Tag: UK Government

New Towns Taskforce recommends locations for the next generation of new towns in England

The UK government has confirmed it will progress work on the next generation of new towns across England, following publication of an independent report that recommends 12 locations as potential new towns.

The government is determined to begin building in at least three new towns in this Parliament and is prepared to progress work on a far larger range of locations if it proves possible. 

The government yesterday published an initial response to the report in which it welcomes all 12 recommended locations and its wider recommendations on delivery and implementation. The government response also states that at this stage sites at Tempsford, Crews Hill and Leeds South Bank look most promising.

A New Towns Unit will also be established by the government to progress development on new towns. The Unit will work with all departments and their agencies to ensure new towns are a test bed for innovation and to unblock barriers to delivery. 

The New Towns Taskforce, led by Sir Michael Lyons, was commissioned by the government to explore different approaches to large-scale development. In its report, the taskforce has recommended a mixture of large-scale communities including urban extensions, urban regeneration, and standalone greenfield sites should be built.

It says each new town should have at least 10,000 homes with an ambition for a minimum of 40% affordable housing and half of which will be for social rent. The Taskforce has also set out a range of recommendations for delivery, including the importance of accountable delivery bodies who are able to provide long term certainty for communities in new towns.

A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) will be undertaken to understand the environmental implications of developing new towns. No final decisions on locations will be made until this assessment concludes and preferred locations could change as a result of the process.  

The government will be looking for assurance that any location can be effectively and efficiently delivered in partnership with local communities, has a clear economic purpose, and will support economic growth. Different delivery vehicles will also be tested to learn lessons for how future large settlements are delivered and to contribute to a wider transformation of housing supply. 

The government will publish the draft proposals and final SEA for consultation in Spring, before confirming the locations that will be progressed as new towns soon after. This will be alongside a full government response to the New Towns Taskforce’s report.

The 12 recommended locations are:

  • A standalone settlement in Adlington, Cheshire East; to serve the growing industries in Greater Manchester and Cheshire, as identified in the government’s Industrial Strategy. 
  • A corridor of connected development in South Gloucestershire, across Brabazon and the West Innovation Arc; building in one of the highest productivity areas in the country with a high value research, advanced engineering and technology economy. 
  • An expanded development bringing together Chase Park and Crews Hill in Enfield; delivering green development and helping address London’s acute housing need. 
  • Redevelopment of the former airbase at Heyford Park in Cherwell; connecting to Oxford and building on the existing progress and commitment to high-quality placemaking; referencing the area’s past and supporting its future in innovative technology industries. 
  • Urban development in Leeds; catalysing on the city’s existing economic prospects and capturing the benefits of the governments £2.1 billion local transport funding allocation for the Combined Authority by delivering well-connected, high-quality homes in the South Bank to support the city centre. 
  • Inner-city development and densification in Manchester, Victoria North; supporting continued growth and attracting high-skilled workers to service the city’s diverse industries. 
  • A standalone settlement in Marlcombe, East Devon; strengthening the region’s labour supply and supporting the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone. 
  • A ‘Renewed Town’ in Milton Keynes; reinvigorating the city centre and expanding to the north and east whilst reshaping the way people travel, by delivering a Mass Rapid Transit system. 
  • Densified development in Plymouth; evolving Britain’s Ocean City and capitalising on the government’s £4.4 billion investment in HMNB Devonport, Western Europe’s largest naval base. 
  • A new settlement in Tempsford, Central Bedfordshire; to maximise the benefits of East West Rail by building a well-connected new town in the heart of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor. 
  • The creation of a riverside settlement in Thamesmead, Greenwich; unlocking inaccessible land in the city and improving connectivity if the proposed extension of the Docklands Light Railway can be delivered to enable the development. 
  • Expanded development at Worcestershire Parkway, Wychavon; accelerating delivery around the existing train station to help meet regional housing need and act as a model for sustainable, carbon neutral development.

Responding to the government’s New Towns announcement, countryside charity CPRE’s Chief Executive, Roger Mortlock, said: “‘CPRE recognises that well-designed new towns with proper infrastructure have a role to play. Yet with growing pressure on our finite land, all development, including new towns, should follow a brownfield-first approach, led by targets.

“Too many of these sites will needlessly see great swathes of countryside and the Green Belt lost to development while the list of brownfield sites grows. 

‘Many rural communities on this list are already faced with a huge hike in housing numbers following the government’s recalculation of the formula, unrelated to local housing need or demand. Faced with a new town, housing targets in these areas should be radically reduced to reflect the huge changes to their communities that a new town will bring. 

‘The focus in the Taskforce’s report on urban regeneration, a new approach to housing density and affordable housing is welcome, but the definition of affordable needs rethinking and matching to local incomes if it is to tackle the housing crisis.  

‘There is a massive opportunity to rethink how we build new places, faced with the climate and nature crises, that still needs more emphasis. Putting nature at the heart of these communities is not the icing on the cake; it should be the starting point.’ 

The New Towns Taskforce report and the government’s initial response can be read here.

Green Freeport boost for Highlands

£25 million UK Government investment in Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport unlocked

The Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport has reached a historic milestone in establishing the Highlands a major international hub for the offshore wind and renewable energy sector.

A memorandum of understanding creating a formal framework for co-operation and responsibilities was signed by the UK Government, Scottish Government, Highland Council and Inverness and Cromarty Green Freeport on Thursday. Crucially, the signing unlocks £25 million of UK Government capital funding.

