During a tumultuous week in Parliament following the Prime Ministers decision to step down,, I and other colleagues in the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence have stayed in post, this ensuring that decisions which affect our country’s safety, defence and international relationships continue.
This week, I had the responsibility to announce the fast track measure that we have put in place to ratify the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO. This fast track procedure has never been used before in the UK. NATO is key for our own security.
Foreign office ministers frequently have to make decisions to protect the safety of UK citizens, especially UK citizens overseas. It is important that this work continues.
I am intending to keep my long standing commitment to travel to South Africa tomorrow to continue the work that is being done on the Just Energy Transition. De-carbonising South Africa’s energy system away from brown coal is vital if the planet is to beat climate change. It is the test case that other parts of the world are looking to follow, if successful.
This trip keeps momentum on the commitments made at COP in Glasgow next year, and the UK’s role as host nation to ensure that the promises which were given are delivered. I will be back in Westminster mid week.
