Chris Whiteside's Blog

From today   pharmacists across the country will be able to treat more health conditions without patients needing to see a GP , helping to unlock ten million doctors’ appointments as we stick to the plan to cut waiting lists so people can get the care they need.  The Conservative government has made progress to cut waiting lists but there is more that can be done to make better use of professionals such as pharmacists to cut them further. That is why today we are launching Pharmacy First as part of our primary care recovery plan, meaning pharmacists can treat seven common health conditions such as sinusitis and earache without patients needing to see a GP.  This will help free up to ten million GP appointments, meaning those who genuinely need to see a doctor can do so more quickly, helping to continue to drive down wait times in contrast to Labour-run Wales where patients consistently wait longer because Labour do not have a plan.  The pandemic put huge pressure on the NHS, but t he C

It is very good news indeed for everyone in the province that Northern Ireland will again have an elected devolved government. I am delighted that that the Democratic Unionist Party has announced it is prepared to return to power sharing following a package of measures brought forward by the UK Government, expected to be published today (31st January), meaning the Northern Ireland Executive can return to working towards the brighter future the people of Northern Ireland deserve.  After several months of constructive dialogue, it is very welcome news that the DUP are prepared to return to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Upon the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive there will be access to a financial package offered by this Conservative Government worth over £3 billion to assist with the stabilisation of NI’s finances. Together these packages will assist with the swift restoration of power sharing in Northern Ireland and safeguarding Northern Ireland’s place in our Union. The go

 

Yesterday I posted the Vivialdi original. This is what Bach did with it. As far as I'm concerned, it's wrong to post or play the Bach arrangement without a credit to Vivialdi, but both versions are brilliant.

The Conservative government is introducing   a new framework to support trainee and early career teachers   to continue driving up school standards across the country, ensuring our children have the world-class education they deserve for a brighter future.  While England continues to rise up global rankings in maths, reading and science, the key to securing academic success and improving pupil outcomes is great teaching.  That is why we are introducing a new initial teacher training and early career framework that will ensure all new teachers receive three or more years of training underpinned by the best available evidence, so they can continue to deliver world-class education to students across the country.  We have a plan, which is working with more children in good or outstanding schools and more opportunities for young people to gain the skills needed to succeed in life. 

 

We'll do the Bach version tomorrow

We have lost a true hero:  

Following the tragic murders in Nottingham last year, the government has   ordered a special review of mental health services at the NHS trust where Valdo Calocane was treated , providing the families with some much-needed answers and ensuring our services are keeping the public safe. I am sure that all our thoughts remain with the families and friends of the three people who lost their lives in the cruel and barbaric attack in Nottingham last year. It is essential that our mental health services ensure both the care of patients and the safety of the public, and that is why we have ordered a special review into Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, where Valdo Calocane was treated for paranoid schizophrenia. We hope this will provide further answers for the families affected by the horrendous killings, as well as help the Trust to improve the standard of mental health care in Nottinghamshire, protecting both patients and the public so similar tragic events cannot happen again.

 

Well, which performance of "The cold genuis" do you think is best?  Please feel free to leave an answer in the comments

 

 I would strongly advise everyone, especially my fellow Conservatives, to read a piece by Alistair Burt on "The article" on the potential dangers posed by another Donald Trump presidency. Anyone who sups with this particular devil certainly needs a long spoon. You can find it by clicking on the link below: Trump and the Tories: a warning | TheArticle

 

Today is the feast of the presentation of Christ in the Temple, when we remember the day when Mary took the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem. This beautiful piece of music, " When to the temple Mary went, " by Johannes Eccard, (1553-1611) commemorates the event. I posted a Gesulado Six version of this piece a fortnight ago: here is one by the Christchuch virtual choir. 