The Green Freeport will support skills growth in the Highlands. Over the next 25 years, it is poised to create more than 11,000 long-term jobs and a workforce equipped with future-ready skills. It will attract over £6.5b of investment to build a legacy for future generations.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: “This is a pivotal moment in the UK Government’s mission to boost economic growth in all parts of the UK.

“The Inverness and Cromarty Green Freeport will transform the economy of the Highlands, as well as playing a key role in our clean energy future.

“Supported by £25m of UK Government investment, and a range of UK Government tax incentives, this important collaboration between governments and local partners will deliver thousands of high-quality jobs and attract billions in investment.”

The signing took place at Aurora Energy Services’ recently opened £1.2m training facility in Inverness on Thursday.

The new centre will train more than 2,000 workers for the renewables sector every year and will become a valuable part of the supply chain needed to deliver the Freeport’s ambition.

New digital ID scheme to be rolled out across UK

  • Prime Minister announces plans for free digital ID for those living in the UK
  • Will curb the prospect of work for illegal migrants, a significant factor driving small boat crossings
  • Scheme will also make it easier for the public to access the services they are entitled to

A new digital ID scheme will help combat illegal working while making it easier for the vast majority of people to use vital government services. Digital ID will be mandatory for Right to Work checks by the end of the Parliament.

The scheme will be available to all UK citizens and legal residents, saving time by ending the need for complicated identity checks which often rely on copies of paper records. 

Instead, the roll-out will in time make it simpler to apply for services like driving licences, childcare and welfare, while streamlining access to tax records. The new digital ID will be held on people’s phones, just as millions already use the NHS App or contactless mobile payments.

There will be no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it – but digital ID will be mandatory as a means of proving your Right to Work.

This will stop those with no right to be here from being able to find work, curbing their prospect of earning money, one of the key “pull factors” for people who come to the UK illegally.

It will send a clear message that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to work, deterring people from making these dangerous journeys.

This initiative builds on the government’s crackdown on illegal working and its mission to control borders as part of the Plan for Change. Under this government, illegal working arrests have soared by 50%, and new legislation is being brought forward to help stop illegal working in the gig economy.

The proposals also follow the government’s success in deporting the first illegal migrants under the landmark UK-France returns deal last week.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “I know working people are worried about the level of illegal migration into this country. A secure border and controlled migration are reasonable demands, and this government is listening and delivering.

“Digital ID is an enormous opportunity for the UK. It will make it tougher to work illegally in this country, making our borders more secure. And it will also offer ordinary citizens countless benefits, like being able to prove your identity to access key services swiftly – rather than hunting around for an old utility bill.

“We are doing the hard graft to deliver a fairer Britain for those who want to see change, not division. That is at the heart of our Plan for Change, which is focused on delivering for those who want to see their communities thrive again.”

The plan will combat criminal gangs who promise access to the UK labour market in order to profit from dangerous, illegal channel crossings.

A new streamlined digital system to check Right to Work will simplify the process, drive up compliance, crack down on forged documents and create intelligence data on businesses that are conducting checks to help the Home Office take action on employers who are hiring illegally. 

Building on the work already underway to roll out a GOV.UK digital wallet, the digital ID will sit on people’s phones, alongside the digital driving licence which the government has already announced plans to introduce.

The government will listen to a range of views on how the service will be delivered, as part of a public consultation to be launched later this year.

In designing the digital ID scheme, the government will ensure that it works for those who aren’t able to use a smartphone, with inclusion at the heart of its design. The public consultation will engage with groups who aren’t as experienced with the digital world, like the homeless and older people, learning from other countries that have done this well. 

The scheme will be rolled out alongside an outreach programme, including face-to-face support for citizens who are struggling to access the scheme. 

This will result in a service that takes the best aspects of the digital identification systems that are already up and running around the world:

  • In Australia, citizens can access a range of private services, from banking to buying alcohol, with their digital identification, reducing the need for multiple separate accounts and pieces of paper.
  • In Estonia, digital ID has revolutionised parents’ lives by enabling access to child benefits, health records and applications for nursery places seamlessly, never having to provide the same information twice.
  • In Denmark, students can use their national digital ID to log in and automatically retrieve education records and qualifications in job and university applications.
  • And in India, the government has saved around US $10 billion annually by reducing fraud and leakages in welfare schemes.

The new plans will offer significant benefits for reducing identity theft and preserving privacy, with security at its core.

Digital ID limits personal details being shared unnecessarily, by only sharing the relevant information for the specific scenario in question. It will also use state-of-the-art encryption and user authentication to ensure data is held and accessed securely.

Starmer backs “true patriots” to lead UK renewal with £5bn investment

New powers let residents reclaim beloved assets and drive patriotic renewal, ‘street by street’ – delivering on the Plan for Change

  • Millions to benefit as communities revive high streets, parks and public spaces
  • Up to £5 billion Pride in Place programme puts local people across 339 neighbourhoods in the driving seat of national renewal, as government chooses unity over division
  • New powers let residents reclaim beloved assets and drive patriotic renewal, street by street – delivering on the Plan for Change

Neighbours and families across the UK will lead the revival of their communities, as the Prime Minister launches a landmark £5 billion Pride in Place programme — backing the ‘true patriots who build their communities up, and choosing unity over division’. 

