Prime Minister Keir Starmer appoints Chief Secretary and Chief Economic Advisor
Today the Prime Minister is ‘bolstering the Downing Street operation’ as the government attempts to deliver on the country’s priorities: growth people feel in their pockets, secure borders and getting the NHS back on its feet.
The return of parliament marks a new term and a ‘ramping up’ of the next phase of the Labour government’s domestic agenda – ‘relentless delivery on our Plan for Change’.
The Prime Minister has today appointed Rt Hon Darren Jones MP as the Chief Secretary (Minister of State) to the Prime Minister and No10 Downing Street.
The Chief Secretary role is a new appointment which will work collaboratively across UK Government to drive forward progress in key policy areas, reporting directly to the Prime Minister.
The Ministerial role, based within No10 Downing Street, will directly oversee work across Government to support the delivery of the Prime Minister’s priorities and the Government’s Plan for Change.
The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister (Minister of State) will attend Cabinet.
In addition, the Prime Minister has directly appointed Baroness Shafik as his Chief Economic Advisor to support the Prime Minister on economic affairs.
This role and the additional expertise will support the Government to go further and faster in driving economic growth and raising living standards for all.
Baroness (Minouche) Shafik is a world leading economist, whose career has straddled public policy and academia.
She served as the Permanent Secretary of the UK’s Department for International Development, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, where she sat on the monetary, financial and prudential policy committees.
She was also President and Vice Chancellor of the London School of Economics and Columbia University and taught at the Wharton Business School and Georgetown University.
She was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2015 and became a crossbench peer in the House of Lords in 2020.
£10 billion boost expected to support 103 Scottish businesses including 54 small and medium enterprises
Major partnership with Norway set to secure 2,000 jobs in Scotland until the late 2030s with a further 2,000 roles sustained across the wider UK supply chain.
Deal will see a combined fleet of 13 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigates – eight British and at least five Norwegian – operate jointly in Northern Europe, significantly strengthening NATO’s northern flank
BILLIONS of pounds will be pumped into the Scottish economy following Norway’s decision to select Glasgow-built warships for their Armed Forces – securing thousands of jobs in Scotland for years to come.
The UK will supply Norway with Type 26 frigates in a historic deal worth £10 billion announced today, cementing Scotland’s position as a world leader in naval shipbuilding, and on the government’s Plan for Change.
The deal supports 2,000 jobs at BAE Systems’ shipyards in Glasgow and a further 2,000 roles across the UK maritime supply chain until the late 2030s. The agreement is expected to support 103 Scottish businesses which includes 54 small and medium enterprises
Norway’s selection of the UK’s world leading Type 26 frigates builds on decades of close cooperation between NATO allies and strengthens both nations’ strategic partnership and maritime security in the face of increasing Russian threats in northern Europe. Both Australia and Canada have also bought a licence to build their own ships based on the Type 26 design for their Navies.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This £10 billion deal is what our Plan for Change is about – creating jobs, driving growth and protecting national security for working people.
“This government has forged new partnerships across the world to deliver for people at home and the export of our world leading Type 26 frigates to Norway will do exactly that, supporting well-paid jobs up and down the United Kingdom, from apprentices to engineers.
“This success is testament to the thousands of people across the country who are not just delivering this next generation capabilities for our Armed Forces but also national security for the UK, our Norwegian partners and NATO for years to come.”
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: “Norway’s decision to choose Scottish-built frigates demonstrates the tremendous success of our shipbuilding industry and showcases the world-class skills and expertise of our workforce on the Clyde.
“This contract is another ‘defence dividend’ for Scotland and supports thousands of jobs and reinforces Scotland’s vital contribution to both UK prosperity and international security. The deal demonstrates that when we back Scottish industry, it delivers for communities, workers, and our allies.”
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: “For over 75 years, Britain and Norway have stood together on NATO’s northern and north-eastern frontiers, keeping the UK and Europe safe. This historic defence deal deepens our strategic partnership.
“With Norway, we will train, operate, deter, and – if necessary – fight together. Our navies will work as one, leading the way in NATO, with this deal putting more world-class warships in the North Atlantic to hunt Russian submarines, protect our critical infrastructure, and keep both our nations secure.
“This deal confirms Scotland’s place as a world leader in shipbuilding. It will support 2,000 high-skilled jobs in Scotland for the next 15 years and beyond, driving forward this Government’s Plan for Change and making defence an engine for growth.”
The frigates are designed for anti-submarine warfare – strengthening the strategic partnership and maritime security of both nations in the face of increasing Russian threats in northern Europe.
