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UK to boost defence spending to 2.5% of GDP

Last month, Sunak faced calls from three former defence secretaries to pledge an increase to 3% of GDP on the armed forces in the Tory election manifesto…reports Asian Lite News

Britain will boost its defence spending to 2.5% of national output by the end of the decade, Rishi Sunak has announced on a visit to Poland, as he warned the UK had to be equipped to meet the challenges of an increasingly dangerous world.

The prime minister’s plan, under which the UK would steadily increase defence spending to £87bn a year by 2030, comes after months of pressure from Tory MPs, including the defence secretary, Grant Shapps, to increase military spending to help counter the threat from Russia.

The military commitment, described by Sunak as the “biggest strengthening of our national defence in a generation”, means the UK would spend a cumulative extra £75bn on core defence funding over the next six years.

In a speech alongside the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, in Warsaw, Sunak said Europe was at a turning point as he urged allies to step up to match the commitment of the UK, which will become the second largest contributor to Nato after the United States.

“In a world that is the most dangerous it has been since the end of the cold war, we cannot be complacent. As our adversaries align, we must do more to defend our country, our interests, and our values,” he said.

“Today is a turning point for European security and a landmark moment in the defence of the United Kingdom. It is a generational investment in British security and British prosperity, which makes us safer at home and stronger abroad.”

Downing Street said the plan was fully funded, moving from an aspiration to spend 2.5% by an unspecified date, when the economic circumstances allowed, to a costed commitment to do so in 2030. The UK currently spends 2.32% of gross domestic product on defence.

It is unclear whether an incoming Labour government would stick to Sunak’s commitment. Keir Starmer said last week that Labour would aim to raise the UK’s defence spending to 2.5% of GDP “as soon as resources allow” if it won the election.

Boris Johnson pledged at a Nato summit in June 2022 to increase UK military spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product by the end of the decade as part of a strengthening of Nato defences in response to the threat from Russia.

Last month, Sunak faced calls from three former defence secretaries – Michael Fallon, Gavin Williamson and Ben Wallace – to pledge an increase to 3% of GDP on the armed forces in the Tory election manifesto.

Government sources said the funding would be used to put the UK’s defence industry on “a war footing” and deliver cutting-edge technology to equip the west to stand up to autocratic states such as Russia, Iran and China, which were working together to undermine democracies.

It includes an additional £10bn over the next decade on munitions production, further pledges to reform defence procurement and the creation of a new defence innovation agency with at least 5% of the defence budget to be committed to R&D.

It would also cover an additional £500m in military funding for Ukraine from Treasury reserves, which was announced by Sunak before the trip and takes the total to £3bn this financial year.

Earlier, the prime minister appointed Gen Gwyn Jenkins, a former special forces commander who is vice-chief of the defence staff, as his new national security adviser.

He will be the first armed forces veteran to serve in the role and replaces Tim Barrow, who is expected to become the next UK ambassador to Washington at the end of this year.

Labour, however, has warned it could reverse Barrow’s appointment if it wins the election, arguing that the next UK government should make decision over who takes on Britain’s most senior diplomatic posting.

The chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, also on the trip with Sunak and Shapps, said: “It speaks to Britain’s global role that, with an improving economy, we are able to make this commitment to peace and security in Europe.

“It also sends the clearest possible message to Putin that as other Nato European countries match this commitment, which they will, he will never be able to outspend countries that believe in freedom and democracy.”

Earlier, on the flight to Poland, Sunak said: “It’s important that we continue to support Ukraine and the UK has always led in that. Again we’re stepping up because that is what the situation demands and requires.

The prime minister welcomed the decision by the US House of Representatives, after months of stalling, to finally approve a US $61bn package of new military aid for Ukraine.

But he added: “That doesn’t take away from the need for Europeans to invest in their security. I am very proud that the UK has always led in that regard.”

Sunak, who will visit Germany later on his first visit as prime minister, is expected to be asked for assurances on British defence spending from the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, after decades of real-terms cuts.

