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Tag: Speeches

  • Nadhim Zahawi – 2023 Letter to Rishi Sunak Following his Dismissal

    Nadhim Zahawi – 2023 Letter to Rishi Sunak Following his Dismissal

    The letter sent by Nadhim Zahawi, the dismissed Chair of the Conservative Party, on 29 January 2023.

  • Gillian Keegan – 2023 Speech to the Church of England National Education Conference

    Gillian Keegan – 2023 Speech to the Church of England National Education Conference

    The speech made by Gillian Keegan, the Secretary of State for Education, on 27 January 2023.

    Good morning – it’s fantastic to be here with you all today.

    As education secretary I often get asked what “education” means. Is it a particular subject, a skill, or is it something else?

    And you know – I think there’s one unifying factor.

    An education lets you do things that you couldn’t beforehand.

    Preparing for this speech gave me the opportunity to reflect on my own schooling which was always in faith schools.

    It was a different denomination – Catholic. I remember starting school aged four at St Mary’s, in St Helens, which is just outside Liverpool.

    It was a terrifying experience, I think it is always quite a terrifying experience when you start school. But not least because it was run by nuns and they were dressed in black robes and they absolutely terrified me.

    Through their kindness, I eventually overcame my fears and began to flourish in school. I learned an early lesson not to judge by appearance.

    Overcoming fear is a valuable life skill and one that I use everyday in the world of politics.

    Indeed, I’m using it right now at the annual conference of a church. A clear demonstration that I’ve learned to do something that I didn’t used to do.

    That is the power of education. Even if those nuns might say, I’m addressing the wrong denomination.

    I am grateful to Saint Mary’s and all my schools.

    All the teachers at the fantastic faith schools have got me to where I am today. They also instilled faith in me, which is still a core part of who I am today.

    Faith is something I think that everyone here can understand – and I want you to know how much I value the role the Church of England plays in educating our children.

    Its reputation for excellence in schools speaks for itself, and you are one of my Department’s most valued partners.

    You provide over a fifth of state-funded schools, a quarter of primary schools, and are the largest provider of academy trusts.

    Your schools are more likely to be good or outstanding than those without a religious character.

    There are Anglican colleges in every continent of the world, bar Antarctica. There is a potential growth opportunity there.

    You are transforming lives. You should be proud of the work you do, and on behalf of the children you teach, I am eternally grateful.

    Put simply, without the Church of England – pupils across the country would be learning less and doing worse.

    And a big part of that is that you have used the academy trust model. This is the structure that we think is going to make the biggest difference for our children, but we know it only works if focused on improving quality all the time, always striving for excellence.

    And I can promise you I will work tirelessly to support quality teaching and spread best practice. I’m taking forward the Review of regulation and commissioning, so we can do this to help improve outcomes for all our children.

    That’s also why I want more schools to be in high-quality trusts.

    To support you we will protect your schools, so that when they become academies they retain the statutory freedoms and protections that apply to Church schools.

    It means working in each area to shape the right plan at the right pace that builds the quality that pupils need.

    In the past 10 years we have made huge strides to give every child the chance in life they deserve. And all of you are central to that success.

    Today 88% of schools rated Ofsted good or outstanding, compared to 68% when we took office.

    From 2010, in just eight years we brought the UK up the PISA rankings from 25th to 14th in reading and 28th to 18th in maths.

    Your schools have played a massive part in this. But to really flourish, we must go further still.

    I am determined to ensure more children meet our expected standards at reading, writing and maths and I agree with the Prime Minister on maths to 18.

    We all use maths every day, from grocery shopping, to buying financial products, to mortgages, to understanding good debt from bad. And we must equip our children to deal with life’s complexities.

    But to make this all add up, there have to be great teachers.

    Many of you will have heard me praise my apprenticeship which provided me with a great start to my working life at 18.

    But that journey began with a school teacher called Mr Ashcroft.

    He would stay late to teach me and another girl technical drawing and engineering, and that allowed me to get 10 O-levels at a school where most struggled to achieve only 4 or 5.

    All thanks to one teacher at one school, helping me to realise my one opportunity.

    I want every child to be inspired by a teacher like Mr Ashcroft. That’s why we’ve put in place a world-class teacher development system.

    This includes the delivery of 150,000 fully funded National Professional Qualifications by 2024 and I want all school leaders to think about how NPQs can benefit both their staff and pupils.

    I know the Church of England is a valued provider of these.

    We also know they are hugely popular. So we want to see even more of our teachers doing them.

    But for teachers to have an impact, they need to be in school.

    I understand the pressures many people are facing including our teachers and we struggle with the economic challenges due to the war in Ukraine. Inflation eats away at all our pay checks.

    On the top of my in-tray when I got this job was a joint letter from the four major teaching unions – it asked for an extra £2 billion next year and the year after to support our schools with increased costs and to help fund this years pay awards.

    We were one of the few departments to be given money in the Autumn Statement.

    And yes, we did get £2 billion more both years. The unions asked, we delivered.

    That uplift means we will be funding schools, in real terms, at the highest level ever in history.

    It may not have been smart to use so much political capital in my first couple of weeks. But I hope it goes to show my personal commitment.

    I know from my speaking to thousands of teachers, many in your schools, that there is more to do.

    My promise to you is I will always listen.

    Saying my door is always open is a cliché but it is true. I am a very open person.

    My ask of all of you now is that you now work with me to keep as many children in school as possible during the disruptive strike action.

