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One hundred years after his death, the achievements of Walter Tull, the first man of black heritage to become an officer and lead men into battle in the British Army and one of this country’s first black professional footballers will be commemorated through a series of community engagement projects, backed by the governing bodies of football in England.

Born in Kent to a Barbadian father and local British mother, Tull was orphaned at the age of 8 and spent his formative years in east London children’s home. After making his mark as a talented local football player, he went on to become one of Britain’s first professional players from a black heritage, playing first for Clapton FC before being signed by Tottenham Hotspur and later transferring to Northampton Town in the then Southern League.

Abandoning his career and enlisting in the ‘Football Battalion’, Walter Tull rose through the army ranks to become an officer despite the explicit restrictions to promotion at the time. After serving on the Western Front, then in Italy, Walter Tull was killed in action at the second battle of the Somme in March 1918.

Communities Minister Lord Bourne said:

Walter Tull is a true British hero, who went to great lengths to overcome the barriers of class and colour to fight for his country. Tull 100 is an excellent opportunity for all of us to learn more about his courageous actions in the First World War and his extraordinary football career.

This ambitious project will also hold a mirror to our times; allowing young people to see how far we have come and ensure progress continues in creating a society where everyone, regardless of background, can reach their full potential.

The Tull 100 project launches on the centenary of his death, 25 March 2018, and will work through football clubs, youth groups, schools and community networks across the country to undertake innovative projects. Small-scale funding will be available to support activity.

Tull 100 has “No Barriers” as its central message – developed with a Football Association Youth Advisory Group – and will work to counter discrimination by promoting equality and inclusion, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, and age. Commemorative medals will be awarded to those who make their communities more inclusive.

Premier League

The Tull 100 project will be part of the Premier League Christmas Truce tournament. The flagship international tournament for under 12s takes place each year at Ypres, Belgium, on an artificial pitch created and funded by the Premier League, and involves the young players taking part in a series of educational visits and tours of the area as well as playing academy sides from across Europe.

Two of the 6 teams qualify through an education challenge, 4 through qualifying football tournaments played across England on Remembrance weekend. Last year the Academies took part in another Big Ideas project, Passchendaele at Home. In 2018, the education challenge will be the Tull 100 project.

Thousands of schools will also be encouraged to take part in the Tull 100 project through Premier League Clubs’ community schemes and the ground-breaking Primary Stars programme.

Richard Scudamore, Premier League Executive Chairman said:

Walter Tull was an inspirational figure and his achievements are rightly recognised in football and beyond.

As Britain’s first Army officer of black heritage, and an outstanding footballer, it is important that his story continues to be told and his life commemorated at this important time.

The Premier League’s support for this programme complements the range of Centenary activity clubs will this year deliver in schools and Academies, including honouring the lives of former players who served their country during the First World War.

English Football League

The EFL will work closely with the Tull 100 project supporting its nationwide network of clubs and community trusts to take an active role in ensuring there are “No Barriers” to inclusion and diversity in modern-day football. In addition Northampton Town will be taking a leading role in local commemorations for their celebrated player.

English Football League Chief Executive, Shaun Harvey said:

Walter Tull was an extraordinary individual and his story is deeply rooted in the heritage of the EFL through his career at Northampton Town, with the Walter Tull memorial proudly positioned at Sixfields stadium.

It is important that his life continues to be recognised and the EFL therefore is proud to commemorate his achievements at this landmark time, coming one hundred years after he lost his life during the second battle of the Somme.

Football Association

Representatives of the FA Leadership Academy and Youth Council network will be invited to participate in the Tull100 project as part of their Youth Leadership pathway this year. Youth leaders will participate in themed events and will engage with grassroots community projects across the country before their graduation in August.

Football Association Chief Executive Martin Glenn said:

Walter Tull is known as a talented footballer, an inspirational leader and a great model for values such as equality, service, collaboration and citizenship.