"The Memorial to the Royal Navy’s West Africa Squadron is revealed in the @DailyMailUK today. Its creator and a model of it will be coming to Parliament next week. Thank you everyone who has supported this campaign." Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP writing on X, formerly twitter, yesterday (27th Jan 2024.) Almost every country, including Britain, practiced slavery for centuries. Some British people continued to be involved in the slave trade abroad after the courts had ruled that slavery was illegal in Britain, before the British parliament finally voted to ban the trade in 1807. But just as every country which practiced slavery, including Britain, should be ashamed of having done so, we are also entitled to be proud of the role we played in eradicating the slave trade as it then existed throughout the world, and celebrate those who fought against slavery, including the brave sailors of the RN West Africa squadron who risked and in many cases lost their lives, fighting for freedom

You can watch a collection of key moments from the Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) 2024 UK Ceremony from 7.30pm this evening (27 January 2024) by clicking on the following link: Holocaust Memorial Day Trust | HMD 2024 Afterwards, join the nation to take part in the Light the Darkness national moment at 8pm, by safely putting a candle or light in your window.

 

Over the coming days,  27 million people will benefit from National Insurance tax cuts in their pay  from the Conservative government , easing pressures on people’s finances by putting more of their money back in their pockets. Because we stuck to the plan and more than halved inflation, we have been able to cut taxes for 27 million working people.  That is why as pay cheques hit people’s bank accounts this weekend people will benefit from our cut to National Insurance – saving the average worker on £35,000 up to £450 a year which will ease pressures on people’s finances by putting more of their money back in their pockets.   This tax cut delivers on our promise and rewards hard work making sure families have more money in their pockets. It would be reversed by Labour’s £28 billion spending spree which they cannot say how they would pay for because they do not have a plan and that means tax rises.  We are doing this by: Cutting National Insurance contributions for 27 million people in

 

Out campaigning this morning in my old Bransty ward in Whitehaven with Andrew Johnson, Conservative candidate for Whitehaven and Workington, and the team.

 

The UK foreign office released the following statement about today's ICJ ruling. An FCDO spokesperson said: "We respect the role and independence of the ICJ. However we have stated that we have considerable concerns about this case, which is not helpful in the goal of achieving a sustainable ceasefire. "Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas in line with IHL, as we have said from the outset. Our view is that Israel’s actions in Gaza cannot be described as a genocide, which is why we thought South Africa’s decision to bring the case was wrong and provocative. "We welcome the Court’s call for the immediate release of hostages and the need to get more aid into Gaza. We are clear that an immediate pause is necessary to get aid in and hostages out, and then we want to build towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to the fighting."

Just back from my daughter's graduation ceremony

 

In 2022, Igor Girkin was found guilty in absentia in by a court in The Hague of shooting down a Malaysian Airlines passenger flight and thereby murdering 298 innocent men, women and children. They came from all over the world, but the largest proportion of victims were Dutch, which is why the authorities there held a trial.  He was sentenced to life imprisonment, but Russia has no extradition treaty with the Netherlands and there was no way to bring him to Holland to face justice. Girkin remained a free man, under the protection of the Russian state. However, last year Girkin, who thinks that Vladimir Putin's problem is that he is a soggy liberal who ahs been too soft on Ukraine, published a post in which he described Putin as "a non-entity" and "a cowardly waste of space" . And for that he was arrested and has this week been handed a sentence of four years in a penal colony. Igor Girkin shot down a passenger jet, then insulted Putin. Which one put him in jail

"This week, on Holocaust Memorial Day, we remember the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis simply because they were Jews, alongside millions of other victims. It is also a day when we recall more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. The misappropriation of the word ‘genocide’ is an affront both to the victims and the survivors of these unspeakable crimes." Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis argues against the over-use of the word "genocide" in an article, first published in the Daily Telegraph article which you can read at This misappropriation of the word 'genocide' is a moral inversion, which undermines the memory of the worst crimes in human history. - Office of the Chief Rabbi Some critics of the Chief Rabbi's article have read it as a defence of everything the IDF has done in Gaza or as accusing anyone who criticises Israel is an anti-semite. I don't read it that way, and if I did I would not have quoted from it. As Sir Ephra

 

A £150 million contract for army general support bridge contract has been awarded by the MoD to WFEL_bridges to bolster the British Army's  battlefield mobility. This will 👉 Support 300 British jobs in the North West  👉 Be interoprable with our #NATO partners  👉 These bridges Can carry the weight of the Army’s future tank - the Challenger 3

Today, the government has been bringing in further legislation to parliament to strengthen laws aimed  to ban dangerous zombie-style knives and mach etes , taking these weapons off our streets as we stick to our plan to tackle crime and make our communities safer. By sticking to our plan, knife crime has fallen by 26 per cent since 2019 and like for like crime has fallen by more than half since 2010, but there is more to do. Today we have taken action to ban zombie knives, and go further to get these dangerous weapons off our streets for good. This means safer communities for all, whilst Labour cannot say what their plan on crime actually is – they just reheat a pledge using money they have already spent seven times because they do not have a plan. Where Labour is in power in London, Sadiq Khan has let knife crime surge because he does not have a plan.

