UK Government – Page 57 – The NEN

Sunak: Stopping the Boats

PM Rishi Sunak’s press statement on the next stage of the plan to stop the boats

Last week – yet again – Peers in the House of Lords contrived to stop the Safety of Rwanda Bill.   

For almost two years our opponents have used every trick in the book to block flights and keep the boats coming.  

But enough is enough.

No more prevarication. No more delay.

Parliament will sit there tonight and vote no matter how late it goes.

No ifs, no buts. These flights are going to Rwanda.

We are going to deliver this indispensable deterrent so that we finally break the business model of the criminal gangs and save lives.

Starting from the moment that the Bill passes we will begin the process of removing those identified for the first flight.

We have prepared for this moment.

To detain people while we prepare to remove them, we’ve increased detention spaces to 2,200.

To quickly process claims, we’ve got 200 trained dedicated caseworkers ready and waiting.

To deal with any legal cases quickly and decisively, the judiciary have made available 25 courtrooms and identified 150 judges who could provide over 5,000 sitting days.

The Strasbourg Court have amended their Rule 39 procedures in line with the tests set out in our Illegal Migration Act and we’ve put beyond all doubt that Ministers can disregard these injunctions with clear guidance that if they decide to do so, civil servants must deliver that instruction.

And most importantly, once the processing is complete, we will physically remove people.

To do that, I can confirm that we’ve put an airfield on standby booked commercial charter planes for specific slots…

…and we have 500 highly trained individuals ready to escort illegal migrants all the way to Rwanda, with 300 more trained in the coming weeks.

This is one of the most complex operational endeavours the Home Office has carried out.

But we are ready. Plans are in place.

And these flights will go come what may.

No foreign court will stop us from getting flights off.

Rwanda is ready too.

And I would like to thank the government of Rwanda for their work in strengthening their asylum system, passing legislation, and setting up a new appeals tribunal.

The next few weeks will be about action.

But whilst I’m conscious people want deeds not words I’m not going to outline now exactly what will happen when.

There are good operational reasons for this.

There is a loud minority who will do anything to disrupt our plan so we will not be giving away sensitive operational detail which could hinder all the progress made to date.

Teams across government need to be able to get on and deliver without interference.

They are working flat out to deliver this genuine game changer.

The first flight will leave in 10 to 12 weeks.

Now of course, that is later than we wanted.

But we have always been clear that processing will take time and if Peers had not spent weeks holding up the Bill in the House of Lords to try to block flights altogether, we would have begun this process weeks ago.

And the success of this deterrent doesn’t rest on one flight alone.

It rests on the relentless, continual process of successfully and permanently removing people to Rwanda with a regular rhythm of multiple flights every month over the summer and beyond until the boats are stopped.

Now I know there are some who will hear all of this and accuse me of lacking compassion.

But the truth is the opposite.

We are in a battle with callous, sophisticated, and global criminal gangs who care nothing for the lives they risk in unseaworthy dinghies.

Nine people have died already attempting to cross the Channel just this year – including a seven-year-old girl.

That’s why we secured the largest ever deal with France to strengthen interceptions on the French coastline.

And because a third of all arrivals were coming from Albania we struck a deal that reduced illegal Albanian migrants by 90 per cent.

Taken together we’re doubling illegal working raids and returning 150 hotels back to our communities.

We got the number of small boat arrivals last year down by more than a third the first time they had fallen since this phenomenon began, and at a time when European countries were seeing numbers rise exponentially.  

But these sophisticated gangs are changing tactics once again.

As well as piling twice as many people into small dinghies and increasing violence against French police they have shifted their attentions towards vulnerable Vietnamese migrants.

Vietnamese arrivals have increased ten-fold and account for almost all of the increase in small boat numbers we have seen this year.

And just as we succeeded in reducing Albanian arrivals dramatically, so I’m confident we will do the same when it comes to the Vietnamese.

President Macron and I have agreed to work with European partners on closing loopholes to enter Europe in the first place.

The Home Office have signed a Joint Statement with the Vietnamese Government committing to deepen our already very strong migration relationship.

And just last week officials from the Government of Vietnam were at Western Jetfoil and Manston to observe Border Force operations on the front line as they continue to manage small boat arrivals.

But we can’t keep reacting to the changing tactics of these gangs. The truth is we need innovative solutions to address what is a global migration crisis to disrupt the business model of people smuggling gangs and save lives.

And that means a systematic deterrent.

The only way to stop the boats is to eliminate the incentive to come by making it clear that if you are here illegally, you will not be able to stay. 

This policy does exactly that.