It’s an honour for The FA and our FA Youth Council to be involved in this project and we’re keen to share the story of his life and the commitments he made for the benefit of others. We will use our involvement in this project as a catalyst for our youth leadership programme, mobilising more young people to create positive change across their communities through their love of football.

Big Ideas CEO Virginia Crompton said:

The centenary of Walter Tull, a man of dual heritage, offers a unique opportunity to promote inclusion and to celebrate an icon of British history. The Tull 100 project will work with the football sector alongside schools and youth groups. It’s a call to action and a challenge: how will you make a difference to honour the memory of Walter Tull?

Further information

To commemorate the centenary of Walter Tull’s death, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government are funding Big Ideas to lead nationwide community engagement projects in 2018.

Register interest and request a unique Tull100 poster by emailing Tull100@bigideascompany.org

Follow the project through the hashtags: #Tull100 #FootballRemembers #NoBarriers

Medals for Tull is part of a wider programme of community engagement projects marking the centenary of the First World War, including a continuation of The Unremembered (which marks the contributions of the Labour Corps), as well as new projects including Ringing Remembers (honouring the many bell-ringers who died in the war). Find out more at www.big-ideas.org.

Big Ideas creates programmes that encourage community participation, inclusion and cohesion across the arts, heritage, science and sport. They specialise in projects which bring groups together and create new experiences and relationships on a local, national and international scale.

Historical background

Walter Tull’s beginnings were humble – born in Folkestone in 1888, his mother was a local woman from a farming family, his father a carpenter recently arrived from Barbados. Both his parents had passed away by the time Tull was 8 years old.

He was then raised in a London children’s home in Bethnal Green, East London and soon made his mark as a footballer, first as a member of his orphanage football team and from 1908, while working as an apprentice printer, for amateur side Clapton F.C. He was then signed by Tottenham Hotspur the following year and in 1911 transferred to Northampton Town in the Southern League for whom he played 111 games.

Attitudes to race in Britain during his lifetime were openly discriminatory. As a professional footballer Tull was in the public eye and there are accounts of racist chanting directed at Tull from crowds.

Walter Tull enlisted in the 17th (Service) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment – known as the ‘Football Battalion’, as professional footballers were at its core – in the autumn of 1914. In May 1916, the then Sergeant Tull suffered shell shock and spent time recuperating in hospital. Following his recovery he returned to the Western Front and saw action at the Battle of the Somme and at Passchendaele.

The Manual of Military Law at the time stated that only men of ‘pure European descent’ could be commissioned as officers in the British Army. Despite this, Tull’s obvious leadership qualities were recognised and in 1917, he was trained and then commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, even though army regulations should have prohibited his promotion. That year he became the first man of black heritage to be commissioned as an officer leading men into battle in the British Army.

In December 2017 fighting on the Italian front he successfully led the 26 men under his command on 2 missions at the Battle of Piave and was mentioned in dispatches for his “gallantry and coolness”. On 17 April 1918, Lieutenant Pickard wrote to Tull’s Brother informing him that Walter had been recommended for the Military Cross, although he was never awarded the medal.

In 1918, 2nd Lieutenant Tull was transferred to the Western Front in France to help break through the German lines. On 25 March, 1918, during the second battle of the Somme he was ordered to lead his men on an attack on the German trenches at Favreuil. On entering ‘no-mans land‘, he was soon struck by a bullet and died.

He was 29 years old, unmarried and without children. His body was never found. His closest relative, elder brother Edward Tull was notified of his death as next-of-kin and today Walter Tull’s memory is preserved by Edward’s descendants.

Buying and selling your home without the need for paper deeds is one step closer today as the Government approves changes to the Land Registration Rules that will further enable digital land registration.

The changes, which will come into effect on 6 April 2018, are central to HM Land Registry’s ambition to become the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data which it outlines in its new Business Strategy 2017 to 2022.

Chief Executive and Chief Land Registrar Graham Farrant sets out the changes to the way HM Land Registry will provide services to its customers including allowing for fully digital conveyancing documents with e-signatures.

