Tag Archives: Governmental

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News story: £20 million for D-Day landings memorial

The British servicemen and women who gave their lives in the D-Day landings and in the Normandy Campaign will be commemorated with a new memorial, supported by £20 million, the Prime Minister and Chancellor today announced.

The monument will be built at the site of the fierce fighting during and after D-Day. For the first time, a memorial will carry the names of the estimated 21,000 members of the British Armed Forces and Merchant Navy, plus those from other nations who fought directly alongside them, who lost their lives in the D-Day landings and the Normandy campaign.

As well as commemorating those who died in Normandy, the memorial will also pay tribute to several thousand sailors and airmen who were lost at sea, and those who died from their wounds after being brought back to the UK for treatment.

The memorial will be unveiled in Normandy on 6th June 2019 – the 75th anniversary of D-Day – and many of the remaining veterans, and the families of those who fought, are expected to be present for a parade at the D-Day landing grounds.

The Normandy Memorial Trust, supported by The Royal British Legion, has been the driving force behind the project and will now launch a fundraising appeal to build on the government’s contribution.

The £20 million government funding will come from LIBOR fines levied on the banking industry.

The Chancellor is planning to meet many of the Veterans on the eve of their departure at Southwick Park, outside Portsmouth, in June before they return to the Normandy Beaches to pay their respects to those who did not return home. Southwick Park is home to the historic D-Day Map Room and was the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, from where the operation was planned and coordinated by General Montgomery and General Eisenhower.

The design and location of the memorial will be confirmed in due course by the Trust.

George Batts MBE, Legion d’Honneur, former National Secretary of the Normandy Veterans’ Association said:

It has been the dream of Normandy Veterans for many years for there to be a British memorial in Normandy dedicated to all those from the British Armed Forces who lost their lives in the D-Day Landings and in the Normandy Campaign which followed. This generous commitment by Her Majesty’s government will finally enable us to realise this ambition in time for the 75th anniversary of D-Day in June 2019.

Prime Minister Theresa May said:

We must never forget the courage, sacrifice and selflessness of the British servicemen and women who gave their lives in the D-Day landings. Located close by the beaches where they began the liberation of Europe, the Normandy Memorial will be a fitting tribute to them and a place where people can gather to reflect on their extraordinary achievements. Its unveiling on the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in 2019 will provide a timely reminder that we should never take our freedom for granted.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said:

This will be a fitting reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made by British men and women on D-Day for the freedoms we enjoy today. We have a duty to ensure their names will be remembered for generations to come. It is only right we support this project as we look forward to the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in 2019.

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HM Government • • •

Finance Secretary urges Treasury to abandon austerity and boost investment for vital public services and the economy

In a letter to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford set out Wales’ priorities ahead of the Spring Budget on 8 March.

The Cabinet Secretary outlined his concerns about the UK Government’s intention to press ahead with £3.5bn of cuts to public spending in 2019-20 – cuts which could result in a further £175m reduction to the Welsh budget.

And he called on the UK Government to use the Spring Budget to announce extra funding for health and social care services. 

Professor Drakeford said:  

“I remain very concerned about the impact of further cuts to public spending and the UK Government’s intention to press ahead with £3.5bn of cuts in 2019-20.  

“Our budget is already substantially lower in real terms than it was in 2010 as a result of the UK Government’s years of austerity – additional cuts on top of those we are already facing could mean a further £175m reduction to our budget.

“These cuts are unnecessary and counter-productive – now is the time for the UK Government to end its damaging policy of austerity and provide a much-needed fiscal stimulus to boost economic confidence and support vital public services.

“Over the winter, we have seen significant pressures in health and social care services across the UK. It was disappointing that the UK Government did not take the opportunity to provide extra funding for these services in the Autumn Statement. 

“I urge the UK Government to take action in this Budget to increase funding for health and social care in recognition of the very real pressures these services are facing.”

In his letter to the Chief Secretary for the Treasury, the Cabinet Secretary reiterated the Welsh Government’s commitment to the Swansea Bay City Deal proposal and called on the UK Government to act to ensure the wider ambitions for the Swansea region are realised, including:

• Using the Spring Budget as an opportunity to sign the Swansea Bay City Deal;
• Taking forward the Hendry Report on Tidal Energy and calling for detailed discussions between the Welsh and UK governments to maximise the opportunities for the Welsh and UK economies; 
• Confirming the electrification of the Great Western mainline to Swansea will be delivered immediately after electrification to Cardiff is completed in 2018.

Professor Drakeford added:  

“Good progress has been made with the Swansea Bay City Deal proposal and it has been my – and the Welsh Government’s view that the deal is ready to be signed.  

“The Budget is an ideal opportunity for the UK Government to bring this deal to a conclusion and I welcome the positive comments by the Chancellor in the House of Commons recently, which provided a strong signal this is achievable.”

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Welsh Government • •