I believe it should be this country and your government who decides who comes here, not criminal gangs. And I have the plan to deliver it.

So we will start the flights – and stop the boats.

Thank you.

Ban on wet wipes containing plastic

Protecting the environment and reducing marine litter

The supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic will be banned across the UK following overwhelming support during public consultation, with 95% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing with the proposals.

Measures have been set out in a joint response by all four UK nations published today (Monday April 22), including a transition period for businesses to help them prepare.

Scottish Ministers will introduce regulations by the end of 2024 with the ban due to come into force 18 months later.

Wet wipes containing plastic do not biodegrade in the natural environment and persist for many years, which may cause harm to wildlife and the environment, and are a source of unsightly litter and of microplastic pollution.

Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity Lorna Slater said: “I am delighted to confirm today that the Scottish Government will ban wet wipes containing plastic.

“These items are a problematic source of marine litter and are a threat to the health of our environment and wildlife. This ban delivers on an important commitment made in our Marine Litter Strategy and builds on previous actions to ban unnecessary single-use plastic items such as plastic-stemmed cotton buds and plastic straws and cutlery.

“These policies are all proof of the progress Scotland is making toward protecting our environment, and all contribute to our journey toward a circular economy.”

Plastic-free wet wipes are readily available and several retailers have already stopped selling wet wipes containing plastic.

An 18-month transition period will commence when legislation is passed to allow businesses time to prepare. Following consultation with industry, the ban will not include the manufacture of these products, in line with other recent single-use plastic bans.

However, the governments of all four UK nations will continue to encourage manufacturers to move to a position where all their wet wipes are plastic free.

The joint response also sets out exemptions to ensure that wet wipes containing plastic remain available where there is no viable alternative – such as for medical disinfectant purposes.

For the period 2015 to 2020, an average of 20 wet wipes were found per 100m of beach surveyed across the UK according to Defra Beach Litter Monitoring Data.

Sunak vows to tackle Britain’s ‘sick note culture’

TORIES TO OVERHAUL BENEFITS SYSTEM

THE Prime Minister has unveiled a package of welfare reform measures to tackle the unprecedented rise in economic inactivity and ensure the benefits system is ‘better targeted at those who need it most’.

PM to announce plans to overhaul benefits system to ensure people who are fit to work aren’t left behind on benefits
Fit note system to be reviewed after 11 million fit notes issued last year with 94% written off as unfit to work
Comes amid unprecedented rise in inactivity due to long term sickness with latest figures showing almost a third of working age adults are inactive

The Prime Minister’s new plan for welfare will end Britain’s “sick note culture”, which has resulted in a significant rise in people being unnecessarily written off work and parked on welfare.

It comes amid concerns that the fit note system has opened the floodgates for millions of people to be written off work and into welfare without getting the right support and treatment they might need to help them stay in work.

Data recently published by the NHS shows almost 11 million fit notes were issued last year, with an overwhelming 94% of those signed “not fit for work”. A large proportion of these are repeat fit notes which are issued without any advice, resulting in a missed opportunity to help people get the appropriate support they may need to remain in work.

To address this, the Prime Minister yesterday announced a review of the fit note system to stop people being written off as “not fit for work” by default and instead design a new system where each fit note conversation focuses on what people can do with the right support in place, rather than what they can’t do.

As part of this, the government will consider shifting the responsibility for issuing the fit note away from already stretched GPs, towards specialist work and health professionals who have the dedicated time and expertise to provide an objective assessment of someone’s ability to work and the tailored support they may need.

A call for evidence will be published later today to seek responses from a diverse range of perspectives, including those with lived experiences, healthcare professionals and employers, both on how the current process works and how it can better support people with health conditions to start, stay, and succeed in work.

The Prime Minister said: “We don’t just need to change the sick note, we need to change the sick note culture so the default becomes what work you can do – not what you can’t.

“Building on the pilots we’ve already started we’re going to design a new system where people have easy and rapid access to specialised work and health support to help them back to work from the very first Fit Note conversation.

“We’re also going to test shifting the responsibility for assessment from GPs and giving it to specialist work and health professionals who have the dedicated time to provide an objective assessment of someone’s ability to work and the tailored support they need to do so.”

Setting out his vision for a “new welfare settlement for Britain”, the Prime Minister outlined the new challenges that have emerged since the pandemic particularly the unprecedented rise in inactivity and how the government plans to tackle them.

Before the pandemic, we had the second lowest inactivity rate in the G7, lower than France, Germany, Italy, USA and Canada. But since the pandemic, a significant number of working aged people have become inactive due to long term sickness which has in large part been driven by mental health conditions.