'It got rid of me when people were fed up with Labour, and it got rid of you when people were fed up with the Conservatives.’ Former Labour prime minister Lord Callaghan explaining to a Tory MP why he favoured keeping the First-Past-The-Post electoral system, c. 1998.

This Saturday, 27th January 2024, will be the 79th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau murder camp and will be marked as Holocaust memorial day, when we will remember all victims of genocide. LIGHT THE DARKNESS At 8pm on 27 January: I will take part in and Light the Darkness You can do this too: light a candle and safely put it in your window at 8pm on 27 January to remember those who were murdered not because of anything they did but because of who they were, and to stand against prejudice today. Holocaust Memorial Day Trust | HMD 2024

 

 Posted by Sir Simon Clarke MP (as he now is) on Twitter (as it then was) fifteen months ago today. What he wrote then, especially the first five words, was true at the time and is doubly true now. I hope this extends to the last six words.

Britain will still need oil and gas for decades to come even as we transition to clean energy. That is why the Conservative government has taken the long-term decision to introduce new legislation to licence more drilling for petrol and gas in the North Sea.  This legislation,  the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill will  ensure energy security, protect 200,000 jobs and bring in billions of pounds to the economy a year. If we stick to the plan, we will lower taxes and bring down bills. Labour voted against the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill – failing to protect 200,000 jobs and billions of pounds of investment while the Conservatives are sticking to the plan to provide long-term energy security, protect jobs and bring down bills. Labour's virtue-signalling, and that of the SNP, will not reduce carbon emissions. If they had defeated the bill it would impact on jobs in Britain, particularly in Scotland, but not on petroleum production - imported fuel would be used instead, with a h

Today,   John Glen, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, outlines his long-term priorities to modernise the Civil Service , making the institution more productive in the long term so that it can deliver stronger public services for years to come.  The Civil Service and the work it does impacts all of our lives in so many ways, so we must ensure it is fit for purpose in the long term. That is why we must embrace new technology, empower those around us by working collaboratively in offices and enable line managers to provide the best possible feedback and tackle consistent poor performance. These steps will ensure the Civil Service delivers strong public services in the long term so that people across the UK have access to the best possible services and taxpayer money is being used to fund the most efficient institution. 

Last night,   British forces conducted an additional round of proportionate and necessary strikes against eight Houthi targets in Yemen , to protect global trade and innocent lives. The Houthis’ have now conducted more than 30 dangerous attacks against commercial shipping since mid-November, as well as a direct attack against British and American warships in the Red Sea. This cannot stand. The attacks by Houthi militants on international shipping passing through one of the world's busiest trade routes have mostly been directed against harmless merchant ships which had nothing whatsoever to do with the war in Gaza. The Houthis are indiscriminately attacking merchant ships of all nationalities, most of which are not bound for Israel and even including shipping belonging to countries allied to their own Iranian allies, such as the Russian Federation. That is why yesterday, alongside the US and other International Partners, Britain conducted an additional round of proportionate and nec

 

The government is  providing more support for businesses to cut emissions and energy bills , helping them to sustainably decarbonise as we stick to the plan to deliver an affordable transition to net zero. UK industry is as the heart of the British economy, and it is vital that we deliver the support they need to affordably transition towards net zero while continuing to create jobs and grow the economy. That is why we are announcing a multi-million-pound package to help businesses across the country switch to cleaner energy, reducing emissions and bills. While Labour want to force higher costs onto working people to achieve net zero, taking the country back to square one, we are sticking with the plan to deliver the long-term change that the country needs as we sustainably transition towards a net zero that works for households and businesses alike.