The decision comes ahead of a new UK-Norway defence agreement that will bolster Euro-Atlantic security while bringing the two defence industries closer together to boost jobs, growth, and innovation.
UK announces new life-saving support for pregnant women and new mothers, and menstrual hygiene kits for thousands of women and girls
UK announces new life-saving support for pregnant women and new mothers, and menstrual hygiene kits for thousands of women and girls
Foreign Secretary calls for a full resumption of aid into Gaza, as women and girls risk pregnancy complications and disease
It comes amid ‘catastrophic’ humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with ‘women and girls bearing the brunt of the suffering’
Against a backdrop of an appalling humanitarian crisis, the UK has pledged vital funding to deploy midwives and deliver emergency medical supplies for new mothers in Gaza. The aid could reach thousands—but only if Israel allows a substantial increase in vital humanitarian access.
The announcement comes after the Famine Review Committee confirmed famine in parts of Gaza.
The UK reiterates that the Israeli government’s refusal to allow sufficient aid into Gaza has caused this man-made catastrophe and urges it to take action to improve the situation immediately.
The Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic, with famine in Gaza City and women and girls bearing the brunt of the suffering.
“The UK is doing all we can to improve the situation but we remain crystal clear: for aid to have impact, Israel must ensure it is allowed in and delivered safely and securely to civilians in desperate need.
“Gaza’s healthcare system has been decimated. With ongoing strikes on healthcare centres and most hospitals no longer functioning at all, pregnant women will be extremely anxious about giving birth safely.
“That’s why we’re announcing this support today as part of our sustained humanitarian assistance to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
“This new funding will help improve midwifery provisions and make giving birth safer. It is critical to improving the situation for mothers and their new-born babies.
“But this funding can only have maximum impact if the Government of Israel allows it. Israel must ensure protection of civilians including healthcare staff and health infrastructure, and enable the delivery of life saving medicines, medical equipment and healthcare supplies into Gaza.
“We need an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, a surge in aid and a framework to deliver long-term peace.”
UK funding is set to support some of the 130 women who give birth every day against the backdrop of conflict in Gaza. This £3m funding, delivered through the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA) is supporting midwives to provide essential lifesaving care for mothers and newborn babies in conflicts and crises.
UNFPA is providing life-saving reproductive health supplies for women and girls in Gaza. Since the conflict began, UNFPA has reached over one million people with sexual and productive health services and gender-based violence prevention and response support.
It has also ensured that over 150,000 women and girls have been able to purchase essential menstrual and hygiene items to meet their basic needs.
Laila Baker, UNFPA Arab States Regional Director said: “Women and girls are enduring increasingly horrific conditions in Gaza – with widespread malnutrition and disease putting the lives of pregnant and breastfeeding women and their babies at particular risk.
“This vital contribution from the United Kingdom will support UNFPA in providing lifesaving medicines, deploying mobile maternity units, and supporting midwives across the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
“With one in five babies in Gaza born prematurely or underweight, and maternal and neonatal services collapsing from fuel and supply shortages, UNFPA also reiterates its urgent call for unimpeded, sustained and demilitarized humanitarian aid into the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
The FCDO is also working with Oxfam GB to distribute Reemi’s zero waste menstrual hygiene products that are suitable for women and girls with limited access to clean water. In incredibly difficult circumstances, Oxfam and local partners distributed over 5,000 Reemi kits in Northern Gaza in early 2025.
Scottish Green Party members have elected Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer as their new Co-leaders, following a closely fought contest.
In her acceptance speech Gillian Mackay hailed the vital work that Scottish Green MSPs have done and promised to go further.
Gillian Mackay said: “From free bus travel for people under 22, increasing the roll out of free school meals, restoring Scotland’s natural environment, the introduction of Ssafe Access Zones, and the scrapping of peak rail fares, the Scottish Greens have already started improving the lives of millions – But we can and will go further.
“We need to be clear; the Scottish Greens have delivered real change, and we are the party for you. For many, the cost-of-living crisis is still taking its toll, but the focus from our governments and our media continues to distract from the real issues facing working-people.
“As a disabled woman and a new mum, I am getting to know some of the struggles that so many families are facing. That’s why I will champion a four-day week, better parental pay, and universal basic income. These are policies that will transform lives.”
In his speech, Ross Greer promised to bring back the hope that many have lost following years of cuts and chaos from Westminster. He said: “About a decade ago there was a real sense of hope in Scotland. People really believed that this could be that better, fairer, greener country. But that sense of hope has all but disappeared, and we should be honest about that.