As part of the fund, 169 areas will receive £2 million every year for a decade, giving long-overlooked communities the certainty and control they need to plan for the future. A further 95 areas will receive an immediate £1.5 million to upgrade public spaces with new green spaces, play areas and sports and leisure facilities.  

From Bootle to Bridgwater, local people will decide how funding is spent — reviving high streets, restoring parks, and breathing new life into pubs, leisure centres and community halls. This is renewal in action, led by the people who know their neighbourhoods best. 

Communities will also gain new powers to seize boarded-up shops, block nuisance businesses, and buy beloved local assets before they close – restoring pride and unity to every corner of the country.  

Yesterday’s announcement is part of the government’s Plan for Change, a decade-long mission to back the people who make their communities thrive. It sits alongside wider work to deliver cleaner, safer streets, create opportunities on every doorstep, and build the homes, roads and GP surgeries people need to thrive. 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “For too long, people have watched their towns and streets decline – powerless to stop boarded-up shops and neglected parks. That ends now.  

“We’re investing in the UK’s future, by backing the true patriots that build our communities up in neighbourhoods across every corner of the country. Because it’s people who bring pride, hope and life to our communities. 

“This is a huge investment, but what matters most is who decides how it’s spent: the neighbours, volunteers and parents who know their communities best – the people with real skin in the game. 

“We’re choosing renewal over decline, unity over division. This is our Plan for Change in action – giving power and pride back to the people who make Britain great.” 

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed said: “Building pride in place starts with people, not politics. Local people know what they want to see in their neighbourhoods – and they don’t need government to dictate it.  

“This plan will spark an historic grassroots movement that will restore local people’s power, boost national pride and help people get on in life across the UK as part of our Plan for Change.” 

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said: “We’re giving local people the power to transform their hometowns. Giving them more control of how money is spent where they live so that together we can invest in Britain’s renewal and build an economy that rewards working people. 

“This £5 billion investment doesn’t just reverse decades of underinvestment in our public infrastructure – it cuts through the bureaucracy by giving local people the power to deliver the change they want to see.” 

This announcement significantly scales up the work already underway in 75 areas, helping communities regenerate and restore local pride. 

The up to £5 billion package includes an additional £3.5 billion to roll out the programme to 169 more areas, each receiving up to £20 million over ten years. 

Separately, 95 areas receive a share of £150 million capital funding to improve public spaces, parks and high streets. 

Local people in the existing 75 areas are already shaping their communities, every project is the result of local people’s ideas and priorities—chosen by the community, for the community. It’s the people who know best what their area needs, and their voices are shaping the future of their towns and cities. 

£292 million Pride in Place investment for Scottish neighbourhoods

Scottish Local Authorities backed by Scotland Office to revitalise communities as part of our Plan for Change, with spending decisions in the hands of local people

Local communities are at the heart of Scottish life – and the Scotland Office is backing them with millions of pounds to improve the opportunities and environment for people across the country, the Prime Minister announced yesterday.

The Pride in Place programme will see up to £280 million shared among 12 Scottish local authorities to precisely target areas which can benefit most from funding being made available for a wide range of regeneration projects. Across the UK 169 of the most-in-need communities will benefit.

This includes revitalising high streets and town centres, preserving local heritage, providing housing, creating jobs, boosting productivity and skills, improving health and well-being, creating new transport links, providing education and opportunity and improving safety and security.

And a Pride in Place Impact Fund will see eight local authorities share £12 million to fund the types of changes people have said they want to see. These could include new green spaces, play areas and town centre revitalisation to sports and leisure facilities and the improvement and ownership of key community assets.

Across the UK a total of 95 areas will receive this capital funding.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said yesterday: “The UK Government is committed to delivering a decade of national renewal for Scotland. Through the Pride in Place programmes we’re announcing today, the UK Government will provide 14 places in Scotland with up to £20 million over 10 years and eight Scottish local authorities with £1.5 million over two years.

“We are providing almost £300 million new direct investment to local authority areas to revitalise local communities.

“The UK Government will be working with local partners to deliver economic growth and l see these improvements made to communities up and down Scotland making them even greater places to live, work and play.”

Communities ‘to seize control over high streets and restore pride’

Local communities will be handed new powers to revitalise their high streets and restore pride in their towns

  • Communities will be handed unprecedented new powers to seize boarded shops, save derelict pubs and block gambling and vape shops on their high street. 
  • Prime Minister to announce “Pride in Place” Programme with historic funding to invest in over 330 of our most overlooked communities. 
  • The measures form the largest transfer of power from Whitehall to communities in history through the Plan for Change.

People will be given the power to revitalise their neglected high streets, create new spaces for young people and take back control of derelict pubs, to breathe new life into neglected communities up and down the country. 

Communities will be handed new powers to seize boarded up shops, save their treasured local pubs or libraries and clean up the eyesores in their area.  

Local people will finally have the powers to put things right after years of decline – an inheritance the government is determined to fix through the Plan for Change.   

This is about choosing a future where communities are empowered to come together, rather than be divided, and where renewal is chosen over decline. 
Prime Minister Keir Starmer will unveil the Pride in Place programme – an unprecedented programme backed by record funding – that lets local people call the shots on where and how money is spent in their communities, restoring local pride and helping them reclaim their streets.  