    I began by saying how my education had helped me in my career. I’d like to finish by sharing three key things I’ve learnt through that career.

    First, you don’t get far without acting on what you know works; second, you won’t achieve much without a visionary leader and finally, you’ll barely get out of the starting blocks without working together and collaborating with others.

    And I am looking forward to collaborating with you all to make sure our education system flourishes for all our children.

  • Laurie Magnus – 2023 Letter to Rishi Sunak on the Personal Conduct of Nadhim Zahawi

    Laurie Magnus – 2023 Letter to Rishi Sunak on the Personal Conduct of Nadhim Zahawi

    The letter sent by Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister’s Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests, to Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, on 29 January 2023.

    Dear Prime Minister,

    29 January 2023

    Introduction

    1. You have asked me to review the circumstances and facts concerning certain tax affairs of the Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi, Minister without Portfolio, and that I assess these circumstances in the context of Mr Zahawi’s obligations under the Ministerial Code.
    2. This report sets out relevant facts that I have established whilst respecting Mr Zahawi’s right to taxpayer confidentiality. It provides my assessment of the Minister’s conduct under the Ministerial Code, both in terms of its specific provisions and its overriding principles.
    3. I should acknowledge that the Minister without Portfolio has provided his full and open cooperation in assisting with my inquiries. I am also grateful for the assistance I have received from officials at HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and the Cabinet Office.

    Scope of work and areas of inquiry

    1. The matter under review concerns the fact that Mr Zahawi was the subject of an HMRC investigation that resulted in a determination that tax was owed and that a penalty should be applied, falling into the HMRC category of “lack of reasonable care”. Mr Zahawi and HMRC have confirmed to me that this matter was resolved in principle in August 2022 with a settlement agreement signed in September 2022.
    2. The technical detail of HMRC’s investigation and their determination is outside my scope. I have focused on Mr Zahawi’s handling of the matter in light of his responsibilities as a Minister who is subject to the provisions of the Ministerial Code. The Ministerial Code makes clear that Ministers are expected to “maintain high standards of behaviour and to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety”, observing the Seven Principles of Public Life and having an “overarching duty … to comply with the law and to protect the integrity of public life”.
    3. As well as considering the above overarching obligations, I have considered three specific areas under the Code:
      1. i)  How the existence of an ongoing HMRC investigation was declared by Mr Zahawi with reference to his obligations under Chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code (up to August 2022).
      2. ii)  How the settlement of the HMRC investigation was declared by Mr Zahawi (from August 2022), and in particular in relation to his current role as Minister without Portfolio.
      3. iii)  The accuracy of public statements made by Mr Zahawi in relation to the matter, in view of his obligations under the Ministerial Code to be open and honest.

    Findings
    Declarations of ministerial interests

    1. The Ministerial Code sets out that “Ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or appears to arise, between their public duties and their private interests”. All Ministers are subject to an extensive and rigorous framework, designed to provide clear guidance on how interests are declared and handled. This includes a requirement that Ministers complete declaration of interests forms (which include questions about the status of their tax affairs), ensuring these are kept up to date at all times, and also discuss potential conflicts and other relevant matters on an ongoing basis with their Permanent Secretary. Ministers are also expected to disclose any relevant issues, including those which might give rise to possible conflicts, during the process of their appointment to any ministerial role. As a Minister of long standing, Mr Zahawi has operated within this framework over a significant period and should be familiar with its requirements.

    Declaration of interests – HMRC investigation

    1. With Mr Zahawi’s agreement, I have met with HMRC and received some details, including the timing, of his interaction with them. This commenced in April 2021 and included a meeting which he and his advisers attended with them in June 2021. Mr Zahawi has told me that he had formed the impression that he and his advisers were merely being asked certain queries by HMRC concerning his tax affairs, and that this impression persisted until he received a letter from HMRC on 15th July 2022 (dated 13th July). The principle of taxpayer confidentiality continues to apply. However, on the basis of the confidential information to which I have had access, including correspondence between HMRC and Mr Zahawi personally, I consider that an individual subject to the HMRC process faced by Mr Zahawi should have understood at the outset that they were under investigation by HMRC and that this was a serious matter.
    2. I consider that an HMRC investigation of the nature faced by Mr Zahawi would be a relevant matter for a Minister to discuss and declare as part of their declaration of interests. I would expect a Minister to inform their Permanent Secretary and to seek their advice on any implications for the management of their responsibilities. I would likewise expect a Minister proactively to update their declaration of interests form to include details of such an HMRC process.
    3. After his appointment as Chancellor on 5th July 2022, Mr Zahawi completed a declaration of interests form which contained no reference to the HMRC investigation. A later form acknowledged (by way of an attachment) that Mr Zahawi was in discussion with HMRC to clarify a number of queries. Only following receipt of HMRC’s letter received on 15th July 2022 (dated 13th July), did Mr Zahawi update his declaration of interests form to acknowledge that his tax affairs were under investigation, but he provided no further details other than the statement made previously that he was clarifying queries.
    4. Given the nature of the investigation by HMRC, which started prior to his appointment as Secretary of State for Education on 15th September, 2021, I consider that by failing to declare HMRC’s ongoing investigation before July 2022 – despite the ministerial declaration of interests form including specific prompts on tax affairs and HMRC investigations and disputes – Mr Zahawi failed to meet the requirement (at paragraph 7.3 of the Ministerial Code) to declare any interests which might be thought to give rise to a conflict.

