Lord Cameron will visit Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Qatar and Turkey to urge regional leaders to work with the UK to achieve a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza
Foreign Secretary to visit Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Qatar and Turkey to hold high-level talks with regional leaders to get more aid into Gaza, hostages out and reach a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.
David Cameron will focus on advancing discussions with the Israelis and Qataris for an urgent humanitarian pause in Gaza
He will build on efforts to secure the safe release of hostages, pushing forward the cases of British and dual nationals through all diplomatic routes.
The Foreign Secretary travels to the Middle East and Turkey this week where he will urge regional leaders to work with the UK to achieve a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, so that Israelis and Palestinians can build a peaceful future together.
The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have set out the necessary elements for progress – Hamas must agree to the release of all hostages, they can no longer be in charge of Gaza and the threat from their terror and rocket attacks must end. An agreement must also be put in place for the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza in order to provide governance and services and, increasingly, security.
In Israel, the Foreign Secretary will speak to Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Katz, calling for more to be done, more quickly to significantly increase the flow of life-saving aid into Gaza. He is also expected to raise UK concerns over the high number of civilian causalities.
The Foreign Secretary will reiterate that more crossing points need to be open for longer for aid deliveries to Gaza, including the port at Ashdod and the Kerem Shalom crossing, and that water, fuel and electricity must be restored during his meetings.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: “No-one wants to see this conflict go on a moment longer than necessary. An immediate pause is now necessary to get aid in and hostages out. The situation is desperate.
“This week I am in the Middle East working with partners to help build a plan to move from that pause to a sustainable, permanent ceasefire without a return to hostilities.
“Such a plan would require Hamas to agree to the release of all hostages, Hamas to no longer be in charge of Gaza launching rocket attacks at Israel, and an agreement in place for the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza in order to provide governance and services and, increasingly, security.”
The Foreign Secretary will also meet with President Abbas and will highlight the UK’s long-term support for a two-state solution so that Israelis and Palestinians can live side-by-side in peace.
In Qatar, David Cameron will see first-hand UK-Qatar co-operation to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza for those who need it most, and meet counterparts to discuss how the two countries can work more closely together to do even more.
He will also hold detailed talks on efforts to secure the safe release of hostages, pressing the cases of British and dual nationals through as many diplomatic channels possible.
Qatar has been a key mediator throughout the conflict to allow for the release of hostages. It is important the UK continues to work with Qatar, and others in the region, to secure a sustainable ceasefire and the release of all further hostages held by Hamas.
The UK is working with both Qatar and Turkey to address regional instability, seeking the safe return of hostages, working together to tackle terrorism and support those affected by conflict.
In Turkey, the Foreign Secretary will meet Turkish Government leaders to discuss regional security in the Middle East alongside a range of other shared challenges. The UK and Turkey have a close partnership and will continue our essential work on tackling terrorism and illegal migration and shoring up support for NATO and Ukraine.
WESTMINSTER’s Treasury Committee has asked His Majesty’s Treasury, and all associated agencies and public bodies, to send them details of any contracts awarded by their organisation to Fujitsu Services Ltd, or any other Fujitsu Global-owned entities, since 2019.
The international technology corporation has faced renewed questions over its role in the Post Office Horizon Scandal in recent weeks.
The Committee aims to understand the extent to which the company has continued to be awarded government contracts with HM Treasury-affiliated organisations since the High Court ruling in 2019.
Questions include whether the contracts went through a tendering process, the extent to which the company’s role in the scandal was considered as part of the due diligence process and whether they have considered terminating contracts with the company at any stage.
Treasury Committee Chair, Harriett Baldwin, said: “The public outcry regarding the Post Office sub-postmaster scandal is entirely justified, and I know I speak for the whole Committee when I express my horror at the injustices the victims faced.
“It’s clear that Fujitsu has questions to answer over its conduct. I think it’s important we can see the extent to which taxpayer money has been spent with Fujitsu since the High Court ruling as they are simultaneously assessed on their fitness to remain a government supplier.”