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest there are currently 2.8 million people who are ‘economically inactive’ due to long-term sickness, a near-record high. Of those inactive due to long term sickness at the start of last year, 53% reported that they had depression, bad nerves or anxiety.

This is also driving an unsustainable increase in welfare spending as more people claiming disability benefits are now assessed as having anxiety or depression as their main condition.

Since the pandemic, total spending on working age disability and ill-health benefits increased by almost two-thirds from £42.3 billion to £69 billion and we now spend more on these benefits than our core schools’ budget or on policing.

The fit note process is often the first step to someone falling out of work and acts as a gateway towards some ill health and disability benefit assessments. There is also clear evidence that the longer someone is out of work, the lower the likelihood that they return to work – further exacerbating the rise in inactivity.

The Prime Minister made the case that we need to be more ambitious about how we help people, particularly with mental health conditions, back into work and ensure they are not left behind on the benefits system.

The Prime Minister added: “We should see it as a sign of progress that people can talk openly about mental health conditions in a way that only a few years ago would’ve been unthinkable, and I will never dismiss or downplay the illnesses people have.

“But just as it would be wrong to dismiss this growing trend, so it would be wrong merely to sit back and accept it because it’s too hard; or too controversial; or for fear of causing offence. Doing so, would let down many of the people our welfare system was designed to help.

“Because if you believe as I do, that work gives you the chance not just to earn but to contribute, to belong, to overcome feelings of loneliness and social isolation and if you believe, as I do, the growing body of evidence that good work can actually improve mental and physical health…

“…then it becomes clear: we need to be more ambitious about helping people back to work and more honest about the risk of over-medicalising the everyday challenges and worries of life.”

Yesterday’s fit note review builds on the significant steps the UK Government has taken so far to break down barriers to work and tackle inactivity.

This includes through our £2.5 billion Back to Work Plan which is already helping over a million people, including those with mental health conditions, break down barriers to work by expanding access to mental health services and putting an additional 384,000 people through NHS Talking Therapies.

The new WorkWell pilot is also being rolled out and will support almost 60,000 long-term sick or disabled people to start, stay and succeed in work once it has gone live in approximately 15 areas across England.

The WorkWell services provides a single, joined-up assessment and gateway into local employment support services, to help people manage their health conditions and get back to work sooner. This is part of an ambitious programme to support disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work.

DWP are also testing reforms of the fit note process to integrate it more closely with WorkWell, enabling the people who need it to have a work and health conversation, with a single, joined-up assessment and gateway into local employment support services.

It will also complement the role of Occupational Health in ensuring employers understand and benefit from more expert work and health support to retain and support those in work.

The fit note call for evidence is part of five key reforms the Prime Minister outlined in his speech to put work at the heart of welfare and modernise the welfare system to ensure it is fit for the future.

Chancellor in US to stress importance of being stronger when standing together

Jeremy Hunt will visit New York today, followed by a two-day trip to Washington D.C. for the IMF Spring Meetings.
Chancellor in New York seeking to strengthen ties between the British and US economies.
Hunt will amplify UK leadership on international issues at IMF Springs, including support for Ukraine and condemnation of the Iranian regime’s attack on Israel.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will today embark on a three-day trip to the U.S., visiting New York before heading to Washington D.C. to attend the annual International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings.

The Chancellor will be in New York looking to build upon the rock-solid economic relationship between the UK and US – one which mirrors the strength of the geopolitical alliance between the two and is based on shared values on the world stage.

Mr Hunt will meet with a range of executives from the likes of Bloomberg, Comcast and Blackrock setting out the case for Britain’s financial services and creative industries. Both sectors are important for a UK economy that is bouncing back, with Britain boasting the largest film and TV industry in Europe while also being the largest net exporter of financial services globally.

Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “At times of instability across the globe, we are reminded that we are stronger when we stand together. The US is our most important strategic ally and we are both at the forefront of keeping the world safe.

“Our economic relationship sees $1 trillion invested in one another’s countries and I will be looking to deepen it further during my time in New York.”

The Chancellor will then head to Washington D.C. on Wednesday for the IMF’s Spring Meetings, at which he is expected to highlight the professionalism and bravery of Royal Air Force aircraft in intercepting a number of Iranian attack drones fired at Israel.

Additional RAF planes have been deployed to the region and the UK continues to work urgently with regional partners to stabilise the situation. Britain’s position continues to be for an immediate humanitarian pause in Gaza leading to a sustainable ceasefire without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life, as the fastest way to get hostages out and aid in.

