In his Spring Statement, the Chancellor promised to support families through the cost of living crisis today, and to cut their taxes in the future. But his failure to deliver on both of these means that absolute poverty is expected to rise by 1.3 million people next year, while only one-in-eight workers will see actually see their tax bills fall by the end of the parliament, according to the Resolution Foundation’s overnight analysis of Spring Statement 2022 today.
Inflation Nation shows that faced with an unprecedented squeeze on family’s household finances and a significant boost to the public finances, the Chancellor opted for a big but poorly targeted policy package focused on partially offsetting some of the big tax rises he’d previously announced, rather than on supporting those families hit hardest by the cost of living crisis.
Key findings from the overnight analysis include:
Families face £1,100 income losses. The scale of the cost of living squeeze is such that typical working-age household incomes are to set to fall by 4 per cent in real-terms next year (2022-23), a loss of £1,100, while the largest falls will be among the poorest quarter of households where incomes are set to fall by 6 per cent.
Absolute poverty rises by 1.3 million. The scale and distribution of the cost of living squeeze, coupled with the lack of support for low-income families, means that a further 1.3 million people are set to fall into absolute poverty next year, including 500,000 children – the first time Britain has seen such a rise outside of recessions.
Tax rises for seven-in-eight workers. Considering all income tax changes to thresholds and rates announced by Rishi Sunak, only those earning between £49,100 and £50,300 will actually pay less income tax in 2024-25, and only those earning between £11,000 and £13,500 will pay less tax and National Insurance (NI). Of the 31 million people in work, around 27 million (seven-in-eight workers) will pay more in income tax and NI in 2024-25.
A £11,500 wage loss. With real wages in the midst of a third major fall in a little over a decade, average weekly earnings are on course to rise by just £18 a week between 2008 and 2027, compared to £240 a week had they continued on their pre-financial crisis path. This lost growth is equivalent to a £11,500 annual wage loss for the average worker.
A parliament of pain. Typical household incomes are forecast to fall by 2 per cent across the parliament as a whole (2019-20 to 2024-25), making this parliament the worst on record for living standards, beating the 1 per cent income fall over the course of the 2005-05 to 2010-11 parliament.
Rapid fiscal consolidation. The decision to bank much of the borrowing windfall set out by the OBR sees borrowing set to fall rapidly from 14.8 per cent of GDP in 2020-21 to 1.3 per cent of GDP in 2024-25 – lower than it was expected to reach pre-pandemic. This increases the Chancellor’s fiscal headroom at the end of the parliament from £18 billion to £28 billion, the equivalent of a further 4 to 5p cut in the basic rate of income tax.
Torsten Bell, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, said:“In the face of a cost of living crisis that looks set to make this Parliament the worst on record for household incomes, the Chancellor came to the dispatch box yesterday promising support with the cost of living today, and tax cuts tomorrow. Significant measures were announced on both counts, but the policies do not measure up to the rhetoric.
“The decision not to target support at those hardest hit by rising prices will leave low-and-middle income households painfully exposed, with 1.3 million people, including half a million children, set to fall below the poverty line this coming year.
“And despite the eye-catching 1p cut to income tax, the reality is that the Chancellor’s tax changes mean that seven-in-eight workers will see their tax bills rise. Those tax rises mean the Chancellor is able to point to a swift fiscal consolidation and significant headroom against his fiscal rules.
“The big picture is that Rishi Sunak has prioritised rebuilding his tax-cutting credentials over supporting the low-to-middle income households who will be hardest hit from the surging cost of living, while also leaving himself fiscal flexibility in the years ahead. Whether that will be sustainable in the face of huge income falls to come remains to be seen.”
Message from First Minister to Ukrainians arriving in Scotland
A message of welcome from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – available in Ukrainian and Russian, the two most widely spoken languages in Ukraine – is to be given to displaced Ukrainians arriving in Scotland.
The Scottish Government is working with a range of partners to offer practical help and assistance to Ukrainians, including with food, clothing, healthcare, language support and signposting to other services.
The full text in English and Ukrainian is below:
A welcome to Ukrainians arriving in Scotland, from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
On behalf of the Scottish Government – and the people of Scotland – I warmly welcome you, and your family and friends, to Scotland.
I want you to know that you are now safe.
Please know that you will be treated with care, dignity and respect, for however long you stay.
