Place in the world starts with jobs for all of the UK
BORIS JOHNSON has promised a major modernisation of defence that will drive investment in high-skilled industries across the UK.
A review of international policy released tomorrow will recognise the union between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the “greatest source of strength”.
The Prime Minister last night declared it was vital the blueprint setting out Britain’s place in the world must also improve lives for people at home.
He said: “The foundation of our foreign policy is who we are as a country: our values, our strengths and, most importantly, our people. So I am determined to ensure we have a foreign policy that delivers for those people. Our international ambitions must start at home, and through the Integrated Review we will drive investment back into our communities, ensuring the UK is on the cutting-edge of innovation and creating an entire country match-fit for a more competitive world.”
The Daily Express is crusading to Unite the Kingdom after strains caused by the rise of nationalism north of the border. In November, the first report of the review called for a £24billion programme of investment in defence that would create 40,000 jobs over the next four years.
The latest stage includes plans to create 500 extra roles at the Foreign Office unit in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, and the creation of a new National Cyber Security Force HQ in northern England.The Cabinet Office is also setting up a new base in Glasgow, with at least 500 staff based there in the next four years.
Around 22,000 civil service roles will be moved out of London by 2030. Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary Alex Chisholm said: “We are opening up opportunities for existing staff to develop careers, while also drawing on a new and diverse talent pool.”
Mr Johnson yesterday told the Scottish Conservative spring conference the success of the Covid vaccine drive was a UK team effort that has “shown the brilliance of every part of our union” and the last thing the country needed was to be broken up. He added: “The SNP think this is the time to start another political fight.”
WHEN you’ve scooped £115million on the Lottery, the last thing you’d expect to be doing is watching the pennies.
But thrifty Frances Connolly, who won the UK’s fourth highest payout in 2019, still checks her gas and electricity bills to make sure she’s not overcharged – and even keeps coppers in a giant whisky bottle.
The 54-year-old former teacher, who hit the Euromillions jackpot with husband Patrick, said they had given away £60million of their winnings.
The couple, originally from Northern Ireland, passed up the chance to buy a mansion and instead live in a five-bed bungalow – complete with swimming pool and tennis court – in County Durham.
Frances said: “I look for a bargain everywhere I go and check the bank every month to see what I’m paying for gas and electric.
“I’ve got a big jar with coppers and coins in it – it’s a whisky bottle my
dad gave to me years ago. Every time it gets full, it goes to charity.”
She said: “We have given away £60million. When we first won the lottery an estate agent sent us a brochure for this stately home – it was about £8million. If you bought it you had 250 acres and owned the village.
“My husband said, ‘We can’t afford that. We’d have to pay for all those caps for people to doff at us when we drive through the village’.”
IT was one small snap for man...but a giant leap for space photography.
Now the iconic 1968 Earthrise image of our planet peeping over the surface of the Moon is to star in a major auction.
It was the first colour picture taken of the phenomenon, 240,000 miles from the Earth, and could fetch up to £5,000.
More than 600 original space exploration prints are expected to fetch thousands each.
They include astronaut Ed White’s 1965 Gemini 4 spacewalk and Neil Armstrong’s photograph of Buzz Aldrin on the Moon.
The Dreweatts online auction is on Wednesday.