Amid global instability, Mr Hunt will stress the need to stick to a plan for the British economy that has already seen real progress being made – with inflation down from its peak of 11.1% to 3.4%, rising wages consistently outstripping that inflation, and official statistics showing growth across the economy in 2024 thus far.

Such progress helped to deliver record cuts to National Insurance for 29 million working people at the start of April – with the average worker earning £35,000 starting to see the benefits of an over £900 per year saving in their payslips this month – as part of a long-term ambition to end the unfair double tax on work.

The Chancellor will also underline the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine and how Britain is keeping up pressure on Russia via its sanctions regime – the largest and most severe package ever imposed on any major economy, with over 2,000 individuals and entities now sanctioned. This follows an announcement last week in which Britain acted in conjunction with the U.S. to significantly extend the scope of sanctions on imports of Russian metals by bringing the world’s two largest metal exchanges into the scope of the existing ban.

Mr Hunt will meet with G7 and G20 partners, as well as chairing a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. During his meetings, the Chancellor will promote collaboration on issues including artificial intelligence, global economic security and supply chain resilience. British support for developing countries is also on his agenda, including driving reform of the international financial system so it can support all countries in addressing global challenges.

On his attendance of the IMF Spring Meetings, Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “The UK’s resilient economy is on the up, and it is from this improving position that we can be the best partner possible to our friends around the world – including standing steadfast with Ukraine in its fight against President Putin and standing up for Israel’s security.”

The Chancellor last visited the U.S. in October last year, speaking to executives from tech giants including Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft as he travelled to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. The U.S. is Britain’s largest single trading partner, worth 17.7% of total UK trade – with this totalling £315.1 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q3 2023.

MPs to vote on landmark Bill to create Smokefree generation

MPs to vote on legislation to create first smoke-free generation, protecting young people turning 15 this year or younger from harms of smoking

MPs will vote today (16th April 2024) on world-leading legislation to protect future generations across the UK from the harmful effects of smoking.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would make it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born after 1 January 2009 – children aged 15 or younger today. Smoking itself would not be criminalised and anyone who can legally buy tobacco today will never be prevented from doing so in the future by the legislation.

If passed, the Bill will progress to the next stage, bringing the UK closer to creating the first smoke-free generation.

Responsible for around 80,000 deaths annually, smoking is the UK’s single biggest preventable killer and costs the NHS and economy an estimated £17 billion a year—far more than the £10 billion annual revenue from tobacco taxation.

It is also highly addictive – 4 in 5 smokers start before the age of 20 and remain addicted for the rest of their lives despite most smokers having tried to quit.

The legislation will cover all tobacco products, recognising that tobacco kills two-thirds of long-term users. In England alone, almost every minute someone with a smoking-related condition is admitted to hospital.

The Bill will help deliver the Prime Minister’s commitment of creating a smokefree generation which could prevent over 470,000 cases of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and other deadly diseases by the turn of the century.

Alongside action to prevent creating future smokers, the government has already announced significant additional funding for stop smoking services over the next five years, effectively doubling the money available for local initiatives that can help existing smokers to quit. The government is also rolling out an innovative financial incentives scheme to help all pregnant smokers to quit.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said: “Too many people know someone whose life has been tragically cut short or irreversibly changed because of smoking, which despite significant progress remains the UK’s biggest preventable killer.

“The truth is that there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. It is uniquely harmful and that is why we are taking this important action today to protect the next generation.

“This Bill will save thousands of lives, ease the strain on our NHS, and improve the UK’s productivity.”

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would also give the government new powers to tackle youth vaping by restricting flavours and regulating the way that vapes are sold and packaged to make them less appealing to children.

While vaping can play a useful role in helping adult smokers to quit, non-smokers and children should never vape. The long-term health impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine contained within them can be highly addictive.

To ensure compliance with the new rules, trading standards officers will be given new powers to issue on-the-spot fines (fixed penalty notices) to retailers unlawfully selling tobacco or vapes to children. All the money raised would be used to fund further enforcement action.

The Bill follows the government’s previously stated commitment to ban the sale and supply of disposable vapes under existing environmental legislation, which have been a key factor behind the rise in youth vaping. The ban is planned to take effect from April 2025.

Public Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said: “Smoking is the number one preventable cause of disability, ill health and death in this country. Once it becomes a habit, its addictive nature means that it is extremely difficult to stop.

“Because the case against these harmful products is so strong, it’s not surprising that the majority of the British public—including those who smoke and those who sell tobacco—support plans to protect the next generation from the misery of smoking.