    Declaration of interests – settlement of tax matter and penalty

    1. Following an in-principle agreement in August 2022, in September 2022 Mr Zahawi and HMRC reached a final settlement of his tax investigation. As Mr Zahawi has intimated in his public statement of 21st January 2023, the settlement included a penalty applied on the basis of “carelessness” which, in this context, according to the HMRC Compliance Handbook, indicates an individual’s failure to take “reasonable care” in relation to their tax affairs.1
    2. As set out at paragraph 11, I consider that Mr Zahawi should previously have declared the fact of the investigation. The subsequent fact that the investigation concluded with a penalty in relation to the tax affairs of a Minister also requires declaration and discussion. It is a relevant interest which could give rise to a conflict, and particularly so in the case of HM Treasury Ministers and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has responsibility for the UK tax system. As a result of my inquiries, I conclude that Mr Zahawi failed to update his declaration of interest form appropriately after this settlement was agreed in principle in August 2022. It was not until mid-January 2023 (see paragraph 16) that details of the earlier HMRC investigation and its outcome were declared.
    3. I also conclude that, in the appointments process for the governments formed in September 2022 and October 2022, Mr Zahawi failed to disclose relevant information – in this case the nature of the investigation and its outcome in a penalty – at the time of his appointment, including to Cabinet Office officials who support that process. Without knowledge of that information, the Cabinet Office was not in a position to inform the appointing Prime Minister.
    4. Taken together, I consider that these omissions constitute a serious failure to meet the standards set out in the Ministerial Code.
    5. Mr Zahawi informed me that on 16th January 2023 he submitted, to his Permanent Secretary, his declaration of interests form in relation to his current role as Minister without Portfolio, to which he was appointed on 25th October 2022, and that in that form he included detail of the outcome of the HMRC investigation. At the time of my investigation this declaration was under consideration by the Permanent Secretary and had yet to be submitted onward to me for consideration. Given the seriousness of this matter, I would have expected Mr Zahawi to attend to his submission much more rapidly and, as stated in paragraph 14 above, to have notified Cabinet Office officials at the time of his appointment.

    Public statements

    1. On 10th July 2022, following media speculation, Mr Zahawi made a public statement. He said:

    “There have been news stories over the last few days which are inaccurate, unfair and are clearly smears. It’s very sad that such smears should be circulated and sadder still that they have been published.

    “These smears have falsely claimed that the Serious Fraud Office, the National Crime Agency, and HMRC are looking into me. Let me be absolutely clear. I am not aware of this. I have not been told that this is the case.

    “I’ve always declared my financial interests and paid my taxes in the UK. If there are questions, of course, I will answer any questions HMRC has of me.”

    1 HMRC internal manual Compliance Handbook: https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/compliance-handbook/ch81140

    1. Mr Zahawi has told me that at the time of this statement, he was under the impression that he was answering HMRC’s queries, but that he was not under investigation. As set out in paragraph 8, I consider that an individual subject to the HMRC process faced by Mr Zahawi should have understood that they were under investigation by HMRC and that this was a serious matter.
    2. Under section 1.3(d) of the Ministerial Code, Ministers have a duty to “be as open as possible with Parliament and the public”. Whilst this duty clearly does not extend to disclosing personal tax information, it does include a general duty to be accurate in statements to ensure a false impression is not given or maintained.
    3. Mr Zahawi did not correct the record until 21st January 2023, when Mr Zahawi’s public statement indicated that he had reached a settlement with HMRC following an investigation. I consider that this delay in correcting an untrue public statement is inconsistent with the requirement for openness.

    Conclusion

    1. The General Principles of the Ministerial Code are very clear. Paragraph 1.1 states, “Ministers of the Crown are expected to maintain high standards of behaviour and to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety”. Paragraph 1.3 states, “The Ministerial Code should be read against the background of the overarching duty of Ministers to comply with the law and to protect the integrity of public life. They are expected to observe the Seven Principles of Public Life”. One of the Seven Principles of Public Life is Leadership, which requires that holders of public office should not only exhibit the principles in their own behaviour but also actively promote and robustly support the principles.
    2. A Minister of the Crown has a responsibility to lead by example, demonstrating not just compliance with the Ministerial Code, but being an exemplar for integrity in public life. This means upholding high standards of propriety in their conduct as citizens and being actively conscious of possible conflicts between their private interests (financial or otherwise) and their ministerial responsibilities. Paragraph 7.2 of the Ministerial Code states that, “It is the personal responsibility of each Minister to decide whether and what action is needed to avoid a conflict or the perception of conflict”.
    3. I consider that Mr Zahawi, in holding the high privilege of being a Minister of the Crown, has shown insufficient regard for the General Principles of the Ministerial Code and the requirements in particular, under the seven Principles of Public Life, to be honest, open and an exemplary leader through his own behaviour. I want to commend Mr Zahawi for his willingness to assist with my inquiry. I also fully appreciate the pressures faced by Ministers as they address the complex issues of government and the difficulties they encounter in balancing the demands of their personal lives and their ministerial responsibilities. These factors, however, cannot mitigate my overall judgement that Mr Zahawi’s conduct as a Minister has fallen below the high standards that, as Prime Minister, you rightly expect from those who serve in your government.

    Yours sincerely,

    Sir Laurie Magnus CBE

    Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests

  • Rishi Sunak – 2023 Letter to Nadhim Zahawi Following His Breach of Ministerial Code

    Rishi Sunak – 2023 Letter to Nadhim Zahawi Following His Breach of Ministerial Code

    The letter sent by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, the Nadhim Zahawi, the Conservative Party chair, on 29 January 2023.

