figures show that it is worth more, it has more companies, and it employs more people than this time last year.

In 2022, revenues hit over £10.5bn, the sector attracted £300 million of investment, and it added an additional 5,300 jobs in that time.

At a time of global market uncertainty, the industry really is looking strong.

And through our Cyber Runway programme, we’ve helped over 160 cyber security companies and startups grow and develop their businesses.

And there is even more room for growth, given that we currently face a shortfall of around 14,000 cyber security professionals each year in the UK.

The jobs are there. We just need to give people the skills to fill them – which is what we’re trying to do in government through things like Cyber First and Cyber Explorers.

And indeed, I saw this with my own eyes a few weeks ago when I spent time with students at the University of South Wales’s Cyber Academy.

I watched them at their computers, going through the cyber equivalent of football drills – practising attack and defence.

And through academies like that, we are building the UK’s cyber talent pool for the future.

And on Monday the Prime Minister launched a major drive to improve maths skills across the country.

As he said in that speech, numeracy is the foundation of the modern economy…

Today, it’s just as essential as being able to read – and it is particularly vital if we want people to be able to take up jobs in cyber, tech, and beyond.

We also recognise that as a major employer of cyber security professionals across the UK, the government needs to do more to attract the very best talent.

Now, like many of you, I noted the recent debate around the salary offered for a cyber role in government. Of course, people who work for Government will always be motivated by public service.

But a cyber specialist knows they can earn five to seven times, if not more, for the same role in the private sector.

And the government needs to break through its own glass ceiling…

So I am also examining what more we can do to improve salaries and other parts of our offer, so that we can continue to attract the very best cyber experts into the civil service.

These are people protecting the systems and public services that millions of people across the country rely on every day, so we should want the very best people in charge of them.

We must be competitive to stay ahead.

CONCLUSION

So, we are keen to do our bit, and for the private sector in turn to do its bit.

To defend as one, so that we can prosper as one.

And as I have set out, the Government is clear-eyed about the challenges that we face. We need business to be clear in their determination to meet those challenges with us.

It’s not going to be easy, and these threats won’t disappear overnight. But by working together, I believe that when we meet next year at CyberUK 2024, the UK will be more resilient and more secure.

Thank you.

April 21, 2023
Chris Heaton-Harris – 2023 Speech to the Agreement 25 Conference

The speech made by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, at Queen’s University in Belfast on 18 April 2023.

Tánaiste, Mr Commissioner, Your Excellencies, Most Distinguished Guests, and of course Chancellor Clinton, thank you for having me here today.

The truly historic 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement is an enormous achievement, and something that should be deservedly marked, recognised and indeed celebrated – and I am grateful to Vice Chancellor Greer and his team for bringing us all together.

We heard yesterday that the Agreement was the product of the vision, bravery, leadership and imagination of many, many people, far more people than I could name in these remarks. But it is right today that we recognise those whose efforts brought peace to this nation after decades of conflict.

The success of the peace process will forever and justly be one of the proudest and most significant achievements of Tony Blair, Bertie Ahern, John Major, Albert Reynolds. I will be forever struck by the foresight and leadership of Lord Trimble in pushing forward with the Agreement in the face of significant scepticism – and indeed, outright opposition at times – from parts of his own party and across Unionism.

Real leaders know when to say yes, and Lord Trimble and the Progressive Unionist Party’s David Ervine led not only their own Parties but Unionism and Loyalism in saying yes to peace.

John and Pat Hume dedicated their lives to fighting for civil rights and reconciliation. Their passion for peaceful and democratic means of achieving change, and their clear-eyed view of the impact of violence on vulnerable communities created a legacy that lives on to this day.

Martin McGuinness will, along with Gerry Adams, be remembered for the courage and leadership he showed in persuading the Republican movement of peace. His partnership with Dr Ian Paisley and his gracious engagement with Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, were powerful symbols of how far Northern Ireland had come.

I had the privilege of getting to know both John Hume and Rev Ian Paisley when I was elected to the European Parliament in 1999 and where they both served. It is not often that a new kid on the block in politics gets to sit in Parliament with a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

And we must remember the critical role that women played in getting us here. The late Mo Mowlam brought a humanity and a courage to her role that unlocked key elements of the Agreement. Her decision to engage with loyalist prisoners in 1998, against advice, was key to securing the support of loyalist communities for peace. Within the Irish Government, Liz O’Donnell played a critical role in the Department of Foreign Affairs.