“Whether it is through the re-election of Tory governments that we didn’t vote for or a Labour government that looks like another one of those Tory governments, Brexit or even Trump.
“The Scottish Green Party will bring back that hope. And we will bring it back through action. We will cut people’s bills and tackle the climate crisis. That’s why I have proposed ideas during this contest like universal free bus travel.
“We shouldn’t be afraid to make the super-rich pay for the transformation that we know our society needs. For example by ending the tax breaks that the aristocracy get for their shooting estates.
“Fixing Scotland’s problems means replacing a system that is rigged in favour of the super-rich with one that works for people and planet.”
Candidate
1st Preferences
Dominic Ashmole
7%
Gillian Mackay
34%
Lorna Slater
28%
Ross Greer
31%
Gillian MacKay was elected at Stage 1.
At stage 2 Dominic Ashmole was then excluded and votes transferred to the remaining candidates.
THREE Edinburgh Labour MPs – Tracy Gilbert (Edinburgh North and Leith), Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West), and Chris Murray (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) – came together with Places for People Scotland and tenants from across the city on Wednesday to build on joint engagement activity addressing housing queries.
After being elected, Tracy Gilbert MP noticed a trend in complaints and organised this meeting to support both tenants and Places for People Scotland.
In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the Edinburgh MPs arranged the meeting with Places for People Scotland and Edinburgh Tenants Federation to support local tenants to proactively seek support on matters relating to their communities.
The meeting is a further step in the work Places for People Scotland has undertaken in the past 18 months in increasing customer engagement across the city.
The meeting covered matters raised by customers including understanding service charges, heating, and repairs and maintenance, as well as customer engagement.
By bringing all parties together, the MPs sought to bring together tenants’ voices to continue open, constructive, and effective dialogue.
Tracy Gilbert MP said:“Tenants deserve to feel heard and supported by their housing provider. As Edinburgh MPs, we were pleased to facilitate this meeting so residents could raise their concerns directly and begin to build stronger channels of communication.
“A lot of the issues raised centred on the transparency of bills from factors and the lack of clarity in communications.
“We hope that over the coming months these matters can be resolved, giving residents the confidence and reassurance they deserve.”
Dr Scott Arthur MP added:“Tenants in Edinburgh South West have understandably lost confidence in the service provided by Places for People Scotland.
“I’m therefore pleased that this meeting offered a chance to reset the relationship. It’s now in everyone’s best interest to work together constructively to rebuild trust and deliver the high-quality services that residents rightly expect and deserve.”
Chris Murray MP said: “I welcome Places for People Scotland’s commitment to an open, engaged, and transparent relationship with their tenants – demonstrated by our community meeting tonight.
“However, an engaged, transparent, and supportive housing provider and property factor should not be an exception, but an expectation.
“I will continue to work alongside residents, my fellow MPs, and Places for People Scotland, to ensure this is achieved.”
Kelly Brown, Director of Places for People Scotland, commented: “We recognise that there have been times in recent years where our communication with customers should have been better and we have taken the appropriate steps to improve this.
“Yesterday’s meeting marked another positive step forward, demonstrating what can be achieved when we work together.
“We are always listening. Over the last 18 months, we’ve worked closely with our customers and local MPs to improve the overall customer experience. For those whose homes are powered by a district heating system, we’ve brought in an internal expert to review all tariffs and procure a new partner.
“We remain committed to driving further improvements to ensure we provide a service that our customers can be proud of.”
Housing is a matter devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
Workers directly impacted by the cessation of refining at Grangemouth are to receive additional targeted support to help them transition into new jobs.
INEOS O&P employees who were part of shared services for Grangemouth oil refinery and are directly affected by its closure will be able to receive support from Forth Valley College to develop skills for emerging sectors.
The intervention builds on what was put in place earlier this year for refinery workers. That has already enabled more than 300 Petroineos workers made redundant to access careers advice and training and brings the total projected investment from the Scottish and UK Governments up to £2 million.
Workers have been offered a wide range of training opportunities, including renewable energy upskilling courses and wind turbine engineering courses, paid for and supported by the UK and Scottish Governments. This will provide them with the vital skills needed to secure new jobs, including in the clean energy sector – which currently supports more than 47,000 jobs in Scotland.
The move supports a key action in the Scottish Government’s Grangemouth Industrial Just Transition Plan – which seeks to position the area as a global leader in green energy and sustainable manufacturing.
