To mark International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women, International Development Secretary Priti Patel has set out a new package of UK support to protect women and girls in some of the world’s poorest countries from harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), child marriage, and domestic abuse. Continue reading Britain leads global drive to tackle violence against girls and women
Westminster’s Department for Exiting the European Union has compiled answers to the questions most asked about the UK’s departure from the European Union.
No. The country voted to leave the European Union and it is the duty of the Government and Parliament to make sure we do just that.
Our priority is to build a national consensus around our exit from the EU. We have already started a wide-ranging programme of engagement, listening to organisations, institutions and companies in as many sectors as possible to establish their priorities and understand their concerns, and also to hear what they think the opportunities are.
The rules for exiting the EU are set out in Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. This is the only lawful route for withdrawal from the EU under the Treaties.
The Prime Minister has made clear the Government’s intention to trigger Article 50 no later than the end of March 2017. It is in everyone’s interest that we take time to establish a UK approach and clear objectives for negotiations.
The Department for Exiting the European Union is responsible for overseeing negotiations to leave the EU and establishing the future relationship between the UK and EU. The Department now has just over 300 staff in London and a further 120 people working in the UK Representation in Brussels. We are currently undertaking 2 broad areas of work:
The Government’s position is clear. This is a prerogative power and one that can be exercised by the Government, and we aim to prove that in the Supreme Court. Both Houses of Parliament legislated for the referendum, with cross-party support, and it was clear that it was for the people to decide whether to remain in the EU or leave it.
Our vision for Britain outside the EU is clear: a fully independent, sovereign country. We are not looking for an ‘off the shelf’ deal for our future relationship – a Norwegian model or a Swiss model – it’s going to be an agreement between an independent, sovereign UK and the EU. We want that relationship to reflect the kind of mature, cooperative relationship that close friends and allies enjoy.
The European Communities Act will be repealed on the day we leave the EU – meaning that the authority of EU law in Britain will end. We will convert the body of existing EU law into domestic law and then Parliament will be free to amend, repeal and improve any law it chooses. More information on the Great Repeal Bill is below.
DExEU is working closely with the Home Office and other Government departments to identify and develop options to shape our future immigration system, including considering the best way to control the number of people coming to the UK following our exit from the EU.
At every step of these negotiations we will work to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people.
There has been no change to the rights and status of EU nationals in the UK, or of UK citizens in the EU, as a result of the referendum.
The Prime Minister has been clear that during negotiations she wants to protect the status of EU nationals already living here, and the only circumstances in which that wouldn’t be possible is if UK citizens’ rights in European member states were not protected in return.
You can find more advice for EU citizens living in the UK.
The Prime Minister has been clear that she wants to protect the rights of UK citizens living in European member states, in the same way that we want to protect the status of EU nationals already living here.
At every step of these negotiations we will work to ensure the best possible outcome for the people of the United Kingdom.
You can find more advice for UK nationals in the EU.
This is a complex issue and DExEU is working closely with the Home Office and other Government departments to identify and develop options to shape our future immigration system.
We want to see net migration to the UK fall to sustainable levels.
On non-EU migration we have already acted to clamp down on abuses, such as bogus colleges and sham marriages, and we will go further in the months ahead. And now that we are leaving the EU we have an opportunity to gain control on the numbers of people coming here from Europe.
The UK needs a fair and controlled immigration policy and that is exactly what this government will deliver.
The Department for Exiting the European Union oversees negotiations to leave the EU and leads on establishing a new trade and economic relationship with the EU as part of the overall negotiation.
The new Department for International Trade leads on boosting UK trade: promoting the UK as a place to do business and trade with; driving inward investment; and, in time, negotiating trade deals and free trade agreements.
Leaving the EU offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate our own trade agreements and to be a positive and powerful force for free trade. We recognise the need for a smooth transition which minimises disruption to our trading relationships, including with developing countries. There will be no immediate changes to our relationship with the EU. Until we have left, the UK will remain a member of the EU with all of the rights and obligations that membership entails.
As the Prime Minister said: we want British companies to have the maximum freedom to trade with and operate in the Single Market – and to let European businesses do the same here.
There are different aspects to the Customs Union which is why it is important to look at the detail and get the answer right.
There will be no immediate change. The UK will remain a member of the EU until its exit and so continues to pay into the EU and continues to receive funds. The UK will continue to have all of the rights, obligations and benefits that membership brings, up until the point we leave the EU.