Berlin is expected to finally meet its Nato target to spend 2% of GDP on defence after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Germany’s weapons commitments to the war now almost twice the size of Britain’s, and Scholz regularly urging European states to ramp up their military spending.

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Council of Europe slams UK asylum pact with Rwanda

In 2022, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which is part of the Council of Europe, prevented the UK from sending asylum seekers of different nationalities by plane to Rwanda…reports Asian Lite News

The Council of Europe, a European rights body, has sharply criticised the UK for its controversial asylum pact with Rwanda.

“The UK government should refrain from removing people under the Rwanda policy and reverse the Bill’s effective infringement of judicial independence,” said the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, in Strasbourg on Tuesday. The law raises questions about the human rights of asylum seekers and the rule of law in general, he said.

The Council of Europe is independent of the EU and was founded in 1949 to protect democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Europe.

The British bill, which was approved by the House of Lords on Tuesday night after lengthy opposition, declares Rwanda a safe third country by law. In doing so, the government wants to prevent appeals against deportations before British courts.

The asylum pact with Rwanda stipulates that irregular migrants will no longer be given the opportunity to apply for asylum in the UK. Instead, they are to be taken to Rwanda and apply for asylum there.

The regulation is intended to deter people from making the dangerous crossing across the English Channel in small boats. However, opponents doubt that the law will deter migrants.

“Managing asylum and migration is undoubtedly a complex endeavour for states, but it must always be done in full compliance with international standards,” O’Flaherty said.

The British law “is another representation of an ongoing trend towards externalization of asylum and migration policy in Europe, which is a matter of concern for the global system of protection of the rights of refugees,” he said.

In 2022, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which is part of the Council of Europe, prevented the UK from sending asylum seekers of different nationalities by plane to Rwanda.

Earlier, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said, “Settling questions of disputed fact — questions with enormous human rights consequences — is what the courts do … It should be for the courts to decide whether the measures taken by the government since the Supreme Court’s ruling on risks in Rwanda are enough. You cannot legislate facts out of existence. It is deeply concerning to carve out one group of people, or people in one particular situation, from the equal protection of the law. This is antithetical to even-handed justice, available and accessible to all, without discrimination.”

The UN human rights office has reiterated the concerns expressed by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) that the scheme is not compatible with international refugee law, the statement said.

“The combined effects of this Bill, attempting to shield government action from standard legal scrutiny, directly undercut basic human rights principles,” Turk added.

“Such a stance is today more vital than ever.”

ALSO READ-UK Parliament passes Rwanda asylum law

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UK News

Wet wipes containing plastic to be banned from sale

According to DEFRA’s Beach Litter Monitoring Data for 2015-2020, an average of 20 wet wipes were found per 100 metres of beach surveyed across the U.K…reports Asian Lite News

Wet wipes containing plastic will be banned from being sold in the U.K. following legislation to be tabled in Parliament soon, the British government announced on April 22, as the world marked as Earth Day.

U.K. Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) will table the legislation for England before Parliament’s summer recess in July.

The devolved regions of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are expected to follow on with their legislation later in the year to make it a U.K.-wide ban as part of an aligned approach.

“Wet wipes containing plastic are polluting our waterways and causing microplastics to enter the environment,” said Barclay.

“DEFRA will introduce legislation before the summer recess to crack down on this unnecessary source of pollution, following our successful single-use carrier bag charge and ban on microbeads in personal care products… Plastic-free wet wipes are readily available, and several retailers have already stopped selling wet wipes containing plastic,” he said.

The Minister said it was part of a “step change” needed to protect the country’s waterways from pollution.

“The ban builds on a raft of actions already taken to protect our waterways and hold water companies accountable — including accelerating investment, putting water company fines back into the environment and quadrupling the number of inspections of water company sites,” he added.

According to DEFRA’s Beach Litter Monitoring Data for 2015-2020, an average of 20 wet wipes were found per 100 metres of beach surveyed across the U.K.