A Labour MSP for Lothian has rung alarm bells about the barriers to funding for small, community-based organisations.
Foysol Choudhury yesterday (17th January) hosted a roundtable at the Scottish Parliament for third-sector community organisations to discuss the current funding model, barriers to access for smaller organisations, and what lessons could be learnt.
The roundtable attendees and MSPs heard from Citadel Youth Centre, Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC), EVOC, North Edinburgh Arts and The Larder.
Mr Choudhury is Chairperson of ELREC and will be well aware of the challenges faced by third sector organisations.
Following the roundtable, Foysol Choudhury praised the work of these third-sector organisations in working so closely with, and to benefit of, local communities. He said, however, that more could be done to support these vital organisations to be more included in the funding process:
“The third sector in Scotland is a vital contributor to both the economy and society as a whole.
“The recent Scottish Budget announcements have left many organisations in the third sector unable to be sure of secure funding for the year ahead, directly impacting on their ability to provide vital services to communities when they need it the most post-pandemic and during the cost-of-living crisis.
“It was made clear from today’s discussion that sustained, long-term and fair funding is needed for the sector.
“Some third sector organisations may be smaller, but they have a big impact and they must be consulted with and represented in the Scottish budget.
“This is especially true where they cater to minority communities and exclusion from the budget may increase inequalities for those communities.”
Mr Choudhury says that the conversation at the table today was positive and collaborative but that the organisations were also “crying out for more support and recognition of their vital work”.
Organisations at the roundtable raised how many smaller organisations were in competition with each other for grants and core funding, so the system should facilitate more collaboration.
Other groups also raised how smaller organisations are missing out on funding because they don’t meet criteria, or don’t have the experience and funds to hire fundraisers to make applications like many bigger organisations do.
Mr Choudhury says he will continue to build on this constructive conversation and represent small third-sector community organisations in the Scottish Parliament, pressing for more funding and consultation wherever possible.
Budgets are about spending priorities, and Labour trails both the SNP and the Conservatives at Holyrood. Elections to the Scottish Parliament will not take place until May 2026.
Of more immediate concern for voluntary sector organisations is the current budget process. The city council (a Labour-led coalition with Lib-Dems and Conservatives) is looking at further cuts as it sets it’s budget for 2024 – 25.
Councils blame the Scottish Government for funding cuts while Holyrood in turn blames the UK Government at Westminster. It’s a blame game that’s gone on for as long as I can remember, and while the politicians bicker, the poorest communities – and the charities and voluntary sector projects that support them – bear the brunt and feel the pain of service cuts.
That’s got to change – but sadly change, if it comes, will come too late for many – Ed.
Scotland does not support ‘Not for EU’ food labelling proposals
Concerns about “arbitrarily adding costs to businesses” at a time when consumers are already facing a cost of living crisis have been raised by Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon.
The UK Government has proposed a roll out of ‘not for EU’ labelling on food and drink products across the whole of the UK from October, despite the fact that food labelling is a devolved matter.
The Food and Drink Federation Scotland has called for a proportionate alternative and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon has sought further clarification from the UK Government given “the information that has been provided to us so far is limited and does not currently represent a convincing argument or provide any real evidence… why this blanket measure is considered a proportionate approach.”
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Barclay, Ms Gougeon said: “As labelling is a wholly devolved matter, the policy decision on whether to place this additional burden on Scottish businesses should rest with the Scottish Ministers.
“On the face of it, your proposals would impact a large number of businesses in Scotland who do not sell goods to Northern Ireland but would be required to change their labelling, or who sell into Europe and would be required to set up separate labelling streams.
“I do not support this GB-wide labelling proposal as it stands, and I am not persuaded on the information provided so far that there is a case to introduce it in Scotland. I look forward to meeting with you and discussing this issue in due course.”
With crossings opened for longer, water supplies restored and UN staff able to safely distribute food, we can limit the scale of this catastrophe, says DAVID CAMERON.
It was heartbreaking to read the latest independent assessment of hunger in Gaza. The situation is desperate – and projected to get worse. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), 9 out of every 10 Palestinians in northern Gaza may be eating less than 1 meal a day.