For far too long, communities have been dictated to rather than in control of their own destiny. This week marks a new way of governing. By choosing renewal over decline, this government is delivering lasting change working people will feel.

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed said: “When people step out of their front doors, they know their communities are struggling. They see shuttered pubs, fading high streets and their local areas in decline.  

“Yes, communities have been stretched – but they haven’t given up. They’re working hard to make things better, and we’re backing them.  

“The Government is putting power into their hands so local people decide how best to restore pride in their neighbourhoods, not us in Westminster.  

“That’s what real patriotism looks like: building up our communities and choosing renewal over division.”

The nationwide Pride in Place programme – which will be unveiled by the Prime Minister today (Thursday, 25 September) – will deliver a record investment and support over 330 communities in total.

It will tackle deep-rooted deprivation and regional inequality through wide-ranging action, including:

  • Community Right to Buy: handing local people the power to buy beloved assets, helping them turn around derelict pubs, create new parks and regenerate treasured spaces in the heart of their communities.  
  • Compulsory Purchase powers: allowing communities in England to acquire assets and eyesores like boarded up shops and derelict abandoned businesses, allowing new local start-ups to thrive. For larger sites – like disused department stores or abandoned office blocks – it could even see new health centres opening up, or local housing to help reach our target of 1.5 million homes. 
  • Power to block unwanted shops: empowering councils in England to say no to new betting shops, vapes stores and fake barbers.  
  • Giving residents the power: we will only approve spending if community groups, local organisations and social clubs have been included in decisions on how the money should be spent – putting real power in local hands and giving them a proper say over their community.

The Westminster government is looking at new powers that would give communities more control over where betting shops can open, and how many there can be in one area.

This is about giving people a say over their high street, particularly where there are high numbers of these types of shop already, not blocking these shops altogether.  

They are also looking at accelerating ways communities can take ownership of empty shops – helping to give them a greater say over what’s on their high streets, so they don’t just end up with rows of vape shops, gambling shops and barbers. The government is already bringing in new laws to crack down on dodgy vape shops through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. 

The Labour government will only approve spending if Pride in Place Boards have genuinely engaged their communities, so that community groups, local organisations and social clubs have been included in decisions on how the money should be spent. 

We (the UK Government) are announcing a raft of new powers and programmes to empower communities across the UK. Please note that some powers and programmes will not apply in every nation of the UK.  

The Pride in Place funding will be delivered in England, Scotland and Wales, with corresponding funding provided to Northern Ireland.

The government will be working closely with the Scottish and Welsh Governments to design specific programmes which put the principles of the strategy of community engagement at the centre.

Further detail on Northern Ireland, including support for Belfast, will follow.

UK Government roadshow showcases Scottish talent and boosts SME exports

Government roadshow showcases Scottish talent and boosts SME exports   

  • Roadshow brings together exporters in the financial, professional, and business sector to buyers and trade experts from right across the world.
  • Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation, Blair McDougall will celebrate the success of our service industries and urge more small firms to take advantage of Government export support.
  • Exports are key for the UK Government’s growth mission, supporting a fifth of UK employment, paying 7% higher wages, and delivering 28.5% higher productivity.

Small business exporters and ambitious SMEs across Scotland will be front and centre of a new roadshow in Edinburgh today, offering tailored support from the UK Government to get more SMEs exporting across the financial, professional, and business services sectors.  

The Made in the UK, Sold to the World roadshow events offer SMEs the opportunity to directly connect with commercial officers, international buyers, and Export Champions to get advice, support, and discuss real export opportunities.

Boosting exports is a key part of the government’s Plan for Change to drive growth, create well-paid jobs and put more money in people’s pockets, with stats showing businesses that export are over a quarter more productive than businesses that don’t, and pay 7% higher wages.

The roadshow will demonstrate the incredible support being made available to SMEs through the Small Business Plan, from the expansion of UK Export Finance’s capacity to the Business Growth Service.

In 2024, the US was the largest market for Scottish services after the Netherlands, which is why the roadshow will provide a workshop for businesses on exporting services to the US.

As part of the Plan for Change, each roadshow is focused on one of the eight key growth driving sectors identified in the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy to channel support to sectors with the highest potential to create jobs, boost productivity and grow the economy.

DBT Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation, Blair McDougall said: ““Scottish businesses are known for providing world-class Financial and Professional services, and this roadshow will be an excellent opportunity to showcase that talent and connect businesses with new international partners, opening the door to new markets.

“Export success and the professional and business services sector are key to the government’s Industrial Strategy and Plan for Change, which will drive growth and create well-paid jobs. That is why we are doing everything we can to support our small and medium sized businesses to grow and succeed.”

Minister McDougall will be giving the keynote address before touring the roadshow, seeing the many workshops and exhibition on offer. The Minister will meet with several businesses spanning law, insurance, and financial technology sectors.

Professional and business services are worth £300 billion a year and support one in every seven jobs. Strengthening the sector is central to the Modern Industrial Strategy, which aims to maintain the UK’s position as the second largest services exporter in the world while creating the most dynamic professional and business services ecosystem by 2035.

Plans include five new centres of excellence across country to help services firms grow and adopt new technology, and additional backing through UK Export Finance to secure overseas contracts.

Scotland is home to a dynamic financial, professional and business services industry ranging from law and accountancy, to consulting and engineering. Making Edinburgh a hub for both large corporations like the Royal Bank of Scotland and for smaller firms like Predictiva.