    Dear Nadhim

    When I became Prime Minister last year, I pledged that the Government I lead would have

    integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level.

    That is why, following new information which came to light in recent days regarding your personal financial arrangements and declarations, I asked Sir Laurie Magnus, the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests, to fully investigate this matter. You agreed and undertook to cooperate fully with the inquiry.

    Following the completion of the Independent Adviser’s investigation – the findings of which he has shared with us both – it is clear that there has been a serious breach of the Ministerial Code. As a result, I have informed you of my decision to remove you from your position in His Majesty’s Government.

    As you leave, you should be extremely proud of your wide-ranging achievements in government over the last five years. In particular, your successful oversight of the COVID-19 vaccine procurement and deployment programme which ensured the United Kingdom was at the forefront of the global response to the coronavirus pandemic. Your role was critical to ensuring our country came through this crisis and saved many lives. And as the Conservative Party Chairman, you have undertaken significant restructuring to Conservative Campaign Headquarters and readied us for important work in the coming months.

    It is also with pride that I, and previous Prime Ministers, have been able to draw upon the services of a Kurdish-born Iraqi refugee at the highest levels of the U.K. Government. That is something which people up and down this country have rightly valued.

    I know I will be able to count on your support from the backbenches as you continue to passionately and determinedly serve your constituents of Stratford-on-Avon and represent the many issues and campaigns you are dedicated to. Thank you for your service to this and previous governments.

    Yours sincerely Rishi Sunak

    The Right Honourable Nadhim Zahawi MP

  • Barbara Castle – 1965 Diary Entry on Becoming Transport Secretary

    Barbara Castle – 1965 Diary Entry on Becoming Transport Secretary

    The diary entry on 21 December 1965 in Barbara Castle’s diaries, The Castle Diaries 1964-1970.

    TUESDAY 21 DECEMBER 1965

    At 8.45 pm phone call from Marcia [Williams]. Could I come down and see the PM? Harold [Wilson] waved me into his room, boyish and slightly dishevelled. “May I open my heart to you? You and I ought to talk more, only I’m so busy and you are, too. Have a whisky or brandy?”. When I said that I’d love a brandy, he said, “it’s the only thing that keeps me going. Fortunately I have a most intelligent doctor who prescribes it for me. It does something to my metabolism”.

    ……

    “I always knew that Tom [Fraser] was weak, but I was saddled with a shadow Cabinet, every one of whom expected a job” he went on, “I must have a Minister of Transport who can act. Tom has got a very strong Permanent Secretary whom Churchill got rid of in the Cabinet secretariat and brought in Burke Trend (though I’ll get rid of Helsby before I’m through). I am convinced he has killed integration. But we have got to have an integrated transport policy. I can’t hold the Party otherwise. And the Party is key to everything. We have offered Tom all sorts of advisers but he doesn’t know how to make use of them. Unless you accept my offer the reshuffle can’t take place. I hope you will, but, Barbara, if you say no I shan’t hold it against you. I know what you feel about Overseas Development, but I want you on the home side. I think you are the best person we have got. I want you to be Minister of Transport”.

    I closed my eyes.

  • Barbara Castle – 1966 Diary Entry on Meeting with Rail Unions

    Barbara Castle – 1966 Diary Entry on Meeting with Rail Unions

    The diary entry on 24 May 1966 in Barbara Castle’s diaries, The Castle Diaries 1964-1970.

    Tuesday 24 May 1966

    A vital day in the evolution of my policy. I met all three rail unions a BR’s headquarters in order to let Raymond [Sir Stanley Raymond] explain the proposed new rail network to them. My heart was in my mouth because I knew it meant the closure of 3,000 more miles of lines, although the outcome would be a network of 11,000 route miles instead of the 8,000 proposed in the second Beeching Report.

    I told Raymond to pile on the positive side of the policy and he excelled himself. I told them I had got my colleagues’ agreement to the survey into railway finances and stressed this meant a subsidy – open and overt – to the railways, something we had refused to other nationalised industries like coal. I then asked for questions. There was a long silence while I waited, hardly daring to breathe. As last Sid [Sidney Greene] said slowly, “I am very pleased with what we have heard. Clearly there is going to be a very good future for the men who are left in the system. Our trouble is, as I expect you know, with the men who will not have a place in it. I know you think we are always moaning and are against change, but we have to deal with our members and we have to speak for those who are affected. I shall to moan a lot more, but nonetheless I am pleased with what we have heard and not least for the fact that we have had it all explained to us so fully in this way, not like when the Beeching Report came out – that blue book – and the first we heard of it was when a copy was put into out hands two hours before publication”.

    The other unions leaders echoed him in turn, ASLEF saying almost pathetically, “You must help us with our members”. Tom Bradley played into my hands by asking how we proposed to get private hauliers to use the railways more. I launched into a passionate appeal for open terminals through which even Kelly sat silent, at a loss for a wrecking question. And I warned them that I was having trouble with TGWU who suspected I was favouring rail too much – so they had better hurry up and get as much on to rail as they possibly could while the going was good. In all a most encouraging afternoon.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2023 Speech at Bloomberg

    Michelle Donelan – 2023 Speech at Bloomberg

    The speech made by Michelle Donelan, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport at Bloomberg in London on 27 January 2023.

    Good morning, thank you all for coming here today – and thank you to Bloomberg for hosting this morning.