With families displaced and sanitation close to non-existent, disease and illness will spread. Almost 40% of Gaza’s population is aged under 15. Death and despair haunt these children’s lives. We all know we must act. The question is how.
Some say we must have an immediate ceasefire. I do not want to see this conflict go on a moment longer than necessary. But this means achieving a sustainable ceasefire, one that will last and prevent another generation of children living under the constant threat of war. That means no more Hamas, and its rocket attacks and commitment to terror.
Given that, I have argued for further humanitarian pauses, to get more hostages out of and more aid in to Gaza.
But what if neither of these things happens soon? How do we avoid hunger turning into famine? How can we alleviate suffering while supporting Israel’s right to self-defence?
We need more aid – and fast. In recent days, the Royal Navy made its first maritime shipment of aid into Egypt, sending in more than 80 tonnes of blankets and life-saving medical supplies. And France and Jordan have dropped some aid by air into Gaza.
The British government and our partners are committed to being as creative as possible in getting life-saving assistance to those in need. But the fact is the need is too great for direct delivery via air and sea to make a significant difference in the short term. What matters is simpler: more aid delivered by land, more quickly and more effectively.
Last week, about 131 trucks were entering Gaza each day via the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings. The figure is creeping towards 200 daily. But even this is nowhere near enough – the number should be close to 500.
We recognise Israel’s own pain and anger after the horrors of 7 October, and with hostages still held in appalling conditions. Two British citizens are among them. Of course, Hamas shows no regard for the lives of civilians, Israeli or Palestinian. The situation on the ground is complex, and no one country can resolve it alone.
Yet it will do nothing for those hostages or Israel’s war aims if the situation turns into an even greater catastrophe. And I believe there is much more we can do that will make an immediate difference.
As I saw in al-Arish in Egypt, too much aid is presently piled up, unable to enter Gaza. I have appointed a representative for humanitarian affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Based on their intensive work, we have identified the bottlenecks and how to unblock them.
Take crossing points. With extended opening hours and capacity at the Nitzana screening facility and Kerem Shalom checkpoint, much more aid could enter Gaza. Opening Kerem Shalom in December helped – opening it 7 days a week would help even more.
Opening more routes for aid to come in and be loaded on to trucks would also be transformative. Ashdod port in Israel is much closer to Gaza than Port Said in Egypt. The facilities for mass delivery are there now, ready to be used.
The new land corridor from Jordan into Gaza – run by WFP, with British backing – has made a first delivery of 750 tonnes of food aid. Both these options could deliver enormous quantities of aid, especially if the Erez crossing at the north end of Gaza was open.
Greater consistency of the goods allowed in is vital. More rational and transparent explanations of what is restricted by Israel, and why, will allow governments, aid organisations and the private sector to scale up aid considerably.
Israel could also restore water supply lines, reconnect electricity supplies and let in sufficient fuel to power critical infrastructure such as bakeries.
Finally – and perhaps most importantly of all – we need to help the United Nations, whose brave staff are trying to manage distribution in desperate circumstances inside the Gaza Strip.
It is no good getting aid in if it cannot be safely and effectively distributed. More visas and imports of vehicles for them will mean their staff can enter Gaza, enhancing our confidence that aid will reach those in genuine need.
These steps may seem technical, at odds with the scale of the human tragedy unfolding in Gaza. But our focus must be practical solutions that save lives, not empty slogans that make no difference on the ground. Such solutions exist.
The time to act is now.
This article was originally published in The Guardian and the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
The Prime Minister’s remarks at a joint press conference with President Zelenskyy yesterday:
Volodymyr, thank you for the very kind honour you’ve just bestowed on me and for inviting me here today.
It is an honour to stand with you and to send a message on behalf of the United Kingdom and indeed your allies around the world: Ukraine is not alone. And Ukraine will never be alone.
Putin might think he can outlast us – but he is wrong. We stand with you today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes.
Because this war is about Ukraine’s right to defend itself and determine your own future.