Once in the water environment, wet wipes containing plastic can accumulate biological and chemical pollutants, increasing the risk of harm to the animals and humans who encounter them.

Banning them is expected to reduce plastic and microplastic pollution and reduce the volume of microplastics entering wastewater treatment sites when wrongly flushed.

The ban follows a public consultation on the issue, which showed overwhelming support for such a move.

The law will be introduced via secondary legislation under the U.K.’s Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA), with 95% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing with the proposals.

An 18-month transition period will start from 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.

“Boots removed all wet wipes containing plastic from sale in stores and online last year as part of our long-standing commitment to sustainability and working with suppliers and customers to reduce the use of plastic,” said Steve Ager, chief customer and commercial officer at Boots, one of the U.K.’s largest retailers of such products.

ALSO READ-Single-Use Plastic Cut by 18 Million in 2 Years

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UK Parliament passes Rwanda asylum law

The home secretary, James Cleverly, says it was a “landmark moment in our plan to stop the boats”…reports Asian Lite News

Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda deportation bill will become law after peers eventually backed down on amending it, opening the way for legal battles over the potential removal of dozens of people seeking asylum.

After a marathon battle of “ping pong” over the key legislation between the Commons and the Lords, the bill finally passed when opposition and crossbench peers gave way on Monday night.

The bill is expected to be granted royal assent on Tuesday. Home Office sources said they have already identified a group of asylum seekers with weak legal claims to remain in the UK who will be part of the first tranche to be sent to east Africa in July.

Sunak has put the bill, which would deport asylum seekers who arrive in the UK by irregular means to Kigali, at the centre of his attempts to stop small boats crossing the Channel.

The home secretary, James Cleverly, said it was a “landmark moment in our plan to stop the boats”.

In a video posted to social media, he said: “The safety of Rwanda bill has passed in parliament and it will become law within days.

“The act will prevent people from abusing the law by using false human rights claims to block removals. And it makes clear that the UK parliament is sovereign, giving government the power to reject interim blocking measures imposed by European courts. I promised to do what was necessary to clear the path for the first flight. That’s what we have done. Now we’re working day in and day out to get flights off the ground.”

Denisa Delić, director of advocacy at International Rescue Committee UK, said on Monday: “Irrespective of today’s passage of the safety of Rwanda bill, sending refugees to Rwanda is an ineffective, unnecessarily cruel and costly approach.

“Rather than outsourcing its responsibilities under international law, we urge the government to abandon this misguided plan and instead focus on delivering a more humane and orderly immigration system at home. This includes scaling up safe routes, such as resettlement and family reunion, and upholding the right to seek asylum.”

The Home Office has whittled the list down to 350 migrants who are deemed to pose the least risk of submitting successful legal challenges blocking their deportation.

Lawyers said that they will prepare legal challenges on behalf of individual asylum seekers. They can challenge their removal on a case-by-case basis, which could lead to their being taken off a flight list.

The bill allows challenges if a detainee faces a “real, imminent and foreseeable risk of serious irreversible harm if removed to Rwanda”.

They must lodge an appeal within eight days of receiving a deportation letter. The Home Office would then be given several days to respond. If their appeal is rejected, the person claiming asylum will then be given seven days to lodge a final appeal to an upper tribunal court, which will decide their claim within a further 23 days.

The deal will cost £1.8m for each of the first 300 deportees, the National Audit Office has confirmed.

Matthew Rycroft, the most senior civil servant in the Home Office who has overseen the scheme for two years, previously told MPs he did not have evidence to show that it had a deterrent effect that would make it value for money.

Home Office staff have privately warned that there is a risk of thousands of asylum seekers disappearing once removals begin, keen to avoid receiving notification that they are being sent to Kigali.

Earlier, MPs stripped out amendments to the bill inserted by the Lords. Crossbench and Labour peers said they would reinsert similar changes in a battle of wills.

The government will not send those who are eligible under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) to Rwanda, a Home Office minister told peers during one of the many debates held on Monday evening.