    I am really delighted to be here, opening this event, and as Digital Secretary, to be in charge of what I think is one of the most important portfolios in government.

    Last year, this small island became just the third country in the world to have a tech sector valued at over $1 trillion – behind only China and the United States, and first in Europe by some distance.

    Our sector is worth more than double of Germany’s and three times more than France’s, and is home to hundreds of unicorns – including household names like Deliveroo and Monzo.

    And perhaps most importantly, we are world leaders in the kind of tech that is going to dominate our future, like AI.

    And this didn’t happen by accident.

    We got here thanks to the people in this room – thanks to your ideas, and your passion and your entrepreneurial spirit.

    We also got here because we have a clear vision for where this country is going, and a government that is prepared to match that ambition with action.

    I believe that Britain is uniquely placed in the world to become the world’s number one when it comes to tech.

    Now that we are outside of the EU, and with our proud history of being a nation where we offer measured, proportionate regulation, that sparks and enables innovation, where we also really value and encourage the entrepreneurial spirit,

    One where entrepreneurs have both the stability, but also the freedom, to invest and innovate.

    And that’s why in the decade or so since the start-up scene first began springing into life, the UK has seen a sustained explosion of investment and growth.

    It happened because we brought together a potent mix of four key fundamental things:

    The right people.

    The right money.

    The right ideas.

    And the right regulation.

    Which is why all of these four things underpinned the government’s Digital Strategy.

    And if we want to take things to the next level – to the very top – then we need to double down on all of those four things.

    To double down on people – through things like addressing the skills gaps, which is the theme of one of my roundtables.

    And having spent three years in the Department for Education prior to this, I have first hand seen how the skills element really can play a key role.

    And for me just two stats illustrate the urgency of that challenge very clearly:

    Firstly: digital roles are now increasing four times faster than the workforce as a whole.

    And secondly: there are an average of 173,000 vacancies per month for digital occupations in the UK. Those unfilled roles are costing us up to £150 billion a year in lost GDP.

    So we need to continue to focus on people.

    This is a country that has on average produced a Nobel Prize winner every year for the past two decades, and we need to keep it that way.

    We need to continue as well to focus on money: to keep venture capital investment flowing through, prioritise our science and tech budget and work together to drive investment in our 5G and gigabit networks.

    On ideas – we need to continue to foster investment in research and development, to help our world-class universities even more world-class graduates, and skills that will drive the tech sector forward even faster.

    And we need to keep providing the right regulation – to create the kind of competitive and innovative environment where people can start the next Deliveroo or DeepMind, and can scale it up, and go on to become global success stories.

    So we already have the right list of ingredients. We just need to double down on them.

    And I will just finish by saying I think it is the perfect time to be so ambitious and bold.

    There is no doubt that this is an extremely challenging time for our economy.

    We have just been through a once-in-a-century pandemic, we are experiencing war in Europe, soaring inflation and an increase in the cost of living across the globe.

    But let’s not forget our world-renowned tech ecosystem sprung up in the shadow of the 2007/8 financial crisis.

    And if any country has the brain power and ingenuity to repeat history, and use tech to drive us out of another challenging period, I genuinely believe it is this one.

    The Business Secretary, the Chancellor and I will work closely with all of you over the coming months to make this happen. We will ensure that your views and your ideas are represented as your voices in government.

    And on that note, I would now like to hand over to the Business Secretary, Grant Shapps.

  • David Rutley – 2023 Speech at the Latin American Security Conference

    David Rutley – 2023 Speech at the Latin American Security Conference

    The speech made by David Rutley, the Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean, on 27 January 2023.

    Introduction

    Good morning, buenos dias, bom dia. Indeed, a very early good morning if you are dialling in from Latin America.

    Thank you to RUSI for inviting me to speak today. I’m joining you from my constituency of Macclesfield, where I’ll be spending the day speaking to constituents – as I do most Fridays.

    Since I became Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean three months ago, I’ve spent a lot of time far from Macclesfield.

    Last week I was in Bolivia and Ecuador.

    The week before that, I was at the United Nations in New York, discussing Haiti, Colombia, Venezuela and many issues important to the region.

    And before Christmas I was in the Dominican Republic, Panama and Colombia. And I will be on the road again in a few weeks.

    There is no substitute for meeting my counterparts, talking to a wide range of people, and seeing the difference our overseas missions make – for the UK and for our partners.

    The beauty and vitality of each of the countries I’ve visited has been plain to see. So too is their potential and promise.

    Latin America is home to more than 660 million people, that’s nearly a tenth of the world’s population. And has a combined GDP of almost six trillion dollars.

    It has a quarter of the world’s forests, a quarter of the world’s cultivable land, almost two-thirds of the world’s lithium reserves… and the list goes on.

    In short, Latin America is big and it matters. It has immense resources and potential. And of course, it also has its challenges.

    Some are the same global problems we all face as we recover from COVID, grapple with inflation flowing from Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and fight climate change.

    But the region also has the greatest disparities globally between the rich and the poor. And democratic institutions have come under strain in a number of places.

    In his speech in December, the Foreign Secretary set out how over coming decades “an ever greater share of the world economy – and therefore the world’s power – will be in the hands of countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America”.

    He committed to “make a long term and sustained effort to revive old friendships and build new ones, reaching far beyond our long-established alliances.”

    In doing so, we build on the work of our predecessors.

    Two centuries ago, we sent our first consuls to many newly independent countries in the region – a set of anniversaries that we plan to mark this year, in a series of events around Latin America.

