Salvos Christmas Appeal: Community support is neededNo. 25 Illinois rebounds in big way, blasts UMES 87-40Ukraine must be placed in the “strongest possible position for negotiations” to end the war with Russia, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The Prime Minister insisted the UK will back Ukraine “for as long as it takes” as he made a speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, but for the first time acknowledged the conflict could move towards a negotiated end. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has in recent weeks suggested he is open to a possible ceasefire with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Kyiv and its European allies meanwhile fear the advent of Donald Trump’s return to the White House could result in American aid being halted. President-elect Trump has said he would prefer to move towards a peace deal, and has claimed he could end the conflict on “day one” of his time in power. As he attempts to strike up a good relationship with the incoming president, Sir Keir revealed he had told Mr Trump the UK “will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come”. In his speech at London’s Guildhall, the Prime Minister said there is “no question it is right we support Ukraine”, as the UK’s aid to Kyiv is “deeply in our self-interest”. Allowing Russia to win the war would mean “other autocrats would believe they can follow Putin’s example,” he warned. Sir Keir added: “So we must continue to back Ukraine and do what it takes to support their self-defence for as long as it takes. “To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their own future.” Mr Zelensky told Sky News over the weekend he would be open to speaking with Mr Putin, but branded the Russian president a “terrorist”. He also suggested Ukrainian territory under his control should be taken under the “Nato umbrella” to try to stop the “hot stage” of the war with Russia. In a banquet speech focused on foreign affairs, the Prime Minister said it was “plain wrong” to suggest the UK must choose between its allies, adding: “I reject it utterly. “(Clement) Attlee did not choose between allies. (Winston) Churchill did not choose. “The national interest demands that we work with both.” Sir Keir said the UK and the US were “intertwined” when it came to commerce, technology and security. The Prime Minister added: “That’s why, when President Trump graciously hosted me for dinner in Trump Tower, I told him that we will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come.” He also repeated his commitment to “rebuild our ties with Europe” and insisted he was right to try to build closer links with China. “It is remarkable that until I met President Xi last month there had been no face-to-face meeting between British and Chinese leaders for six years,” the Prime Minister said. “We can’t simply look the other way. We need to engage. To co-operate, to compete and to challenge on growth, on security concerns, on climate as well as addressing our differences in a full and frank way on issues like Hong Kong, human rights, and sanctions on our parliamentarians,” he added. The Prime Minister said he wants Britain’s role in the world to be that of “a constant and responsible actor in turbulent times”. He added: “To be the soundest ally and to be determined, always, in everything we do. “Every exchange we have with other nations, every agreement we enter into to deliver for the British people and show, beyond doubt, that Britain is back.” Ahead of Sir Keir’s speech, Lord Mayor Alastair King urged the Prime Minister and his Government to loosen regulations on the City of London to help it maintain its competitive edge. In an echo of Sir Keir’s commitment to drive the UK’s economic growth, the Lord Mayor said: “The idealist will dream of growth, but the pragmatist understands that our most effective machinery to drive growth is here in the City, in the hands of some of the brightest and most committed people that you will find anywhere in the world.”Barry Keoghan responds to rumours following Sabrina Carpenter split
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HP Study: Why Work Isn’t Working And What Can Fix ItThe United States ambassador to the UK is to host a special reception to mark the work of a charity founded by former prime minister Gordon Brown . Jane D Hartley will praise the work of the Multibank, which helps to distribute clothes, bedding, baby, hygiene, toy and furniture through a network of local charities and care professionals. Ms Hartley says the Multibank is “one of the best tools we have to provide essential goods to the people who need them the most”. At the reception in London on Tuesday, she will urge more companies to get involved in the charity. The Multibank was launched three years ago by Mr Brown, with help from Amazon , redistributing surplus stock from the online giant’s returns centre in Fife, to families supported by The Cottage Family Centre, in nearby Kirkcaldy , where Mr Brown is a long-time patron. There are now five Multibank charity centres across Britain , which have distributed five million products to half a million families. Support professionals report getting Multibank goods to the families who need them is preventing them from falling into crisis, and stopping children from being taken into care. Ms Hartley and Mr Brown will be joined at the reception by Amazon UK country manager John Boumphrey and Comic Relief chief executive Samir Patel. Amazon UK and Comic Relief announced a £6 million commitment over the next four years to the Multibank Comic Relief Fund to help expand Multibanks across the UK. Ms Hartley said: “We must lift up the most vulnerable when they are down and equip young people with resources as they grow. “In both the UK and the United States, there are still too many families living in poverty, but we can make a difference when we combine the reach of government with the innovation of the private sector. “This game-changing new commitment will boost the reach and the sustainability of the Multibank programme, one of the best tools we have to provide essential goods to the people who need them the most. I have always believed that companies have a responsibility to give back to the world; to do good, not just to do well.” Mr Brown said: “I’m delighted US Ambassador Jane Hartley is joining our Multibank Coalition of Compassion. She joins football, rugby and sports clubs, celebrities from film, theatre and music – including David Tennant, Peter Capaldi, Michael Sheen and Simon Cowell – in calling on suppliers and funders to donate goods to Britain’s Multibank so we can put a smile on thousands of children’s faces this Christmas and show them we care. “The Multibank model is simple: businesses have household good surpluses, and via our community-based charity partners we can get them straight to the people who need them. No product ever needs be wasted whilst we have families in need of them.” Mr Boumphrey said: “Our goal is to help as many families as possible by connecting surplus goods from Amazon and other businesses, with those who need it most.” Mr Patel said: “The Multibank is an invaluable lifeline to people and their families in being able to access essential goods and keep themselves and their children warm and healthy. “Whether it’s clothes, bedding, essential hygiene products or school uniforms, the power of this innovative cross-organisation partnership provides critical help within communities across the UK.”