Lord Sharpe said: “Once this review of Arap decisions for those with credible links to Afghan specialist units has concluded, the government will not remove to Rwanda those who received a positive eligibility decision as a result of this review where they are already in the UK as of today.”

Lord Browne, a Labour former defence secretary who had been leading calls for such an assurance, said: “The minister does not believe this to be a concession, it is to him a restatement of what he has been telling us for some time, but in a different form.”

Meanwhile, leading lawyer and independent crossbencher Lord Anderson of Ipswich said of the Rwanda scheme: “Its benefits remain to be seen. Its costs will be measured, not only in money, but in principles debased: disregard for our international commitments, avoiding statutory protections for the vulnerable, and the removal of judicial scrutiny over the core issue of the safety of Rwanda.”

The prime minister also disclosed that the first flights removing asylum seekers to Rwanda were planned to depart in 10 to 12 weeks, missing his original spring target.

ALSO READ-Fresh trouble for Sunak over Rwanda bill

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‘Israel-style iron dome defence system needed in UK’

The UK currently spends just over 2 per cent of GDP on defence, but there are growing calls for this to be increased to at least 2.5 per cent, with some figures pushing for as much as 3 per cent…reports Asian Lite News

Britain should install an Israeli-style “iron dome” missile defence system, Penny Mordaunt has suggested, in an unusual intervention highlighting concerns within the government about the increasingly unstable geopolitical landscape.

Mordaunt, the House of Commons leader and a former Royal Navy reservist, again called for an increase in defence spending, saying the government has a “duty to our citizens” to keep them protected as the world becomes less safe.

The former defence secretary’s comments follow another precarious week in relations between Israel and Iran. On Friday, Israel launched strikes on Iran that hit close to military and nuclear targets deep inside the country, in retaliation for Tehran’s missile and drone attacks days earlier.

With war still raging in Ukraine and no end in sight to the conflict in Gaza, defence figures have been increasing their calls for the UK to bolster its defences, with one senior Conservative MP describing Iran’s strikes as a “wake-up call” for the West.

The UK currently spends just over 2 per cent of GDP on defence, but there are growing calls for this to be increased to at least 2.5 per cent, with some figures pushing for as much as 3 per cent.

Writing for The Sunday Telegraph, in a piece that could be interpreted as a pitch for the future leadership of her party, Ms Mordaunt said the UK must be more ambitious about the amount of resources it puts into defence.

“To those that say, about our defence ambitions, we ‘can’t do’, ‘shouldn’t do’, or ‘can’t afford to do’, I say ‘Look to Israel’ – a nation a fraction of our size that has staved off an attack from a nation 10 times its size,” she told the paper.

“It has made a choice. It has made it work. We may not have its daily reminders of the threats we face, but we have the same duty to our citizens,” she added. “Israel’s defence is our defence, and we must be ready to defend our allies the same way that we would defend ourselves, as we did last weekend.”

Iran fired more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel last Saturday, but nearly all of them were taken out, largely by Israel’s formidable Iron Dome system with support from the country’s allies, including the UK. The combined effort eliminated targets over the skies of Iraq and Syria under Operation Shader.

The Iron Dome system, developed with backing from the US, specialises in shooting down short-range rockets. It has intercepted a vast number of rockets since it was activated early in the last decade – including thousands during the current war against Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel says it has a success rate of over 90 per cent.

A battery of Tamir interceptor missiles, forming part of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system, in Ashkelon, southern Israel

The Iron Dome is supported by the Arrow system, which is designed to intercept long-range missiles including the types of ballistic missiles Iran said it had launched against Israel.

The defence system is extremely expensive to maintain and operate. Reem Aminoach, a former brigadier general and chief financial adviser to the head of the Israeli military, told Bloomberg that it would have cost Israel around $1bn (£808m) to thwart Iran’s attack, with some interceptor missiles costing $3.5m (£2.8m) alone.