    Since 2010 we have expanded our diplomatic network – reopening Embassies in Paraguay and El Salvador, and establishing new consulates in Recife and Belo Horizonte.

    Together with countries in the region, we face a rapidly growing set of global challenges and opportunities, from climate to commerce, security to science.

    And our shared values and interests mean that we have many natural partners in the region.

    Including on many aspects of security you will be discussing today.

    Geo-politics

    Turning firstly to geo-politics.

    Earlier this month I spoke at the United Nations Security Council meeting on the rule of law.

    I underlined the importance of the international community coming together to uphold the UN Charter in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    It was heartening to hear Ecuador, who joined the Security Council this month, condemning Russia.

    In General Assembly votes last year, 85% of countries in the Americas voted to condemn Vladimir Putin’s actions; second only to Europe in the unanimity of condemnation.

    It has been encouraging to see the region’s multilateral bodies taking similar action, with the Organisation of American States and the Inter-American Development Bank both taking significant steps to exclude Russia.

    Although Ukraine is many thousands of kilometres away, Latin America is suffering from the fallout from Putin’s war in terms of higher energy, food and fertiliser prices, which as we all know feed into higher prices across the board.

    And this despite Latin America’s potential to be a part of the solution to food and energy insecurity, with its vast natural resources.

    As I travel, I hear deep concern about rocketing prices, but no lessening of the determination to condemn Russian aggression, and the challenge it presents to all of our security, and to the international order on which we all rely.

    That is why, as the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have said, we are accelerating our support to the Ukrainian Government to ensure they prevail.

    It is incumbent on all free countries to stand for freedom, democracy and the sovereignty of nations around the world.

    We know – in our increasingly multipolar world – that pressure is applied on countries on a variety of issues.

    China, for example, is conspicuously competing for global influence in the region, using a variety of levers of state power.

    China’s system and approach – their view of democratic norms, human rights and national security for example – brings risks alongside the economic opportunities for the region.

    But we know that Latin America is aware of the risks associated with accepting large-scale investments from wealthy third countries, and we understand why tough decisions are needed.

    Which is why the UK is working to support the infrastructure development that the region needs with UK expertise and finance, including investments from the private sectors.

    There is also competition for values.

    In the last few years we have seen a coordinated attempt by some states across the globe to roll back women’s and LGBT rights.

    I applaud Latin American countries for taking a progressive stand internationally and domestically.

    Cuba’s September legalisation of same-sex marriage and adoption being a good example.

    Such progress has often had to overcome disinformation from third parties – just as Latin America has been a key target for Russian disinformation in relation to Ukraine.

    Despite lots of good practice and progress in many countries, concerns for Human Rights and gender equality remain.

    In a region where ‘disappearances’ remain worryingly high, most obviously in Mexico, more must be done to support vulnerable groups, and those who seek to shed light on their plight.

    Economic Security

    Global events last year served to remind us all how strongly economic security and national security are linked.

    Which is why the UK Government works to expand free and fair trade, and build links between UK and foreign businesses, innovators and scientists.

    The UK is negotiating to join the Trans-Pacific free trade agreement as soon as possible – which will further benefit our trade with Chile, Mexico and Peru.

    We are negotiating a new trade agreement with Mexico.

    And we signed a Double Taxation Agreement with Brazil late last year – which will help companies in both countries.

    I want to see trade with the UK growing right across the Americas.

    Climate change is the ultimate threat to global security and prosperity, and Latin America has a key role to play is limiting it, including the global transition to clean energy.

    Two thirds of known global lithium reserves are in Latin America.

    Chile and Peru have 40% of the world’s copper reserves – a key component of wind turbines.

    And Brazil is home to the majority of the world’s niobium resources.

    So I’m pleased that Anglo-American have invested five and a half billion dollars in the Peruvian Quellaveco mine.

    This will increase copper production and add one percent to Peru’s GDP, while also pushing better environmental, social and governance standards.

    The UK Government is supporting and pursuing an increasing number of exciting joint projects with partners in the region.

    Including work with the Chilean government and regulators to help shape global standards for the production and supply of green hydrogen.

    And the agreement signed last week with the University of Warwick, that will provide scholarships, training and joint research on battery production to the Bolivian Government.

    Climate Security

    Beyond the clean energy transition, broader cooperation on climate change is central to our partnerships in the region.

    Since 2011, Colombia has been one of the largest recipients of UK International Climate Finance, which has helped protect one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, tackle environmental crime and associated violence, as well as develop sustainable and inclusive economies in conflict-affected areas.

    Many Latin American countries were joint architects of the COP 26 Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use – an agreement that promotes biodiversity and sustainable land use where it is most needed.

    Ensuring that forests, and the indigenous peoples and local communities who live there are protected, is a huge challenge. And hugely important.

    The UK Government continues to deliver on our pledge to spend up to £300m tackling deforestation in the Amazon region.

    We are contributing £100 million to the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund in Honduras, Guatemala and other countries.

    And we help fund CMAR – the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor – with Blue Planet Funds.

    President Lula’s return offers an opportunity to deepen our relationship with Brazil on climate change, as well as on trade, development, security and other shared priorities.

    In 2023, Brazil has a seat on the UN Security Council, and will assume the G20 Presidency next year. It has also launched a bid to host COP30 in the Amazon in 2025.

    Lula has an ambitious programme to deliver a green and inclusive economic transition for Brazil, which would have clear benefits for the UK and the world.