We recognise that many organisations across the UK which are in receipt of EU funding, or expect to start receiving funding, want reassurance about the flow of funding they will receive. That is why we are confirming that structural and investment funds projects signed before the Autumn Statement and Horizon research funding granted before we leave the EU will be guaranteed by the Treasury after we leave. Thousands of British organisations have received guarantees over EU funding from the Chancellor.
The Government will work on subsequent funding arrangements as part of our negotiations to leave the EU and will give more information in due course.
You can find more detailed information on this from HM Treasury.
It is a piece of legislation which will stop the European Communities Act 1972 from applying in the UK on the day we leave the EU. This ‘Great Repeal Bill’ will end the authority of EU law and return power to the UK.
This Bill does not prejudge the negotiation. It will not affect when the Prime Minister triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which is what starts the process of our negotiation for leaving the EU.
This is about ensuring that our exit is smooth and orderly, which is in the best interests of the UK and our EU partners. There are decades of EU law to consider, and we must ensure our laws work when we leave and that we provide the maximum possible stability.
All Government departments are currently reviewing the EU laws that apply in their policy areas and how our withdrawal from the EU will affect the operation of those laws. Where laws need to be fixed, that’s what the Government will do.
We are working closely with the devolved administrations to get the best possible deal for all parts of the UK as we leave the EU. The Prime Minister is committed to engaging with the Joint Ministerial Committee, bringing together the devolved administrations and the UK Government. This will ensure cooperation and consensus between governments.
We will give the devolved administrations every opportunity to have their say as we form our negotiating strategy.
In 2014, the Scottish people decided in a legal, fair and decisive Referendum to remain part of a strong UK. That result should be respected. And that is how we will approach our negotiations for leaving the EU: together as one United Kingdom.
To mark the national day against slavery on October 18, International Development Secretary Priti Patel outlined an increase in support for women and girl refugees in Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon, and for vulnerable people at risk of trafficking on migration routes in North Africa and Europe. The Scottish Government also launched a consultation on human trafficking last week. Continue reading UK steps up to support global fight against slavery and child exploitation
Theresa May delivered her first statement as Prime Minister in Downing Street last night:
I have just been to Buckingham Palace, where Her Majesty The Queen has asked me to form a new government, and I accepted.
In David Cameron, I follow in the footsteps of a great, modern Prime Minister. Under David’s leadership, the government stabilised the economy, reduced the budget deficit, and helped more people into work than ever before.
But David’s true legacy is not about the economy but about social justice. From the introduction of same-sex marriage, to taking people on low wages out of income tax altogether; David Cameron has led a one-nation government, and it is in that spirit that I also plan to lead.
Because not everybody knows this, but the full title of my party is the Conservative and Unionist Party, and that word ‘unionist’ is very important to me.
It means we believe in the Union: the precious, precious bond between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. But it means something else that is just as important; it means we believe in a union not just between the nations of the United Kingdom but between all of our citizens, every one of us, whoever we are and wherever we’re from.
That means fighting against the burning injustice that, if you’re born poor, you will die on average 9 years earlier than others.
If you’re black, you’re treated more harshly by the criminal justice system than if you’re white.
If you’re a white, working-class boy, you’re less likely than anybody else in Britain to go to university.
If you’re at a state school, you’re less likely to reach the top professions than if you’re educated privately.
If you’re a woman, you will earn less than a man. If you suffer from mental health problems, there’s not enough help to hand.
If you’re young, you’ll find it harder than ever before to own your own home.
But the mission to make Britain a country that works for everyone means more than fighting these injustices. If you’re from an ordinary working class family, life is much harder than many people in Westminster realise. You have a job but you don’t always have job security. You have your own home, but you worry about paying a mortgage. You can just about manage but you worry about the cost of living and getting your kids into a good school.
If you’re one of those families, if you’re just managing, I want to address you directly.
I know you’re working around the clock, I know you’re doing your best, and I know that sometimes life can be a struggle. The government I lead will be driven not by the interests of the privileged few, but by yours.
We will do everything we can to give you more control over your lives. When we take the big calls, we’ll think not of the powerful, but you. When we pass new laws, we’ll listen not to the mighty but to you. When it comes to taxes, we’ll prioritise not the wealthy, but you. When it comes to opportunity, we won’t entrench the advantages of the fortunate few. We will do everything we can to help anybody, whatever your background, to go as far as your talents will take you.