And the Ukrainian people’s historic choice to be an independent democracy at the heart of Europe.
Your quest for freedom has inspired and moved the British people. And for the free nations of the world, aid to Ukraine is also an investment in our own collective security.
Because if Putin wins in Ukraine, he will not stop there. And our opponents around the world believe that we have neither the patience nor resources for long wars.
So waver now, and we embolden not just Putin but his allies in North Korea, Iran, and elsewhere.
That’s why the United Kingdom – and the free world – will continue to stand with Ukraine as we have since the very beginning of this war.
Judge our commitment to Ukraine’s freedom not by our words, but by our actions.
The UK was the first to train Ukrainian troops.
First in Europe to provide lethal weapons.
First to commit western battle tanks.
First to provide long-range weapons.
But we need to do more. Our actions right now will determine the path of the war.
So, far from our resolve faltering, the United Kingdom is announcing today the biggest single package of defence aid to Ukraine since the war began, worth £2.5bn.
This will include:
More air defence equipment…
More anti-tank weapons…
More long-range missiles…
Thousands of rounds more ammunition and artillery shells…
Training for thousands more Ukrainian servicemen and women.
And £200m to build thousands more drones…
…the single largest package of drones given to Ukraine by any nation.
In total, since the war began, the UK will have provided almost £12bn of aid to Ukraine.
And I’m proud that today, President Zelensky and I have signed a new security agreement that will form the core of a partnership between our two countries that will last a hundred years or more.
This is the first in a series of new, bilateral security assurances promised to Ukraine by 30 countries at last year’s Vilnius Summit.
And it says that if Russia ever invades Ukraine again the UK will come to your aid with swift and sustained security assistance.
We will provide modern equipment across land, sea, and sky.
Sanction Russia’s economy
And work closely with allies to do so.
You will not have to ask.
You will not have to argue for what you need.
The UK will be there from the first moment to the last.
And of course, we continue to support Ukraine’s journey to NATO membership.
You belong in NATO and NATO will be stronger with you.
I pay tribute to all those whose significant efforts made today’s agreement happen…
…from the Office of the President, to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence, and many others besides.
President Zelensky and his team serve not only their country but the cause of peace and justice.
The UK Parliament applauded your courage, resilience, and sincere love of for your country.
Even at a time of war, you are reforming Ukraine for the better.
And with your leadership, Ukraine will prevail.
Volodymyr, the UK stands with you.
I believe this is the greatest moment in the history of our relationship.
It extends security guarantees from the UK to Ukraine that are unprecedented.
It defines our future as allies, working together for the security of Europe.
And it says that Ukraine’s place is, without doubt, among the free nations of the world.
Be in no doubt: We are not walking away.
Ours is the unbreakable alliance. The nezlamni allianz.
And just as we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine so those same principles guide our actions around the world.
Let me say a brief word about the situation in the Red Sea. Overnight, the Royal Air Force carried out strikes against two Houthi military facilities in Yemen.
I want to be very clear that these were limited strikes, carefully targeted at launch sites for drones and ballistic missiles.
Over recent months, the Houthi militia have repeatedly attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea… risking innocent lives and causing huge economic disruption.
In December, we launched Operation Prosperity Guardian with our allies to bolster maritime security.
On 3 January, 14 counties issued a clear warning that attacks must cease.
On 10 January, the UN Security Council passed a resolution condemning the attacks… and highlighting the right of nations to defend their vessels and preserve the freedom of navigation.
Yet the attacks have continued.
British and American warships have been targeted.
That’s why we’ve taken this further, limited action today… in self defence, consistent with the UN Charter.
In the face of this aggression, we will always stand up for the rule of law.
Thank you.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s speech at Ukraine’s Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada
Mr President, Mr Prime Minister, Mr Chairman, Honourable Members of the Rada, I come from the world’s oldest Parliament to address the world’s bravest.And it is an honour to do so.
Every Parliamentarian serving in a democratically elected chamber treasures the ideal of freedom.
Your courage is defending it.
