Latest news with #Witherden
Cambrian News
2 days ago
- Business
- Cambrian News
MP leads debate on arms trade with Israel calling for immediate suspension on exports
Witherden asked the government to publish its most recent assessment of risk that Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians, publishing the list of export licences still in effect, whether a new decision as been reached on continued arms sales, how the government defines weapons classed as 'defensive in nature' and why the government hadn't suspended F-35 compononet shipments after admitting it was a 'clear risk' of violating international law.
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
Millions in funding secured for transport and roads in Powys
Over £10 million has been secured in levelling-up funding to improve roads and transport. MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, Steve Witherden has announced £10m secured for 'vital economic regeneration projects' in Powys. Ministers have confirmed Powys will receive an allocation of up to £10,797,949.27 in 2025/26 as part of this Government's economic regeneration initiatives, the largest amount provided to a local authority in this round of funding. The funding, which comes as part of the Levelling Up Fund scheme, will enable Powys County Council to start work on projects to boost connectivity and support the tourist economy. The scheme includes support for rights of way refurbishment and road resurfacing as well as measures focused on active travel. Powys County Council bosses told the County Times that further details on specific projects would be revealed in the coming weeks. 'I'm really delighted we've been able to secure this funding,' said Mr Witherden. 'This money will go a long way towards improving our community infrastructure across Montgomeryshire. 'I was elected last year on a promise to deliver the vital upgrades to infrastructure that we need both locally and nationally after many years of decline. 'This money will improve the state of our roads, broaden connectivity, and help to boost the local economy. 'I will continue working hard to get a fair deal for people in Powys and make sure that we build on this progress.' Help support trusted local news Sign up for a digital subscription now: As a digital subscriber you will get Unlimited access to the County Times website Advert-light access Reader rewards Full access to our app The government has said that these projects will 'make a meaningful contribution to strengthening community infrastructure and connectivity in Montgomeryshire'. Simon Lightwood MP, Minister for Local Transport, said: 'This money is proof that this Labour government is serious about bringing change all across the country. Creating sustainable, local growth is a key priority for this Labour government and this funding will help deliver that. 'Improving local transport and connectivity will make a massive difference by making it easier for people to travel to work and education, visit friends and family or access vital appointments. 'I'm grateful to Steve Witherden for his constructive support and will continue to work closely with him as we deliver our Plan for Change.'
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
UK's arms sales to Israel must end to stop 'ethnic cleansing in Gaza'
Steve Witherden, MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, held a Parliamentary debate on British arms sales to Israel on Monday evening, calling on the UK Government to suspend all arms exports. During the debate, Witherden described Gaza as a 'slaughterhouse' and said that the UK Government is still letting the 'weapons flow' into Israel despite the country's genocidal acts on Gaza. Witherden also highlighted the lack of transparency surrounding the true extent of UK military exports to Israel, particularly regarding the supply of components for the F-35 fighter jet programme, and urged ministers to outline the specific conditions that would trigger a halt to further exports. READ MORE: SNP reject Reform UK claims they 'organised protests against Nigel Farage' 'The Government have claimed that there are red lines that would trigger a halt to exports, but Gaza is already a slaughterhouse,' Witherden said. 'Children are emaciated or dying of hunger, hospitals have been intentionally destroyed and Israel's leaders vow to wipe out Gaza, and still the weapons flow, so finally, Minister, where is our red line?' The Labour MP added: 'I call on this Government to suspend all arms exports to Israel, to ensure that no British-made weapons are used in Israel's brutal plans to annex, starve and ethnically cleanse the Palestinian population. 'The credibility of this House depends not just on what we condemn, but on what we enable, and history will remember that we enabled too much.' Witherden has called on the UK Government to publish an exact list of export licences still in effect and has asked why it has not suspended F-35 component shipments after admitting a 'clear risk' of violations of international law. The debate comes after the UK Government said it would suspend negotiations with the Israeli government on a new free trade deal last month. The Foreign Secretary David Lammy described Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government as 'extremists' at the time, but it was revealed that the UK Government sent a spy plane to surveil Gaza just hours later after his statement. In September last year, Lammy announced the suspension of around 30 arms sale licences to Israel amid concerns that a 'clear risk' exists that they could be used to breach international humanitarian law. The UK Government said exports to the global F-35 programme would be excluded from the suspension decision to avoid 'prejudicing the entire' global supply pool – despite media confirmation that the jets had been used by Israel to bomb the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone in Gaza in July 2024. In May, figures published by the UK Government showed that Labour licensed the export of more military equipment to Israel in the final three months of 2024 than the Tories had for all of 2020-2023 combined. Challenged on those figures in the Commons, Lammy suggested the story was 'clickbait'.