ALSO READ-US House passes aid package for Ukraine, Israel

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Sunak set for week-long blitz of announcements  

Sunak is undertaking a week-long blitz of activity and announcements at home and abroad in a bid to convince a sceptical party he has the ideas to continue as PM…reports Asian Lite News

Rishi Sunak is undertaking a week-long blitz of activity and announcements at home and abroad in a bid to convince a sceptical party he has the ideas and drive to continue as prime minister.

After weeks of criticism about an empty legislative agenda, an inability to set the agenda, and divisions in the Tory Party dominating the headlines, this week “action man” Sunak will seek to take back control with news conferences, interviews and announcements.

On Monday, the PM will hold a news conference to champion the likely passage into law of the emergency Rwanda legislation first announced last year.

Then on Tuesday, he will embark on a two-day European trip, beginning in Warsaw, with a major announcement planned as part of the trip.

Some sources expect the announcement to be defence-related, possibly around jointly training troops and sharing equipment with Poland and the West Balkans.

This is Sunak’s first major trip to the world stage in months, apart from a brief visit to Ukraine. It follows his first set-piece speech outside the Commons last Friday about welfare reform.

Many of the ideas there were designed for the manifesto and to be implemented in the next parliament in the unlikely event the Tories win.

The looming spectre of a challenge has led to some conversations about holding the election over the summer, with the starting gun fired possibly even announced before the local elections.

This remains unlikely, however, since it would be possible for the opposition to present this as a move prompted by panic, and the Tories remain around 20 points behind in the polls.

Therefore appealing to his party to allow him to stay in the job, by showing a blizzard of action and announcements, is a priority for Sunak amid continued speculation about his party’s unhappiness.

Some 57 Tory MPs voted against his flagship smoking ban policy last week, with a further more than 100 abstaining, in a sign of his lack of grip on the party.

Former Tory MP Menzies quits  

Meanwhile, The former Conservative MP Mark Menzies is quitting the party and parliament after an internal inquiry found a “pattern of behaviour” that had fallen below the standard expected of MPs.

The MP for Fylde announced that he would not stand at the next election after the allegations that he misused campaign funds were referred to Lancashire police.

The Tory party said the internal investigation had not found any misuse of party funds and that the evidence it seen had shown all donations had been properly declared to the Electoral Commission and parliamentary authorities.

However, its inquiry into the allegations, which Menzies denies, found the MP’s behaviour had fallen below the standards required of any individual responsible for local campaign funds and may have breached the Nolan principles of public life.

Labour had accused the Tories of “sitting on their hands” for more than three months after the claims first emerged, while the Liberal Democrats called for the prime minister’s independent adviser on ministers’ interests to investigate the handling of the row.

A Conservative spokesperson said it was “demonstrably false” to suggest the party had not been “seriously examining” the matter. The party has only investigated the possible misuse of Conservative party funds.

The MP resigned the Tory whip and was suspended as a government trade envoy after the Times published allegations he had used political donations to cover medical expenses and pay off “bad people” who had locked him in a flat and demanded thousands of pounds for his release.

Menzies’ former campaign manager, who allegedly received a late-night phone call from him asking for cash, has said she felt “let down” by the party after she raised concerns with the chief whip, Simon Hart, in January.

In a statement, Menzies said: “It has been an enormous privilege representing the people of Fylde since 2010, but due to the pressures on myself and my elderly mother, I have decided to resign from the Conservative party and will not stand at the forthcoming general election.

“This has been a very difficult week for me and I request that my family’s privacy is respected.”

Menzies has a majority of more than 16,000 in his seat, which the Tories have always held but which, with Labour about 20 points ahead in the national polls, could for the first time be in contention.

Rishi Sunak declined to say on Friday whether Menzies should quit as MP for Fylde, although he told reporters after a speech in London on Friday that it was “right” that he had resigned the whip.

A Conservative party spokesperson said: “The money in question that was sent to Mark Menzies MP was signed off by the two signatories of Fylde Westminster Group. This body sits outside the remit of both the Conservative party and Fylde Conservative Association. Therefore we cannot conclude that there has been a misuse of Conservative party funds.

