UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Speeches

  • Nadhim Zahawi – 2021 Comments on 50 Million Covid-19 Doses

    Nadhim Zahawi – 2021 Comments on 50 Million Covid-19 Doses

    The comments made by Nadhim Zahawi, the Vaccines Minister, on 3 May 2021.

    The UK’s vaccination programme has been a huge success so far with more than 50 million doses administered – a fantastic achievement.

    We have one of the highest uptake rates in the world and over 15 million people have now received 2 doses and maximum protection from this dreadful virus.

    Every jab brings us one step closer to putting this pandemic behind us. I urge everyone to come forward as soon as they are eligible – the vaccine is safe, effective and could save your life.

  • Matt Hancock – 2021 Comments on 50 Million Covid-19 Doses

    Matt Hancock – 2021 Comments on 50 Million Covid-19 Doses

    The comments made by Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 3 May 2021.

    Now we’ve delivered the 50 millionth jab, and 29.4% of the adult population have had the strongest possible protection of 2 doses, we have hit yet another incredible milestone in our vaccination programme.

    The vaccine is our way out of this pandemic and the rollout had been a huge national effort. I want to pay tribute to the heroic NHS staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to deliver vaccines in every corner of the United Kingdom at a phenomenal pace.

    We are on track to offer a jab to all adults by the end of July but our work is not over yet. We are now inviting everyone over 40 to get their jab. I had mine last week – it’s simple and easy and I encourage everyone else who is eligible to get the jab.

  • Dominic Raab – 2021 Comments on Democratic Threats

    Dominic Raab – 2021 Comments on Democratic Threats

    The comments made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 4 May 2021.

    The UK’s presidency of the G7 is an opportunity to bring together open, democratic societies and demonstrate unity at a time when it is much needed to tackle shared challenges and rising threats.

    The addition of our friends from Australia, India, the Republic of Korea and South Africa, as well as the chair of ASEAN reflects the growing significance of the Indo-Pacific region for the G7.

  • Boris Johnson – 2021 Comments on UK and Indian Trade Partnership

    Boris Johnson – 2021 Comments on UK and Indian Trade Partnership

    The comments made by Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, on 4 May 2021.

    Like every aspect of the UK-India relationship, the economic links between our countries make our people stronger and safer. Each and every one of the more than 6,500 jobs we have announced today will help families and communities build back from coronavirus and boost the British and Indian economies.

    In the decade ahead, with the help of the new Partnership signed today and a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, we will double the value of our trading partnership with India and take the relationship between our two countries to new highs.

  • Alok Sharma – 2021 Speech on Zero Emissions for Road Transport

    Alok Sharma – 2021 Speech on Zero Emissions for Road Transport

    The speech made by Alok Sharma, the COP26 President, on 4 May 2021.

    Good afternoon.

    The future of the road transport sector is clear. And that future is zero emissions.

    The transition is happening faster than ever before.

    The pace of zero emissions vehicle sales has been quickening.

    In the EU, 10 percent of the cars sold in 2020 were hybrid or electric, that is expected to rise to 15 percent this year.

    In Norway electric car sales have overtaken petrol and diesel.

    Six months ago, the UK was planning to phase out new polluting vehicles by 2040.

    Today, we will do so by 2030.

    Matching the ambition shown by the likes of Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

    While Norway is set for a 2025 phase-out.

    Manufacturers are taking action too. Volvo will phase out internal combustion engine sales by 2030, General Motors by 2035.

    We know that action from governments and business reinforce one another.

    So, as we look to speed-up the transition to green transport, we need action from both groups.

    And we must speed it up, because, today, road transport is responsible for 10 percent of global emissions.

    To meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, we need all new car sales to ]be zero emission by 2040. Earlier in the most advanced markets.

    And a faster transition can benefit us all. Thanks to economies of scale reducing costs.

    So, to help get the transition moving faster, the UK COP26 Presidency established the Zero Emission Vehicle Transition Council.

    Bringing together ministers and governments representing some of the world’s biggest car markets, to look at how we can work together.

    Our work is very much informed by consultations with business and civil society.

    I hope your discussions today also help to establish ways to accelerate the move to zero emissions vehicles.

    And I encourage those of you who have not yet done so to make bold commitments.

    Commitments that push the world closer towards its clean future.

    And that help your company, or your countries’ manufacturers, to get ahead.

    To capitalise on the now inevitable transition to zero emissions road transport around the world.

    So I wish you the best of luck with your discussions and deliberations.

    Thank you.

