Jun292017

Press release: PM meetings with EU leaders ahead of G20 summit: 29 June 2017

HM Government

The Prime Minister held bilateral talks with Chancellor Merkel today in Berlin ahead of a meeting with EU leaders to prepare next week’s G20 summit in Hamburg.

The Prime Minister said the UK was fully supportive of Germany’s G20 presidency, and would work to ensure meaningful progress at the summit in key areas including counter-terrorism.

They discussed Brexit, welcoming the constructive start to the negotiations and agreeing it was important that the rights of citizens was the first issue to be discussed.

They agreed on the need to work even more closely together to counter threats to European security, including countering Russia’s destabilising external interference in Europe’s neighbouring regions such as the Western Balkans, and encouraging swift implementation of the Minsk Accords in Ukraine.

After her bilateral meeting with Chancellor Merkel, the Prime Minister’s talks with EU leaders covered a range of topics due to be discussed at the G20 summit, including counter-terrorism, trade, and climate change.

On counter-terrorism, the Prime Minister made the point that the international community must come together and do more to counter terrorism and extremism, which is a shared threat facing us all. She said we needed to see continued progress in tackling online radicalisation, building on the agreements reached at the G7 summit.

On trade, the Prime Minister made the point that the UK is a powerful advocate for free trade and the World Trade Organisation, and a global economy that works for everyone. She said the international community must acknowledge that some people feel left behind by globalisation, and that not all countries are playing by the rules. The Prime Minister encouraged other leaders to take steps to make the international trading system work better, and also to ensure that all our citizens can share in the benefits of the global economy.

Finally, on climate change, the Prime Minister reiterated that the British government’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and tackling global climate change is as strong as ever. We play a leading role internationally and are delivering on our commitments to create a safer, more prosperous future for us all. The Prime Minister confirmed that the UK will continue working closely with our partners on energy and climate change issues.

Jun292017

News story: Sir Alan Duncan opens seventh annual Chile Day in London

HM Government

Chile Day’s objective include strengthening ties between the City of London and representatives from Chilean capital markets

Minister of State for the Americas, the Rt Hon Sir Alan Duncan MP, opened the Chile Day event on Thursday with a speech that highlighted the strong UK-Chile relationship.

Chile Day is an event that promotes the Chilean financial market to a UK audience. It aims to strengthen ties between the representatives of Chilean capital markets and the City of London, and to showcase Chile as an investment destination and platform for funds across Latin America.

Sir Alan said:

I am delighted to be taking part in another successful Chile Day in London. The UK and Chile are linked by close historical ties and common values. We share a strong belief in the importance of free trade and globalisation, and the UK is an active observer at meetings of the Pacific Alliance of which Chile is a founding member.

Chile is a valued international partner, and we work together on a range of global challenges, including issues such as women’s and LGBT rights, education and peace-keeping. Each year, Chile Day offers an opportunity for us to strengthen and deepen our relationship with Chile not just in trade, but in other areas such as science, innovation and good governance.

Notes for Editors:

  • Chile Day is a collaboration between the Ministry of Finance for the Government of Chile, the British Embassy, the Embassy of Chile in London, InBest Chile and Pro Chile (the export promotion bureau of Chile).

  • The Chile Day delegation was led by the Chilean Minister of Finance and the Chairman of the Chilean Central Bank, who was accompanied by around 400 top investors and businessmen.

  • You can find out more about Chile Day here.

  • You can read Sir Alan Duncan’s full Chile Day speech here.

Further information

Jun292017

Ged Killen MP: Maiden speech

Scottish Labour

Thank you Mr Speaker for the opportunity to give my maiden speech in this debate, it is an honour to be standing here representing the good people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West as their new Labour and Co-operative MP and it is a pleasure to follow excellent maiden speeches across the house and, in particular that of my honourable friends, the members for:
I’d like to begin, Mr Speaker, by paying tribute to all of those affected by recent events in London and Manchester, painful and shocking tragedies that were truly felt right across the country.  One of my own constituents Piotr Chylewska was seriously injured in the Manchester bombing. Originally from Poland, Pitor now lives in Rutherglen and was among the last of the injured to be discharged from hospital in Manchester. I am pleased to say Piotr is making good progress and I’m sure members across this house would like to join me in wishing him well.
Often in the most of tragic of circumstances, we see the very best in each other and I'd like to thank Father Paul Morton, the St Bride's Parish in Cambuslang and the wider community for the support they have shown Piotr.  It is that coming together in times of adversity that I think is a testament to our shared values.  Values that I see examples of every day in my wonderful constituency of Rutherglen and Hamilton West.
In my home town in of Rutherglen, we have Coffee Shops like the Black Poppy collecting and distributing toiletries for the homeless; In Blantyre, public houses like the West End Bar supporting generations of families affected by Chernobyl; community councils like Burnside and Halfway working hard to stand up for local interests; Proud Lanarkshire institutions like Equi's Ice Cream in Hamilton; Social enterprises like R:evolve Clothing; residents associations, churches and community development trusts like Healthy ‘n’ Happy;  and too many more to name; a diverse mix of decent people all coming together and helping to make our communities better places to live one small act of kindness at a time. They are the everyday heroes and I want to thank each and every one of them for the job that they do.
Mr Speaker, my predecessor, Margaret Ferrier was a strong advocate in this house for Human Rights across the world.  I have no doubt that she cared as deeply for my constituency as I do, and I wish her well for the future. In her maiden speech, she spoke of working together in a spirit of collaboration. 
I like to think of myself as a pragmatist who welcomes consensus and, although it won't be surprising that I few fond memories of pervious conservative Governments, as the first Gay Married Man to represent my constituency, I welcomed the equal marriage legislation passed under the 2010 coalition government and I look forward to the continued advancement of LGBTI equality in this place and across the whole of the United Kingdom.
In reading the speeches of my predecessors, Mr Speaker, I was struck that the occasion of a maiden speech is an opportunity to leave a message for future generations.  I hope both my successor and I will be able to look back and have at least one fond memory of the current government. Unfortunately, initial impressions suggest I may be disappointed.
Having served as a local councillor, I have seen first-hand the effects of the government’s austerity programme on the communities in my constituency.  Real consequences for jobs, services and the local economy.
When I hear stories of people using candles to heat and light rooms in their home; of disabled people unable to put on their own socks and shoes being found fit to work; of siblings in their 20s sharing a bedroom because they have nowhere else to go;  When I hear these stories not from the pages of history where they belong Mr Speaker, but from real life in my constituency in 2017, I wonder, where is the deal for them?  Who from the government benches will negotiate to protect their interests? Support for those that need it most and investment in public services are not luxuries to be rationed or traded off.
The lack of ambition of the Scottish Government in these matters will not escape my scrutiny or criticism but if the members opposite are truly to be a government of all of the nations and regions of the United Kingdom it is time to start acting like it.
We need a government looking out for people across the country, not for the people sitting on the benches behind them and, as we go forward, it is the individual lives, the every day heroes that I want to focus on in this place.
It has been an exciting and somewhat unexpected journey for me from Gorbals boy to Member of Parliament via Rutherglen and Blantyre.  And in this era of fixed term parliaments, Mr Speaker, the great irony is that I have no idea how long I will have a seat in this place.  But my pledge to the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West is that no matter how long that is, I fully intend to make every day count.

This speech was delivered on June 29 2017. It should be checked against delivery.