Home Secretary Priti Patel was joined by Chief of Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, at the international defence and security conference, which attracts senior Ministers from across the world.

Across the 3 days, the conference focused on a range of topics from global governance in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic to building new security partnerships in the Middle East.

The UK is a major international player in the region and has long-standing security relationships across the Gulf. The government is investing in and working closely with partners to counter terrorism and promote stability, which has a direct impact on the safety of the British public at home.

Following the conference, the Home Secretary met senior Bahrain government ministers and regional counterparts.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

It was a pleasure to visit Bahrain, a country with which the UK’s close and important relationship has flourished for more than 200 years.

I am committed to supporting Bahrain as it continues to make important reforms, and both our nations will work closely together to promote peace and security in the Gulf region and across the world.

On 6 December, the Home Secretary met her counterpart, Minister of Interior Affairs Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa. She reiterated the UK’s support for Bahrain’s security and police reform, and welcomed both nations’ commitment to working closely on a number of joint security and counter-terrorism issues.

The Home Secretary also met Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al-Khalifa, Bahraini Minister of Justice, to discuss the initiatives being implemented in the country’s justice system and areas where the UK might be able to provide support.

Following that meeting, the Home Secretary also had a bilateral with Foreign Minister Dr Abdulatif bin Rashid Al Zayani in which she welcomed the Kingdom’s efforts promoting security and stability in the region, and set out how the UK’s new points-based immigration system will benefit the citizens of Bahrain looking to live, work or study in the UK.

Our existing contract with the on-site contractor for Grenfell Tower will expire in June 2021. We need to re-procure the contract due to government rules and guidance on spending public money. It is a standard process and is part of the government’s role in keeping the site safe.

From 8 December, we are inviting potential companies to bid to carry out some of the safety and day-to-day maintenance works on the Grenfell Tower site. We know that this will be of interest to some of the community. In this update, we explain how we’ll approach this, as well as the ways you can be involved if you would like to be.