The commercial officers and international buyers present at the event span markets and regions from around the world, from the US and Europe to Africa, the Asia Pacific, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

On hand and ready to offer his advice, will be Export Champion and Founder & CEO at Modulr, Myles Stephenson.

Modulr, based in Edinburgh, has had global success having created an industry-leading payments platform. The company has seen tremendous growth in the last 9-years being one of the UK’s fastest growing tech companies. Our Plan for Change will give SME a clear path to growth, making success stories like Modulr a reality for more UK Businesses.

Myles Stephenson, Export Champion and Founder & CEO at Modulr, said: “International expansion is a fantastic opportunity for Scottish firms to scale and achieve significant growth.

“At Modulr we’ve worked hard and invested to navigate the challenges of expanding into new markets but know it’s not easy and would like more firms to start or increase their exporting activity.

“By sharing our experience we’d like to encourage more firms to start or increase their export activity. Accessing the support is a key enabler and critical item to consider when entering overseas markets – the Department for Business Trade can help navigate this.”

Football clubs partner with UK Government to help young people into work in England

Thousands more young people are to receive life-changing support into work or training – with football clubs across England signing up to help the Westminster Government in their mission to ensure every 18-to-21-year-old has the chance to earn or learn

  • Every Premier League Football Club Charity now in talks with DWP to support the Youth Guarantee – helping more young people get into work or training.
  • Youth Hub scheme to double to over 200 locations, giving more young people access to employment, skills and wellbeing support at football clubs, libraries and community centres closer to home.
  • EFL in the Community, the charitable arm of the English Football League (EFL), and Rugby Football League confirm new partnerships, harnessing the power of sport to champion young people and break down barriers to opportunities as part of the Plan for Change.

Thousands more young people are to receive life-changing support into work or training – with football clubs across England signing up to help the Westminster Government in their mission to ensure every 18-to-21-year-old has the chance to earn or learn.

The Government’s highly successful Youth Hubs – which are hosted by sports clubs and other community venues in England, Scotland and Wales – will almost double in number thanks to £25 million investment announced today.

The funding was announced as it was revealed that every Premier League club charity in England is now discussing with Government how they can help get young people earning or learning, while the EFL in the Community and Rugby Football League have also been confirmed as new partners, supporting the same aim.

This means even more young people across the country are being helped by their local teams, as well as the Government’s other Youth Guarantee partners.

To mark the expansion of the programme and our partnership with the Premier League, Secretary of State Pat McFadden will visit Selhurst Park, home to the Palace for Life Youth Hub and Crystal Palace football club, where he will meet staff and young people benefitting from the service to see first-hand the impact it is having in the community.

Youth Hubs offer personalised, wraparound employment, skills and wellbeing support to young people in the areas of highest need. Thanks to this latest investment they will almost double to over 200 places across England, Scotland and Wales in the next three years.

The Hubs bring support, such as CV and wellbeing advice, directly to young people – taking place in settings right at the heart of the community like sports clubs, libraries and community centres.

With nearly one million young people not in education, employment or training, this expansion is helping to inspire a renewed sense of purpose and ambition in young people as well as breaking down barriers to opportunity as part of the Plan for Change.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden, said: “The number of young people not in education, employment or training is unacceptably high, and this government will not stand by while so many are robbed of their potential and our country of its future.

“Through our £25 million expansion of Youth Hubs and partnerships with the Premier League and other key organisations, we’re creating real opportunities for the next generation, ensuring support is targeted to those most in need.

“This investment will support our mission to give every young person the skills and confidence they need to thrive, as we break down barriers to opportunity under our Plan for Change.”

Run in partnership with Jobcentres, Youth Hubs bring Youth Work Coaches together with local partners including charities, councils and employers to provide everything from CV advice to skills training to careers guidance and wellbeing support.

In future, they will also provide access to mental health services, housing and homelessness support.

Erin is one of many young people who have flourished thanks to the government-funded support offered by her local Youth Hub.

Unemployed for two years and struggling with motivation, she visited the Palace for Life Youth Hub. After joining the hospitality programme where she gained valuable experience and confidence, she completed a work placement and was offered a permanent job, marking the start of an exciting new chapter.

The Secretary of State will host a roundtable at Selhurst Park with existing Youth Guarantee partners including the Premier League and Channel 4, as well as new partners such as the EFL in the Community and Rugby Football League.

Clare Sumner, chief policy and social impact officer at the Premier League said: “The Premier League is proud to support the expansion of Youth Hubs so young people, whatever their background, can access the opportunities, support and inspiration they deserve.

“Between 2022 and 2025, the Premier League has invested £1.6 billion into wider football and communities, helping support people of all ages who need it most, and create more chances for young people to learn and grow.

“By working in partnership with Government on the Youth Guarantee, we can build on this foundation and ensure Youth Hubs offer even more opportunities to help young people thrive.

“Together we are showing how football is more than a game, reaching those who need support most, helping them fulfil their potential and strengthening communities nationwide.”

The announcement is the latest example of the UK Government’s work to tackle the rising number of young people not in education, employment, or training.

In August, an additional £45 million was invested to extend funding for eight Youth Guarantee trailblazers across England whilst an extra £100 million will help to train up 40,000 young construction workers as the Government continues to break down barriers to opportunity under the Plan for Change.

