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Mr Jeff Glekin has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Plurinational State of Bolivia in succession to Mr James Thornton. Mr Glekin will take up his appointment in January 2019.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full name: Jeffrey Glekin

2014 to present	Bogota, Deputy Head of Mission
2012 to 2014	FCO, Deputy Head of Commercial and Economic Diplomacy
2007 to 2011	Mumbai, Deputy Head of Mission and First Secretary Financial & Economic
2005 to 2007	HM Treasury, Private Secretary to the Second Permanent Secretary and Managing Director of the International & Finance Directorate
2004 to 2005	HM Treasury, Policy Analyst, European Economic Reform
2003 to 2004	HM Treasury, Policy Analyst, Productivity Team

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A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister spoke to the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this evening.

The Prime Minister said she was delighted that Canada had selected the UK’s cutting-edge Type 26 warship for its future frigate programme, noting it demonstrated the strength of our defence relationship.

They discussed Saudi Arabia and the appalling murder of Jamal Khashoggi, agreeing that there remained an urgent need to establish what had happened and for those responsible to be held to account.

They agreed that the international community should continue to encourage a thorough, credible, and transparent investigation by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

On Yemen, they agreed on the pressing need to alleviate the humanitarian situation and reach a political solution. The Prime Minister said we supported the US call for de-escalation in Yemen, noting that it must be underpinned by a political deal between the conflict parties.

They looked forward to seeing each other at the G20 summit in Argentina at the end of the month.

We are aware that a video is trending on social media showing an effigy of Grenfell Tower being burned on a bonfire. The government condemns this video in the strongest terms.

Secretary of State for Communities, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, said:

At a time when the bereaved and survivors are giving testimony to the Grenfell Inquiry and reliving the unimaginable horror of that tragedy, it beggars belief that anyone should do this.

Those responsible for this repugnant material are beneath contempt. I know that the police have been made aware of this video and will work to establish whether any offences have been committed.

I would urge people not to continue to share this video.

The Prime Minister welcomed over 150 volunteers, ambassadors and supporters of the charity as well as its chair Nick Winser to the event at Downing Street.

The Prime Minister also presented one of the charity’s volunteers, David Allen, with a Points of Light award. David has transformed his local branch of the MS Society into one that helps hundreds of people every year. He has also been instrumental in some of the charity’s national campaigns including ‘Treat Me Right’, aiming to improve early access to treatment. This hard work earnt David the charity’s Volunteer of the Year award only a year after his own diagnosis with MS.

Prime Minister Theresa May said:

I know from my own family’s experience how incredibly tough living with MS can be and how it changes lives profoundly. The work that the MS Society does not only improves the lives of those diagnosed with the condition through funding new research but also provides much needed support for them and their loved ones. They are only able to do this through the tireless dedication of their incredible volunteers such as David and I am delighted to be able to present him with a Points of Light award.

Points of Light winner, David Allen said:

When I started volunteering for the MS Society over 15 years ago I had no idea where the role would take me. I volunteer to help bring about vital change for people affected by MS and will continue to share my experience of the condition to help others. If I’m honest, I’m gobsmacked I’ve won an award. It is truly an honour and privilege to be recognised in this way and it is really humbling to know people notice.

Patricia Gordon, Acting Chief Executive at the MS Society, said:

David has made a huge contribution to the MS Society over the last five years, and his continued support and dedication is invaluable. It was fantastic to see him presented with a Points of Light Award by the Prime Minister at an event to celebrate our volunteers and advancements in MS research. It was a great way to thank him for his work, and something we will all remember for a very long time.

We’re driving research into more – and better – treatments, and David’s unwavering dedication and passion will help us every step of the way. Together, we’re strong enough to stop MS.

More than 5,000 people around the UK volunteer for the MS Society, and last year alone gave more than 700,000 hours of their valuable time to support people affected by MS.

The Points of Light awards honour outstanding volunteers across the UK. Every weekday, the Prime Minister recognises a different individual with the award as a tribute to the incredible impact they have had in their communities.

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister spoke to the Taoiseach this morning to take stock of the progress being made in the negotiations, including on the Northern Ireland backstop. In a constructive conversation, the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach discussed the remaining issues.

They agreed that the intention was that the backstop should only be a temporary arrangement and that the best solution to the Northern Ireland border would be found by agreeing a future relationship between the UK and the EU. In order to ensure that the backstop, if ever needed, would be temporary, the Prime Minister said that there would need to be a mechanism through which the backstop could be brought to an end.

She affirmed the UK’s commitment to the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and to avoiding a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. The Prime Minister and the Taoiseach agreed that discussions should continue.

Olive trees (Olea europaea) will soon be added to the Government’s list of tree species included in the statutory notification scheme for imports from the EU. These new measures, coming into force on 26 November, will strengthen the UK’s protection against the risk of the plant disease Xylella.

The statutory notification scheme involves a legal requirement to notify the APHA in advance of the import of certain trees and plants from EU member states.

Olive trees are known hosts of the bacterium Xylella which causes disease in a wide range of plants grown in the UK and its introduction could have a significant effect on our landscapes. The Government is following the situation in Europe closely where the disease has devastated olive groves in southern Italy and was recently intercepted at a wholesaler in Belgium.

Adding olive trees to the notification scheme is part of the risk-based approach in tackling tree and plant diseases. It will help inspectors target specific imported plant consignments, giving the best chance of intercepting any diseased plants at an early stage.

These new measures apply to England only but other parts of the UK are considering the introduction of equivalent legislation.

Biosecurity Minister Lord Gardiner said:

Xylella is a major threat to our landscape and our industry and we must do all we can to ensure the UK remains a Xylella-free zone. That is why we have introduced tighter measures around the import of certain high risk-hosts, such as olive trees, which will come into force later this month.’’

Alongside these tightened measures we urge the public and tree and plant professionals to remain vigilant for signs of Xylella, practice good biosecurity measures and to notify authorities without delay if the disease is suspected.

All growers and traders should take the following actions:

• Ensure imported plants both originate from and are sourced from disease free areas.
• Source from known suppliers or visit suppliers to view their processes, procedures, bio-security arrangements and the plants they grow.
• Isolate or quarantine new batches of plants and monitor them during the growing season for signs of the disease.
• Ensure that plant passports arriving with plants are correct and keep the plant passport to aid trace back if necessary.
• Follow the full guidance on Gov.uk, including requirements on notifying imports to APHA.