Stirling among places longlisted for UK City of Culture 2025

Stirling has been named among eight areas longlisted for UK City of Culture 2025, unveiled today by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries.

Following a record 20 bids, the eight longlisted locations are Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Bradford, Cornwall, County Durham, Derby, Southampton, Stirling and Wrexham County Borough.

Winning the prestigious title has enormous benefits with previous hosts attracting millions of pounds in additional investment, creating jobs and attracting thousands of visitors to their local area.

The places will now work with a panel of experts and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to finalise their bids before the shortlist is announced early next year.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said:

Winning the UK City of Culture competition has a hugely positive impact on an area, driving investment, creating jobs, and highlighting that culture is for everyone, regardless of their background.

This year’s focus is on levelling up access to culture across the country and making sure there is a legacy that continues for generations to come. I look forward to seeing what this brilliant longlist has in store as they continue in the competition.

Sir Phil Redmond, Chair of the City of Culture Expert Advisory Panel, said:

The Expressions of Interest stage was introduced as an opportunity to encourage many more places to experience the benefit of coming together to define and share a cultural vision for their areas, and what the longlist demonstrates is the range and depth of cultural ambition across the whole of the UK.

Also for the first time, each longlisted city will receive financial support to help them develop their vision. Each is different. Each has its own story to tell. All share a common aim: to demonstrate how culture can act as the creative catalyst for change. I am really looking forward to seeing how each story develops.

The competition, delivered by DCMS in collaboration with the Offices for Scotland and Wales and the Northern Ireland Executive, uses culture as a tool for levelling up towns and cities across the country. The longlist was recommended by an independent advisory panel which brings together a wide range of expertise from across the UK.

All bids were asked to explain how they would use culture to grow and strengthen their local area, as well as how they would use culture to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. For the first time, this year each longlisted place will receive £40,000 to support the development of their promising proposals.

The winner will be announced in spring 2022 and will follow Coventry’s tenure as UK City of Culture 2021 to take the lead on culture in the UK in 2025.

Previous winners Hull and Derry-Londonderry have shown how the competition can deliver greater and long-lasting cultural participation, economic regeneration and local pride, whilst Coventry City of Culture 2021 is already providing a blueprint for how culture can be at the heart of social and economic recovery.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries will also be hosting a roundtable with all unsuccessful bidders to discuss how best they can be supported.

UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said:

I’m particularly pleased that Stirling is in the running for this prestigious award. With its fascinating history and vibrant creative scene, it’s a strong contender for the title.

The list of cities announced today is testament to the outstanding creativity and culture across the UK. I look forward to seeing proposals develop as Stirling strives to bring the UK City of Culture to Scotland for the first time.



Scottish business to be showcased at Global Investment Summit

  • The UK Government-hosted Global Investment Summit will showcase the best of UK innovation and green technology ahead of COP26.
  • Scottish green energy business, Orbital Marine Power, is among 12 companies from across the UK displaying innovative green technologies.
  • The Summit aims to drive billions in investment to all parts of the UK.

Orbital Marine Power, a green energy company based in Edinburgh and Orkney, will be among twelve of the UK’s best green innovators to showcase their technology to some of the world’s most high-profile investors at the Global Investment Summit on October 19.

Hosted by the Prime Minister and supported by members of the Royal Family, the Summit will demonstrate Britain’s commitment to green industries of the future as Glasgow prepares to host COP26, promoting the UK as the best destination for foreign investment.

Around 200 investors attending the Summit will see the latest cutting-edge innovation that is helping deliver key areas of the PM’s Ten Point Plan, helping cement the UK’s position as a science superpower and the world’s number one centre for green technology.

The showcase will demonstrate major leaps forward in renewable energy, with Orbital Marine Power displaying a model of their O2 2MW tidal turbine. Capable of generating enough clean electricity for around 2,000 UK homes and offsetting 2,200 tonnes of CO2 production per year, it is one of the most powerful tidal turbines in the world.

Orbital CEO Andrew Scott said:

We are delighted to be given this amazing platform to showcase the innovative technology we pioneered here in the UK and to share our vision of how tidal stream energy can play a part in turning the tide on climate change.

Minister for Investment, Gerry Grimstone said:

Our Global Investment Summit will put UK innovation on the map and demonstrate how we can use investment to nurture technological developments and propel our economy towards a more prosperous, exciting future.

These businesses show why the UK is a global hub for green technology, not just helping ensure a cleaner, greener planet but also creating high value jobs across the whole of the UK.