It marks another step in the plan to Get Britain Working and raise living standards by modernising Jobcentres, boosting the National Living Wage, and creating more secure jobs through the Employment Rights Bill.

For decades, my country supported a two-state solution but only recognised one state. That changes now.

PROTECTING THE PATHWAY TO PEACE?

Statement by The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, at the High-Level International Conference for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution:

Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Your Excellencies, President Macron and Prince Faisal. I stand before you today, beneath the emblem of the United Nations, to confirm the historic decision of the British government to recognise the State of Palestine. 

This step, alongside friends and partners, reflects a longstanding truth. 

That statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people and that two states is the only path to security and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

But it also reflects a grave reality.

The two-state solution that for decades has commanded global support is in profound peril.

From continued bloodshed, man-made famine, terrorism and hostage taking, settlement expansion and settler violence.

And Hamas terrorists continue to hold hostages seized in the barbaric attack of October 7th, prolonging the unimaginable anguish of their families.

And in Gaza, the unbearable humanitarian catastrophe worsens as the Netanyahu government chooses to escalate war and hold back aid.

Children dying of starvation while food rots at the border.

And settlement expansion threatens the very viability of a Palestinian state.

The two-state solution risks disappearing beneath the rubble.

That is what extremists on all sides want.

But we refuse to let hope be lost.

Recognition is borne of urgency and principle.

Alongside our unwavering support for the security of Israel and its people.

This pathway is the opposite of Hamas’s hateful vision.

And this process around recognition has helped cement the rejection of Hamas across the Arab world.

Alongside new reforms to the Palestinian Authority.

Because there can be no role for Hamas in the future governance of Palestine.

But recognition must be a spur, not a substitute for urgent action.

A ceasefire now, the release of all hostages, the restoration of aid and a lasting framework for peace.

Recognition is about the future, but it is rooted in our past.

75 years ago, Britain was rightly proud to recognise the State of Israel.

But the promise of upholding Palestinian rights has gone unfulfilled.

For decades, my country supported a two-state solution but only recognised one state.

That changes now.

As we join more than 150 Member States in recognising the State of Palestine and protecting the pathway to peace.

Jessica Brady’s legacy inspires new life-saving GP safety rule in England

Patients with a potentially deadly illness will be diagnosed sooner thanks to a new life saving patient safety initiative called Jess’s Rule

  • GPs across England to take “three strikes and rethink approach” after three appointments – as Jess’s Rule rolled out nationwide to prevent avoidable deaths
  • Move will save lives and help catch serious, deadly conditions earlier, particularly in young people
  • Named after Jessica Brady, who tragically died of cancer aged 27 after twenty appointments at her GP surgery failed to diagnose her condition

Patients with a potentially deadly illness will be diagnosed sooner through a new life-saving patient safety initiative called Jess’ Rule that is being rolled out across the NHS in England today [23 September 2025].

Jess’s Rule is named in memory of Jessica Brady, who died of cancer in December 2020 at the age of 27, and will help avoid tragic, preventable deaths as GPs are supported to catch potentially deadly illnesses sooner. 

In the five months leading up to her death, Jessica had more than twenty appointments with her GP practice but eventually had to seek private healthcare. She was later diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma. With such an advanced disease there was no available treatment. She was admitted into hospital where she died three weeks later.

The new initiative will ask GPs to think again if, after three appointments, they have been unable to offer a substantiated diagnosis, or the patient’s symptoms have escalated.

While many GP practices already use similar approaches in complex cases, Jess’s Rule will make this standard practice across the country, aiming to reduce health inequalities and ensuring everyone – no matter their age or background – receives the same high standard of care.

Designed in collaboration with the Chair of Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and NHS England, Jess’s Rule will help to catch serious conditions earlier and support GPs with guidelines that bolster their clinical judgment, while encouraging them to reflect, review and rethink if they are uncertain about a patients’ condition.

Jess’s mum Andrea Brady said: “Jess lived for just three short weeks following her terminal cancer diagnosis. Despite her shock and devastation, she showed unfailing courage, positivity, dignity, and love. Jess was determined that people should understand how desperately she had tried to advocate for herself and seek a resolution for her declining health.

“In the bleak weeks following the loss of Jess, I realised it was my duty to continue what she had started. It has taken nearly five years to bring about Jess’s Rule. I would like to dedicate this initiative to all the young people who have been diagnosed too late.

“It has only been made possible because of the people who have listened — politicians, medics, and the nearly half a million who supported the campaign.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Jessica Brady’s death was a preventable and unnecessary tragedy. I want to thank her courageous family, who have campaigned tirelessly through unimaginable grief to ensure Jessica’s legacy helps to save the lives of others.  

“Patient safety must be the bedrock of the NHS, and Jess’ Rule will make sure every patient receives the thorough, compassionate, and safe care that they deserve, while supporting our hard-working GPs to catch potentially deadly illnesses.

“I don’t want any family to endure the pain Jessica’s family have been through. This government will learn from such tragedies and is taking decisive action to improve patient safety.”

Jess’s Rule could support GPs to ensure continuity of care for patients with persistent health concerns. This could involve arranging face-to-face consultations if previous appointments were remote, conducting thorough physical examinations, or ordering additional diagnostic tests.