Working closely with its customers, and launching a public consultation on the changes last year, HM Land Registry plans to use digital technology to make conveyancing simpler, faster and cheaper while enhancing the integrity and security of the register against threats from cyber-attacks and digital fraud. The rule changes will allow HM Land Registry to introduce fully digital conveyancing documents such as mortgages and transfers, in response to customers’ needs.

Chief Executive and Chief Land Registrar Graham Farrant said:

Our customers are central to everything we do and we want to make dealing with us quicker and simpler by providing more services through digital technology. These changes are an important enabler for our digital transformation and I want to thank our customers for their positive responses to the consultation.

Changes were required to the Land Registration Rules 2003, with the revocation of the Land Registration (Electronic Conveyancing) Rules 2008 and the Land Registration (Proper Office) Order 2013, in order to allow HM Land Registry to continue with its digital transformation programme, and modernise and simplify its services.

The changes will benefit customers by allowing HM Land Registry to build new and more flexible statutory services that have been called for by the industry, and other electronic services will improve the assistance offered to them throughout the application process.

HM Land Registry will be contacting customers in the coming weeks to explain any changes that will affect the way they submit applications, though these are expected to be minimal, and will only affect a small number of customers.

Notes to editors

1. Read the Government response to the consultation for proposals to amend the Land Registration Rules 2003.
2. HM Land Registry’s mission is to guarantee and protect property rights in England and Wales.
3. HM Land Registry is a government department created in 1862. It operates as an executive agency and a trading fund and its running costs are covered by the fees paid by the users of its services. Its ambition is to become the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data.
4. HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership worth in excess of £4 trillion, including around £1 trillion of mortgages. The Land Register contains more than 25 million titles showing evidence of ownership for some 85% of the land mass of England and Wales.
5. For further information about HM Land Registry visit www.gov.uk/land-registry
6. Follow us on Twitter @HMLandRegistry our blog and LinkedIn and Facebook

Contact

The Minister for Family Support, Housing and Child Maintenance, Kit Malthouse has announced changes to Funeral Expenses Payments that will mean recipients can receive contributions from others without them being deducted from the payment, as well as introducing other improvements to make the whole system simpler.

Minister for Family Support, Housing and Child Maintenance, Kit Malthouse said:

We are committed to supporting vulnerable people going through bereavement. It is only right that we make it as simple as possible for people to get help towards funeral expenses during what is an extremely difficult time.

The improvements will include:

• allowing recipients of a Funeral Expenses Payment to receive contributions from relatives, friends or charities without them being deducted from the payment
• extending the claim period from 3 to 6 months from the date of the funeral
• allowing people to submit evidence electronically to speed up the processing of claims and get decisions to claimants sooner
• introducing a shorter application form to apply for help towards the cost of children’s funerals

The changes were confirmed in a written statement to Parliament on Monday 22 January following a consultation process.

The changes will come into effect in the spring.

More information

Funeral Expenses Payments can help pay for the costs of a simple, respectful funeral for people on qualifying benefits.

This includes:

• burial fees and exclusive rights of burial in a particular plot
• medical certification fees needed for cremations, including the cost of the doctor’s certificate
• travel to arrange or go to the funeral
• the cost of moving the body within the UK, if it’s being moved more than 50 miles
• death certificates or other documents
• up to £700 for other funeral expenses, such as funeral director fees, flowers or the coffin

People in receipt of the following benefits may be eligible for a Funeral Expenses Payment:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Universal Credit
• Housing Benefit
• the disability or severe disability element of Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit

Contact Press Office

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 3267 5087

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Julian Ashby has announced today that he is standing down as Chair of the Regulation Committee with immediate effect.

Julian’s tenure at the Regulator of Social Housing was due to end in March this year and he will be taking up a new appointment as Chair of Paradigm Housing Group Limited from April 2018. Mr Ashby has chosen to stand down at this point to ensure that there is an appropriate and transparent separation between chairing the regulator and taking up his new role.