“Our plan will save lives, ease the strain on our NHS, and ensure a brighter future for our children.”

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England said: “Smoking kills and causes harm at all stages of life from stillbirths, asthma in children, stroke, cancer to heart attacks and dementia.

“This Bill, if passed, will have a substantial impact – preventing disease, disability and premature deaths long into the future.”

Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said: “The Tobacco and Vapes Bill being voted on today is radical but, hard as it is now to believe, so were the smokefree laws when they were put before parliament. Parliamentarians can be reassured that the public they represent back the Bill.

“New research just published by ASH shows that the majority of tobacco retailers and the public, including smokers, support the legislation and the smokefree generation ambition it is designed to deliver. This historic legislation will consign smoking to the “ash heap of history.”

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation said: “Smoking continues to devastate the nation’s health, taking 15,000 UK lives every single year due to cardiovascular disease alone.

“Raising the age of sale for tobacco each year will be a game changer, meaning that future generations are protected from serious disease and death caused by smoking.

“Decisive action is needed to end this ongoing public health tragedy – we urge every MP to vote for this landmark legislation at the Bill’s Second Reading.”

Professor Steve Turner, Royal College for Paediatrics and Child Health President, said: “Without a doubt the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will save lives.

“By stopping children and young people from becoming addicted to nicotine and tobacco we decrease their chances of developing preventable diseases later in life, and will protect children from the harms of nicotine addiction.

“As paediatricians, we strongly urge MPs to use the important responsibility they have and support this Bill to protect children’s and our nation’s current and future health.”

Dr Ian Walker, Executive Director of Policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “Today’s vote is a critical step towards the UK becoming a world leader in tobacco control. By voting in favour of the age of sale legislation, MPs will be putting us on the right side of history, and helping to create the first ever smokefree generation.

“Smoking is still the leading cause of cancer in the UK. Now is the time to take action, end cancers caused by smoking and save lives.”

PM statement on Iranian regime’s ‘reckless’ attack against Israel

IRAN launched drones in a retaliatory attack on Israel last night.

Iran was responding to an Israeli attack on their embassy in Damascus earlier this month in which a senior military leader was killed.

Israeli defences, with the support of US allies, intercepted ‘hundreds’ of missiles in last night’s attack and it’s understood there are few casualties

Words from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the Iranian regime’s attack against Israel:

“I condemn in the strongest terms the Iranian regime’s reckless attack against Israel. These strikes risk inflaming tensions and destabilising the region.

“Iran has once again demonstrated that it is intent on sowing chaos in its own backyard.

“The UK will continue to stand up for Israel’s security and that of all our regional partners, including Jordan and Iraq.

“Alongside our allies, we are urgently working to stabilise the situation and prevent further escalation. No one wants to see more bloodshed.”

UK Military Activity in the Middle East

Statement from UK’s Ministry of Defence

In response to increased Iranian threats and the growing risk of escalation in the Middle East, the UK Government has been working with partners across the region to encourage de-escalation and prevent further attacks.

We have moved several additional Royal Air Force jets and air refuelling tankers to the region. These will bolster Operation Shader, which is the UK’s existing counter-Daesh operation in Iraq and Syria. In addition, these UK jets will intercept any airborne attacks within range of our existing missions, as required.

We will continue to cooperate closely with our regional partners in the interest of de-escalation.

UK and U.S. to clamp down harder on the trade of Russian metals

Russian metal producers blocked from profits from the London Metal Exchange and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, reducing a crucial source of revenue for the Kremlin
Today’s action brings the world’s two largest metal exchanges into the scope of existing bans
Joint UK and U.S. action builds on ban of metal imports, targeting $40 billion of Russian exports of aluminium, copper and nickel

The UK and the U.S. have together announced joint action to clamp down harder on prohibited Russian metal exports, by today bringing the world’s two largest metal exchanges into the scope of the existing bans.

The London Metal Exchange (LME) and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) will no longer trade new aluminium, copper and nickel produced by Russia.

Metals are Russia’s largest export commodity after energy, though their value has been decreasing since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In 2022 they were $25 billion, dropping to $15 billion in 2023 due to the efforts of the G7 and allies to curtail the market.

Today’s action will go further to constrain Russia’s ability to make money from its shrinking metals exports, dealing another blow to President Vladimir Putin’s funding for his illegal war in Ukraine.

Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “Disabling Putin’s capacity to wage his illegal war in Ukraine is better achieved when we act alongside our allies.

