It is with regret and concern that we, the Leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom take note of President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Together, we emphasise our continuing commitment to the JCPoA. This agreement remains important for our shared security. We recall that the JCPoA was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council in resolution 2231. This resolution remains the binding international legal framework for the resolution of the dispute about the Iranian nuclear programme. We urge all sides to remain committed to its full implementation and to act in a spirit of responsibility.

According to the IAEA, Iran continues to abide by the restrictions set out by the JCPoA, in line with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The world is a safer place as a result. Therefore we, the E3, will remain parties to the JCPoA. Our governments remain committed to ensuring the agreement is upheld, and will work with all the remaining parties to the deal to ensure this remains the case including through ensuring the continuing economic benefits to the Iranian people that are linked to the agreement.

We urge the US to ensure that the structures of the JCPoA can remain intact, and to avoid taking action which obstructs its full implementation by all other parties to the deal. After engaging with the US Administration in a thorough manner over the past months, we call on the US to do everything possible to preserve the gains for nuclear non-proliferation brought about by the JCPoA, by allowing for a continued enforcement of its main elements.

We encourage Iran to show restraint in response to the decision by the US; Iran must continue to meet its own obligations under the deal, cooperating fully and in a timely manner with IAEA inspection requirements. The IAEA must be able to continue to carry out its long-term verification and monitoring programme without restriction or hindrance. In turn, Iran should continue to receive the sanctions relief it is entitled to whilst it remains in compliance with the terms of the deal.

There must be no doubt: Iran’s nuclear program must always remain peaceful and civilian. While taking the JCPOA as a base, we also agree that other major issues of concern need to be addressed. A long-term framework for Iran’s nuclear programme after some of the provisions of the JCPOA expire, after 2025, will have to be defined. Because our commitment to the security of our allies and partners in the region is unwavering, we must also address in a meaningful way shared concerns about Iran’s ballistic missile programme and its destabilising regional activities, especially in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. We have already started constructive and mutually beneficial discussions on these issues, and the E3 is committed to continuing them with key partners and concerned states across the region.

We and our Foreign Ministers will reach out to all parties to the JCPoA to seek a positive way forward.

Good evening everyone. It is a pleasure to welcome some of Britain’s great creative minds to Downing Street today, and I hope you have had the chance to admire some of the great British art we have here at Number 10. From Henry Moore to Stanley Spencer, who was brought up in my constituency, to Tracey Emin are represented here.

It’s a real who’s who of British art but our artists, modern and contemporary, are not the only world-leaders in our creative industries. I think what is great here this evening is that we have people from so many different aspects of our creative industries.

So while our films captivate audiences the world over, our fashion designers surprise and delight, our architects are shaping skylines and cityscapes on every continent.

In publishing, in music, in advertising and more, the UK consistently punches well above its weight. And every day our creative industries fly the flag for Britain on the global stage. Every year our creative industries contribute £92 billion to the economy, providing work for more than two million people right across the country.

I am not just talking about the big names, the stars of stage and screen who we all recognise, the sector provides highly skilled jobs right across the board. Technicians, producers, researchers, designers, coders, set builders, make-up artists…. The unsung heroes, the people without whom our creative industries would not be the worldwide success that they are.

But of course, the value of culture and creativity lies not only in its economic strength. Just as important is the less tangible contribution that it makes to our national life. The work you do brings joy to millions. It fosters unity, gives us a common currency. It helps to define and build our sense of national character.

“Without culture […] society is but a jungle”. Your work is a vital part of our national life and our national economy, and I am absolutely committed to supporting it.

And of course since 2015, Arts Council England has invested over £1 billion in arts and culture, with grants being made right across the country.

Our ambitious sector deal for the creative industries, announced just before Easter, will see a further £150 million invested by government and industry, spreading success and making the sector fit to face the future.

And today, I’m delighted to announce a £3 million fund that will provide a new source of finance for creative and cultural organisations across the North of England. Offering a mix of grants and loans, the social investment fund will be open to non-profit, community-based organisations that deliver a positive social impact.

And it will form part of the legacy for this summer’s Great Exhibition of the North: a game-changing moment for the region that showcases the very best of the North’s culture and creativity.

But our support goes beyond the financial. As we leave the European Union, we will continue to work with our European friends to protect cultural heritage and promote cultural diversity.

And, in Matt Hancock you’ve got a Secretary of State who really gets what the sector is all about, and is enthusiastic about it, and I know he is already doing great work with many of you who are here tonight.

Our creative industries really are at the heart of what makes Britain great. As I say, from the big screen to the local gallery, your sector has consistently led the world for many, many years – and I look forward to that success continuing for many more years to come.

Thank you for all that you do. Thank you for all that those who work with you do. And long may it continue.