Even as the enemy came within 20 kilometres of this Chamber…
…with many of you personally targeted…
…you refused to be daunted.
You continued to sit and do your duty – as you have throughout this war.
Because this is where you express the sovereignty and independence…
…for which your people are prepared to sacrifice everything.
This is where you are keeping alive the cause of democracy…
…in defiance of the gravest threat we have faced this century.
So on behalf of Britain and all your allies:
Thank you.
Slava Ukraini.
President Zelensky, you are an inspiration, and, Volodymyr, I am proud to call you a friend.
President John F Kennedy said of the great Winston Churchill that he:
“Mobilised the English language and sent it into battle.”
Volodymyr, you have done the same…
…and English isn’t even your first language!
No leader this century has done more to unite liberal democracies in the defence of our values.
Thank you.
Above all, let me pay tribute to the people of Ukraine.
I first came to Ukraine ten years ago, in the year of the Maidan protests.
I remember the sense of nervous hope…
…as Ukraine looked towards a future as a sovereign European democracy.
And in each of my visits since this war began…
…even amidst all the rubble and destruction…
…the people I’ve met are more determined than ever to realise that dream.
The soldiers who even now fight to the last breath for every inch of ground.
The pilots making stunning blows against Russia’s Black Sea fleet.
The gunners beating impossible odds to defend your skies.
The engineers who defeated darkness during the most difficult winter in your history.
And the ordinary people of Ukraine, who have endured…
…more than anyone should ever have to bear.
Rockets and bombs deliberately aimed at homes and hospitals, shelters, and schools.
Torture, rape, children kidnapped.
You have met this depravity with bravery and defiance.
With your unique, unbreakable Ukrainian spirit.
And all of us in the free world, salute you.
We meet today at a difficult moment in the struggle for Ukraine’s freedom.
As always during conflict, there will be difficult moments.
But we must prepare for this to be a long war.
But I believe there is hope for us in the echoes of Britain’s own history.
If 1940 was our finest hour…
….and Ukraine’s was two years ago as you resisted the Russian invasion…
…then perhaps today is more like 1942.
That was a point in the middle of the war…
…when progress on the battlefield was hard…
…the defence industry was under severe strain…
…and populations were becoming weary.
It must have been hard to see the light ahead.
But they stood firm.
And although they did not know it then…
…for all the setbacks and difficulties that still lay before them…
…that was the moment the tide began to turn, and victory became assured.
I believe that the same will be true of this moment.
In the end, history tells us that democracies who endure will always prevail.
Putin cannot understand…
…that while you can kill individuals and destroy buildings…
…no army can ever defeat the will of a free people.
And that is why Ukraine will win.
Think of what you have already achieved.
Putin believed he could subjugate Ukraine by force in a matter of weeks.
Instead, with every rocket he fires the Ukrainian people become ever more determined…
…and their sense of nationhood becomes stronger still.
Russia’s military vastly outnumbers Ukrainian forces.
Yet you have already regained half of the occupied territory.
You have held the East, reopened vital shipping lanes to help feed the world…
…and increasingly made Crimea a vulnerability for Russia, not a strength.
These victories show: Russia can be beaten in its war of aggression.
It’s on track to lose nearly half a million men.
Putin has faced an attempted coup…
…been indicted as an international war criminal…
… presides over an economy severely weakened by sanctions…
…and has succeeded in persuading countries across Europe…
…to significantly increase their defence spending.
He is now reduced to begging Iran and North Korea for weapons…
…and desperately sacrificing hundreds of thousands more men…
…in the hope that Ukraine will yield, or its friends might walk away.
Well, Ukraine will not yield.
And the United Kingdom will never walk away.
From the very beginning…
…the British people spontaneously flew the Ukrainian flag – and I tell you that it flies still.
They felt moved to show solidarity with people they’ve never met…
In a country most have never visited…
Because of our shared faith in freedom, fairness and democracy.
We welcomed Ukrainian refugees with open hearts.