“Thanks to Britain’s leadership in this area, our decisive action with the U.S. to jointly ban Russian metals from the two largest exchanges will prevent the Kremlin funnelling more cash into its war machine.”

Janet L. Yellen, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, said: “Our new prohibitions on key metals, in coordination with our partners in the United Kingdom, will continue to target the revenue Russia can earn to continue its brutal war against Ukraine.

“By taking this action in a targeted and responsible manner, we will reduce Russia’s earnings while protecting our partners and allies from unwanted spillover effects.”

The Prime Minister first announced the intention to act on banning Russian metals in May 2023. UK legislation to directly ban imports of Russian metals, including aluminium, copper and nickel was introduced in December. Separately, the U.S. put in place tariffs on various Russian metal imports.

Together, the UK and the U.S. have today gone one step further and brought both metal exchanges into the scope of these measures – reinforcing a shared commitment to constrain Russia and support Ukraine. This follows a dialogue between the two countries to maximise the impact of the policy, which is a technically complex measure requiring time to work through the details to ensure its effectiveness and minimise the risk of market disruption.

Metal exchanges provide a central role in facilitating the trading of industrial metals around the globe. The London Metal Exchange and Chicago Mercantile Exchange both have warehouses all over the world. Together, they are the world’s two largest metal exchanges and set global benchmark prices for the trade of base metals.

Both the UK and U.S. measures will exempt the existing stock of Russian metal on these global exchanges so they can still be traded and withdrawn. This is to minimise the risk to market stability.

Today’s announcement to strengthen the UK’s existing ban on Russian metals builds on ongoing work to support Ukraine. Since Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UK has introduced the largest and most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on any major economy.

Over 2,000 individuals and entities have now been sanctioned, and it is estimated that without sanctions, Russia would have over $400 billion more to fund its war – which could be enough to do so for an additional four years. The UK has also provided almost £12 billion in military, humanitarian and economic support to Ukraine and has often been the first mover on vital lethal aid.

Sanctions Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “Today’s action ratches up economic pressure on Putin, further depriving him of the key resources and revenue streams he needs to fund his illegal war in Ukraine.

“We have now imposed extensive trade sanctions on Russian-origin oil, gas, gold, diamonds, iron, steel, and base metals, dealing a heavy blow to Putin’s war economy. But we must continue to work with our allies to further tighten the screws on the Kremlin.”

Minister for Trade Policy Greg Hands said: “The UK has already imposed the most severe package of bans that we’ve ever seen on a major economy, including on Russian metals which is Russia’s largest export commodity after oil and gas.

“Now, we’re going even further. By strengthening our sanctions on Russian metals, alongside the U.S., we will reduce Russian revenue which it uses to fund Putin’s war machine.”

First Minister’s concerns over UK decision to continue to arm Israel

Noting that the Prime Minister did not agree to his call to end the license of arms exports to Israel, the First Minister has written to Lord Ahmad to warn that the UK Government is in danger of being complicit in the killing of innocent civilians.

The full text of the letter: UK arms sales to Israel: letter to Lord Ahmad:

Dear Lord Ahmad,

Thank you for your letter of 8 April replying to mine to the Prime Minister of 23 February and 3 April.

I welcome the UK Government’s stated commitment to International Humanitarian Law, our diplomats’ contribution to finally achieving a UN Security Council Resolution, and the UK’s wider efforts to bring an end to the tragedy befalling the people of the Middle East.

I share with you the grief at the killing of three British aid workers, along with every other innocent man, woman and child killed in Gaza and Israel since Hamas’s terrorist attacks of 7 October and Israel’s response, which has gone far beyond any legitimate response.

In spite of everything contained in your comprehensive reply, I note that you have not agreed to my call to end the license of arms exports to Israel, which means that the UK will continue to arm Israel’s war in Gaza. A war that has left tens of thousands dead, the majority reported to be women and children.

As I said in my letter of 3 April, by continuing to arm Israel, the United Kingdom Government is in danger of being complicit in the killing of innocent civilians.

I find it difficult to comprehend that this continues to be the United Kingdom’s position against the backdrop of the ICJ ruling; UN Security Council, General Assembly and Human Rights Council Resolutions; countless UN officials’ statements about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza; and the recent open letter signed by over 600 legal professionals warning of potential UK complicity in grave breaches of international law, including violations of the Genocide Convention.

If this, alongside the killing of British nationals among at least 35,000 dead – the majority of whom are innocent women and children – is insufficient to change your policy, what more will it take?

‘To the shoplifters and those abusing shopworkers, enough is enough’

Prime Minister launches retail crime crackdown

Serial or abusive shoplifters will face tougher punishments as the Prime Minister sets out tough new action to crack down on retail crime and protect UK highstreets.