We have been shocked by what has happened to the people of Ukraine. We want to help, and to provide you with the support and the services that you need.
As we open our doors to you, we also open our hearts. We offer not just a refuge, but a warm Scottish welcome and a nation of helping hands to you and your loved ones.
Welcome to Scotland, our home – and, for as long as you need, yours too.
Вітання від першого міністра Ніколи Стерджен для українців, які прибувають до Шотландії.
Від імені уряду Шотландії – та народу Шотландії – я щиро вітаю вас, вашу сім’ю та друзів у Шотландії. Я хочу запевнити вас, що тепер ви у безпеці.
Будь ласка, знайте, що до вас будуть ставитися з турботою, гідністю та повагою, незалежно від терміну вашого перебування.
Ми шоковані тим, що сталося з народом України. Ми хочемо допомогти і надати вам підтримку та послуги, які вам потрібні.
Відчиняючи для вас двері, ми також відкриваємо наші серця. Ми пропонуємо вам і вашим близьким не просто притулок, а теплий прийом і допомогу від усіх наших громадян.
Ласкаво просимо до Шотландії – нашого дому, і вашого також, на той термін, який вам потрібен.
Scotland’s offer to provide refuge and sanctuary to displaced Ukrainians, as part of the UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme, is now open.
Accessible through the UK Government’s online portal, a distinct route to accommodation, support and care in Scotland – the Warm Scots Welcome – is now available to people displaced by the invasion of Ukraine.
Acting as a ‘super sponsor’, the Scottish Government’s route removes the need for applicants to be matched to a named individual before they are cleared to travel to the UK through the visa system.
The Scottish programme is available as an option to Ukrainians when applying for a visa under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, by opting for the organisational sponsor route, and selecting “The Scottish Government” from the drop-down box in response to the question “Which organisation is sponsoring you?”
Scottish people willing to volunteer and provide homes for Ukrainians arriving through the sponsorship scheme are encouraged to sign up at the Homes for Ukraine portal.
Their details will be shared with Scottish Government so that appropriate matches can be arranged while immediate support is provided to those arriving.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Our distinct offer for a warm Scottish welcome to the displaced people of Ukraine is now open, as part of the UK’s Homes for Ukraine.
“We intend to fully harness the thousands of individual offers from people in Scotland willing to provide Ukrainians with a home. And I encourage those who want to help to express an interest on the Homes for Ukraine portal.
“We still believe visas should have been waived for those fleeing the appalling and illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, but we established this Scottish scheme, embedded within the UK system, to provide help right now to those who need it.
“Our programme will allow significant numbers of people fleeing Ukraine to come to Scotland immediately, and will be able to come to Scotland for safety and sanctuary first.
“To those Ukrainians arriving in our country, I can say we will treat you with compassion, dignity and respect, and I extend a warm welcome to Scotland, our home – and, for as long as you need it, yours too.”
It is also possible for Ukrainian displaced people to come to Scotland by the other two routes: the family visa route and the individual sponsor route.
The Scottish Government is working with partners – local councils, the Scottish Refugee Council, the NHS, Disclosure Scotland, NGOs, faith groups and others – to complete safeguarding checks, put in place wider health, education, practical and befriending support, and arrange longer term accommodation.
The process for Ukrainian applicants to apply is this:
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Salt Awareness
14th to 20th March 2022 is Salt Awareness Week. It is estimated that in the UK we consume around 8.4g of salt a day which is 40% more than the recommended 6g a day. Too much salt in your diet can have a negative effect on your health and can increase the risk of water retention, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and kidney disease. Here are some tips to help you reduce your salt intake:
Reduce salt gradually
By gradually reducing the amount of salt in your food, your taste buds will adapt over time. Try tasting your food before you add salt. You may find that your food is tasty enough. You could try experimenting with different flavours to replace added salt, such as herbs, spices, lemons, or limes.
Check food labels
Around 75% of the food we eat contains hidden salt. Food labels use a traffic light system, which allows us to see if a product contains a low (green), medium (amber), or high (red) amount of salt.
Check the labels to see how much salt is in your food before you buy. Different brands of similar products contain varying amounts of salt, so look at the label and choose products that contain less salt. Salt is made up of sodium chloride and sometimes the label will list ‘sodium’ but not ‘salt’.
