Jun192017
In my last column, I looked ahead to a very important statement that Education Secretary John Swinney was due to make in Parliament, about reforming the way our schools are governed.
I couldn’t give too much away, but I promised it would be bold and radical.
I hope that everyone who has now seen it would agree.
Jun192017
I would like to extend a warm welcome to Leo Varadkar to Downing Street today for the first time and offer my congratulations on his appointment as Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael.
The unique relationship shared between the United Kingdom and Ireland is one of friendship, close cooperation and a deep sense of shared endeavour, bound by common values and generations of family links between our people.
The Taoiseach has said he believes in an Ireland where every person has an opportunity to succeed and share in prosperity. And I share a similar belief that the United Kingdom should be a place where everyone should have the chance to live a secure and happy life – a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.
We also spoke about the unimaginable tragedy which struck Grenfell Tower last week. The government will continue to do absolutely everything possible to help all of those affected through the difficult days, weeks, months and years ahead.
We spoke too about the appalling attack on Londoners in Finsbury in the early hours of this morning. As I said earlier, this was an attack that once again targeted the ordinary and the innocent going about their daily lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the man who died and those who were injured.
The Taoiseach expressed his deepest sympathies for those affected by these horrific events and we both agreed that this kind of hatred and evil that leads to terrorism would never prevail.
Last week, the Taoiseach and I spoke and we agreed on the crucial need for the parties in Northern Ireland to form a fully functioning Executive by the 29 June deadline and how we would continue to engage closely on this important issue and reaffirmed that today.
We have both met the two main parties to make clear that the UK and Ireland would do everything we can to work with them and the importance of reaching an agreement by 29 June.
It is my firm belief that with good will on both sides a resolution can be reached which builds on the progress made in the last round of discussions.
And my government remains absolutely committed to a successful outcome from these talks and we remain steadfast in our support for the Belfast Agreement and its successors.
As the United Kingdom embarks on leaving the European Union, I fully respect that Ireland will remain an EU member state and that’s why it is more important than ever that the relationship between our countries continues to go from strength to strength.
We are leaving the European Union, but we are not leaving Europe – and we want to remain committed partners and allies of Ireland and all our friends across the continent.
Trade between our countries is worth over £43 billion a year and supports 400,000 jobs. And there are also complex supply chains that benefit both our countries. And as I’ve said before, no one wants to see this diminished.
I am personally committed to ensuring a practical solution that recognises the unique economic, social, cultural and political context of the land border with Ireland – which so many people pass through everyday and it remain our priority to work closely with the Irish government to ensure a frictionless and seamless a border as possible.
And I made this clear in my letter to Donald Tusk triggering Article 50 and that we want to maintain the Common Travel Area between us to make sure the UK’s withdrawal from the EU does not harm the Republic of Ireland.
We also want the reciprocal rights that our citizens enjoy in both countries to continue, including the rights guaranteed under the Belfast Agreement.
And both we and the EU have made clear that we want to resolve this as a matter of priority and I am pleased that as negotiations begin in Brussels today we can start working in earnest together on joint solutions.
And it is with this shared sense of purpose that I believe our 2 countries can build even deeper ties and our unique relationship will become even closer and stronger.
The Taoiseach and I have had constructive discussions today. I look forward to working with him and to continuing the close relationship that our 2 countries have enjoyed for many more generations to come.
Jun192017
19 June 2017 – Nearly 66 million people were forcibly displaced from their homes last year, the United Nation refugee agency today reported, stressing the “very high” pace at which conflict and persecution is forcing people to flee their homes.
The figure equates to “one person displaced every three seconds – less that the time it takes to read this sentence.”
The report Global Trends, released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), marks a jump of 300,000 since the end of 2015.
“By any measure this is an unacceptable number,” said UN High Commissioner Filippo Grandi, urging “solidarity and a common purpose in preventing and resolving crisis.”
He also called for properly protecting and caring for the world’s refugees, internally displaced and asylum-seekers – who currently number 22.5 million, 40.3 million, and 2.8 million, respectively.
According to the report, Syria remains “the world’s biggest producer of refugees” with 12 million people living in neighbouring countries and away from the region. There are 7.7 million displaced Colombians, 4.7 million Afghans and 4.2 million Iraqis.
However, in 2016, South Sudan became “the biggest new factor” when peace efforts broke down in July resulting in some 737,400 people fleeing by the end of the year.
Nyawet Tut, a South Sudanese mother of five in her 30s, described how soldiers set fire to her village and she had to run for her life with her own five children and five others of relatives killed in the conflict.
“My husband was killed in the war which, in addition to the shortage of food, made me decide to leave my home, everything, behind,” she told UNHCR staff during an interview at a temporary way station in Ethiopia.
In total, about 3.3 million South Sudanese had fled their homes by the end of the year, in what is known as the fastest-growing displacement of people in the world.
About half of the refugee population last year were children younger than 18 years of age, according the report.
This is in contrast to the fact that children make up only about 31 per cent of the total world population.