We are living through an important moment in our country’s history. Following the referendum, we face a time of great national change.
And I know because we’re Great Britain, that we will rise to the challenge. As we leave the European Union, we will forge a bold new positive role for ourselves in the world, and we will make Britain a country that works not for a privileged few, but for every one of us.
That will be the mission of the government I lead, and together we will build a better Britain.
REFERENDUM DATE set for 23 JUNE
Not quite a ‘peace in our time’ moment – but has the Prime Minister secured enough concessions to keep Britain in Europe?
The Prime Minister made a statement following the meeting of the European Council where he negotiated a deal to give the UK special status in the EU. Continue reading Europe Referendum date is 23 June
An Edinburgh woman who collected more than 100,000 pairs of pants for vulnerable women and children in Africa has been named a Point of Light by Prime Minister David Cameron.
Maria Macnamara, who now lives in Livingston, founded ‘Smalls for All’ after taking part in volunteer trips to orphanages in Brazil, Thailand and Ethiopia. The charity provides underwear to orphanages, slums, camps, schools and hospitals as well as funding the education of 31 children in Kenya and Uganda.
Ms Macnamara first hit on the pants idea after reading about a priest in Zimbabwe who wrote about how a lack of underwear for communities can cause ‘serious problems’.
The Smalls for All website explains: ‘Not only is it a health and hygiene issue, but women who can afford underwear tend to be seen as having someone who cares for them – a husband, brother or father. They are not on their own so they are not seen as vulnerable.’
Launched by the UK Government last year, Point of Light awards recognise outstanding individual volunteers – people who are making a change in their community and inspiring others. So far 325 individuals have received Point of Light awards
Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Maria has identified a direct way to make a huge difference in the lives of women in developing countries.
“In just five years she has set up Smalls for All and gathered over 100,000 items of underwear to send to women across Africa.
“It may seem like a small action, but Maria’s work will have had an immediate impact on the daily lives of thousands of women and I am delighted to recognise her service with this Points of Light award.”
Ms Macnamara said: “I am absolutely delighted that the work that Smalls and our supporters has been doing has been recognised in this way.
“I started this charity because I wanted to make a difference. I didn’t want a party or a fuss for my 40th birthday so instead I used the money to take a volunteering trip to Ethiopia. In the UK we take small things like underwear for granted but in Ethiopia I saw what a huge impact it can have.
“In the first few months of setting up Smalls for All, I collected over 10,000 pairs of pants and those receiving them were absolutely overwhelmed. All of a sudden, they can live normal lives again and go to school, go to church, be part of their community.”
Five years on, Smalls for All has now collected 102,702 items of underwear and distributed 75,451 and recycled 10,000 bras.
Supporters continue to help to collect and distribute underwear, both new pants and new or gently worn bras, to women and children in Africa who need it most. No ‘small’ achievement – bra-vo!
Have your say on minimum wage rates
The Government is making changes to the UK minimum wage rates and has asked the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to report and gather evidence on these new arrangements.
It has asked the LPC to report on the future level of the existing UK minimum wage rates, by February 2016. It has also asked the LPC to report on the future level of the new National Living Wage (NLW), which will be introduced in April 2016 and applies to workers aged 25 and over.
As part of evidence gathering a public consultation has been launched including a short survey which runs until 25 September 2015.
Fast-tracked funding released for charities on the ground in Nepal
Last Saturday, 25 April, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck an area between Kathmandu and Pokhara, Nepal. The government of Nepal has requested international assistance and the UK government is responding. Thousands are in need of shelter, water and food and we are working to ensure survivors get the help they need.
Following activation of the UK’s Rapid Response Facility (RRF) on Sunday 26 April, International Development Secretary Justine Greening yesterday announced six trusted NGOs and charities who will deliver life-saving aid to those affected by the earthquake in Nepal.
The selected organisations, which include some of Britain’s best-known charities, will share £3 million funding as part of Britain’s response to the crisis in Nepal. They are: Save the Children, Mercy Corps Scotland, Care International UK, ActionAid, Oxfam and Handicap International.
UK funding via the RRF will help to provide:
more than 40,000 people with dignified temporary shelter and access to life-saving emergency supplies;
more than 20,000 people with access to clean water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene information to better manage public health risks;
40,000 of the most vulnerable people with protection from all forms of violence and exploitation through emergency cash assistance; and
more than 2,500 people with severe injuries with physical rehabilitation activities.