You can work out how much salt is in a product by multiplying every 1g of sodium by 2.5.
Make a swap
Swap your high salt foods with foods lower in salt. Try snacking on fruit and vegetables, plain rice cakes, unsalted nuts and seeds or lower salt alternatives to your usual snacks.
Foods such as processed meats, stock cubes, ready-made sauces and powdered soups can contain high amounts of salt. Try swapping these for lower salt versions or make your own soups, with little or no added salt. You can also reduce the amount of salt in your diet by having smaller portions of foods that are higher in salt.
Adopting these tips can be challenging, but reducing your salt consumption gradually over time can help to reduce your risk of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.
Opportunity for classrooms to collaborate and compete, with prizes worth over £8,000 up for grabs
The popular game-based learning programme SplashLearn has announced the second UK edition of its massively popular SpringBoard Maths Challenge.
The maths competition is a calendar marked event and is highly anticipated by teachers across the US and Canada. The SpringBoard Maths Challenge 2022 is open to all classes from Year 1 through Year 6 in the UK and will run from March 1 – May 8, 2022.
Participation in the challenge, which is free, is designed to give teachers and schools the opportunity to engage their primary school students through fun maths challenges aligned to the national curriculum. The 10-week competition provides the perfect opportunity for teachers in Scotland to engage pupils in maths learning to master their maths skills and boost their confidence, all whilst having fun throughout the process.
After creating an account on SplashLearn, teachers can enrol their classes for SpringBoard 2022. Once enrolled, students can immediately start solving maths problems that will earn them points individually as well as adding up and counting towards the total class score.
The best performing classes with the highest points win weekly prizes at both a county and national level. The final winners will be announced at the end of SpringBoard, with prizes worth in excess of £8,000 up for grabs.
Joy Deep Nath, co-founder, SplashLearn, said: “SpringBoard is a maths competition, but over the years it has grown to be a platform for social and emotional bonding for both students and teachers alike.
“Of course, it also helps teachers to tackle the attainment gap and ensures students are prepared for the next school year. There is a growing appreciation for SpringBoard as an effective tool to challenge students in a familiar, secure and friendly setting to practice with their peers, which is paramount in the present times.”
Arpit Jain, CEO, SplashLearn, said: “SpringBoard, over the years has become like a tradition. It brings teachers and students together in an environment that enables competition as well as collaboration but most importantly celebrates learning.
“The fun and playful aspects of the competition ensures students stay motivated engaged, excited and continue learning, which is so important. I wish every school the greatest success, and every child a very happy learning journey.”
Catering for Year 1-Year 6 pupils, the SplashLearn programme is available completely free of charge to all schools and teachers in the UK, with the maths content covering more than 570 skills through 2000 activities and games.
Registration for teachers and entry to the competition is already open, and teachers can sign up for the SpringBoard Maths Challenge 2022 by visiting this page.
Nominations open today (Tuesday 15 March) for candidates to stand in the forthcoming Local Government Election.
The Election will take place on Thursday, 5 May, when people living across Edinburgh will elect members to the City of Edinburgh Council.
The Notice of Election was published yesterday for Edinburgh’s 17 wards where three or four councillors will be elected in each ward to represent residents.
In 2017, 63 councillors were elected to represent the City of Edinburgh Council, with a 50.5% turnout for the city – up from 42.6% in 2012.
In order to stand as a candidate, individuals must submit nomination papers, by 4pm on Wednesday 30 March.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF A POLITICAL PARTY TO STAND FOR ELECTION !!
Andrew Kerr, Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council and Returning Officer for Edinburgh, said: “The Notice of Election signifies the official start of the election period. The forthcoming election will enable the city’s residents to have their say, and I would take this opportunity to urge all citizens to make sure they are registered and use their vote.
“There are a range of options for casting ballots – in person, by post or by appointing someone trusted to vote in your place, known as a proxy.
“The local councillors elected make important decisions on provision of public services, including education, social care, waste management, libraries, planning and much more on behalf of Edinburgh residents.
“Preparations are well underway to ensure a successful election with plans for any additional restrictions required due to the ongoing pandemic. We’re keen to continue the enthusiasm demonstrated by voters during last year’s Scottish Parliament Election when we had the same range of safety measures in place.”
Our weekly drop-in community gardening sessions, on Thursdays from 1 – 3pm, are open to everyone.