We trained tens of thousands of their Ukrainian comrades in arms.
we led the way in delivering…
Helicopters, ships, tanks, and armoured vehicles…
Air defences and electronic weapons systems…
Planeloads of anti-tank missiles like the NLAWs and Javelins…
Storm Shadows to reach behind enemy lines and defend against aggression in the Black Sea.
Humanitarian and economic support.
And the strongest set of sanctions ever to debilitate Russia’s economy.
I’m proud that we’ve provided over £9bn of support so far.
But I want to go further still.
Today, President Zelensky and I agreed a new partnership between our two countries…
…designed to last a hundred years or more.
Our partnership is about defence and security.
It is about the unique ties between our people and cultures.
It will build back a better and brighter future for Ukraine.
To attract new investment in jobs and homes…
To fund English language training for the Ukrainian people…
…as you make English the language of business and diplomacy.
And it will hold Russia accountable for their war crimes.
Because Russia must pay to rebuild what they have destroyed.
Perhaps above all, it will support Ukraine to complete the historic journey you have chosen…
…to becoming a free, independent democracy at the heart of Europe.
Ours is the unbreakable alliance:
The nezlamni allianz.
First, we will help you win the war.
Russia thinks that they will outlast us; that our resolve is faltering.
It is not.
In each of the last two years, we sent you £2.3bn of military aid.
This year, we are going to increase that…
…with the biggest single defence package so far…
…worth £2.5bn.
This package will include:
More air defence equipment, more anti-tank weapons, more long-range missiles…
Thousands of rounds more ammunition and artillery shells…
And training for thousands more soldiers…
Now in total, the UK will have provided almost £12bn of aid to Ukraine.
So be in no doubt:
We are not walking away.
Putin will never outlast us.
We are here for Ukraine –as long as it takes.
But the best way to make sure Ukraine has the weapons it needs…
…is to help Ukraine to produce those weapons themselves.
So our second action is to work with you to massively increase defence industrial production.
I believe this will be a source of huge economic strength and value for Ukraine in the future.
So even as the UK donates more equipment…
…we will help make you the armoury of the free world.
British companies like BAE Systems and AMS are already supporting your armed forces from within Ukraine.
And we will go further.
Starting today with £200m to manufacture thousands of new drones…
…both here in Ukraine and in the UK.
This is the single largest package of drones given to Ukraine by any nation.
Thirdly, today’s agreement supports your historic choice to join NATO.
Because I believe that Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO.
But this isn’t just about how NATO benefits Ukraine.
It’s about how Ukraine benefits NATO.
Your understanding of modern war comes not from a textbook but the battlefield.
Your armed forces are experienced, innovative, and brave.
Ukraine belongs in NATO and NATO will be stronger with Ukraine.
Last year’s Vilnius Summit made important steps towards membership.
And I want us to be even more ambitious at the Washington Summit this June.
And we made you a solemn promise…
…along with 30 other countries…
…to provide new, bilateral security assurances.
Today, the UK is the first to deliver on that promise.
President Zelensky and I have just signed a new security agreement.
If Russia ever again invades Ukraine, the UK will come to your aid with swift and sustained security assistance.
We will provide modern equipment across land, sea, and sky…
Sanction Russia’s economy…
And work closely with allies to do so.
You will not have to ask.
You will not have to argue for what you need.
The UK will be there from the first moment to the last.
I believe this is the greatest moment in the history of our relationship.
With unprecedented security guarantees…
…it defines our future as allies, working together for the security of Europe…
…and sitting side by side among the free countries of the world.
In the words of the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko…
…you have broken your heavy chains and joined…
The family of the free
Because in the end, this is about even more than security.
It is about Ukraine’s right as an independent nation to determine your own future.
And it is about the right of all nations – enshrined in the UN Charter – to determine their own future.
As Churchill said, there are two kinds of nationalism:
“The craze for supreme domination by weight or force” – which he called “a danger and a vice”.
Or the nationalism that comes from “love of country and readiness to die for country…
…love of tradition and culture…
…and the gradual building up…of a social entity dignified by nationhood”.
He called this: “the first of virtues”.
I can think of no better description of the two sides of this war.
