UK speeches to detail Brexit road map

Charities warned as Oxfam scandal widens

LONDON, Feb 11, (AFP): Prime Minister Theresa May and senior Cabinet ministers will set out “Britain’s road map to Brexit” in a series of keynote speeches over the coming weeks, Downing Street said Sunday.

The addresses will culminate in a speech by May outlining the government’s ambitions for a future partnership with the European Union after the country’s departure from the bloc in March, 2019.

“Brexit is a defining moment in the history of our nation,” a Downing Street source said.

“We will be forging an ambitious new partnership with Europe and charting our own way in the world to become a truly global, free trading nation.

“As we move along the road to that future, we will set out more detail so people can see how this new relationship will benefit communities in every part of our country.”

The series will begin next week when Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson makes “a rallying cry to those on both sides of the Brexit debate,” according to Downing Street.

May will then detail hoped-for new security arrangements with the EU at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

A further three speeches are planned for the next two weeks before she makes a second address.

Brexit Secretary David Davis will discuss business standards, Cabinet Officer minister David Lidington will talk about devolution, while Trade Secretary Liam Fox will detail future global trade deal strategy, No. 10 said.

Downing Street also confirmed May and top Cabinet ministers will hold an “away day” committee meeting at Chequers, British leaders’ rural country residence.

The British Government said Sunday it is warning all charities that receive UK aid to step up efforts to tackle sexual misconduct among staff or face having their funding cut, amid further fallout from a prostitution scandal involving Oxfam workers in Haiti in 2011.

The International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt revealed she was writing to the charities to insist they spell out what steps they are taking on the issue and confirm they have referred all concerns about specific cases and individuals to the relevant authorities.

“With regard to Oxfam and any other organisation that has safeguarding issues, we expect them to cooperate fully with such authorities, and we will cease to fund any organisation that does not,” she said in a statement.

Mordaunt added she will also demand all donors and development organisations show leadership and take action on the matter at the global End Violence Solutions Summit in Stockholm next week.

“I am very clear: we will not work with any organisation that does not live up to the high standards on safeguarding and protection that we require.”