26 January 2017 – Welcoming the progress thus far in negotiations led by Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders, as well as ongoing efforts, the United Nations Security Council today encouraged the sides to “grasp the current opportunity with determination” to secure a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus.

Through a unanimously adopted resolution, the 15-member Council called on the leaders to “put their efforts behind further work on reaching convergences on the core issues.”

It also called on them to “improve the public atmosphere for the negotiations, including by focussing public messages on convergences and the way ahead, and delivering more constructive and harmonized messages.”

The Council further urged the implementation of confidence-building measures, and said that it looked forward to agreement on and implementation of further such mutually-acceptable steps, that can contribute to a conducive environment for a settlement.

Also in the resolution, the Security Council – the primary UN body responsible for matters related to international peace and security – decided to extend the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until end of July this year.

The Council further called on the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkish forces to restore the military status quo in Strovilia, which existed there prior to 30 June 2000, as well as called on both sides to allow access to deminers and to facilitate the removal of the remaining mines in Cyprus within the buffer zone.

It also urged them to extend demining operations outside the buffer zone.

Also in the adopted text, the Council hailed efforts being undertaken by UNFICYP to implement the UN Secretary-General’s zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse and to ensure full compliance of its personnel with the UN code of conduct, and urged troop-contributing countries to take appropriate preventive action including conducting pre-deployment training.

It also called on the countries to take disciplinary action and other action to ensure full accountability in cases of such conduct involving their personnel.

UNFICYP – one of the longest-running UN peacekeeping missions – has been deployed on the Mediterranean island since 1964 to prevent further fighting between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities there and bring about a return to normal conditions.

72 years ago the world learned of the liberation of Auschwitz and the full horror of the death camps.

And as we looked at the devastation wrought on the Jews of Europe, we swore that we would never let genocide happen again.

We failed.

Genocide happened in Cambodia.

It happened in Rwanda.

The 20th century ended with genocide in Bosnia.

The 21st century began with genocide in Darfur.

Faced not only with such unimaginable evil, but also with our repeated failure to learn from it, it’s easy to ask “How can life go on?”

I find the answer in the words that one young victim of the Holocaust wrote in her diary.

“I still believe people are really good at heart”.

Anne Frank was right.

People can be good.

We can be better.

We just need to be reminded of our failings, and not permitted to forget what happens when hatred is left to grow unchecked.

So, life can go on because life must go on.

Because we must remember.

That’s why Holocaust Memorial Day is so important.

And that’s why I’m so proud to be leading the work on the new National Holocaust Memorial.

It’s going to be built right outside Parliament, and concept designs will be unveiled at 10 Downing Street later on today.

The memorial will remind us of those who died and those who survived.

But it will also remind us that the Holocaust did not begin in the gas chambers.

It began with words.

With discrimination.

With ordinary people not standing up to hatred.

And that’s a message that’s as relevant today as at any time in our history.

A message that must be shared, that must be passed on to our children and our children’s children.

Because in the words of Zigi Shipper, one of 112 Holocaust survivors whose testimony has been recorded for the memorial project:

“I beg the young people, whatever you do, do not hate.

“Hate will ruin your life.”

Today
Labour has tabled a number of targeted amendments to the Article 50 Bill (the
European Union [Notification of Withdrawal] Bill).

The
amendments seek to improve the process, and would ensure Parliament is able to
hold the Government to account throughout the Brexit negotiations.

Labour
is also tabling an anti-tax haven amendment to ensure the Prime Minister doesn’t use Brexit to weaken Britain’s laws concerning tax avoidance and evasion.

Labour
will also support two amendments drafted by Melanie Onn MP which would protect
workers’ rights and ensure there is no drop in employment protection after the
UK leaves the EU.

Labour’s
amendments will:

i)                   
Allow a meaningful vote in Parliament on the final Brexit deal. Labour’s
amendment would ensure that the House of Commons has the first say on any
proposed deal and that the consent of Parliament would be required before
the deal is referred to the European Council and Parliament.

ii)                 
Establish a number of key principles the Government must seek to negotiate
during the process, including protecting workers’ rights, securing full
tariff and impediment free access to the Single Market.

iii)               
Ensure there is robust and regular Parliamentary scrutiny by requiring the
Secretary of State to report to the House at least every two months on
the progress being made on negotiations throughout the Brexit process

iv)               
Guarantee legal rights for EU nationals living in the UK. Labour has
repeatedly called for the Government to take this step, and this amendment
would ensure EU citizens’ rights are not part of the Brexit negotiations.

v)                 
Require the Government to consult regularly with the governments in Wales,
Scotland and Northern Ireland throughout Brexit negotiations. Labour’s
amendment would put the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) on a statutory
footing and require the UK Government to consult the JMC at least every two
months.

vi)               
Require the Government to publish impact assessments conducted since the
referendum of any new proposed trading relationship with the EU. This amendment
seeks to ensure there is much greater clarity on the likely impact  of the
Government’s decision to exit the Single Market and seek  new relationship
with the Customs Union

vii)             
Ensure
the Government must seek to retain all existing EU tax avoidance and evasion
measures post-Brexit

Jeremy
Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, said:

“Labour
will seek to amend the Article 50 Bill to prevent the Government using Brexit
to turn Britain into a bargain basement tax haven off the coast of Europe. Our
country can do much better than that.

“We
respect the will of the British people, but not the will of this Tory
government to impose fewer rights at work and worse public services, while the
largest corporations pay even less tax.

“Labour
will ensure that the British people, through Parliament, have genuine
accountability and oversight over the Brexit negotiations because no one voted
to give Prime Minister Theresa May a free hand over our future.”

Keir
Starmer, Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, said:

“Now
that Parliament has the right to trigger Article 50, we need to ensure there is
proper grip and accountability built into the process.

“Labour’s
amendments will also seek to ensure the Prime Minister secures the best deal
for the whole country – including tariff and impediment free access to the
Single Market and that there is no drop in workers’ rights.

“Labour’s
amendments will significantly improve the Government’s Bill – in particular by
ensuring the House of Commons has the first say on the final Brexit deal and
that there are regular opportunities to hold the Government to account.

“Labour’s
amendments will also seek to ensure the Prime Minister secures the best deal
for the whole country – including tariff and impediment free access to the
Single Market and that there is no drop in workers’ rights. We will also
vigorously oppose any plans to reduce powers to tackle tax avoidance or
evasion’.

“The
Article 50 Bill will be the start, not the end of the Brexit process and Labour
will hold the Government to account all the way”

Melanie
Onn MP,
who has tabled two amendments with Frontbench support on workers’ rights said:

“The
Tories can’t be allowed to use Brexit as an excuse to water-down people’s
rights at work.

“That’s
why I am introducing amendments to protect in British law all workers’ rights
which originate from the EU, including maternity pay, equal rights for agency
and part-time workers, and the working time directive.

“The
British people voted to leave the EU, but I don’t think anyone was voting for
more insecure contracts or a less safe workplace.”