Today the government is publishing  the BBC's Mid-Term Review which includes reforms to the impartiality and complaints system , boosting public trust and safeguarding the long-term future of the broadcaster. The BBC is a treasured institution and we must ensure that the public continue to have confidence in our national broadcasting service. That is why we are announcing reforms to the BBC’s impartiality and complaints system so that viewers have more certainty that their complaints about BBC content – including concerns about bias – are dealt with fairly. In a rapidly changing media landscape, the BBC needs to adapt or risk losing the trust of the audiences it relies on. The Conservative government is taking the difficult decisions to ensure the long-term future of the BBC as a strong and independent broadcaster, improving accountability and boosting public confidence in the BBC’s impartiality so it can retain its role as world-leading broadcasting service.

 

The Met Office has issued a YELLOW warning for rain until 6am tomorrow (Monday 22nd January 2024) and an AMBER warning for wind will be in place from 6pm tonight until 6am tomorrow morning. This is ahead of expected disruption as Storm Isha arrives in the UK, The warnings indicate some risk of danger to life, power cuts, building damage and travel disruption. These warnings are in place in large parts of the United Kingdom, partiuclarly in the North and West. Wrap up warm if you are travelling and be very careful. Make sure your property is secure. 

 

The Conservative Government announced Project Gigabit in 2019 – a long-term decision to invest £5 billion to enable hard-to-reach communities access to lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband, helping to grow the economy and improve services for households. This week, Britain reached our 80 per cent gigabit connectivity milestone. Under Labour, almost three million homes and businesses did not have access to basic broadband speeds and in 2019 only one in ten households had access to gigabit broadband.  That is why the Conservative government took the long-term decision to invest £5 billion to deliver gigabit broadband, and 80 per cent of the country now have access to high-speed internet connectivity – improving, for example, streaming services for households, and boosting productivity for businesses. By implementing this Conservatives' plan, at least 85 per cent of the country will have access to gigabit broadband by 2025 – helping to grow the economy and make life easier for fam

 

Employment is up. Inflation is trending down - less than half the level a year ago. Wages are rising faster than prices. The Conservative economic plan is making progress in the right direction. 

Google have announced that they will build a $1 billion data centre here in the UK  –  a huge vote of confidence in the UK that shows our plan is working.  The Conservative government has taken tough decisions in the wake of the Covid pandemic and Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine to get our economy back on track, halving inflation from 11.1 per cent to 4 per cent last year. Thanks to our plan, Google have announced they will build a $1 billion data centre on a 33-acre site in Hertfordshire, showing businesses are confident that the UK is a great place to invest for the long-term. We must stick with the plan as we grow the economy, delivering a brighter future for families across the UK. Keir Starmer can’t say what he would do to get the UK economy growing, because he doesn’t have a plan, taking back to square one with his £28 billion unfunded spending spree. 

 It seems the Russians have lost another valuable military aircraft ...

Nihil Nisi Bonum is latin for "Nothing but good" and short for the latin version of a proverb advising "Of the dead speak nothing but good." There is a time and place for everything and having a go at a grieving widow (or widower) who has just lost his or her partner because of something that partner did a decade and a half a go is not it. Fifteen years ago some of the most powerful people in and associated with the then government took time out from what they should have been doing, addressing Britain's problems, to plot to smear their opponents. I wrote about that here back in 2009 when it was a current issue. That was the time and place to address them. A few days ago one of the people involved died after a long and tragic illness. Whatever he did all those year ago, he was also a husband and father. His grieving widow and children were not in any way responsible for his actions. I was sorry to see that a certain individual chose to publicly mock the grievin

 

Today,  the Chancellor attended the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting to drum up investment for the UK , as we continue to deliver on our plan to grow the economy and deliver a brighter future for you and your children. We have made progress on the economy through the Prime Minister's five priorities, but we can go further to deliver on our ambitions to become a science and technology superpower. That is why the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, was at the World Economic Forum today meeting the world’s top tier companies to drum up investment for the UK.   By sticking to the plan, Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives will create a stronger family and a brighter future for you and your children.

 

 

  Postscript 19th Jan 2024 - see also update today (Friday 19th) on the redeployment of Russian air assets following the loss of this aircraft.