The Ten Point Plan will mobilise £12bn of government investment to create and support up to 250,000 highly skilled green jobs in the UK – and unlock three times as much private sector investment by 2030.

In the last decade Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has created more than 700,000 jobs across the UK, including over 3,000 jobs created in Scotland over the last financial year alone. Since April 2019, projects supported by the Department for International Trade have contributed more than £7 billion to the economy.

Inward investment also helps level up the UK by making companies more profitable, which means they can invest back into local economies and stronger supply chains, and more sustainable communities for the future.



Statement from Cabinet Secretary on James Brokenshire

Government response

The Cabinet Secretary has made a statement on the death of James Brokenshire.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case said:

“On behalf of the Civil Service, I would like to express my deep sadness at the news of James Brokenshire’s death.

“He was a man of deep kindness and integrity, and as a Minister he inspired respect and loyalty from the civil servants who worked for him in the Home Office, Northern Ireland Office and the then Ministry for Housing and Local Government. I had the personal privilege of working with him closely over a number of years and admired greatly his unwavering commitment to public service and compassion.

“The thoughts and condolences of colleagues right across the Civil Service are with James’s family and friends.”

Published 8 October 2021



Asian hornet identified in Ascot

Press release

Beekeepers and members of the public are being asked to remain vigilant after an Asian hornet was spotted in the Ascot area of Berkshire.

A diagram of an Asian hornet is pictured, showing that the Asian hornet can be up to 25mm, is entirely dark brown or black and has brown legs with characteristic yellow ends.

The National Bee Unit has confirmed the sighting and monitoring is underway to detect any other Asian hornets in the vicinity.

The Asian hornet is smaller than our native hornet and poses no greater risk to human health than our native wasps and hornets. However, they do pose a risk to honey bees and work is already underway to monitor for any hornet activity and to identify any nests nearby.

This is the first confirmed UK sighting since September 2020, when one Asian hornet nest was identified and destroyed near Gosport, Hampshire.

Defra’s Chief Plant and Bee Health Officer Nicola Spence said:

By ensuring we are alerted to possible sightings as early as possible, we can take swift and effective action to stamp out the threat posed by Asian hornets. That’s why we are working at speed to locate and investigate any nests in the area following this confirmed sighting.

While the Asian hornet poses no greater risk to human health than other wasps or hornets, we recognise the damage they can cause to honey bee colonies and other beneficial insects.

Please continue to look out for any Asian hornets and if you think you’ve spotted one, report your sighting through the Asian hornet app or online.

It is important to take care not to approach or disturb a nest. Asian hornets are not generally aggressive towards people but an exception to this is when they perceive a threat to their nest.

If you suspect you have seen an Asian hornet you should report this using the iPhone and Android app ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ or by using our online report form. Alternatively, e-mail alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk.

Please include a photograph if you can safely obtain one.

Identification guides and more information are available and if you keep bees you should keep up to date with the latest situation on the gov.uk sightings page and on BeeBase.

  • The cost of eradication on private land will be met by APHA
  • The Great Britain Non-native Species Secretariat is a joint venture between Defra, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government to tackle the threat of invasive species. More information can be found on their website
  • For details on the appearance of an Asian hornet, please refer to the BeeBase guide or the non-native species identification guide
  • Photographs of the Asian hornet are available on our Flickr account
  • The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is not to be confused with the Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) which has been found in North America fewer than 10 times as of August 2020

Published 8 October 2021



Hertfordshire child sex offender handed increased jail sentence

News story

Jaime Alejandro Garcia-Perez has had his sentence increased by the Court of Appeal following a referral by the then Solicitor General.

A Hertfordshire child sex offender has had his sentence increased by the Court of Appeal following a referral by the then Solicitor General.

On 26 February 2021, Jaime Alejandro Garcia-Perez, 24, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, raping a child under the age of 13 and attempted rape.

On 27 July, Garcia-Perez was sentenced to 8 years and 6 months’ imprisonment at St Albans Crown Court.

Following the sentence, the then Solicitor General referred Garcia-Perez’s sentence to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme. On 8 October the Court of Appeal found his original sentence to be unduly lenient and increased it to 10 years and 6 months’ imprisonment, followed by 1 year on licence.

Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General, Alex Chalk QC MP said:

Garcia-Perez’s crimes were abhorrent and very upsetting. I am glad that the Court of Appeal agreed that the sentence was too low and increased his prison term. No sentence can make up for the enormity of his crimes, but I hope today’s outcome will bring a measure of comfort to the victim and their family.

Published 8 October 2021