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- General
- Powys County Times
MP Steve Witherden demands government response on Gaza
The UK Government must suspend all arms exports to Israel to remove the risk of British-made weapons being used to 'ethnically cleanse' Palestinians, the Commons has heard. Labour MP Steve Witherden said Gaza is 'already a slaughterhouse' as he urged ministers to detail their 'red line' which would halt further exports. The MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr added the 'true scale' of UK military exports to Israel 'remains unknown and unaccountable' before raising questions over the supply of 'crucial' components to Israel connected to the F-35 fighter jet programme. Business minister Douglas Alexander said the UK Government is not selling F-35 components 'directly to the Israeli authorities' and the export licence prevents 'direct shipments for Israel for use in Israel'. MPs were told the UK's exports of spare F-35 parts are part of a global supply network and exporters have 'no sight and no control over the specific ultimate end users for their export'. In September last year, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced the suspension of around 30 arms sale licences to Israel amid concerns a 'clear risk' exists that they could be used to breach international humanitarian law. The Government said exports to the global F-35 programme would be excluded from the suspension decision, except where going directly to Israel, to avoid 'prejudicing the entire' scheme. Al-Haq, a Palestinian human rights organisation, which has brought a legal action against the Department for Business and Trade over its decisions, said the 'carve-out' gives 'rise to a significant risk of facilitating crime'. Mr Witherden, leading an adjournment debate on arms and military cargo export controls and Israel, told the Commons: 'The Foreign Secretary's recent condemnation of Israel's action as 'monstrous' was welcome but incomplete for my very same Government continues to facilitate such actions. 'We cannot have it both ways. We cannot condemn atrocity whilst simultaneously fuelling the machinery that enables it. We cannot claim to uphold international law while profiting from its breach.' Mr Witherden raised several issues, including asking the Government to explain how it defines 'defensive' weapons and what makes an F-35 component compatible with this definition. He said: 'It's the Government's position that the need to continue to supply F-35 components outweighs the risk of genocide and, if so, is there any circumstance that would lead to the UK stopping that supply? 'The Government has claimed that there are red lines that would trigger a halt to exports, but Gaza is already a slaughterhouse. 'Children are emaciated or dying of hunger. Hospitals have been intentionally destroyed. Israel's leaders vow to wipe out Gaza and still the weapons flow. 'So finally I ask the minister where is our red line? I call on this Government to suspend all arms exports to Israel to ensure that no British-made weapons are used in Israel's brutal plans to annexe, starve and ethnically cleanse the Palestinian population. 'The credibility of this House depends not just on what we condemn but on what we enable and history will remember we enabled too much.' Mr Alexander began by condemning the 'act of barbarism' by Hamas in Israel on October 7 2023, which killed around 1,200 people, before he warned that Israel's operations have been 'indefensible', 'disproportionate' and 'counterproductive to any lasting peace settlement'. The minister reiterated that the UK Government in September last year suspended arms exports licences for items to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) that could be used in military operations in Gaza. 'There are a relatively small number of licences for the IDF relating to equipment which we assess would not be used in the current conflict, including – for example – parts of air defence systems that defend Israel from acts such as the major aerial attack from Iran in April 2024," he added. 'We also think it is right for us to continue providing military grade body armour used by non-governmental organisations and journalists and to provide parts to the supply chain which are ultimately re-exported back out of Israel to support the defence of our Nato allies.'