On Sunday evening the chair of the Labour party, Anneliese Dodds, said Menzies “did the right thing” in deciding to leave parliament but that “serious questions remain for Rishi Sunak and the Conservative party”.

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UK returns looted Ghana artefacts on loan after 150 years

Nigeria is also negotiating the return of thousands of 16th to 18th-century metal objects looted from the ancient kingdom of Benin and currently held by museums and art collectors across the United States and Europe…reports Asian Lite News

The United Kingdom has returned 32 gold and silver treasures stolen from the Asante Kingdom more than 150 years ago in what is today’s Ghana on a six-year loan, Ghanaian negotiators have said.

The artefacts, comprising 15 items from the British Museum and 17 from the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), were looted from the court of the Asante king during the turbulent 19th-century clashes between the British and the Asante people.

Ghanaian authorities have for years tried to reclaim gold treasures looted by British soldiers from the Asante kingdom, which is also known as Ashanti.

The accord will see the relics, including gold and silver regalia associated with the Asante Royal Court, showcased at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region, as part of the yearlong celebration honouring the king’s silver jubilee.

Ivor Agyeman-Duah, the chief negotiator, confirmed the items’ return, telling the AFP news agency on Saturday that they were given to the palace on loan.

It comes as international momentum and campaigning has grown for museums and institutions to have African artefacts returned from former colonial powers.

Nigeria is also negotiating the return of thousands of 16th to 18th-century metal objects looted from the ancient kingdom of Benin and currently held by museums and art collectors across the United States and Europe.

Two years ago, Benin received two dozen treasures and artworks stolen in 1892 by French colonial forces during the sacking of the royal Palace of Abomey.

“These cherished artefacts, which hold immense cultural and spiritual significance for the Ashanti people, are here as part of a loan agreement for an initial three years and renewable for another three,” Agyeman-Duah said.

“It marks a significant moment in our efforts to reclaim and preserve our heritage, fostering a renewed sense of pride and connection to our rich history,” he added, noting that the exhibition will be held from May 1.

The returned items include a 300-year-old Mponponso sword used in swearing-in ceremonies.

A gold peace pipe and gold discs worn by officials responsible for cleansing the king’s soul are also among 17 items the V&A plans to lend to the Ghanaian museum.

Objects selected from the British Museum consist mainly of royal regalia looted from the palace in Kumasi during the Anglo-Asante wars. The items will be loaned under two separate three-year agreements.

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UK’s most lethal tank rolls off the production lines

The first tank is already showing its capabilities on trials. All will be tested under operational conditions to validate their performance and make refinements, before another 140 are built and delivered to the British Army…reports Asian Lite News

With advanced armour and devastating firepower, the Challenger 3 boasts an impressive range of state-of-the-art technology, making it the most lethal and survivable tank ever operated by the British Army.

The latest of eight Challenger 3 prototypes rolled off the Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land factory production line in Telford as the Defence Secretary had an opportunity to meet the engineers and apprentices who have worked on this crucial programme.

The first tank is already showing its capabilities on trials. All will be tested under operational conditions to validate their performance and make refinements, before another 140 are built and delivered to the British Army.

“In a more dangerous world, the need for vehicles such as the Challenger 3 is imperative, as the threats facing the UK evolve. This tank will be at the heart of the British Army’s warfighting capabilities and will be integral to the UK’s deterrence,” said Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.

“The hard work and dedication on show in Telford and across the country is instrumental in driving forward UK defence innovation and delivering for our forces in the frontline.”

Providing the Army’s Main Battle Tank, the Challenger 3 will remain in service until at least 2040.  This third iteration of the Challenger series includes a state-of-the-art turret with a more capable smoothbore gun, which is compatible with NATO ammunition, as well as improved armour and sensors.