The Deputy Chair, Simon Dow, will chair the Regulation Committee whilst a longer-term appointment is completed in the next few weeks.

Mr Ashby has been Chair of the Regulation Committee since 2012 when the regulator became part of the Homes and Communities Agency. He successfully led the committee through extensive changes, including a complete revision of the regulatory framework in 2015 and the changes made following the ONS reclassification of housing associations to the public sector. He also oversaw the regulator’s successful response to the failure at Cosmopolitan, and the introduction of the system of In Depth Assessments.

Julian Ashby said

I have thoroughly enjoyed and been privileged to have had the opportunity of chairing the Regulator of Social Housing. We have ensured that the regulator has kept pace with developments in the sector, and through the introduction of requirements such as stress testing have helped the sector withstand its various challenges while continuing to build and manage the homes that the country so badly needs.

I would like to pay tribute to the hard work and dedication of my fellow committee members and all staff at the Regulator of Social Housing. It is through all their efforts that I feel I leave the regulator in a strong position as I move onto new challenges. I wish them all the best in the future.

Simon Dow said

Julian has provided excellent leadership of the regulator over the last six years. His experience of the social housing sector and his balance of support and challenge have proved invaluable in maintaining the effectiveness of regulation through a period of significant change.

A No 10 spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister attended a part of the National Security Adviser’s meeting with the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at 10 Downing Street today.

They discussed the continuing depth and breadth of the special relationship.

They agreed on the importance of the international community coming together to counter Iran’s destabilising regional activity, and the Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s commitment to the Iran nuclear deal.

Following a referral from the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been investigating the deal on two grounds: media plurality and commitment to broadcasting standards.

The CMA has provisionally found that Fox taking full control of Sky is not in the public interest due to media plurality concerns, but not because of a lack of a genuine commitment to meeting broadcasting standards in the UK.

The media plurality concerns identified mean that, overall, the CMA provisionally concludes that the proposed transaction is not in the public interest.

Further detail is set out below.

Media Plurality

Media plurality goes to the heart of the UK’s democratic process and as such is given protection in law.

The CMA has provisionally found that if the deal went ahead, as currently proposed, it is likely to operate against the public interest. It would lead to the Murdoch Family Trust (MFT), which controls Fox and News Corporation (News Corp), increasing its control over Sky, so that it would have too much control over news providers in the UK across all media platforms (TV, Radio, Online and Newspapers), and therefore too much influence over public opinion and the political agenda.

The MFT’s news outlets are watched, read or heard by nearly a third of the UK’s population, and have a combined share of the public’s news consumption that is significantly greater than all other news providers, except the BBC and ITN.

Due to its control of News Corp, the Murdoch family already has significant influence over public opinion and full ownership of Sky by Fox would strengthen this even further.

While there are a range of other news outlets serving UK audiences, the CMA has provisionally found that they would not be sufficient to moderate or mitigate the increased influence of the MFT if the deal went ahead.

Broadcasting standards

The CMA’s investigation also examined a range of evidence to understand whether Fox, Sky and the MFT have a genuine commitment to broadcasting standards in the UK. Here, it has provisionally found that Fox taking full control of Sky is not likely to operate against the public interest.

Its investigation has provisionally concluded that, overall, Fox has a genuine commitment to broadcasting standards in the UK. It is an established broadcaster here, having held licences for over 20 years. The CMA took account of the policies and procedures Fox has in place to ensure broadcasting standards are met.

It found that while there were issues with the compliance arrangements at Fox News when it was broadcasting its unedited simulcast international feed into the UK, this did not outweigh the detailed and effective policies and procedures that Fox has in place in relation to its UK focused channels.

The CMA also provisionally found that Sky has a good record in this regard, consistently complying with broadcasting regulation. It also has comprehensive and effective policies and procedures in place to ensure broadcasting standards are met.

Its investigation took account of the fact that before 2012 there were serious shortcomings at the MFT controlled newspaper the News of the World, which had failed to comply with both press standards and the law.