Or a better description of the battle that will define our age.
Because while this war may have begun in the deluded mind…
…of a man in thrall to the mirage of a long-dead empire…
…if Putin wins in Ukraine, he will not stop here.
That’s why President Biden, the EU, allies in NATO, the G7 and beyond…
…have seen the century-defining importance of this fight and they have rallied to your cause.
And we cannot – and will not – falter now.
Because aid to Ukraine is an investment in our own collective security.
Only a Ukrainian victory will deter Putin from attacking others in the future…
…and prove our enemies wrong…
…when they say that democracies have neither the patience nor resources for long wars.
This is the choice before us.
These are the stakes.
Waver now – and we embolden not just Putin, but his allies in North Korea, Iran, and elsewhere.
Or rally to Ukraine’s side and defend our common cause…
…of democracy over dictatorship, freedom over tyranny, the rule of law over anarchy.
That is what you are fighting for.
And to echo Churchill:
We must give you the tools – and I know that you will finish the job.
Let me conclude with this final thought.
On one of the earliest days of the invasion…
In the darkness just before the dawn…
As Russian bombs fell on Kyiv…
President Zelensky stood outside the House with Chimaeras…
…and sent a simple, defiant message to the world:
Miy tut.
We are here.
Today, as the world asks will your allies waver…
Will our resolve weaken…
Will our belief in your success falter…
My reply is the same:
Miy tut.
We are here.
As a symbol of our nezlamni allianz…
…I bring you today the United Kingdom’s flag…
…signed by our country’s entire Cabinet…
…to stand here until the day of your victory and beyond…
Steps to be taken to ensure Scotland is part of a UK-wide approach to Post Office convictions
First Minister Humza Yousaf has written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling on joint working to ensure a UK-wide approach is taken to exonerate those wrongly convicted of criminal offences as a result of the Post Office Horizon IT system.
In the letter he wrote:
Dear Rishi
I am writing to you regarding the Post Office Minister, Kevin Hollinrake MP’s announcement in Parliament today that the UK Government intends to legislate to reverse the convictions of sub-postmasters convicted of criminal offences as a result of the Post Office Horizon IT system.
I welcome this announcement. The Post Office Horizon scandal requires urgent action to ensure those affected by unjust convictions can finally receive justice.
In the course of his statement, the Minister noted that the power to legislate to reverse convictions imposed by the Scottish courts is devolved to the Scottish Parliament but that he is keen to work with the devolved Governments to ensure that sub-postmasters in Scotland and Northern Ireland are not disadvantaged.
Scottish Ministers are keen to work with the UK Government to deal with the impact on sub-postmasters convicted in Scotland, ensuring that a UK-wide approach is taken to exonerate those wrongfully convicted in Scottish courts.
Given the unique circumstances arising from the Post Office Horizon scandal, it is right that normal processes for appeals are set aside to ensure that justice can now be delivered for those whose lives were greatly impacted by their wrongful conviction.
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, Angela Constance MSP, will contact her counterpart, the Secretary of State for Justice, to discuss how best to progress work in this area, whether this is by ensuring that the UK legislation will either apply directly in Scotland or by developing separate Scottish legislation to deliver the same effect for Scotland.
I trust that we can work together to ensure that those affected are now able to have their convictions overturned and obtain compensation.
Scottish Labour MSP Foysol Choudhury yesterday (9th January 2024) raised concerns in the Scottish Parliament about the “catastrophic miscarriage of justice” that is the Post Office Horizon scandal.
Between 1999 and 2015, more than 700 sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses were convicted after Fujitsu’s faulty Horizon software used by the Post Office made it look like money was missing.
Many maintained their innocence and after decades of campaigning, won the right for their cases to be reconsidered. The scandal is now back in the public spotlight after an ITV drama depicted the case.
In 2020, the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) wrote to at least 73 potential victims of the Horizon scandal in Scotland. However, as of the end of 2023, reportedly only 16 of those had come forward to ask for a review of their conviction.
