Latest news with #GeorgeFreeman
GMA Network
10 hours ago
- Business
- GMA Network
UK urges PH to expand energy options, include renewables
'The Middle East crisis, as it has always done, puts pressure on oil prices, it's inflationary, and it drives costs up for business around the world,' Freeman told a group of journalists in a briefing in Manila. 'If the Philippines has more renewables, it's much more independent and more secure as its supply is more secure.' The United Kingdom is urging the Philippines to diversify its energy options and include renewable sources to reduce its exposure to geopolitical risks such as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, which has already affected global oil prices. George Freeman, the United Kingdom's trade envoy for the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei, said investing in other energy sources would provide the country protection against external disruptions, such as Russia's war in Ukraine and the raging armed confrontation in the Middle East. 'The Middle East crisis, as it has always done, puts pressure on oil prices, it's inflationary, and it drives costs up for business around the world,' Freeman told a group of journalists in a briefing in Manila. 'If the Philippines has more renewables, it's much more independent and more secure as its supply is more secure.' The shift from oil and coal – the Philippines' main energy sources – to renewables not only brings greater energy independence, but also helps reduce global warming and create job opportunities, Freeman noted. 'Renewable transition is key for economic security and prosperity,' he said. 'If the Philippines generated more of its own electricity from solar, from wind, from geothermal, from tidal. It's much more secure and much less exposed to price volatility internationally. The Ukraine war, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has caused a surge in energy prices, and now the Middle East.' By investing in and attracting investment into these industries, 'you create new jobs and clean jobs,' said Freeman, adding that renewables present 'wonderful opportunities for Filipinos.' Freeman said the UK is eyeing more 'heavy' investment opportunities in clean and renewable energy in the country and that it is committed to bringing its 'expertise here and to help the Philippines' to ensure that it will not be exposed to 'those same geopolitical supply chain risks. 'Renewables create opportunities for Filipinos not to work in coal mines and not to work in dangerous old industries, but to work in clean new industries, and the Philippines develops a clean energy sector,' Freeman said. Asked about U.S. President Donald Trump's imposition of very high tariffs against China and America's security allies worldwide, Freeeman said the effect may be 'too early' to tell. However, he said the UK is determined to keep its 99% tariff-free policy on the Philippines, which he described as Britain's 'close, important ally,' to ensure two-way trade between the two countries would remain robust. Freeman also cited the recent approval of Britain's £5-billion funding facility from UK Export Finance (UKEF) aimed at supporting key infrastructure projects in the Philippines and the 'extra allocation for defense and security' to highlight his country's pledge to bolster ties with Manila. 'We know how important that is. They're real commitments, and they're working today,' he said. –NB, GMA Integrated News
BBC News
13 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
How will Norfolk's MPs vote on assisted dying?
MPs in Norfolk are split on whether to change the law on assisted dying, with two reversing their previous a bill on the proposed change will receive what is known as its third reading – where MPs will decide to either throw it out or pass it on to the House of Freeman and Rupert Lowe, who voted in favour last year, said they were now against the law of Norfolk's other MPs told the BBC they remained supportive, two were still against, whilst another was undecided. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would allow adults with less than six months to live to receive medical assistance to November last year it passed its first major vote in the Commons, backed with a majority of 55 MPs from a range of then, a number of members have changed their minds. Those include Mid-Norfolk Conservative Freeman, who said he was unhappy a requirement for a High Court judge to approve assisted dying applications was removed from the said he still "supported the aims of the bill", but felt more time should be used to consider it."The sanctity of life and the ethical responsibilities we hold as lawmakers demand a much more cautious approach," he Yarmouth's Independent MP Lowe said his view had changed for similar previous vote in favour had come after asking constituents to take part in an online said he was now "frankly disgusted" the proposed law change had not received "a proper debate and consultation". Norwich North's Labour MP Alice MacDonald and North West Norfolk Conservative James Wild both said they planned to continue supporting the did Waveney Valley's Green, Adrian Ramsay, although he said he was "still listening" to the wider Clive Lewis, the Norwich South MP, said he expected to vote in favour but would "make a final decision based on all the amendments".And North Norfolk Liberal Democrat Steff Aquarone said he firmly believed "people with just a few months left to live should have the right to decide how, when and where they die". Conservative Jerome Mayhew – who represents Fakenham and Broadland – voted against the bill in November and plans to do the same South Norfolk MP Ben Goldsborough also remains said it was unclear if the NHS would be funded to provide assisted dying, alongside concerns that a growing number of people are struggling to access palliative care."We risk creating a system where the most vulnerable feel pressured to choose it, not because it's what they want, but because it's what's available."South West Norfolk's Labour MP Terry Jermy – who previously backed the bill – said he had yet to decide how he would vote. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Guardian
16-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
More protections have been added to assisted dying bill, says Kim Leadbeater
The bill to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill people in England and Wales will be strengthened and made more workable by proposed changes, Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the legislation, has said. As the House of Commons prepared to debate amendments, Leadbeater said fresh protections had been introduced to allow a further check on applications for assisted dying, and ensure doctors and others were able to opt out of involvement in the process. More than 100 campaigners on both sides of the assisted dying argument gathered outside parliament in a sign of strength of feeling about the issue. The bill, which passed its second reading by 55 votes, had been due to face another yes-or-no vote on Friday, the committee stage. But the Commons speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, granted more time for the debate, meaning the only votes will be on specific amendments. Despite the lack of overall vote, the debate will be closely watched for any signs of shifting sentiment among MPs. Opponents of the bill have talked up the idea that a number of supporters have since