And women like Monica McWilliams, Pearl Sagar and May Blood brought powerful leadership and perspective to the process. They focused minds on what was really at stake and worked tirelessly to ensure that the voices of women were heard in the peace talks.

I also want to pay tribute to the US’ contribution, particularly to the personal commitment of President and Secretary Clinton. If you spend a few moments in their company, you can palpably feel their love for this place.

And to the heroic work of Senator Mitchell, his speech yesterday was one of the best I have ever heard and I have heard a few in my time. I am quite sure it will go down in history. That contribution of the US endures today as was demonstrated last week from President Biden’s visit, just as the contribution made by our friends in Canada, South Africa and Finland in particular to the issue of decommissioning still endures to this day.

I was thinking yesterday when Senator Mitchell talked about the birth of his child and then the 61 other babies that were born on that day, that it is undoubtedly the case that the efforts of all of these people to get peace mean that there are men and women alive today, possibly here today, who otherwise might not be.

But we must also never forget that beyond lives saved, something special comes with peace. Pre the Agreement, small, ordinary acts that so many of us take for granted that would then have been difficult or a cause for concern, something your mother would have worried about, the freedom to stay in town after work for a pint with a friend, or to head out for a meal with your family.

The freedom to walk down the street without the fear of becoming caught up in some sort of disturbance. The freedom for young people to grow up and live happy, successful lives here in Northern Ireland and not be forced to leave their home in order to know stability or security. It is a testament to the success of the Agreement that so many here now can exercise these freedoms.

Now, 25 years on, the Government remains wholly committed to protecting and upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and I know this is a commitment that is shared by the Tánaiste and the Irish Government. I like and enjoy working with Micheál very much and the friendship and cooperation between the UK and Irish Government is vital to protecting and upholding the Agreement. I am determined in my capacity as Secretary of State to deepen and strengthen that vital relationship.

The Agreement’s success can also be demonstrated by Northern Ireland emerging as a thriving centre of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. Its screen and film production industry has hosted some of the world’s most talented actors. Queen’s and Ulster University boast world-leading, Research & Development activity, enabling Northern Ireland to capitalise on the technologies and sectors of tomorrow. And Northern Ireland has a burgeoning and justified reputation for its FinTech and Cyber Security sectors. Together with over £600m of UK Government investment in City and Growth deals, Northern Ireland is increasingly a byword for an economy on the cutting edge of technology, connectivity and innovation.

But we must not sit back thinking the job is done. The abhorrent shooting of DCI John Caldwell, the disturbances over the Easter weekend and the ongoing paramilitary activity in too many communities illustrate that a tiny minority seek to drag Northern Ireland back to its darkest days. But I know for every person who wants to drag Northern Ireland down, there are thousands determined to lift it up. To those who pursue violence I say only this: you will never succeed, it is hopeless. Not because I say so or, because the Government says so, but because the wonderful, strong and proud people of Northern Ireland say so.

They reject your violence which has no place in the society or in the peace so many have strived so hard to create. To safeguard peace, we must be willing to confront the challenges as well as the successes.

The Agreement explicitly recognised the importance of acknowledging and addressing the suffering of the victims of violence. A workable way forward on this highly complex and sensitive issue has eluded successive UK Governments, Irish Governments, and NI Executives for 25 years, despite valiant attempts by many. Satisfactorily addressing the past is an absolutely key element in realising Northern Ireland’s potential in a prosperous, peaceful, and shared future – and I am determined to do so in a way that provides better outcomes for those most affected by the Troubles.

As we consider the challenges that still face us, I confess I have also been struck by a narrative that has become louder in recent years. A narrative that the Agreement struck in 1998 did not achieve great things for Unionism. That it was somehow all about ‘wins’ for Nationalism. That narrative is wrong, and all of us who support the Agreement must be vocal in countering it.

Today, the principle of consent is so often taken for granted. But it was an important and hard won guarantee that settled for Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom. Before 1998, the Constitution of Ireland asserted that Northern Ireland formed part of Irish national territory, and that the Irish Government had a right to exercise jurisdiction over that territory.

25 years ago, a minority but a significant one – considered it legitimate to use force to bring about a united Ireland, contrary to the wishes of the people of Northern Ireland. The acceptance of this principle of consent, a fundamental part of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, changed all of that.