The community garden is inside the allotment, go through the gate from the back of Toby Carvery car park, past the containers, and its the gate on your right.
Last week we prepped beds, planted strawberries, beans and peas. More bed prep and making paths and areas for fruit bushes for this week.
Dress for the weather, wellies for the mud are best”
Now that the weather is improving Police are expecting more people to be out and about on their motorbikes. Here are some tips on how to secure your motorbike:
– Ensure your bike is fitted with a combined alarm and immobiliser which will deter thieves when the alarm sounds.
– Attach both a disc lock and U-lock. Do not rely on one device, The more security placed on your bike, the less attractive it is to a thief.
– Try to park under street lights.
– When applying your locks, ensure they are secured to a solid anchor point or a permanent piece of street furniture. Keep the lock off the ground where possible as this makes it difficult for the thief to remove.
– Cover your motorcycle and ensure the cover is attached to the security device.
– Where possible use ‘Thatcham’ or ‘Secure by Design’ approved devices www.securedbydesign.com. These have been tested by the industry and are generally agreed to be some of the most robust security devices available.
– Ensure you always activate the steering lock.
– Avoid leaving your helmet or other possessions on the motorcycle, in luggage space or panniers.
– Be vigilant, ensure that you are not being followed home and check for suspicious items attached to your motorcycle.
Social Media
Think about what you share on any app and regularly review your security settings
– Make sure your posts do not identify your home and make it a target.
Tracking Devices
Tracking devices are an effective covert security measure. Although they may not prevent your motorcycle from being stolen, it will assist police in tracing and recovering the vehicle quickly.
Marking and Identification Systems
Datatag ID – Datatag is a piece of technology which can be attached to various parts of your motorcycle. It comes in different forms, dependent on what is most appropriate and is unique to each individual. For more information on this product, please visit www.datatag.co.uk.
It was always on the cards that if restrictions were to be introduced on short-term letting in Scotland, Edinburgh would be first out of the blocks. And, sure enough, the council last month introduced a city-wide “control zone”.
The capital, which for obvious reasons is the country’s tourist Mecca, has become a magnet for Airbnb-style short-term lets over the last decade, leading to concerns about housing shortages and perceptions about anti-social behaviour.
Under draft proposals which will now go to Scottish Government Ministers for final approval, property owners will soon need planning permission to be able to operate short-term lettings and will have to apply for a change of use certificate from the planning department.
What is less well known is that the council has always had the power to require planning permission in the event of a material change in environment, such as short-term rentals. The difference is that, from now on, this will be mandatory.
It should be noted that the proposals only apply to secondary lettings, i.e., properties which are not an owner’s primary residence. People will still be able to let out their homes while on holiday, or rooms in their home while they remain in residence.
However, while the new restrictions appear to be forging ahead, it still remains unclear what policies the local authority will eventually apply. The current Development Plan – the overarching guide to future council thinking – makes no mention whatsoever of short-term lets.
Nor, surprisingly, does the document designed to replace it, the City Plan 2030, which again does not concern itself with the issue – making it increasingly difficult for property owners to plan ahead.
One can only speculate at the moment about whether permissions will be granted for continued short-term use, and on what grounds. Nor is there any clarity about whether numerical limits will be imposed.
Were there to be limits, it would be reasonable to assume that applications would be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so landlords hoping to remain in the market might be advised to act sooner, rather than later.
There is, of course, an existing provision in law whereby if a short-term let has been operating for more than 10 years, with no action against it by the council and no action to conceal its operation, then it is entitled to a Certificate of Lawfulness to continue operation, though necessary evidence will be required.
As of the start of this month, there have been nine applications so far this year for planning permissions for short-term lets, only two of which have been granted – and they both involved Certificates of Lawfulness.
What to do if applications fail is clearly now a matter of immediate concern for property owners and DM Hall’s specialist rural arm Baird Lumsden is currently embarked on an information campaign around the sales, letting and management options which remain open.
It has gone into the issue in depth, in anticipation that Highland Council will be the next authority to impose short-term let restrictions around the Badenoch and Strathspey area, and is reaching out to concerned parties.
Informed and impartial advice of this nature is something of a port in a storm for property owners who are caught between a rock and a hard place as the restriction net tightens.