The funding, which follows an Industrial Strategy sector deal for the creative industries earlier this year, will mean arts projects and enterprises which support their local communities, in areas including Cumbria, Manchester, Lancashire, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and Yorkshire, can apply for £150,000 of government funding. This could include projects using theatre to improve child literacy or art workshops for disabled people or the elderly.

This follows the announcement earlier in the year that the government will commit £11 million through the Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund to support three major cultural projects in Blackpool, Bradford and the Lake District. Both funds will help build a legacy for the Great Exhibition of the North: showcasing the very best of art and design in the region.

The Prime Minister made the announcement at No 10 where she welcomed publishers, artists, actors, directors of art galleries and theatres and craftspeople to celebrate the contribution of creative industries to all parts of the UK. To showcase the sector’s success, companies including Warner Bros, bespoke shoe makers Carréducker, furniture designers Angus Ross, denim manufacturer Hiut Denim and Mourne Textiles exhibited their products in Downing Street.

Speaking to the audience at the reception, which included guests from Universal Music, the Natural History Museum, the National Gallery, Pinewood Studios and the National Theatre, the Prime Minister praised the creative industries which contribute £92 billion to the UK economy, providing work for more than two million people right across the country.

Prime Minister Theresa May said:

Our creative industries are at the heart of what makes Britain great, from the big screen to the local gallery. Our films captivate audiences the world over, our fashion designers surprise and delight, our architects are shaping skylines and cityscapes on every continent. In publishing, in music, in advertising and more, every day our creative industries fly the flag for Britain on the global stage.

Today, I’m delighted to announce a £3 million fund that will provide a new source of finance for creative and cultural organisations across the Northern Powerhouse. Offering a mix of grants and loans, the social investment fund will be open to non-profit, community-based organisations that deliver a positive social impact as part of our modern industrial strategy.

Arts Minister Michael Ellis said:

Britain’s creative industries are an economic and cultural powerhouse that is recognised around the world.

This new fund is another vote of confidence in the sector that will develop future talent, benefit communities and provide a lasting legacy from the Great Exhibition of the North.

The new fund builds on the £150 million invested by government and industry through the ambitious Industrial Strategy deal for the creative industries, spreading success and making the sector fit to face the future.

The power of culture and creative industries to boost economic growth is evident across the country. In Hull nearly 800 jobs have been created and almost £220 million invested in Hull’s tourism and cultural sectors since the city was named UK City of Culture 2017.

Before attending the event, President and Managing Director, Warner Bros. Entertainment UK and Ireland Josh Berger said:

Warner Bros. is proud to be a part of Britain’s world-class creative industries sector as a major investor in film, television, video games, theatre, and production facilities. Today’s reception celebrates the growth and innovation of the industry and demonstrates the government’s continued support for the incredible creative talent we have across the UK.

Deborah Carré & James Ducker, Directors of Carréducker said:

We were thrilled to be invited to Number 10 this afternoon and feel it is a validation of our hard work over the last 14 years. We think that small to medium sized businesses like Carréducker are a vital drivers of the creative industries in the UK and their contribution to the economy is proven, both in the domestic and international markets where our products and services are sold

Carréducker and businesses like ours help to give the UK its reputation in the world as a centre of excellence for both design and craft. Creativity is a vital driver of British industry and we are delighted that it is being recognised in this way.

I welcome Lebanon’s first parliamentary elections since 2009, which took place on 6 May. I was pleased to see that the elections took place peacefully and in an orderly way, and I hope that the recommendations of the electoral observer missions will be acted on.

The United Kingdom remains steadfast in its commitment to Lebanon’s stability, security and prosperity. I hope that Lebanon’s political leaders, following the announcement of the election results, move swiftly to form a new government to address the crucial issues facing the country. I welcome calls from political leaders to carry out celebrations in a calm and peaceful manner.

The next government will have the important task of protecting Lebanon’s stability and security by: robustly implementing the policy of disassociation from regional conflict; abiding by the provisions of all relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, in particular 1559 and 1701; and ensuring that the state’s legitimate security institutions hold the monopoly on the use of force.

We also look forward to the next government making rapid progress on implementing the commitments to economic reform made at the CEDRE Conference (Conférence économique pour le développement, par les réformes et avec les entreprises) in Paris on 6 April, and working with the international community on the approach to the many refugees from Syria hosted by Lebanon, as set out in the Lebanon Partnership Paper jointly agreed at the Brussels Conference on 24 and 25 April.

The United Kingdom will remain a strong partner of Lebanon as it addresses the crucial challenges ahead.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is appealing for witnesses with photographs or videos of an accident involving fishing vessel Laura Jane. The boat capsized close to Mountbatten breakwater, Plymouth at about 1330 on Bank Holiday Monday, 7 May.

Contact us by email at maib@dft.gov.uk or via our 24-hour reporting line, 023 8023 2527.