Today the government published our   Critical Imports and Supply Chains Strategy   to ensure the UK has access to the critical goods our economy needs even at times of global shock so business, consumers, and our future economic growth are safeguarded from potential disruption.  In an increasingly dangerous world, we must take action to ensure crucial imports, like medicine, arrive in the UK, no matter what happens around the world. Our Critical Imports and Supply Chains Strategy will share new guidance with businesses on the risks they face and how to mitigate them. This will help UK companies build strong and resilient supply chains for vital goods and avoid dependence on coercive states.  We are taking the difficult, long-term decisions to protect Britain’s economic security so the UK remains a safe and dynamic place to do business.

 

Today,   new jobs figures show more people are taking up work as vacancies continue to fall , with almost four million more people in work than 2010, strengthening the economy and giving more people the skills they need to succeed in life.  We are making good progress on the economy, allowing us to afford tax cuts, which is in part is thanks to a strong workforce. New figures today show the eighteenth consecutive fall in vacancies, meaning more people are taking up work, as the rate of employment increases, with wages rising by 6.6 per cent – well over the rate of inflation. Keir Starmer’s unfunded £28 billion a year spending spree will reverse our hard work to strengthen the economy and result in higher taxes, punishing people’s hard work. Labour can’t say what they would do on the economy because do not have a plan to pay for their spending spree. 

 

The Home Secretary, James Cleverly, yesterday (15 January) laid a draft order before Parliament to proscribe the Sunni Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir under the Terrorism Act 2000.   If agreed by Parliament, the order will come into force on 19 January 2024.  This means that belonging to, or inviting support for Hizb ut-Tahrir  will become a criminal offence. Founded in 1953, Hizb ut-Tahrir is an international political group with a long-term goal of establishing a Caliphate ruled under Islamic law. While their headquarters are in Lebanon, the group operates in at least 32 countries including the UK, United States, Canada and Australia.   The proscription of Hizb ut-Tahrir includes the global organisation, as well as all regional branches, including Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain.   Home Secretary, James Cleverly said:   "Hizb ut-Tahrir is an antisemitic organisation that actively promotes and encourages terrorism, including praising and celebrating the appalling 7 October attacks.  "P

A quote which is often slightly modified - people seem unable to repeat it without automatically adding the word "only" before "if" or "of them" after "two." But the above is the form in which it originally appeared in Poor Richard's Almanac in 1735, of which the then budding statesman and publisher, Benjamin Franklin, was the author.  It means that the fewer people know a secret, the more likely it was to remain a secret. And if you are involved in politics, it is generally a good idea never to put anything in writing, including in email or on social media, which you would not want to see on the front page of the local newspaper.  

  There is considerable evidence to back up that final bullet point from the MoD that "It is highly likely that Russian military recruitment to sustain the war has disproportionately drawn from impoverished and rural regional communities of Russia." Four months ago Simon Whistler posted a powerful piece on YouTube,  "Counting The Dead: How Many Russians Have Really Died in Ukraine," which pulled together the evidence then available about how many people have really died on the Russian side because of Vladimir Putin's ambition. Among other things Whistler concludes that it is people from the poorest regions of Russia and those from Russia's ethnic minorities are the most likely to sign up, often because they face crushing poverty and the regime offers enticing financial rewards for joining the armed forces. He said that he did not expect, starting this video, to feel much sympathy for them, as they are taking part in a war designed to exterminate Ukraine'

This seemed all too appropriate for a very cold Monday in January!

Sometimes disruption from roadworks is necessary. But we have all seen instances of poor co-ordination between different levels of government and utility companies which make it far more disruptive than it needs to be. That's why the government has   announced a crackdown on disruptive roadworks which could cut congestion for millions of drivers and generate up to £100 million extra to resurface roads , making it easier for people to get around. As part of our plan for drivers, we have launched a crackdown on disruptive roadworks and a street works consultation on a series of measures to prevent utility companies from letting roadworks overrun and clogging up traffic as a result.   While we are on the side of drivers, the Labour Government in Wales are refusing to build any new roads and the Labour Mayor of London has introduced his eye watering ULEZ scheme, punishing drivers for using their cars and making it harder for them to get around.

This afternoon   the Prime Minister will update the House of Commons on strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen   – action taken to defend lives and protect global shipping in the face of dangerous and destabilising Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. The action taken by the Houthi militia has been reckless and was carried out despite repeated warnings from the international community.  The Royal Air Force, alongside the United States with non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain, carried out targeted strikes against military facilities used by Houthi rebels in Yemen. These strikes were limited and necessary to protect lives and global shipping, and the Prime Minister will deliver a statement in the House of Commons today about these strikes. 