    As a leader in green finance we are working to mobilise private investment, and align our existing ODA funding on climate and nature, with Lula’s green and inclusive economic transition agenda – which has ‘keeping forests standing’ at its heart.

    Peace and Democracy

    Healthy democracy – with institutions that are responsive to people’s needs – is another important insurance policy against insecurity.

    There has been well-publicised constitutional unrest in Peru and Brazil – and we have been vocal in our support for democratic principles and the constitutional order.

    We are also steadfast supporters of those who bravely defend democratic principles in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.

    Talking of democracy, it would be remiss of me not to mention the Falklands.

    The Falkland Islanders, like everyone else, deserve the freedom to decide their own future, in political, cultural, economic and development terms.

    The people of the Falkland Islands have made very clear – most comprehensively in the 2013 referendum – that they wish to maintain their current relationship with the UK, as is their absolute right.

    The UK will continue to support the islanders’ right of self-determination as firmly as we have done to date. The principle is one that deserves wide international support.

    Where democratic institutions fail, it is often voices of freedom and the most vulnerable who suffer the consequences most acutely.

    In Nicaragua, repression is increasing.

    In energy-rich Venezuela, the World Food programme estimates that there are currently 5.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

    Millions have been forced to flee the country as refugees, putting a huge strain on generous neighbours

    We continue to encourage all parties to do everything necessary to return democracy to Venezuela, and to hold free, fair presidential elections in 2024, in accordance with international democratic standards.

    Organised crime, fuelled in large part by the production and trafficking of illegal drugs, continues to curse the region, feeding corruption, corroding institutions, and damaging the environment through deforestation and illegal mining.

    Last week I saw how equipment donated by the UK helps protect Ecuador’s Special Mobile Antinarcotics Unit. An investment that helps limit the drugs heading for our shores.

    And in the UN earlier this month, we won support for the latest UK-led Security Council resolution backing the Colombian Peace Process.

    There is a long way still to go to end the violence and criminality that has plagued Colombia for so long.

    But the 2016 peace agreement between the government and the FARC shows what can be achieved with determination and leadership on all sides.

    We have supported that process with almost 70 million pounds from the UK’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund. And we will continue to ensure the Security Council offers the support and guidance needed.

    We are also working with partners in the region to make cyberspace an open and secure engine of knowledge and growth – shaping the international governance of cyberspace in accordance with our shared values.

    In the last three years alone, the UK has funded cyber capacity-building for over a dozen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

    From promoting initiatives around women in cyber in Argentina. Helping Uruguay carry out a National Cyber Risk Assessment. To signing a cyber Memorandum of Understanding with Brazil.

    Closing Remarks

    To conclude.

    Security is multi-faceted.

    And the threats to it are constantly evolving.

    This government has committed to intensify our work with partners in Latin America…

    to strengthen international peace and security…

    to bolster economic and climate security…

    and to support the democratic institutions that underpin national security.

    I look forward to discussing that work with you.

  • Eric Pickles – 2023 Speech at Holocaust Memorial Day

    Eric Pickles – 2023 Speech at Holocaust Memorial Day

    The speech made by Eric Pickles on 27 January 2023.

    A chilling fact about the Holocaust is that it could never have taken place without the willing participation of many millions of ‘ordinary people’.

    In Germany, many individuals who were not ardent Nazis nonetheless participated in varying degrees in the persecution and murder of Jews, the Roma, the disabled, homosexuals and political prisoners.

    There is no better example than the ordinary men of the Reserve Police Battalion 101. Five hundred policemen, most from Hamburg, most in their 30s and 40s – too old for conscription into the army.

    Men who, before the war, had been professional policemen, as well as businessmen, dockworkers, truck drivers, construction workers, machine operators, waiters, pharmacists, and teachers. Only a minority were members of the Nazi Party and only a few belonged to the SS.

    During their stay in Poland, these ordinary men participated in the shootings, or the transport to the Treblinka gas chambers, of at least 83,000 Jews.

    Ordinary people were witnesses; many cheered on the active participants in persecution and violence.

    Sadly, most, ordinary people remained silent.

    Responsibility for the Holocaust does not rest with the Nazi leadership alone.

    Responsibility for later genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Srebrenica, and Darfur does not rest solely on the leaders who incited hatred and violence.

    Ordinary people bear responsibility too. For some, that has meant responsibility for the most appalling crimes. For others, the responsibility of failing to act.

    Thankfully, there have also been ordinary men and women willing to stand against hatred.

    Ordinary men and women who often showed extraordinary bravery to save Jews.

    Their selfless acts demonstrate the best of us.

    The Holocaust and subsequent genocides show that ordinary people have choices. It is up to all of us to ensure that the choices we make today and tomorrow ensure a world without genocide.

  • Stuart Andrew – 2023 Speech to the Pro Bono Economics’ Civil Society Unleashed Event

    Stuart Andrew – 2023 Speech to the Pro Bono Economics’ Civil Society Unleashed Event

    The speech made by Stuart Andrew, the Minister for Civil Society, on 26 January 2023.

    Thank you for the introduction, Gus and for inviting me to join you here today.

    It is fantastic to see so many of you here representing the huge variety of different sectors and perspectives, in recognition of the vital role that civil society plays in not just supporting communities, but helping them thrive.

    I am pleased to be celebrating the achievements of the Law Family Commission on Civil Society. Your final report concludes an ambitious programme of work seeking to understand the potential of civil society and how to unleash it.

    Thank you to everyone who has contributed over the course of this Commission.