Justine Greening said: “Providing pre-approved charities already working on the ground with fast-tracked funding is one of the best ways of getting help to people affected by the earthquake.
“With this funding, our trusted partners will get emergency shelter, medical support and clean water to thousands of people who were caught up in this disaster. By creating safe spaces they will offer protection to many vulnerable women and children who have lost their homes and could be at risk of violence.”
Summary of UK humanitarian response
The UK has released a £17.5 million package of emergency aid. This includes:
‘ I term it as a monster, a monster. After all the development that has taken place, all this development has been wiped out. My whole heart is for the people, the nation.’ – Vanuatu President Baldwin Lonsdale
Britain has sent vital shelter and relief supplies to help people whose lives have been devastated by Cyclone Pam, International Development Secretary Justine Greening has announced.
A Royal Air Force C-17 transport plane departed from RAF Brize Norton in the early hours of this morning (Monday 16 March) and will travel to the Royal Australian Air Force base at Amberley in Australia, where it will join the international relief effort.
The plane is carrying 1,640 shelter kits for use by families of five people and more than 1900 solar lanterns with inbuilt mobile phone chargers. These supplies will help to provide protection to some of the most vulnerable people affected by the cyclone, especially women and children.
A humanitarian expert from the Department for International Development has also been deployed to advise on distribution of the supplies and assist with field assessments as part of the international relief effort.
The C-17 and its crew will remain in Australia for several days to undertake further support flights between Australia and affected areas as required.
Justine Greening said:
“The terrible effects of Cyclone Pam are now clear and many people are in urgent need of relief.
The Royal Air Force’s swift and invaluable support will ensure victims of the cyclone get the help they need to start putting their lives back together.
Families’ homes have been destroyed and power supplies are down. Our emergency shelter kits and solar lanterns will help meet people’s basic needs and Britain stands ready to assist further.”
All commercial flights in and out of Port Vila have been grounded, with only military planes able to land.
On Saturday 14 March, following a request from the Government of Vanuatu,Britain made up to £1 million available to UN organisations and international aid agencies in the region. The UK will also send an additional £1 million through the UK’s Rapid Response Facility, which provides emergency support via pre-approved organisations in the event of a humanitarian disaster overseas.
Cyclone Pam, a category five tropical storm, struck Vanuatu, a remote Pacific island nation – and one of the world’s least developed countries – on Saturday local time.
Two hundred mile per hour winds and torrential rain has caused widespread destruction, particularly in Port Vila, Vanuatu’s capital. Communication networks have been severely disrupted by power outages and much of the infrastructure system across the archipelago has been destroyed.
Vanuatu’s President Baldwin Lonsdale said the the impact of the storm has been ‘devastating’. “I term it as a monster, a monster – it’s a setback for the government and for the people of Vanuatu,” he said. “After all the development that has taken place, all this development has been wiped out. My whole heart is for the people, the nation.”
William Hague, Leader of the House of Commons, has announced three days of commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day 70) this summer.
The plans include events across the UK to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. Events will range from a parade, a service of thanksgiving and a star-studded concert in central London, to street parties around the UK.
Mr Hague, Leader of the House of Commons, said: “I am delighted to announce three days of celebrations, which will pay fitting tribute to those who did so much to defend this country and ensure victory in Europe.
“It is right that we take time to reflect on the sacrifices made, not just by those in the Armed Forces, but by civilians such as Land Girls and those in Reserved Occupations and make sure that the whole country has the chance to take part in commemorating this momentous anniversary and remembering those who gave so much for our freedom.”
The celebrations in London will be echoed by other events across the country to mark VE Day 70 with local authorities and communities encouraged to participate.
They will celebrate with members of their communities who contributed to the war effort throughout the Second World War. The Royal British Legion, as the national custodian of Remembrance, will act as the government’s key partner in leading the nation in marking the commemoration, including hosting a major reception for 2,000 veterans in St James’s Park.
Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson CB CVO, National President of the Royal British Legion said: “We are honoured to play our part in helping the nation mark 70 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe. The Legion has a responsibility to help the memories of those of who have fought and died in our nation’s Armed Forces live on for future generations.
“The commemoration of this conflict, still in living memory, gives us the opportunity to salute the Second World War generation.We hope that all communities will use the VE Day 70 commemorations to thank them and celebrate the role they played in our nation’s history.”
Eric Goldrein, 94, from Hale Village, Liverpool, served with the Royal Artillery during the Second World War and was in Italy when the news came through that the war in Europe was over.