There has been anecdotal evidence of landlords exiting the short-term market and moving to longer lets in the private rental sector. But regulation in this sphere of activity is getting stricter all the time, and the imminent New Deal for Tenants will do nothing to ease landlord pain.
On a superficial level, it is easy to understand the council’s hope that properties taken out of short-term lets will find their way back into the housing stock, thus easing ongoing shortages.
But a counter-argument, articulated by bodies such as the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, is that lack of house-building is as much of a contributory factor to shortages, and that short-term lets bring in huge volumes of valuable tourism revenue to the city.
As things are, some smaller operators may indeed be forced to sell up and quit the market, although larger letting concerns will almost certainly continue to jump through the necessary hoops.
In this volatile environment, expert professional advice is the only real safeguard, and prudent property owners and landlords will seek it out as timeously as possible.
Calum Allmond is Head of Architectural Services at DM Hall Chartered Surveyors.
For further information, contact DM Hall Chartered Surveyors, 27 Canmore Street, Dunfermline KY12 7NU. T: 01383 621262. E: dunfermline@dmhall.co.uk.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace gave a statement to the House of Commons on Ukraine yesterday:
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to update the House on the situation in Ukraine and Her Majesty’s Government’s support to the Government in Kyiv.
The situation on the ground is grave. As we can recall, on 24 February, forces of the Russian army, unprovoked, crossed into Ukraine’s sovereign territory. Along three main axes, Russian armour has attempted to occupy Ukraine. Its plan was to reach and encircle Kyiv, encircle Ukrainian forces near the border and invade from the south to link up with its forces via Mariupol.
Russian high command committed 65% of its entire land forces, which are indisputably in possession of overwhelming firepower and armour. It is estimated that at the start of the invasion they had between 110 and 120 battalion tactical groups dedicated to the task, compared with approximately 65 in Ukraine.
Their missile stocks gave them even greater strength to reach Ukraine at distance. However, what they did not and still do not possess is the moral component so often needed for victory.
After 14 days of the war, according to the Ukrainian general staff, at 6 March, Russian casualties were assessed to include 285 tanks, 985 armoured fighting vehicles, 109 artillery systems, 50 multiple launch rocket systems, 44 aircraft, 48 helicopters and 11,000 soldiers, who have lost their lives needlessly.
There are numerous reports of surrenders and desertions by the ever-growingly disillusioned Russian army. To be clear, those are Ukrainian figures; I have to caution the House that we have not verified them by defence intelligence or other means.
I can announce to the House our assessment that, of the initial Russian objectives, only one has been successfully achieved.
While Russian forces are in control of Kherson, Melitopol and Berdyansk in southern Ukraine, they currently encircle the cities of Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Mariupol but are not in control of them.
In addition, their first day objective of targeting Ukrainian air defence has failed, preventing total air dominance. The Ukrainian armed forces have put up a strong defence while mobilising the whole population.
President Putin’s arrogant assumption that he would be welcomed as a liberator has deservedly crumbled as fast as his troops’ morale.
For our part, the United Kingdom continues to play a leading role in supporting Ukraine. On 17 January, I announced to the House the Government’s intention to supply military aid to the Ukrainian armed forces.
The aid took the form of body armour, helmets, boots, ear defenders, ration packs, rangefinders and communication equipment, and for the first time it also included weapons systems. The initial supply was to be 2,000 new light anti-tank weapons (NLAWs), small arms and ammunition.
In response to further acts of aggression by Russia, we have now increased that supply. I can update the House that, as of today, we have delivered 3,615 NLAWs and continue to deliver more. We will shortly be starting the delivery of a small consignment of anti-tank Javelin missiles as well. I want to assure the House that everything we do is bound by the decision to supply defensive systems and is calibrated not to escalate to a strategic level.
Britain was the first European country to supply lethal aid. I was pleased that not long after a military aid donor conference I held on 25 February, many more countries decided to do the same.
From right across Europe, the donations came. In particular, I want to highlight the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Romania, the Baltic states, Belgium and Slovenia for their leadership, and we should not ignore the significance of the German Government joining us, in a change of stance, and donating such aid.
Donations are not enough; the delivery of aid to the front line is just as important. Here, again, Britain is leading, because alongside Canada, the United States and Sweden, we have invested in building Ukrainian military capacity since 2015, and we find ourselves able to co-ordinate the delivery alongside our partners.