Climate Action and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: “It is vital that we do what we can as a government to support and promote local opportunities and growth in the Grangemouth area.
“As Scotland’s leading industrial cluster, Grangemouth has long played a vital role to our economy and bringing energy security to the country and it is only right it continues to help lead the way in our journey to net zero through new, green energy opportunities.
“This funding will help affected workers move into sectors such as offshore and onshore wind, hydrogen and carbon capture.”
UK Minister for Energy Michael Shanks said: “We want to ensure workers directly affected by the closure of Grangemouth refinery get the tailored support they are entitled to, with over 300 already receiving advice and training to help them into new employment opportunities.
“This training guarantee will equip this highly skilled workforce to transfer their experience into new sectors as Scotland continues to lead the way in the UK’s clean energy future, alongside our ongoing work to secure long-term industrial future at the Grangemouth site.”
Unite Scottish Secretary Derek Thomson said: “The additional support for Grangemouth based workers will deliver targeted assistance for those facing redundancy due to the closure of the oil refinery.
“The investment by the Scottish and UK governments for retraining will provide INEOS workers with some reassurance that they are not being left behind.
“It will help support them for new job opportunities in the wider energy sector. Unite will continue to do all we can to encourage government, public bodies and companies to deliver a Just Transition for Grangemouth workers and this investment is a step forward in that campaign.”
A recent Strathclyde University study found that Scotland’s renewable energy industry and its supply chain supported more than 47,000 jobs and supported £15.5 billion of output in 2022.
Foysol Choudhury MSP has called on the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) to pause £29 million of proposed cuts to health and social care, warning that the measures would have devastating consequences for vulnerable people across the city.
The EIJB is set to decide on the cuts today. If approved, they could result in:
More than 4,000 people losing community mental health support
£2.2 million of Thrive Edinburgh contracts cancelled
82% of Collective Advocacy at CAPS disappearing by November
Closure of services such as Pilton Community Health Project and Bipolar Edinburgh
Mr Choudhury said: “I recognise that the Board faces huge financial pressures. These are difficult decisions that no one wishes to make. However, the reality is that the EIJB has been forced into this impossible position because of chronic underfunding from the SNP Government.
“These cuts are not just about numbers on a balance sheet. They represent real people losing vital support, families, communities, and some of Edinburgh’s most vulnerable being left without the services they rely upon.
“I urge the Board to carefully consider the human impact, not just the balance sheet; and to pause these cuts. Edinburgh deserves sustainable funding, not short-term measures that will cause long-term harm. Services must remain available to users while new approaches are explored.”
Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill in Tokyo to champion Scottish produce
Boosting trade and investment between Scotland and Japan are top of the agenda as UK Government Minister Kirsty McNeill embarks on a three day visit to Osaka and Tokyo.
The Scotland Office Minister will meet with business leaders and politicians to promote Brand Scotland’s iconic goods and services and encourage Japanese inward investment as part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change to boost the economy and put more money in the pockets of working Scots.
While at the Osaka Expo 2025, Minister McNeill will join the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Indo-Pacific Minister Catherine West in meeting leading Japanese life sciences firms for a discussion around opportunities in the UK market following publication of the Life Sciences Sector Plan.
Scotland is one of the largest health and life science clusters in Europe, employing more than 41,000 people across 770 organisations and generating more than £10 billion annually for the Scottish economy.
More broadly the Expo – Japan’s biggest international event of the decade, with more than 150 countries taking part and 28 million visitors expected over its six-month span (running from mid-April to mid-October) – provides an opportunity for the UK to strengthen relationships with like-minded partners across fields from defence and security to sustainability and energy transition.
Minister Kirsty McNeill said: “Brand Scotland is about selling the best of Scotland to the world and encouraging inward investment to create jobs and opportunities for Scots.
“Scottish companies already export £484 million of goods and £475 million of services annually to Japan and there is scope for so much more. The UK-Japan partnership is closer than it has been for decades, with intensified cooperation across the entire breadth of UK economic growth and security interests, including defence, digital, cyber, science and innovation and trade and investment.
“Trade missions such as this help foster even greater collaboration and I look forward to promoting the very best of Scotland in Japan and embedding Scottish produce, such as seafood, in Japanese gastronomy.
“The UK Government is doing everything it can to help Scottish businesses make the most of opportunities overseas as part of our Plan for Change to grow our economy and put more money in people’s pockets.”
Minister Catherine West said: “The UK-Japan relationship is the closest it has been in decades, from trade to security and defence. As the Emperor said, we are friends like no other.