Northern Ireland’s integral part in the United Kingdom is settled by the Agreement. That status can’t be changed by the evil deeds of terrorists, nor can it be changed by the words or wishes of politicians. The only thing that can change it is the will of the people of Northern Ireland.

The Irish constitution was changed at that time to reflect this. Just as important for the Union, the Agreement created the conditions and built the foundations for Northern Ireland to be a thriving, dynamic and successful society within the United Kingdom. The simple reality is that people tend to change the status quo only when the status quo is not working or people simply stop making the case for it. Devolved power-sharing institutions created a status quo that those of us who value Northern Ireland’s place in the Union can robustly – and successfully – promote and celebrate.

So let no one tell you that power-sharing is in any way at odds with Unionism. Instead it is the surest way by which Northern Ireland’s place in the Union can be secured. The people of Northern Ireland are rightly demanding better, more responsive public services, greater economic prosperity and a brighter future for their children. The single biggest threat to Northern Ireland’s place in the Union is a failure to deliver on these priorities.

I make no apologies for being proud of Northern Ireland’s place in the Union and for wanting it to continue. Others who share that view should put the Union first, restore the devolved institutions and get on with the job of delivering for the people of Northern Ireland. Like David Trimble and David Ervine before in 1998, and Dr Paisley in 2006, real leadership is about knowing when to say yes and having the courage to do so.

I also know that the question of the Agreement’s potential evolution is being discussed and debated both here at this conference and more widely across Northern Ireland as people rightly want to see devolution in their elected institutions up and running, and want to make it work. I believe that successfully achieving local governance in this place has always depended on achieving the consensus I talked about earlier and certainly if there were voices from London or Dublin trying to impose something, it would certainly fail.

So the Government will continue to listen intently to the conversation on how we can best achieve the effective and enduring operation of the institutions. Because we want to see the institutions working well for the whole of Northern Ireland. Their success is Northern Ireland’s success, and Northern Ireland’s success is the Union’s success.

Distinguished Guests, Northern Ireland has made remarkable progress in the 25 years since the Agreement’s signing. If these 25 years have been about peace, then the next 25 must be about delivering a more prosperous, more reconciled future for everyone in Northern Ireland. We must look forward to what is possible, just as we must reflect to remind and educate ourselves about exactly what is at stake.

The Government stands ready to support Northern Ireland to fully deliver on the ambition of the Agreement and I look forward to working with everyone here, everyone everywhere, in making that an achievement we can all be proud of.

April 21, 2023
Rishi Sunak – 2023 Letter to Dominic Raab Following Resignation

The letter sent by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, to Dominic Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, accepting his resignation on 21 April 2023.

Text of letter (in .pdf format)

April 21, 2023
Adam Tolley – 2023 Report into Allegations of Bullying by Dominic Raab

The report written by Adam Tolley for Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, which was published on 21 April 2023.

Text of report (in .pdf format)

April 21, 2023
Dominic Raab – 2023 Resignation Letter to Rishi Sunak

The resignation letter sent by Dominic Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister, to Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, on 21 April 2023.

Dear Prime Minister,

I am writing to resign from your government, following receipt of the report arising from the inquiry conducted by Adam Tolley KC. I called for the inquiry and undertook to resign, if it made any finding of bullying whatsoever. I believe it is important to keep my word.

It has been a privilege to serve you as deputy prime minister, justice secretary and lord chancellor. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work as a minister in a range of roles and departments since 2015, and pay tribute to the many outstanding civil servants with whom I have worked.

Whilst I feel duty bound to accept the outcome of the inquiry, it dismissed all but two of the claims levelled against me. I also believe that its two adverse findings are flawed and set a dangerous precedent for the conduct of good government. First, ministers must be able to exercise direct oversight with respect to senior officials over critical negotiations conducted on behalf of the British people, otherwise the democratic and constitutional principle of ministerial responsibility will be lost. This was particularly true during my time as foreign secretary, in the context of the Brexit negotiations over Gibraltar, when a senior diplomat breached the mandate agreed by cabinet.

Second, ministers must be able to give direct critical feedback on briefings and submissions to senior officials, in order to set the standards and drive the reform the public expect of us. Of course, this must be done within reasonable bounds. Mr Tolley concluded that I had not once, in four and a half years, sworn or shouted at anyone, let alone thrown anything or otherwise physically intimidated anyone, nor intentionally sought to belittle anyone. I am genuinely sorry for any unintended stress or offence that any officials felt, as a result of the pace, standards and challenge that I brought to the Ministry of Justice. That is, however, what the public expect of ministers working on their behalf.