However, News Corp has subsequently put in place processes and procedures to address these. The CMA has provisionally found that, since then, its newspapers’ record of compliance with press standards does not raise concerns.

The investigation also considered the recent allegations of sexual harassment against Fox News employees in the United States.

While these are serious, the CMA has provisionally found that these are not directly related to the attainment of broadcasting standards and do not call into question Fox’s or the MFT’s commitment to broadcasting standards in the UK.

Anne Lambert, Chair of the independent investigation Group, said:

Media plurality goes to the heart of our democratic process. It is very important that no group or individual should have too much control of our news media or too much power to affect the political agenda.

We have provisionally found that if the Fox/Sky merger went ahead as proposed, it would be against the public interest. It would result in the Murdoch family having too much control over news providers in the UK, and too much influence over public opinion and the political agenda.

Our in-depth investigation also considered whether the deal would be against the public interest regarding broadcasting standards. Due to their existing track record in the UK, and the range of policies and procedures the companies involved have in place to ensure broadcasting standards are met, we did not find public interest concerns in this regard.

Next steps

The CMA has now set out a series of potential options for addressing these problems identified in its public remedies notice.

It also now welcomes responses from interested parties to its provisional decision and proposed possible remedies, including in view of the announcement by Fox on 14 December 2017 that it had agreed the sale of certain assets, including its interests in Sky, to The Walt Disney Company.

These will be carefully considered before the CMA’s report is finalised and provided to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport by 1 May 2018. He will then make the final decision on the proposed deal.

Notes to editors

1. The CMA is the UK’s primary competition and consumer authority. It is an independent non-ministerial government department with responsibility for carrying out investigations into mergers, markets and the regulated industries and enforcing competition and consumer law.
2. On 20 September 2017 the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport referred the proposed deal to the CMA for investigation under the Enterprise Act 2002 (Protection of Legitimate Interests) Order 2003. The CMA appointed an inquiry group – formed of independent panel members with a variety of backgrounds – to investigate, decide and report on the question set out in the reference.
3. The inquiry group has until 1 May 2018 to provide the Secretary of State its final report. The final decision regarding the questions addressed in the CMA’s report will be made by the Secretary of State following receipt of the report.
4. There is now a 3-week consultation period on the provisional findings, during which time anyone may make submissions to the CMA. Submissions should be made to FoxSky.Submissions@cma.gov.uk and received by Tuesday 13 February 2018. There is a 2-week consultation period on the notice of possible remedies. Submissions on this should be made to FoxSky.Submissions@cma.gov.uk and received by Tuesday 6 February 2018.
5. The CMA’s case page sets out an explanation about its process, including the steps followed, the submissions received, hearings held, documents published, and upcoming deadlines.
6. Fox is a Delaware corporation, listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. It is a global media company and currently holds approximately a 39% stake in Sky. Sky is a public company, listed on the London Stock Exchange. Like Fox, News Corp is a Delaware corporation listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. News Corp owns 100% of News UK and Ireland Limited (News UK was previously known as News International). Its portfolio includes The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun and The Sun on Sunday, all their respective websites and a number of UK radio networks including TalkSport and Radio UK.
7. The Murdoch Family trust (MFT) is the largest shareholder of Fox and News Corp, holding approximately 39% of shares in each.
8. Fox announced on 14 December 2017 it had agreed the sale to Disney of certain assets including its interests in Sky. It also announced it was continuing its proposed acquisition of the shares in Sky it does not own. Should both acquisitions be completed successfully Disney would assume full ownership of Sky, including Sky News. The sale to Disney will itself be subject to regulatory scrutiny and it is unlikely to be completed until after the CMA inquiry has concluded. It is therefore uncertain whether, when or how that transaction will be completed. As such, the CMA’s analysis of the Fox/Sky transaction cannot take it into account in its assessment of the transaction but implications of the Disney transaction in relation to remedies is considered in the notice of possible remedies.

Media queries should be sent to: press@cma.gsi.gov.uk or journalists can call 020 3738 6191 or 07774 134814.