    The wealth of knowledge generated will be fundamental to pushing forward our understanding of civil society and importantly, what more is needed to bolster it, especially after such a period of rapid change.

    I was delighted to take on responsibility for working with civil society as part of my portfolio last year although I’m equally excited to be the minister for the Eurovision song contest.

    As you just heard, my early career when some would say I had a proper job, was in the charitable sector.

    I worked for 16 years within the charitable sector working with national charities but also local charities, and hospices in particular, and I learnt a great deal through my time working for those organisations, not least seeing the benefits that donating gives not just to the individuals but certainly to many corporate organisations who saw their employees getting a great deal of benefit from working with our charities.

    And also many of the community organisations that I’ve been involved with, both before and since becoming a member of parliament, and seeing the enormous contributions that they have not just on their local community but the many benefits they bring to individuals whether through volunteering, benefitting their mental health and wellbeing but also in my other roles in tackling loneliness.

    The global pandemic, Putin’s war on Ukraine, and the cost of living have created significant impacts across the country. And civil society organisations are on the front line, helping individuals most in need.

    I’m aware that we are experiencing a challenging economic climate at the moment, and many in the sector are facing increased demand for their services. This is alongside them experiencing higher energy prices themselves.

    It is important that we acknowledge how challenging these times are. And that is why the government is supporting energy bills for all organisations until March this year.

    This report therefore comes at a critical time.

    There is a real opportunity to grasp these challenges facing civil society, and work together to ensure charitable organisations can thrive. And the government has a critical role to play in this journey.

    Whilst more time and discussion is needed on the recommendations themselves, I’m keen to briefly touch on some of the main themes of the report here today.

    Firstly, the report provides a call to action on philanthropy and giving. I know how generous the public are, even in this challenging economic environment. I know from my time in the hospices, when we had challenges like the Kosovo crisis, despite that challenge people were still generous to our organisation.

    This was evident in the £260 million that was raised for the Disasters Emergency Committee’s ‘Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal’, which the government contributed to. This clearly demonstrates the generosity of the nation, and how we are compelled to try and support those in need in any way we can.

    However, there is more to be done to bring our combined resources together to maximise our collective funding power.

    I look forward to continuing the conversation on philanthropy, and working with you to consider how we further encourage giving to charitable causes.

    Secondly, the Commission’s work also highlights the importance of improving data and evidence across the civil society sector.

    Better data helps the charitable sector to tell a richer story about the impact it has on communities. It will enable decision makers and funders to better understand the unique value civil society brings.

    As noted in this report, there have already been great strides in improving data from the charitable sector itself. And the Government is contributing to this change.

    For example, we have worked closely with the Charity Commission on their new charity classification and updated annual return. As noted in this report, these changes will help improve the coverage and accessibility of data collected.

    My department is also working with Pro Bono Economics on a feasibility study for a Civil Society Satellite Account, which will bring together data to help us better understand the economic value of the sector.

    But there is more to be done, and the Commission provides some thought provoking ideas for how the sector can develop better data infrastructure for the future.

    Thirdly, this report puts a spotlight on how greater investment in productivity will help civil society maximise its already considerable impact, and ensure resources are most effectively used.

    There are bold recommendations on how the sector, funders, regulators and the government can support this endeavour.

    I believe that a key part of this is for civil society organisations to be able to access the appropriate forms of finance they need to thrive.

    Evidence has shown, for example, that social investment has increased the long term financial sustainability of many organisations operating in the heart of communities. This has also leveraged private capital to ensure that this money is going further.

    In recent years, the government has provided support to the sector through helping to grow the social investment market, ensuring more community organisations can access appropriate forms of capital through a blended finance approach.

    We are also delivering change in this space by increasing civil society organisations’ delivery of public service contracts, thanks to the Contract Readiness Fund.

    The intersection of civil society, the private sector and the public sector can bring long lasting and meaningful change to productivity, and I look forward to working with many of you on this.

    Fourthly, the power and importance of collaboration across sectors is a key tenet of this report, and I am keen to see the government play a role in this. And you can have that personal commitment from me that I will invest my personal time and resources in this.

    Research from the Commission notes that almost all MPs and councillors surveyed have had contact with charities and community groups.

    MP’s from across the political spectrum see the impact charities have in their constituencies, and how vital they are to a flourishing community.

    DCMS wants to build on this by connecting civil society with key government priorities, bringing the diversity and expertise of the sector to the discussion.

    Over the last year, there have been some fantastic examples of civil society and the government collaborating.

    For example, my department worked with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme. This was a great example of government departments and civil society organisations coming together to provide targeted support for those displaced by the war in Ukraine.

    More recently, the voluntary and community sector has led the creation of a  ‘Vision for Volunteering’, setting out an ambitious set of aims for volunteering in the ten years post-COVID.

    I am proud that DCMS is investing £600,000 into the next steps of the Vision, and we will continue to work together on the vision’s aim to make England a great place to volunteer.

    We will do more together when we continue to harness knowledge and share expertise.

    My department and I will continue to work to build bridges between the sector and the government, and ensure civil society representatives have a seat at tables across Whitehall.

    In conclusion, I want to thank everyone involved in producing these reports. Your vital work shines a light on the fantastic potential of the civil society sector, suggesting innovative solutions for a more sustainable future, and I look forward to working with you on this, because as I said earlier, my personal experience in the charity sector has shown me the enormous contribution they can make to improving so many people lives and making all of our communities a better place to live.

    Thank you again for inviting me here today.