In setting the threshold for bullying so low, this inquiry has set a dangerous precedent. It will encourage spurious complaints against ministers, and have a chilling effect on those driving change on behalf of your government – and ultimately the British people.

Finally, I raised with you a number of improprieties that came to light during the course of this inquiry. They include the systematic leaking of skewed and fabricated claims to the media in breach of the rules of the inquiry and the Civil Service Code of Conduct, and the coercive removal by a senior official of dedicated private secretaries from my Ministry of Justice private office, in October of last year. I hope these will be independently reviewed.

I remain as supportive of you and this government, as when I first introduced you at your campaign leadership launch last July. You have proved a great prime minister in very challenging times, and you can count on my support from the backbenches.

Yours sincerely,

Dominic Raab

April 21, 2023
Dehenna Davison – 2023 Statement on Tackling Economic Inactivity in Northern Ireland

The statement made by Dehenna Davison, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in the House of Commons on 17 April 2023.

On 31 March, my Department announced the outcome of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to Tackle Economic Inactivity in Northern Ireland, which ran from December 2022 to January 2023.

This competition is a cornerstone of the £127 million UK Shared Prosperity Fund Northern Ireland Investment Plan, launched in December 2022, in which my Department outlined the ambition of the fund to invest in Northern Ireland’s priorities, target funding where it is needed most: building pride in place; supporting pay, employment and productivity growth; supporting high quality skills training; and increasing life chances.

I am pleased to confirm that we have committed over £57 million to projects over the next two years from the Northern Ireland allocation, in excess of the £42 million set out in December, reflecting this Government’s commitment to support many more people to move from economic inactivity into sustainable employment.

My Department has recognised the high prevalence of economic inactivity in Northern Ireland compared with other parts of the UK. It is a significant barrier to a well-functioning labour market; it dampens growth, aggravates the shortage of workers in key sectors, and negatively impacts the quality of life of those who are economically inactive. That is why we made the Tackling Economic Inactivity competition our leading priority.

This funding from the UK Government will support 18 projects to provide specialist support to over 25,000 people right across Northern Ireland to help them address their barriers and move closer to securing sustainable and life-enhancing employment.

This will include bespoke support for people with disabilities, young people who are not in education, employment, or training, and others from all walks of life, who want to return to the labour market but have barriers preventing them from doing so.

By providing holistic support for the hardest to reach in the Northern Ireland labour market, the successful projects announced today will help tackle some of the most intractable barriers to finding a job and sustaining employment, and encourage growth in local economies right across Northern Ireland.

Full details of the successful projects can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-northern-ireland.

April 19, 2023
Robert Jenrick – 2023 Statement on Reforms to the Process of Certifying Claims as Clearly Unfounded

The statement made by Robert Jenrick, the Minister for Immigration, in the House of Commons on 17 April 2023.

On 13 December 2022, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made a statement on tackling illegal migration and a clear plan to bring the system back into balance.

Under our immigration system, where we refuse an asylum or human rights claim which is so clearly without substance that it is bound to fail, we can certify it as clearly unfounded under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. Where the claimant is from a designated safe country the claim must be certified as clearly unfounded unless the decision maker is satisfied it is not clearly unfounded. Following the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, cases certified as clearly unfounded do not have a right of appeal.

When the power under section 94 was introduced in 2002, the then Labour Government gave an undertaking to Parliament that every case certified as clearly unfounded would be looked at by two specially trained officials, with additional quality checks on top of that.

This Government believe it is important to have procedures in place to ensure that those who make clearly unfounded human rights and asylum claims are quickly removed from the UK. That is why only specially trained caseworkers can decide that a claim should be certified. However, the current requirement for a second check to be conducted by a different Home Office official on every certified decision is delaying the conclusion of claims which are bound to fail. We must maximise our capacity to progress clearly unfounded cases in a more efficient way.

For these reasons, protection and human rights claims which are certified under section 94 as clearly unfounded will no longer have to be checked by a second specially trained official. This change will help ensure that the Home Office can certify unfounded cases more efficiently under section 94, so that those who have no basis to be in the UK can be swiftly removed.

The Home Office already operates a robust quality assurance framework for non-certified decisions which helps to maintain the quality of casework decisions and expertise. The specific quality check undertaken for section 94 decisions is no longer necessary, therefore we are improving the assurance process and aligning it with checks adopted on other decisions. Claims certified under section 94 will be regularly reviewed which will ensure that the certification process continues to be applied with careful scrutiny.