Mr Choudhury questioned the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Angela Constance, on how the Scottish Government will ensure that all others potentially wrongfully convicted are supported in coming forward if they wish for their conviction to be overturned.
Mr Choudhury said afterwards: “There are many people potentially affected by wrongful convictions in this scandal who have not yet come forward to ask for a reconsideration.
“There are many more who were not convicted but for whom the false accusations severely impacted their reputation, career, relationships and mental health.
“The Scottish Government must continue to liaise with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) regarding the number of people in Scotland who were prosecuted and how a Scotland-specific response can be established by COPFS, who hold sole responsibility for prosecutions in Scotland .
“When I asked the Cabinet Secretary today, she dodged the question about whether the Scottish Government expects to be liable for the compensation costs, instead referring to the UK Government compensation scheme.
“The Scottish Government must urgently consider what liability Scottish authorities hold for victims in Scotland who were wrongfully prosecuted.“
Mr Choudhury also asked the Scottish Government if it has held discussions with the UK Government regarding the responsibility of Fujitsu in this scandal, highlighting that Fujitsu have not faced any financial repercussions and have reportedly been awarded more than 150 Government contracts since the scandal.
The Lothian list Labour MSP says he will continue to fight for justice on behalf of his affected constituents.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says the government will bring in a new law to “swiftly” exonerate and compensate victims of the Post Office scandal.
He told MPs at PMQs today that, as part of this, there will be a new up-front payment of £75,000 for 555 former postmasters who brought a group lawsuit.
£144 million does not fully fund a council tax freeze, COSLA Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann has explained.
Ms Hagmann said: “Disappointingly the Scottish Budget has not provided our local authorities with a fully funded council tax freeze as expected.
“The Scottish Government has set aside £144m stating this will ‘fully fund’ a council tax freeze – this would only provide the income equivalent to a 5% rise.
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“However, Local Government’s core revenue budget was cut by £63m from the outset, essentially leaving just £81m compensation for a council tax freeze. As a result, Local Government is faced with the reality that the funding offered for a council tax freeze only equates to a 2.8% rise.
“This significantly adds to the pressures faced by councils – a recent LGIU survey found that 83% of Scottish councils were looking at a minimum increase of 5%.”
All living former First Ministers of Scotland – Nicola Sturgeon, Alex Salmond, Jack McConnell and Henry McLeish – have agreed to give oral evidence to Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee as part of its ongoing inquiry into intergovernmental relations.
The inquiry, named Intergovernmental Relations: 25 years since the Scotland Act 1998, is looking closely at the structures which underpin relations between the UK and Scottish Governments, including the new IGR framework introduced in 2022.
In sessions due to take place in the first half of 2024, MPs will have the chance to question Nicola Sturgeon, Alex Salmond, Jack McConnell and Henry McLeish on their experiences of intergovernmental relations between Edinburgh and London during each of their tenures as First Minister.
The witnesses led the Scottish Government during significant political events, including the 2014 independence referendum and the UK’s exit from the EU. The Committee will also be taking evidence from a number of former Secretaries of State for Scotland who have held the post since 1998.
So far, the inquiry has received written evidence from Tony Blair and Lord David Cameron, as well as hearing from former UK Government ministers and senior civil servants to assess whether the intergovernmental processes have delivered on the aspirations of politicians in 1998.
The Committee also questioned leading academics at the University of Glasgow and University of Stirling for their expert views on whether current intergovernmental processes are working effectively.
Alex Salmond will be questioned by the Committee on Monday 19 February.
The date of the other former First Ministers’ appearances will be confirmed in due course.
Chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee, Pete Wishart, said: “It’s a clear demonstration of the importance of this work that all living former Scottish First Ministers have agreed to appear in front of the Committee as part of the inquiry into relations between the UK and Scottish governments since 1998.
“Given that we will hear from all living former First Ministers of Scotland, we will be inviting all former UK Prime Ministers who have been in power since the implementation of the Scotland Act to appear in front of the Committee.
“I sincerely hope they will match the commitment of their Scottish Government counterparts and accept our invitation.”