Assaulting a retail worker will be made a standalone criminal offence in England, sending a clear message that there will be tough consequences for this unacceptable behaviour.

Perpetrators could be sent to prison for up to six months, receive an unlimited fine and be banned from going back to the shop where they committed their crimes, with Criminal Behaviour Orders barring them visiting specific premises.

Breaching an order is also a criminal offence and carries a five-year maximum prison sentence. For the most serious cases of assault, such as causing grievous bodily harm with intent, offenders could face a life sentence.

The move to create the new offence follows longstanding campaigning on this issue from Matt Vickers MP, and some of the biggest retailers, calling for more action to better protect their staff.

The UK government is also stepping up action to clamp down on offenders who repeatedly target the country’s high streets, with serial offenders forced to wear tags to track their movements.

These tags will be a constant and physical reminder to offenders that the Probation Service can find out where they have been and when, and that they risk being sent to prison if they refuse to obey the rules. Under an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill, if an offender is found guilty of assaulting staff three times, or is sentenced for shoplifting on three separate occasions, they should be made to wear a tag as part of any community order.

Ahead of this legislation coming in, the UK government will partner with a police force to pilot a bespoke package of community sentencing measures which can be used by judges to tackle high levels of shoplifting, sending a clear message that repeat criminality will not be tolerated.

The government is also ramping up the use of facial recognition technology to help catch perpetrators and prevent shoplifting in the first place. Backed by a £55.5m investment over the next four years, the police will be able to further roll this new state of the art technology.

This will include £4m for bespoke mobile units that can be deployed to high streets across the country with live facial recognition used in crowded areas to identify people wanted by the police – including repeat shoplifters.

The mobile units will take live footage of crowds in towns and on highstreets, comparing images to specific people wanted by the police or banned from that location. Police in the area will then be alerted so they can track down these offenders.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Since 2010, violent and neighbourhood crime in England and Wales has fallen dramatically, showing our plan to keep our streets safe is working. Yet shoplifting and violence and abuse towards retail workers continues to rise.

“I am sending a message to those criminals – whether they are serious organised criminal gangs, repeat offenders or opportunistic thieves – who think they can get away with stealing from these local businesses or abusing shopworkers, enough is enough.

“Our local shops are the lifeblood of our communities, and they must be free to trade without the threat of crime or abuse.”

The action set out today builds on the successes already through the police’s Retail Crime Action Plan, which was commissioned by the Crime and Policing Minister, Chris Philp last year.

This included a range of measures, such as a police commitment to prioritise urgently attending the scene of shop theft involving violence against a shop worker, where security guards have detained an offender or where attendance is needed to secure evidence, which is showing signs of progress.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “There is quite simply no excuse for threatening behaviour or stealing – which can run other people’s livelihoods into the ground, while being traumatic for workers.

“To turn a blind eye to retail crime shakes the foundations of law and order which protect our society and that is unacceptable. We are enhancing our plan and doubling down on the zero-tolerance approach needed to fight back.

“The number of offenders being charged for these crimes is increasing and while I want to see more people face consequences for their actions, our plan is designed to help put a stop to these crimes happening in the first place.”

The government has driven forward significant efforts to tackle retail crime in the past year, bringing together policing and business to commit to smarter, more joined up working to reduce criminal behaviour and rebuild public confidence in the police response when it does occur.

Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp said: “Sadly if you speak to anyone working in retail, they will tell you of the verbal abuse and sometimes violent assaults they’ve been victims of, simply for trying to do their job.

“In no other work place would this be accepted. I have been driving forward action to improve the police response to retail crime since I became Policing Minister, because nothing less than a zero-tolerance approach will do.

“That’s why today we’re sending a clear message to criminals that enough is enough bringing forward further measures to protect retail workers and crack down on those who continuously disregard the law.”

A specialist new police team set up last year is building intelligence on organised retail crime gangs funded through ‘Pegasus’, a first-of-its-kind business and policing partnership backed by 14 of the UK’s biggest retailers, National Business Crime Solutions and the Home Office, launched to radically improve the way retailers are able to share intelligence with police to identify more offenders. The unit forms part of Opal, the national police intelligence unit for serious organised acquisitive crime.

Where CCTV or other digital images are secured, police are committed to running this through the Police National Database, as standard, to aid efforts to identify prolific offenders or potentially dangerous individuals. This builds on the pledge by police forces across England and Wales that they will follow up on all lines of enquiry, where there is a reasonable chance it could lead them to catching a perpetrator and solving a crime.