ITV News
3 days ago
- Business
- ITV News
Ensure no UK-made weapons used to ‘ethnically cleanse' Palestinians, MP urges
The UK Government must suspend all arms exports to Israel to remove the risk of British-made weapons being used to 'ethnically cleanse' Palestinians, the Commons has heard. Labour MP Steve Witherden said Gaza is 'already a slaughterhouse' as he urged ministers to detail their 'red line' which would halt further exports. The MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr added the 'true scale' of UK military exports to Israel 'remains unknown and unaccountable' before raising questions over the supply of 'crucial' components to Israel connected to the F-35 fighter jet programme. We cannot condemn atrocity whilst simultaneously fuelling the machinery that enables it. Labour MP Steve Witherden Business minister Douglas Alexander said the UK Government is not selling F-35 components 'directly to the Israeli authorities' and the export licence prevents 'direct shipments for Israel for use in Israel'. MPs were told the UK's exports of spare F-35 parts are part of a global supply network and exporters have 'no sight and no control over the specific ultimate end users for their export'. In September last year, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced the suspension of around 30 arms sale licences to Israel amid concerns a 'clear risk' exists that they could be used to breach international humanitarian law. The Government said exports to the global F-35 programme would be excluded from the suspension decision, except where going directly to Israel, to avoid 'prejudicing the entire' scheme. Al-Haq, a Palestinian human rights organisation, which has brought a legal action against the Department for Business and Trade over its decisions, said the 'carve-out' gives 'rise to a significant risk of facilitating crime'. Mr Witherden, leading an adjournment debate on arms and military cargo export controls and Israel, told the Commons: 'The Foreign Secretary's recent condemnation of Israel's action as 'monstrous' was welcome but incomplete for my very same Government continues to facilitate such actions. 'We cannot have it both ways. We cannot condemn atrocity whilst simultaneously fuelling the machinery that enables it. We cannot claim to uphold international law while profiting from its breach.' Mr Witherden raised several issues, including asking the Government to explain how it defines 'defensive' weapons and what makes an F-35 component compatible with this definition. He said: 'It's the Government's position that the need to continue to supply F-35 components outweighs the risk of genocide and, if so, is there any circumstance that would lead to the UK stopping that supply? 'The Government has claimed that there are red lines that would trigger a halt to exports, but Gaza is already a slaughterhouse. 'Children are emaciated or dying of hunger. Hospitals have been intentionally destroyed. Israel's leaders vow to wipe out Gaza and still the weapons flow. 'So finally I ask the minister where is our red line? I call on this Government to suspend all arms exports to Israel to ensure that no British-made weapons are used in Israel's brutal plans to annexe, starve and ethnically cleanse the Palestinian population. 'The credibility of this House depends not just on what we condemn but on what we enable and history will remember we enabled too much.' Mr Alexander began by condemning the 'act of barbarism' by Hamas in Israel on October 7 2023, which killed around 1,200 people, before he warned that Israel's operations have been 'indefensible', 'disproportionate' and 'counterproductive to any lasting peace settlement'. The minister reiterated that the UK Government in September last year suspended arms exports licences for items to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) that could be used in military operations in Gaza. He said: 'This measure is still in place and I'd like to reiterate that based on our current assessment of potential breaches of international humanitarian law, we are not licencing military equipment provided directly to the IDF that could be used for military operations in Gaza. 'It is right to acknowledge that our export licences granted in relation to Israel cover a wider remit than simply those items that may be used in Gaza. 'There are a relatively small number of licences for the IDF relating to equipment which we assess would not be used in the current conflict, including – for example – parts of air defence systems that defend Israel from acts such as the major aerial attack from Iran in April 2024. 'We also think it is right for us to continue providing military grade body armour used by non-governmental organisations and journalists and to provide parts to the supply chain which are ultimately re-exported back out of Israel to support the defence of our Nato allies.' Mr Alexander also said: 'Undermining the F-35 programme at this juncture would, in the view of the Government, disrupt international peace and security, Nato deterrence and European defence as a whole. 'In relation to components for the F-35 aircraft, our exporters provide these to a global spares pool and the common production line for new aircraft where they have no sight and no control over the specific ultimate end users for their export. 'Put plainly, it is not possible to suspend licencing of F-35 components for use by one F-35 nation without ceasing supply to the entire global F-35 programme. It was therefore judged necessary by the Government to exclude F-35 components from the scope of the suspension. 'But let me be very clear, the UK Government is not selling F-35 components directly to the Israeli authorities and the licence that allows the export of F-35 components was amended in September to specifically make clear that direct shipments for Israel for use in Israel are not permitted.'