  • Boris Johnson – 2021 Comments on UK and India

    Boris Johnson – 2021 Comments on UK and India

    The comments made by Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, on 4 May 2021.

    The UK and India share many fundamental values. The UK is one of the oldest democracies, and India is the world’s largest. We are both committed members of the Commonwealth. And there is a living bridge uniting the people of our countries.

    In the last week the British people have stepped up in their thousands to support our Indian friends during this terrible time in a demonstration of the deep connection between the UK and India.

    This connection will only grow over the next decade as we do more together to tackle the world’s biggest problems and make life better for our people. The agreements we have made today mark the beginning of a new era in the UK-India relationship.

  • Alok Sharma – 2021 Comments on India and Climate Change

    Alok Sharma – 2021 Comments on India and Climate Change

    The comments made by Alok Sharma, the COP26 President-Designate, on 4 May 2021.

    The UK and India share a longstanding partnership and I am greatly encouraged by the steps we have taken today to bolster our joint efforts on tackling climate change.

    If the world is to become net zero by the middle of the century and keep 1.5 degrees in reach, everyone must raise their ambition within this decade and work together to make real change for a cleaner, greener planet.

    I am proud of the close collaboration on this crucial issue which our two countries have forged, especially during this very difficult time for India as it battles with COVID.

  • Boris Johnson – 2021 Comments on UK and India Trade Links

    Boris Johnson – 2021 Comments on UK and India Trade Links

    The comments made by Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, on 4 May 2021.

    The UK and India share many fundamental values. The UK is one of the oldest democracies, and India is the world’s largest. We are both committed members of the Commonwealth. And there is a living bridge uniting the people of our countries.

    In the last week the British people have stepped up in their thousands to support our Indian friends during this terrible time in a demonstration of the deep connection between the UK and India.

    This connection will only grow over the next decade as we do more together to tackle the world’s biggest problems and make life better for our people. The agreements we have made today mark the beginning of a new era in the UK-India relationship.

  • Alok Sharma – 2021 Comments at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue

    Alok Sharma – 2021 Comments at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue

    The comments made by Alok Sharma, the COP26 President, on 4 May 2021.

    Good afternoon. And thank you to everyone for joining this event, and to our German friends for co-hosting it.

    It is a real pleasure to help to launch this water sector initiative today.

    For too long, adaptation has been the poor cousin of mitigation.

    And – I can tell you – adaptation is very much a top priority for the UK’s COP26 Presidency.

    That is why the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, launched the Adaption Action Coalition earlier this year, with our friends in Egypt, Bangladesh, Malawi, Netherlands and St Lucia.

    And I am very pleased so many members are with us at this event to share their experiences.

    The AAC builds on the Call to Action I launched with partners when I was UK Secretary of State for International Development, in 2019.

    It’s about converting the political ambition into action.

    So it is fantastic to see the AAC going strong, with this first event today. And, of course, its first international collaboration: the water tracker.

    We all know that, even if we reached net zero today, the world would still need to deal with significant climate shocks and disruption.

    And too often, water is a casualty.

    Whether through droughts, floods, or sea level rises, extreme weather events make it harder for communities to access clean water.

    This impacts health, it impacts livelihoods, food production and more. And ultimately threatens economic growth.

    But the very fact that water is so fundamental to life means responsibility is split between many different areas of individual governments.

    Policies can suffer from a lack of integration, and are harder to fund as a result.

    The tracker the Adaptation Action Coalition is launching today seeks to tackle those problems.

    And look at how water can be integrated across countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions, National Adaptation Plans, and national climate plans, creating detailed, consistent plans to help attract public and private funding, and demonstrating the impact we can have when we work together.

    This tracker is supported by the UK, and delivered in partnership with the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation, Sanitation and Water for All, as well as the Global Water Partnership.

    I very much look forward to hearing in Glasgow later this year about the progress that has been made.

    And I wish you the very best for your discussion today, which is about putting the vital ambitions of the AAC into practice.

    And of course helping to create a safer, more resilient world for all of us.

    Thank you.

  • Grant Shapps – 2021 Comments on Green Motoring

    Grant Shapps – 2021 Comments on Green Motoring

    The comments made by Grant Shapps, the Secretary of State for Transport, on 5 May 2021.

    As hosts of COP26, we want to drive decarbonisation on the global stage, which is why we’re going further and faster to make the journeys of our future as clean as possible.

    With news that the half-a-million milestone has now been met, together with the UK now having the second largest EV market in Europe, it’s clear that the shift to green motoring is accelerating at speed.