The Army’s Director Programmes, Major General Jon Swift OBE said: “Challenger 3 will be at the heart of the Army’s Armoured Brigade Combat Teams, alongside Ajax and Boxer, and is critical to the Army’s warfighting capability and the UK’s contribution to NATO. The delivery of these prototype vehicles, the first of which has already started trials, marks a significant milestone on the Army’s modernisation journey.”

Director General Land for Defence, Equipment and Support, Lieutenant General Simon Hamilton CBE said: “Delivering the capability the Army needs to be more lethal is vital in an increasingly uncertain and dangerous world. The Challenger 3 Programme is a cornerstone of the Army’s Future Soldier modernisation, and I am delighted to see the Army, DE&S and RBSL collaborating together to provide our soldiers with a world-class Main Battle Tank made here in the UK.”

Challenger 3 is being delivered by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) under a £800 million contract, creating a number of highly skilled roles, with nearly 300 jobs generated within RBSL, including 130 engineers and 70 technicians, with an additional 450 jobs across the UK.

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UK says Palestinians in Gaza facing imminent risk of famine

Woodward stressed the vital importance of UNRWA’s role in aid delivery within Gaza and called upon Israel to grant unhindered access to UNRWA and other humanitarian agencies operating in the region…reports Asian Lite News

UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward underscored the urgent need for action as Palestinians in Gaza confront a dire humanitarian crisis, including an imminent risk of famine.

In a recent session at the UN Security Council, Woodward emphasised UNRWA’s crucial role in providing essential services to Palestinian refugees, particularly in Gaza where the humanitarian situation is dire.

Woodward stressed the vital importance of UNRWA’s role in aid delivery within Gaza and called upon Israel to grant unhindered access to UNRWA and other humanitarian agencies operating in the region.

Recognising UNRWA as the primary provider of humanitarian relief in Gaza, Woodward emphasised the need for increased aid flows and urged Israel to facilitate the UN’s minimum operating requirements to ensure the safety of humanitarian operations.

She also acknowledged UNRWA’s broader role in providing crucial health, education, and humanitarian services across the region, supporting millions of Palestinians in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. She emphasised the importance of this support for regional stability, particularly in the current critical juncture.

Woodward addressed allegations of UNRWA staff involvement in attacks on Israel, expressing the UK’s deep concern. She noted ongoing investigations by the UN Office for Internal Oversight Services into these allegations and underscored the importance of robust management reform within UNRWA, including enhanced independent oversight and detection systems.

She also highlighted the upcoming independent review led by former French foreign minister Colonna, focusing on UNRWA’s neutrality, processes, and systems. She emphasized that the UK will review its funding position based on the findings and recommendations of this review.

The ambassador also paid tribute to the 178 UNRWA staff tragically killed in Gaza, offering condolences to their families and honouring their dedicated service.

No famine in Gaza, says Netanyahu

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday met at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

During the meetings, Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that Israel would maintain its right to self-defence.

The Prime Minister thanked the British Foreign Secretary and the German Foreign Minister for their unequivocal support and for their countries’ unprecedented standing up in defense of the State of Israel against Iran’s attack.

Prime Minister Netanyahu also briefed them on the scope of the humanitarian assistance and the continued fighting in Gaza.

Prime Minister Netanyahu rejected the claims of international organisations regarding famine in Gaza and said that Israel was going above and beyond in the humanitarian sphere. (ANI/TPS)

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Britain facing food shortages, price rises after extreme weather

One major retailer said the wholesale price of potatoes was up 60% year on year as much of the crop had rotted in the ground…reports Asian Lite News

The UK faces food shortages and price rises as extreme weather linked to climate breakdown causes low yields on farms locally and abroad.

Record rainfall has meant farmers in many parts of the UK have been unable to plant crops such as potatoes, wheat and vegetables during the key spring season. Crops that have been planted are of poor quality, with some rotting in the ground.

The persistent wet weather has also meant a high mortality rate for lambs on the UK’s hills, while some dairy cows have been unable to be turned out on to grass, meaning they will produce less milk.