Among its findings, the report noted that some 75,000 asylum claims were received from children travelling alone or separated from their parents. These include youngsters like Tareq, 16, who dodged armed combatants to walk out of Syria into neighbouring Turkey.
“There was no future where we lived,” he told UNHCR. “There was no university and no work. There were troops grabbing young children like me, and they send them to war, and they get killed. I wanted to study.”
Developing countries are hosting the majority of the world’s refugees, UNHCR reported.
About 84 per cent of the people were in low- or middle-income countries as of end 2016. Of that figure, one in every three people, roughly 4.9 million people, were hosted by the least developed countries.
“This huge imbalance reflects several things including the continuing lack of consensus internationally when it comes to refugee hosting and the proximity of many poor countries to regions of conflict,” the UN agency said.
In addition, the figure “illustrates the need for countries and communities supporting refugees and other displaced people to be robustly resourced and supported,” UNHCR said, warning that the absence can create instability in the host countries.
Today’s report is being released on the eve of World Refugee Day, marked annually on 20 June.
Jun192017
The Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP has been appointed Lord President of the Privy Council and Leader of the House of Commons.
Andrea Leadsom said:
“I am delighted to have been appointed as Lord President and Leader of the House of Commons in what is an historic period for our Parliament.
“I am optimistic about our prospects as the UK prepares to leave the European Union and plan to work diligently to ensure the Government can successfully bring in its new legislative programme.
“It is incumbent on all parliamentarians that we do so in a spirit of national unity – openly discussing our disagreements while working hard to resolve our differences in the best interests of the country. I look forward to working across party lines on this basis.
“As we anticipate the return of significant powers from the European Union to the Palace of Westminster, we will show the world why our democracy is so valuable and so important in helping provide fairness and opportunity for everyone.”
Also confirmed is the reappointment of Michael Ellis MP as Deputy Leader of the House of Commons.
Michael Ellis said:
“I am very pleased to return as Deputy Leader, a role I have greatly enjoyed and continue to relish.
“The Government is always committed to listening carefully to Parliament’s views and we will continue to do just that in the years ahead.”
Jun192017
Speaking at a send off event in Lusaka today, British High Commissioner, Fergus Cochrane-Dyet OBE said:
I congratulate Natasha on this recognition of her achievements and leadership skills. She is making a real difference in the community by raising awareness about sexual health. We are looking forward to seeing more talented young Zambians being boosted through this Programme. I am confident that Natasha will use her leadership skills to inspire positive change in Zambia.
Natasha, a young leader from Zambia, is among 60 young people from across the Commonwealth to receive an award from Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace in June 2017.
The Queen’s Young Leaders award is part of The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme aimed at identifying, mentoring and celebrating the achievements of young people who are taking the lead to transform the lives of others and make a lasting difference in their communities.
This year’s Award winners, aged between 18 and 29 and who come from all over the Commonwealth, are working to support others, raise awareness and inspire change on a variety of different issues including; education, climate change, gender equality, mental health and disability equality.
See a full list of Award winners and Highly Commended runners up, and read more about their stories please here.
For a copy of a short film introducing the partnership and the Awards scheme please click on this link
The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme
The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, in partnership with Comic Relief and The Royal Commonwealth Society, has established The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme in honour of Her Majesty The Queen’s 60 years of service to the Commonwealth at the time of her Diamond Jubilee. Guided by the values of the Commonwealth Charter, the goal of the Programme is to enable young people to step up as leaders and improve the lives of people across the Commonwealth.
Each year from 2014 to 2018, 60 exceptional young people will be selected to receive a Queen’s Young Leaders Award and become ‘Queen’s Young Leaders’ – one for every year that The Queen had served as Head of the Commonwealth at the time of her Diamond Jubilee.
As part of the Award, winners will receive bespoke mentoring and online learning provided by the University of Cambridge. Award winners will attend a week-long residential programme in the UK in June, when they will receive their Award at Buckingham Palace from Her Majesty The Queen.
The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust is a charitable foundation, established in 2012, to mark and celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s 60-year contribution to the Commonwealth. The Trust has received donations from governments, corporate partners, trusts, foundations, community groups and individuals from across the Commonwealth, and its programmes work in alliance towards eliminating avoidable blindness and to empower a new generation of young leaders. With a five-year timeframe in which to deliver successful programmes, the Trust’s aim is to leave a lasting legacy, owned by the whole Commonwealth, to honour Her Majesty The Queen. For more information go to the Jubilee Trust website. * Comic Relief
Established in 1985, Comic Relief is a major UK fundraising and grant making charity which uses the power of entertainment to create long-lasting change. Its vision is a just world, free from poverty. It strives to make this vision a reality by supporting poor, disadvantages and vulnerable people in the UK and across some of the world’s poorest communities to change their own lives for the better. Discover more here
The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), founded in 1868, is a network of individuals and organisations committed to improving the lives and prospects of Commonwealth citizens across the world. Working through a range of educational, civil society, business and governmental networks, the RCS addresses issues that matter to the Commonwealth citizens. For more information go to to RCS website
Tresford Mumba at the British High Commission on +260 211 423200
British High Commission, Lusaka