April 19, 2023
Neil O’Brien – 2023 Statement on Achieving Smokefree 2030 – Cutting Smoking and Stopping Kids Vaping

The statement made by Neil O’Brien, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in the House of Commons on 17 April 2023.

In 2019, this Government set the bold ambition for England to be smokefree by 2030—reducing smoking rates to 5% or less. To support this, the Government commissioned Dr Javed Khan OBE to undertake an independent review which was published in June 2022.

As I set out in a letter to colleagues on 11 April, I am pleased to be able to update the House on new action we have announced to help more people in England to quit smoking in order to meet our Smokefree 2030 ambition. We also announced further measures to protect children from the use of vaping products, in recognition of the sharp increase in vaping among children in recent years.

One in seven adults—5.4 million people—still smoke in England, and tobacco remains the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death. Up to two out of three lifelong smokers will die from smoking, and smoking substantially increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Smoking also causes seven out of 10 cases of lung cancer. Tackling smoking is one of the most evidence-based and effective interventions that we can take to prevent ill health. It will improve public health, reduce the burden on the NHS, and provides substantial benefits to our workforce and the economy.

Across the country, people are concerned by the increases in youth vaping among children. It is illegal to sell vapes to under 18s and this Government want to clamp down on those businesses that rely on children buying vapes and getting them hooked on nicotine. To help combat rising levels of youth vaping, the Government have now published a youth vaping call for evidence. The call for evidence aims to identify opportunities to reduce the number of children accessing and using vapes, exploring issues such as regulatory compliance, the marketing and promotion of vape products and the environmental impact of disposable vapes. We will explore where the Government can go further, beyond what the EU’s tobacco products directive allowed us to. I encourage colleagues from across the House to contribute and help inform our next steps. The call for evidence is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/youth-vaping-call-for-evidence/youth-vaping-call-for-evidence.

While we want to ensure children do not take up vaping, we would also like to exploit the potential of vaping as a powerful tool to stop adults smoking. Vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking and our most effective quit aid—particularly when provided alongside behavioural support. That is why last week I announced that we will be supporting a million smokers to “swap to stop”, with free vaping kit—the first national scheme of its kind in the world. The scheme will run over two years initially and be targeted at the most at-risk communities first—focusing on settings such as jobcentres, homeless centres and social housing providers.

I was also pleased to announce new action to tackle illicit tobacco and vaping, as well as underage sales. Later this year, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and Border Force will publish an updated strategy to tackle illicit tobacco. It will set out how we will continue to target, catch and punish those involved in the illicit market. This Government have also committed £3 million of new funding to create a specialised “illicit vapes enforcement squad” to enforce the rules on the sale of vapes, tackling illicit vapes and underage sales. This national programme will gather intelligence, co-ordinate efforts across the country, undertake test purchasing and develop guidance to build regulatory compliance.

Across England, nearly 9% of women still smoke in pregnancy. To tackle this, by next year we will offer a financial incentive to all pregnant women who smoke to support them to quit. In pilot projects these evidence-based schemes have already proven their value with a return on investment of £4 for every £1 invested. Most importantly, they unlock a lifetime of benefits for the child and their mother.

I also announced that the Government will consult this year on introducing mandatory cigarette pack inserts, to refresh the health messaging on cigarette packets with positive messages and information to help people to quit smoking. We are exploring how best we can use modern approaches within this, such as the use of QR codes, to make it as easy as possible to get help to quit.

On 24 January, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Steve Barclay) announced our intention to develop a major conditions strategy plan to tackle preventable ill health and mortality in England. It will focus on tackling the most prevalent conditions that contribute to morbidity and mortality in our population—cancers, cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, dementia, mental ill health, and musculoskeletal conditions. Tackling smoking will be central to this strategy.

Through these actions, we have set out the Government plan to meeting our bold ambition to be smokefree by 2030 and respond to the Khan review. We are committed to doing all we can to give people the support they need to quit smoking, tackling the damage from the illicit market and minimising the growing threat of vaping by children.

However, we cannot do this alone. A close collaboration is needed right across the health system—including the NHS, local authorities and a range of public health stakeholders. We hope that together our efforts will act as a powerful catalyst to reduce health disparities and prevent smoking-related death, disease and despair.

April 19, 2023