Agricultural groups have said the UK will be more reliant on imports, but similarly wet conditions in European countries such as France and Germany, as well as drought in Morocco, could mean there is less food to import. Economists have warned this could cause food inflation to rise, meaning higher prices at supermarkets.

Tom Bradshaw, the president of the National Farmers’ Union, said markets had “collapsed” as farmers fail to produce food in the punishing conditions. He said: “We’re going to be importing a lot more product this year.”

One major retailer said the wholesale price of potatoes was up 60% year on year as much of the crop had rotted in the ground.

Supplies of potatoes have also been affected by a 10% reduction in the area planted last year as farmers switched to less weather dependent and more financially secure crops. Industry insiders said they expected a further 5% fall in planting this year.

Jack Ward, chief executive of the British Growers Association, said: “There is a concern that we won’t ever have the volumes [of potatoes] we had in the past in the future.”

He said wholesale prices were too low for farmers to generate enough income to cope with high fuel, labour and machinery costs as well as the effects of climate breakdown. “We are not in a good position and it is 100% not sustainable.”

Supplies of carrots and parsnips, which are left in the ground and so also affected by sodden soils, are also much lower than usual, pushing up prices.

Martin Lines, the chief executive of Nature Friendly Farming Network, said: “The impact in the UK this year will significantly affect potatoes and the salad crop. Farmers are already facing delays in planting, with many fields in poor condition. If planting occurs at all, it will likely be late, potentially leading to a shortage of root vegetables and potatoes this coming winter.

“Some farmers have ceased planning for planting altogether, opting instead to put fields into fallow or switch to alternative crops. This could also result in shortages of wheat, barley and pulses as it’s currently unprofitable to grow these due to the lateness of the season and low forecasted prices.”

Guy Singh-Watson, the founder of the organic vegetable box company Riverford, said he had so far planted “virtually no veg”. “Some overgrown plants cannot wait any longer to go in the ground, and will have to be ditched.”

While retailers often turn to imports to fill gaps on shelves, farmers across Europe are enduring a similarly difficult start to the year, with difficulties developing winter crops and sowing spring crops.

Amber Sawyer, an analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said last year almost a third of the UK’s tomatoes, and more than two-thirds of its raspberries and brussels sprouts, came from Morocco.

“As climate change worsens, the threat to our food supply chains – both at home and overseas – will grow,” Sawyer said.

Scientists have said this is just the beginning of shocks to the food supply chain caused by climate breakdown and that without rapid action to drive down emissions by ceasing to burn fossil fuels, the current system is unsustainable.

UK unemployment soars to six-month high

Britain’s unemployment rate rose unexpectedly to the most in six months as the number of jobs in the economy shrank, an indication of cooling in the once red-hot labor market.

The jobless rate rose to 4.2% in the three months through February after a reading of 3.9% in the previous period, the Office for National Statistics said Tuesday. It was the biggest jump since 2020, when the country was emerging from pandemic lockdowns.

The figures provided a tentative sign that inflationary pressures in the jobs market are cooling. But the report also showed wage growth, which the Bank of England is watching carefully, remained stubbornly high, easing to 6%. That was only slightly down from the 6.1% reading previously and above the expectations of economists.

“Easing pressure in the labor market keeps the Bank on track for a summer rate cut,” said Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK. “The rise in the unemployment rate paints a picture of a less tight labor market. The exact timing of the first rate cut will be a hot debate.”

The policymakers have been reluctant to signal a shift away from their fight against inflation because of concerns that continued strong pay growth will fuel price rises.

The pound slipped back 0.2% against the dollar to $1.2422 following the release. Traders’ bets on BOE interest-rate cuts were little changed, with the market implying two quarter-point reductions by the end of the year. The first cut is fully priced by September, with an 80% chance of an earlier cut in August.

Reading on the labor market have been clouded with problems in deriving the official data. The ONS for months has urged caution in interpreting its figures on employment, unemployment and inactivity due to a plunge in the number of responses it receives to its surveys.

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