  Today Grant Shapps,   the Defence Secretary, delivers a major speech to set out his vision for the UK to deter threats , lead among allies and defend the UK. Following last week’s targeted Royal Air Force strikes against the Houthis in Yemen and the announcement of a further £2.5 billion UK support package to Ukraine, the Defence Secretary will today announce that in the first half of 2024, 20,000 service personnel will deploy across Europe to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender. We will continue to stand with NATO allies and are prepared to defend our nation whenever the call comes.

 

 

 

Prime Minister   Rishi Sunak visited Ukraine on Friday to announce the increase of military funding for Ukraine to £2.5 billion , reaffirming our unfaltering commitment to Ukraine who are still fighting to defend their country and the principles of freedom and democracy.  The cost of Putin’s war in Ukraine is being felt across the world – from increased energy bills to food prices, so it is right we stand with our allies. The Prime Minister will travel to Kyiv today, where he will announce £2.5 billion of military aid in the next year, an increase of £200 million on previous years, including the largest ever commitment of cutting-edge drones, and a new security agreement.  This will help to bolster Ukraine’s defences as they continue to fight to drive our Putin’s aggression and provide the assurances they needs for the long term. We will not falter from our commitment from Ukraine, in their darkest hour and in the better times to come.  

“A friend need not be kept either within sight or within reach. A friend must be allowed the freedom to find and follow his own path. If one is fortunate, those paths will for a time join. But if the paths separate, it is comforting to know that a friend still graces the universe with his skills, and his viewpoint, and his presence. For if one is remembered by a friend, one is never truly gone.” (Mitth'raw'nuruodo, in Timothy Zahn's book "Thrawn")

 

The US and UK governments have   taken limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence to defend lives and protect global shipping , in the face of dangerous and destabilising Houthi attacks in the red sea. Despite repeated warnings from the international community the Houthi militia have continued to carry out a series of dangerous and destabilising attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Their reckless actions are risking lives at sea and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. This was simply unacceptable and could not be allowed to continue with no response. Therefore, the Royal Air Force, alongside the United States with non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain, carried out targeted strikes against military facilities used by Houthi rebels in Yemen. These were carefully aimed to avoid civilian casualties and there does not appear to be any suggestion that any innocent civilians were harmed. The attacks were aimed to degrade Ho

Yesterday the government announced that   Family Hubs are now open in 75 areas , giving parents across England access to the free help and support they need. Family hubs act as one-stop-shops and provide a universal offer, giving parents extra support when they need it. This is a major landmark in our Family Hubs roll-out, backed by around £300 million of investment, with all 75 local authorities involved in the Government scheme now offering access to a centre. Family Hubs build on our commitment to families through our extended 30 hours of free childcare from nine months old up to when their child starts school by September 2025, giving working families vital support and securing a brighter future for our children.

 As reported here last night, y esterday the PM and post office minister Kevin Hollingrake  announced   our plan to quash the wrongful convictions of the brave victims of the Horizon scandal , giving postmasters the justice they deserve. We will act at speed to bring forward legislation to quash all convictions that were based on this miscarriage of justice. We will also introduce an upfront compensation offer to recognise the vital role of the group of the 555 postmasters and consult on speeding up access to compensation. Our plan will clear people’s names, deliver justice and ensure swifter access to compensation for innocent people who have waited too long, as we work to ensure that such a tragedy can never happen again. 

I have believed for a long time that it is essential if Britain is to have a safe, secure and environmentally-friendly supply of low-carbon energy, then we need a balanced energy policy in which nuclear power is part of the mix. So I strongly welcome today's announcement by the government of   the biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years  – delivering cheaper, cleaner and greener energy for the long-term as we grow the economy.  Nuclear power is the best available antidote to our energy challenges – it is green, cheaper in the long term and will secure our energy security.  Under our plan we will quadruple our nuclear power generation by exploring a new power station as big as Hinkley C and Sizewell C, delivering a fleet of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors and investing £300 million into a new high-tech nuclear fuel programme. This will mean cheaper household bills for the long-term and put the UK on course to achieve net zero by 2050 without driving up taxes for working peopl