It also encourages GPs to review patient records comprehensively, seek second opinions from colleagues, and consider specialist referrals when appropriate.

Research shows that younger patients and those from ethnic minority backgrounds often face delays in diagnosis of serious conditions, as their symptoms may not match typical presentation patterns seen in older or white patients.

A report from the Nuffield Trust and the Health Foundation found that half of 16 to 24-year-olds required three or more interactions with a healthcare professional from a GP practice before being diagnosed with cancer, compared to one in five across the whole population. 

Jess’s Rule emphasises the need to remain alert to symptoms that might suggest serious conditions, regardless of a patient’s age or ethnicity, thereby reducing health inequalities.

Dr Claire Fuller, National Medical Director at NHS England says: “I am very humbled by the efforts of Andrea and Simon Brady, who have campaigned for this important initiative which will undoubtedly save lives by avoiding missed or delayed diagnoses and ensuring patients receive the right treatment at the right time.

“Many clinicians already apply a version of “three strikes and rethink” in their routine practice, but Jess’s Rule formalises this instinctive approach, providing a consistent structure to support reflection and timely action for patients.”

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “No GP will ever want to miss signs of serious illness, such as cancer. Ensuring a timely diagnosis often means better outcomes for patients – but many conditions, including many cancers, are challenging to identify in primary care because the symptoms are often similar to other, less serious and more common conditions.

“Alternative diagnoses are often more likely, particularly when considering risk factors such as age.

“If a patient repeatedly presents with the same or similar symptoms, but the treatment plan does not seem to be making them better – or their condition is deteriorating – it is best practice to review the diagnosis and consider alternative approaches.

“We hope that by formalising this with Jess’s Rule, it will remind GPs to keep this at the forefront of their minds. The College has also worked with Jess Brady’s family and the Jessica Brady CEDAR Trust to develop an educational resource for GPs on the early diagnosis of cancer in young adults, based around the principles of Jess’s Rule.”

Jessica Brady’s legacy will ensure that patient voice is at the heart of healthcare – a key commitment in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.

This initiative, targeting primary care, builds on the recent rollout of Martha’s Rule to every acute hospital in England, which empowers patients, families, and carers to request urgent clinical reviews if they are concerned about deteriorating conditions not being adequately addressed.

Jess’s Rule is just one of the ways the government is supporting GPs to provide worldclass healthcare for patients as part of the Plan for Change.

This includes recruiting over 2,000 extra GPs in a year, providing vital cash for over 1,000 GP surgeries to create additional space to see more patients, and securing a record funding boost for practices – over £1 billion in 2025-26. Public satisfaction with GP services is finally on the rise, with 73.6% of patients describing their GP experience as “good” according to recent ONS statistics, up 6.2% since July 2024.

By catching illnesses at earlier stages, Jess’s Rule will help reduce hospital backlogs, improve outcomes for patients, and save lives.

Empty Gesture? UK formally recognises Palestinian State

The UK has formally recognised Palestine ‘to protect the viability of a two-state solution and create a path towards lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people’ – but continues to arm Israel

  • UK Government acts to protect the prospect of a two-state solution as the appalling situation in Gaza worsens, Israel continues its illegal settlement expansions in the West Bank and Hamas continues to hold the hostages
  • Prime Minister makes clear that Hamas will have no role in the future of Palestine and reiterates his call for them to release the hostages immediately and unconditionally
  • historic step taken alongside close allies Canada and Australia, as part of wider international effort to support a pathway to peace and protect the equal rights of both Israeli and Palestinian peoples

The UK has formally recognised Palestine to protect the viability of a two-state solution and create a path towards lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people.

The historic decision, announced alongside Canada and Australia, comes as the situation on the ground in Gaza continues to worsen, Israel continues to expand its illegal settlements in the West Bank, and Hamas continues to hold the hostages.

In July, the Prime Minister pledged to act if the situation did not change and firmly believes that the UK has a moral responsibility to do everything it can to support a peaceful future for Israel and Palestine – the prospect of which is slipping further away.

A two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state led by a reformed Palestinian Authority, is the only path to a lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people – free from the horrendous violence and suffering of the last two years.

Recognising Palestine is a historic decision, firmly grounded in the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination, which the government committed to as part of its manifesto.

In a statement this afternoon, the Prime Minister was clear this decision is not about Hamas. They are a brutal terrorist organisation that wants to see Israel destroyed. Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace with recognised borders is the exact opposite of their hateful vision. 

The government’s demands on them have not changed. It must release all hostages, agree to an immediate ceasefire, accept it will have no role in governing Gaza, and commit to disarmament.

The UK is also expected to take further action to sanction senior figures in the Hamas leadership in the coming weeks and keep doing everything possible to bring the hostages home.

Our support for Israel’s and the security of its people remains steadfast. But the Israeli government must also change course – halting their offensive in Gaza, letting the desperately needed humanitarian aid in, and stopping their illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Today’s historic decision, taken alongside some of our closest allies, to recognise a Palestinian State, reflects our unwavering commitment to a two-state solution and affirms the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

“Recognition is an important step to preserve the prospect of a two-state solution, at a time when it is now under unprecedented threat. Two states is the only way to safeguard long term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike. 

“We are clear that Hamas can have no role in Palestine’s future – they are a barbaric terrorist organisation who oppose the very idea of two states. They must release the hostages and relinquish any hold on Gaza. But Hamas are not the Palestinian people.