changed their minds, but only a few MPs have said this publicly. The Conservative MP George Freeman, who backed the second reading in November, has since said he will vote no, and there are a handful of others understood to be changing their minds. The TV presenter and campaigner Esther Rantzen has urged all MPs to back Kim Leadbeater's 'strong, safe, carefully considered bill' to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. In an impassioned letter, the broadcaster, who has stage-four lung cancer, said she and other terminally ill adults asked MPs to allow 'a good, pain-free death for ourselves and those we love and care for'. In Friday's debate, Jess Asato, a Labour MP, intervened to ask Leadbeater if she would dissociate herself from what she said was Esther Rantzen's 'distasteful and disrespectful' comment about opponents of the bill being motivated by undeclared religious beliefs. Leadbeater said she had not seen the remarks. During the debate, some MPs raised concerns that the bill could allow applicants to 'shop around for doctors' to agree to approve their assisted dying request. Leadbeater said: 'I reject the assertion that patients will shop around, bearing in mind we are talking about dying people: they're not in a position to start shopping around for services.' Othes, including the Tory MP Rebecca Paul, objected to the idea that people with anorexia, mental health problems or learning difficulties could under some circumstances become eligible for assisted dying through loopholes in the bill, and urged further safeguards. A group of MPs from medical backgrounds also implored colleagues to support the bill, saying most healthcare professionals 'understand that the current law is not working'. The MPs' letter is signed by three former doctors – Neil Shastri-Hurst (Conservative), Simon Opher and Peter Prinsley (both Labour) – and a former nurse, Kevin McKenna (Labour). They criticised what they called the 'misleading' idea that medical professionals tended to oppose assisted dying, saying surveys had shown at worst mixed sentiments. They wrote: 'In our experience, most healthcare professionals understand that the current law is not working. It criminalises compassion and forces dying people into situations no civilised healthcare system should accept: unbearable pain, unmitigated suffering, or the traumatic decision to end their lives overseas. 'As doctors and clinicians, we would not tolerate such a system in any other area of care. As parliamentarians, we cannot defend it now.' Under the timetable set out by Hoyle, two sets of the amendments agreed in the committee stage will be voted on, first on Friday and then on 13 June. Leadbeater insisted on Thursday that there had been no major drop in support. 'There might be some move in either direction but certainly not a huge amount of movement,' she told LBC radio.
Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Times
Sentiment turning against assisted dying bill, MPs claim
Opponents of assisted dying have said criticism from psychiatrists is a 'blow to the foundations' of a contentious bill that returns to the Commons on Friday — but both sides believe it is still likely to pass. Those opposed to changing the law believe they are seeing 'multiple' MPs come over to their side as practical concerns mount about the bill, while some in government believe sentiment is turning against legalising assisted dying. George Freeman, the former Conservative minister, has become only the third MP to publicly say he will switch sides, after Lee Anderson and Rupert Lowe. He told Times Radio that the bill put forward by the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater risked creating a 'suicide culture' and a 'Dignitas industry'. • Sarah Ditum:
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Residents nervous about flood risk, says Mid Norfolk MP
An MP said constituents in his county were increasingly "nervous and worried" about inland flooding and appealed to the government to take action. George Freeman, the Conservative MP for Mid Norfolk, told a debate in Parliament that 1,000 properties in the county have been flooded in the past 18 months "with sewage washing between houses".He called for housebuilders to be compelled to provide adequate drainage and for more central funding for drainage boards, which manage water levels in inland Hardy, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for water and flooding, said she took the concerns "very seriously" and a record amount of money was going into flood prevention. Freeman added that 22 villages in his constituency have suffered serious flooding in the past five years. Freeman told MPs internal flooding was no longer a marginal issue in places such as Norfolk, as a combination of climate change and housebuilding had caused it to occur in places where it had not been seen five or six years ago. "The patient people of Mid Norfolk are getting really impatient with this," he said. "On behalf of all those people who are very nervous and worried - one constituent was so worried about this that they took their own life - I urge the minister to be bold and brave," he added. Mr Freeman is working on a parliamentary bill to give homeowners more protection from flooding."The only way to make [developers] take this seriously is to say, 'Look if you build and within five or ten years there is significant flooding that never used to happen you're going to be on the hook for upgrading the drains… and doing the repair work'."We have to make the directors of those companies say, "I think we'd better upgrade, we'd better do the investment upfront," he said. Freeman was supported by Steff Aquarone, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, who said: "We need more homes… but although North Norfolk Council does an excellent job pushing developers as hard as it can, it needs the government to provide it with the legislative teeth to achieve more."Terry Jermy, the Labour MP for South West Norfolk, called for more funding for local drainage boards, which he said were struggling with old equipment while their pumps use more expensive electricity."For every pound that King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council collects in council tax, 43p now goes to internal drawing board levies, which is completely unsustainable," he said 'Record investment' In February the government committed £2.65bn over two years for flood and coastal erosion risk management, which included the repair and maintenance of existing infrastructure. Some of the funding has been allocated to Norfolk, as well as funding for internal drainage boards was increased by £ told the debate the government was "committed to building the homes that the country needs, while maintaining the highest levels of flood protection"."Inappropriate development should be avoided and where no suitable sites are available developers should ensure development is appropriately flood resilient and resistant," she added. The number of MPs in this debate showed that flooding has become a major concern in many parts of the country. Freeman believed the solution lied within giving local councils and other bodies more power and money to deal with flooding pinch government has strengthened the planning rules when it comes to flood risk and it said it would consider whether further changes were needed. Hardy said she was listening to the concerns of MPs. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