As the conflict intensifies, the Russians are changing their tactics, so the Ukrainians need to, too. We can all see the horrific devastation inflicted on civilian areas by Russian artillery and airstrikes, which have been indiscriminate and murderous. It is therefore vital that Ukraine maintains its ability to fly and to suppress Russian air attack.
To date, the international community has donated more than 900 man-portable air defence missiles and thousands of anti-tank guided weapons of varying types, as well as various small arms.
However, the capability needs strengthening, so in response to Ukrainian requests the Government have taken the decision to explore the donation of Starstreak high-velocity, man-portable anti-air missiles. We believe that this system will remain within the definition of defensive weapons, but will allow the Ukrainian forces to better defend their skies. We shall also be increasing supplies of rations, medical equipment, and other non-lethal military aid.
As with any war, the civilian population is suffering horrendous hardships. According to the Ukrainian Minister of Education, 211 schools have been damaged or destroyed, and media footage shows Russian strikes hitting kindergartens.
The Chernihiv regional administration reported that the Russian air force was employing FAB-500 unguided bombs against targets in the city, and according to Human Rights Watch, civilians in Mariupol have now been without water and power for almost a week.
President Zelenskyy talked of children dying of thirst. Today the estimated number of Ukrainian civilians killed or injured stands at more than 1,000, but the true figure is expected to be much higher, and I am afraid that worse is likely to come.
It is for that reason that the UK will increase its funding for Ukraine to £220 million, which includes £120 million of humanitarian aid. That will make the United Kingdom the single biggest bilateral humanitarian donor to Ukraine. We are also supporting humanitarian work with the Polish and Romanian Governments on the borders.
As I said in my last statement, we still believe that it is worth trying to build diplomatic pressure on Russia. This week, my good friend the Prime Minister met the Prime Ministers of Canada, the Netherlands and Poland. He also spoke to the leaders of France, Germany and the United States, and the Prime Ministers of Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
The Foreign Secretary is in Washington at the G7, and also attended the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting earlier this month. I myself met the Ukrainian Ambassador just this morning. President Putin should be and can be in no doubt that the international community is united against his actions. It remains strong, and will not back down.
As well as giving direct military support to Ukraine, we continue to bolster our contribution towards NATO’s collective security. NATO Defence Ministers will gather next week in Brussels to discuss the next steps. The UK is doing its bit in giving military support and reassurance to its allies.
We are currently supplying significant air power to NATO, including increased air patrols, with both Typhoons and F-35s for NATO air policing. We have also deployed four additional Typhoons to Cyprus to patrol NATO’s eastern border, and have sent an additional 800 troops to Estonia.
Over the last week, Apache and Chinook helicopters were involved in exercises in Estonia. Meanwhile, HMS Diamond has sailed to the eastern Mediterranean, HMS Northumberland is taking part in a northern deployment, and HMS Grimsby is in the Norwegian sea supporting NATO mine countermeasures.
On Monday HMS Prince of Wales, RFA Tidesurge and HMS Defender joined HMS Albion and RFA Mounts Bay for Exercise Cold Response, a multinational exercise off the coast of Norway, and HMS Richmond will be exercising with the Joint Expeditionary Force.
We have put over 1,000 more British troops on readiness to support humanitarian responses in the bordering countries. Britain’s contribution to NATO is significant and enduring. It is important at this time that, in order to maximise our reassurance and resilience effect, we co-ordinate through NATO and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
Few of us will not have been moved by President Zelenskyy’s speech yesterday. His people are fighting for their very survival. His country is united against this aggression, and it is indeed his country’s darkest hour.
Yesterday I saw footage of a Russian armoured train, bristling with guns, heading towards Mariupol. A single brave Ukrainian woman ran to the train and shouted “Slava Ukraini”—unmoved, unintimidated by the guns. That woman’s bravery should inspire us all.
I know that many of our constituents, and our colleagues, are fearful of what will happen next. President Putin and the Kremlin continue to threaten countries that offer help to Ukraine. Their military campaign will, I am afraid, become more brutal and more indiscriminate, but it is my firm belief that our strength to stand up to such bullying comes from our alliances. As long as we stand united, both as a House and as the international community, the Kremlin’s threats cannot hurt us.
We should take strength from the peoples right across Europe who are standing shoulder to shoulder to protect our values—our freedom, our tolerance, our democracy and our free press. That is our shield.