All police forces across England and Wales made another significant commitment last year to prioritise police attendance at the scene of a retail crime incident where violence has been used towards shop staff, where an offender has been detained by store security, or where evidence needs to be secured and can only be done by police personnel.

Paul Gerrard, Campaigns and Public Affairs Director of The Co-op Group, said: “The Co-op sees every day the violence and threats our colleagues, like other retail workers, face as they serve the communities they live in.

“We have long called for a standalone offence of attacking or abusing a shopworker and so we very much welcome the Government’s announcement today.

“The Co-op will redouble our work with police forces but these measures will undoubtedly, when implemented, keep our shopworkers safer, protect the shops they work in and help the communities both serve.”

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “After relentless campaigning for a specific offence for assaulting retail workers, the voices of the three million people working in retail are finally being heard.

“The impact of retail violence has steadily worsened, with people facing racial abuse, sexual harassment, threatening behaviour, physical assault and threats with weapons, often linked to organised crime. Victims are ordinary hardworking people – teenagers taking on their first job, carers looking for part-time work, parents working around childcare.

“This announcement sends a clear message that abusive behaviour will not be tolerated and it is vital the police use this new legislation to step up their response to incidents. Together, we must stamp out this scourge in crime that has been sweeping the nation and ensure retail workers are given the vital protections they deserve.

Sharon White, Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said: “Retail crime is never victimless – it costs retailers over £1 billion every year and can have a huge impact on the shop workers involved.

“We’ve long called for violence towards retail workers to be recognised as a standalone offence so welcome this announcement, which sends a clear message that abuse will never be tolerated. It will help deter acts of aggression, and allow police to drive prosecutions should instances escalate.”

UK participates in largest international airdrop into Gaza

BUT CONTINUES TO SUPPLY ARMS TO ISRAEL

The Royal Air Force participated in a large-scale international aid airdrop into Gaza yesterday to coincide with Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.

Collectively delivering hundreds of tonnes of aid, this was the largest airdrop of aid into Gaza on a single day and the culmination of careful planning alongside international partners to ensure the complex mission could be conducted safely and effectively.

Led by the Jordanian Armed Forces, the international operation saw 9 nations* and 14 aircraft drop essential aid.

An RAF A400M flew this morning from Amman, Jordan to airdrop over 10 tonnes of aid, including ready-to-eat meals, water and rice, along the northern coastline of Gaza. The flight took around an hour with other nations’ aircraft dropping aid throughout the course of the day.

The A400M Atlas and crew are based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire with both RAF and British Army personnel supporting the operation in Jordan. Over the last two weeks they have dropped over 53 tonnes of aid on six flights.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: The prospect of famine in Gaza is real and today’s international airdrop will provide life-saving food supplies for civilians.

“This is the sixth RAF airdrop in recent weeks, delivering over 53 tonnes of aid, including water, flour and baby formula.

“After six months of war in Gaza, the toll on civilians continues to grow. We continue to stand by Israel’s right to defeat the threat from Hamas terrorists, who have failed the people of Gaza and hide behind civilians. This terrible conflict must end. The hostages must be released and the aid must flood in.”

Yesterday’s international airdrop is part of UK efforts to provide vital humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza and follows the announcement of a package of military and civilian support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza. This includes the deployment of a Royal Navy ship to the Eastern Mediterranean as well as up to £9.7 million for aid deliveries.

The maritime corridor initiative will see tens of thousands of tonnes of aid pre-screened in Cyprus and delivered directly to Gaza, via a new US temporary pier being constructed off the coast or via Ashdod Port, which Israel has now agreed to open.

The UK is also focused on ensuring more aid can enter Gaza by land, and deliveries will be scaled up with the opening of the Erez crossing. In partnership with the World Food Programme, the UK’s largest delivery of aid – more than 2,000 tonnes of food aid – crossed the border on 13 March.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: “Led by our Jordanian partners, we have joined nations around the world to mark the end of Ramadan by getting life-saving aid into Gaza. Thousands of people in desperate need will benefit from this united effort.

“The UK remains ready to play its part in getting supplies in by land, air and sea, but the people of Gaza need more.

“We continue to push Israel as hard as we can to get more aid across the border and delivered throughout the region. Words must turn into action – this is essential to avoid an even more severe humanitarian crisis.”

Sunday marked 6 months since the devastating October 7 terrorist attacks, and almost a week since British aid workers were killed trying to get life-saving food to those in need.

The UK continues to call for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire, as the fastest way to get hostages safely home and more aid in.