“We celebrated in a field, the Signallers set up speakers playing music and the locals came out and joined in too, happy that the war was finally over. I heard about the street parties back home and I’m looking forward to being part of these 70th Anniversary celebrations.”
Friday 8 May (VE DAY)
VE Day itself (Friday 8 May) will be a day of remembrance. A service of remembrance will be held at The Cenotaph, including a national two minute silence at 3pm, marking the moment Winston Churchill broadcast his historic speech (below) formally announcing the end of the war.
My dear friends, this is your hour. This is not victory of a party or of any class. It’s a victory of the great British nation as a whole. We were the first, in this ancient island, to draw the sword against tyranny. After a while we were left all alone against the most tremendous military power that has been seen. We were all alone for a whole year.
There we stood, alone. Did anyone want to give in? [The crowd shouted “No.”] Were we down-hearted? [“No!”] The lights went out and the bombs came down. But every man, woman and child in the country had no thought of quitting the struggle. London can take it. So we came back after long months from the jaws of death, out of the mouth of hell, while all the world wondered. When shall the reputation and faith of this generation of English men and women fail? I say that in the long years to come not only will the people of this island but of the world, wherever the bird of freedom chirps in human hearts, look back to what we’ve done and they will say “do not despair, do not yield to violence and tyranny, march straightforward and die if need be-unconquered.” Now we have emerged from one deadly struggle – a terrible foe has been cast on the ground and awaits our judgment and our mercy.
But there is another foe who occupies large portions of the British Empire, a foe stained with cruelty and greed-the Japanese. I rejoice we can all take a night off today and another day tomorrow. Tomorrow our great Russian allies will also be celebrating victory and after that we must begin the task of rebuilding our hearth and homes, doing our utmost to make this country a land in which all have a chance, in which all have a duty, and we must turn ourselves to fulfill our duty to our own countrymen, and to our gallant allies of the United States who were so foully and treacherously attacked by Japan.
We will go hand and hand with them. Even if it is a hard struggle we will not be the ones who will fail.
The Department for Education will be encouraging schools across the country to observe the 2 minute silence and to celebrate and commemorate in their own way – for example, by reading out Churchill’s historic speech, holding special VE Day-themed assemblies or organising tea parties.
In the evening a chain of over 100 beacons will be lit across the UK. Local communities that have already made plans for the day include Great Yarmouth, Island of Unst, Craig-Y-Dorth, Monmouthshire; Stokesby, Norfolk; and Lowestoft, Suffolk.
Saturday 9 May
Saturday 9 May will be a day of celebration. At around 11am, cathedrals across the country, from Durham to Canterbury, will be invited to ring their bells in celebration.
Festivities will peak with a star-studded 1940s themed concert held on Horse Guards Parade on Saturday night, featuring a line-up of international recording artists, stars and celebrities. The show will be one of the highlights of the year and will be broadcast that evening on BBC One.
Sunday 10 May
A service of thanksgiving will be held at Westminster Abbey, attended by veterans and their families, members of the Royal Family, representatives of allied nations and Commonwealth countries who fought alongside Britain in the conflict, along with other diplomatic representatives and senior members of government and the armed forces.
Following the service, there will be a parade of current personnel and veterans, supported by bands, from the Abbey along Whitehall, past the balcony of HM Treasury where Winston Churchill made his historic appearance before crowds on VE Day. Veterans who have taken part in the service and parade will then be invited to a reception in St James’s Park hosted by The Royal British Legion.
During the afternoon there will be a flypast of current and historic aircraft from the Royal Air Force – including the Hurricane, Spitfire and Lancaster of the famous Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which played such a famous role in the European War. The Spitfire, with its unmistakable design, won the admiration of many for its daring role in the Battle of Britain, engaging in dogfights in the sky against enemy aircraft in the defence of the nation. The Avro Lancaster is perhaps the most famous of the aircraft used by Bomber Command during the Second World War, used in many raids on enemy territory, including the famous Dambuster Raids on the Ruhr Valley.
Central London will also be transported back to the 1940s by a display of period vehicles from the 1940s in St James’s Park.
Further details on the commemorations, including event listings, are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/ve-day-70th-anniversary.
Information on how veterans will be able to join in the London celebrations, including how to get involved in the lighting of the VE Day Beacons on 8 May and participating in the parade on 10 May, will be announced shortly.