“Recognition is only one part of what must be a stronger and wider push for peace. We need to end the conflict in Gaza, secure the release of all hostages and get humanitarian aid to all those who desperately need it.

“That requires not just an immediate ceasefire, but a plan for a durable peace, which will be a key to my diplomatic drive at the UN this week.”

Having recognised the State of Israel in 1950, the government believes it can no longer credibly continue to support the two-state solution without recognising both States. 

The decision does not remove the demands the government has made of the Palestinian Authority to conduct extensive reform. President Abbas has committed to this reform, including organising new elections within a year of a ceasefire.

The UK will continue to provide technical and financial support to the PA as it delivers these reforms and builds the State of Palestine, including through the work of UK Envoy for Palestinian Authority Governance Sir Michael Barber, who is enhancing the PA’s delivery and governance capabilities. 

The government has been clear that recognition is not enough to change the situation on the ground on its own.

That’s why the decision comes as part of coordinated international efforts to build consensus around a Framework for Peace, which addresses governance, security, humanitarian access, and ceasefire monitoring in Gaza, and the foundations of a two-state solution.

The UK will continue working closely with its allies to advance this plan, which recognition forms part of as the first, most urgent step towards lasting peace.

PM statement on the recognition of Palestine:

In the face of the growing horror in the Middle East…

We are acting to keep alive the possibility of peace and a Two State Solution.

That means a safe and secure Israel…

Alongside a viable Palestinian State –

At the moment, we have neither.

Ordinary people – Israeli and Palestinian…

Deserve to live in peace –

To try to rebuild their lives…

Free from violence and suffering.

That’s what the British people desperately want to see.

Yet, almost two years after the barbaric attacks of 7 October…

Hostages are still held by the terrorists of Hamas.

Recent images show the hostages suffering and emaciated.

Hamas refuse even to release all the bodies of the dead.

I have met British families of the hostages.

I see the torture they endure each and every day…

Pain that strikes deep in people’s hearts across Israel and here in the UK.

The hostages must be released immediately…

And we will keep fighting to bring them home.

Let’s be frank –

Hamas is a brutal terror organisation.

Our call for a genuine Two State Solution…

Is the exact opposite of their hateful vision.

So we are clear –

This solution is not a reward for Hamas…

Because it means Hamas can have no future.

No role in government.

No role in security.

We have already proscribed and sanctioned Hamas…

And we will go further –

I have directed work to sanction other Hamas figures in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the man-made humanitarian crisis in Gaza reaches new depths.

The Israeli government’s relentless and increasing…

Bombardment of Gaza…

The offensive of recent weeks…

The starvation and devastation…

Are utterly intolerable.

Tens of thousands have been killed –

Including thousands as they tried to collect food and water.

This death and destruction horrifies us all.

It must end.

We have now evacuated the first group of sick and injured children to the UK…

To be treated by the NHS.

And we continue to increase our humanitarian support.

But still, nowhere near enough aid is getting through.

We call again on the Israeli government…

To lift the unacceptable restrictions at the border…

Stop these cruel tactics…

And let the aid surge in. ***

With the actions of Hamas…

The Israeli government escalating the conflict…

And settlement building being accelerated in the West Bank…

The hope of a Two State Solution is fading.

But we cannot let that light go out.

That’s why we are building consensus with leaders in the region and beyond…

Around our Framework for Peace.

This is a practical plan to bring people together –

Behind a common vision and a series of steps…

Including the reform of the Palestinian Authority…

That take us from a ceasefire in Gaza…

To negotiations on a Two State Solution.

We will keep driving this forward.

As part of this effort…

I set out in July the terms on which we would act –

In line with our Manifesto –

To recognise Palestinian statehood.

That moment has now arrived.

So today –

To revive the hope of peace and a Two State Solution…

I state clearly, as Prime Minister of this great country…

That the United Kingdom…

Formally recognises the State of Palestine.

We recognised the State of Israel more than 75 years ago as a homeland for the Jewish people.

Today we join over 150 countries who recognise a Palestinian State too –

A pledge to the Palestinian and Israeli people…

That there can be a better future.

…

I know the strength of feeling that this conflict provokes.

We have seen it on our streets…

In our schools…

In conversations with friends and family.

It has created division.

Some have used it to stoke hatred and fear.

But that solves nothing.

Not only must we reject hate…

We must redouble our efforts to combat hatred, in all its forms.

We must channel our efforts…

United together in hope…

Behind the peaceful future that we want to see:

The release of the hostages…

An end to the violence…

An end to the suffering…

And a shift back towards a Two State Solution…

As the best hope for peace and security for all sides.

THE Green Party responded: “The UK government has confirmed it will finally recognise the state of Palestine – a welcome step.

“But this must be accompanied by real, concrete actions to bring an end to the genocide in Gaza, including boycotts, sanctions and the end of arms sales to Israel.”

Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Well done to all those who have tirelessly campaigned for the recognition of Palestine — an inalienable right of the Palestinian people.

“Next, the UK should recognise the genocide in Gaza, end its complicity in crimes against humanity, and stop arming Israel.”

The Conservative Party said: “Keir Starmer’s decision to recognise Palestine does nothing to stop the suffering of the innocent people caught in this war.

“It makes freeing the hostages even harder than it was before.

“The only people this benefits? Hamas.”