“And there is no better advert for the UK than taking part in Expo 2025. It’s a chance to show our strengths in areas like science and tech and invite Japan and the world to ‘Come Build the Future’.”
At the Expo, both Ministers will also meet with Lord Mendoza, a member of the UK Soft Power Council’s Europe Committee, to discuss how Scotland’s soft power strengths can be fully utilised.
Then in Tokyo, Minister McNeill will attend the Japan International Seafood & Technology Expo where she will meet with Seafood Scotland which is taking a delegation of businesses to the show for a tenth year.
Japan is among the UK’s top export locations for products like mackerel and is a growing market for a range of other British products. Scottish mackerel now accounts for around 20% of all imported mackerel into Japan, up from just 2% in 2019.
The Expo is an important opportunity to help the Scottish seafood sector as it begins to re-establish Scottish salmon in the Japanese market, after many recent years of Norwegian dominance.
Donna Fordyce, CEO, Seafood Scotland said: “We are delighted to have the support of the Scotland Office, the Minister, and Brand Scotland in showcasing the very best of our seafood on the world stage.
“Japan is an important market for Scotland’s premium catch, and this mission provides a valuable platform for our producers to connect with influential buyers, chefs, and media. Together, we are championing the quality, provenance, and sustainability that make Scottish seafood stand out.”
Adam Wing, Head of Trade Marketing (UK, Middle East & Asia), Seafood Scotland said: “Over the past decade, we have worked hard to establish and grow Scottish seafood exports to Japan, building strong relationships with buyers, chefs, and industry partners.
“This year marks our 10th visit to the Japan International Seafood & Technology Expo, and we’re proud to celebrate this milestone with the Minister alongside our delegation of seven exceptional Scottish seafood companies.
“We look forward to strengthening these ties and unlocking new opportunities for our world-class mackerel, salmon, and premium shellfish.”
While in Tokyo Minister McNeill will also meet with Sumitomo Electric to discuss progress in the construction of its £350 million subsea cable factory at the port of Nigg in the Scottish Highlands.
The factory – due to be completed in mid-2026 – will contribute significantly towards the UK’s capability to deliver renewable energy to UK consumers. The project is creating around.150 jobs.
And she will meet Eurus Energy to hear about its offshore wind project currently under development in Scotland. The Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm will be located 7.5km off the coast of Dounreay in Caithness. The project’s operational lifespan will be up to 25 years, and it will generate enough green electricity to power up to 70,000 homes.
The Minister will also visit Venture Café, Tokyo, where she will announce the opening of a Venture Cafe in Edinburgh in November.
Venture Cafés are hubs which provide a space for entrepreneurs all over the world to come together and innovate.
Mike Jackson, Head of Venture Café UK, said: We are delighted to welcome Minister McNeill to Venture Café in Tokyo and we are grateful for the support of the Scotland Office as we prepare to open our new cafe in Edinburgh, as part of our Activation Partnership with the Advanced Research + Invention Agency’s (ARIA).
“In a world dominated by digital connections, the real magic still happens when people meet in person, especially when they do so regularly.
“That’s what Venture Café is all about. Edinburgh has always been a hub of innovation and is now powering ahead in areas such as AI by being the future home of the new national supercomputer. We’re here to help innovators of all kinds to come together, collaborate and turn the best ideas into reality.”
And Minister McNeill will provide some remarks at a UK music trade mission reception at the British Residence in Tokyo to promote creative industries in the UK.
The Minister will also meet the current His Majesty’s Ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom, and New Zealand’s ambassador to Japan, Hamish Cooper, who is being posted as High Commissioner to the UK as his next appointment.
Tracy Gilbert, Member of Parliament for Edinburgh North and Leith, has met with Citadel Youth Club and local police officers to discuss growing concerns around youth anti-social behaviour and so-called “baby gangs” in Edinburgh.
The meeting, held yesterday at Citadel Youth Club, focused on the challenges faced by communities and the importance of early intervention and support for young people.
Ms. Gilbert stressed the need for greater investment in youth services and preventative measures, highlighting that providing young people with safe spaces and positive opportunities is essential to tackling anti-social behaviour.
Tracy Gilbert MP said: “I was grateful to meet with local police and the Citadel Youth to listen to their concerns about the rise in youth anti-social behaviour. It’s clear that prevention is key.
“We need more investment in youth services to give young people the opportunities and support they deserve, while also keeping our communities safe.
“I will continue to work closely with community partners, the police, and youth organisations to push for the resources our young people and locals urgently need.”
