Watch and Learn - 'We stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine' says minister after EU loan deal struck

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I want to ask you first of all about

Ukraine because obviously we've had

developments overnight with EU leaders

coming to an agreement to loan Ukraine

90 billion euros but this will come from an

EU loan rather than using frozen Russian

assets. Is that a disappointing

assets Is that a disappointing

compromise? Well, I've always been in

compromise Well I've always been in

favor of us first of all making sure

that Putin cannot win the war because

he's marauding across another sovereign

nation whose territorial integrity he

guaranteed in the Budapest Accords all

those years ago when Ukraine surrendered

its nuclear weapons in exchange for that

territorial integrity. Um sec and we

territorial integrity Um sec and we

stand absolutely shoulder-to-shoulder

with our Ukrainian allies. Um, I think

with our Ukrainian allies Um I think

it it should be possible for us to be

able to use the frozen assets of the

Russian state um as opposed to of

Russian individuals. I think that's a

Russian individuals I think that's a

really important distinction and we've

been drawing that distinction ourselves

for some time. You don't want

for some time You don't want

governments marauding all over the place

and and taking other people's assets.

and and taking other people's assets

Um, but um this is I think a a good

Um but um this is I think a a good

compromise. It means that um Ukraine is

compromise It means that um Ukraine is

going to have the money it wants. We've

going to have the money it wants We've

also taken a slightly different approach

in the UK. You will recall that um

in the UK You will recall that um

Abramovich owned Chelsea Football Club.

Abramovich owned Chelsea Football Club

Um he sold it just before he was

sanctioned um and guaranteed that the

money was going to be going to uh to

Ukraine to war-torn, um, areas in Ukraine.

Ukraine to war-torn um areas in Ukraine

Um that still hasn't happened because

he's been holding out. Um we the prime

he's been holding out Um we the prime

minister announced this week that we

intend to make that happen and if

necessary we'll take him to court. But

necessary we'll take him to court But

it would obviously be much easier if

Abramovich said now that the £2.5 billion

Abramovich said now that the 25 billion

pounds worth could go um to war on

Ukraine today.

Ukraine today

>> And on the subject of the frozen Russian

assets in the loan to Ukraine. Belgium

assets in the loan to Ukraine Belgium

had asked other countries to to share

the the risk of using those assets.

the the risk of using those assets

Could the UK have done more to offer

that kind of backing and that

reassurance?

reassurance

>> I think we've been there from the very

beginning and we've been trying to help

um Belgium get over the line. I don't

um Belgium get over the line I don't

know the precise details of the of the

final conversations that there were

overnight. Um but look, the most

overnight Um but look the most

important thing is that Ukraine needs

the financial support to be able to see

off the Russian aggression. Um we the

off the Russian aggression Um we the

whole of Europe knows that this is about

our future. Do you remember a couple of

our future Do you remember a couple of

years ago, I think it was Boris Johnson

years ago I think it was Boris Johnson

sitting on a committee in the House of

Commons and saying poo pooing the idea

of war in Europe and saying, "Oh, the

of war in Europe and saying Oh the

days of tanks rolling across Europe are

long, long past." Well, we've had a

long long past Well we've had a

wakeup call, haven't we? Now, I've been

wakeup call haven't we Now I've been

saying since 2014 that actually when we

allowed Putin to invade Crimea and take

it, that that was the first step and

it that that was the first step and

that he would then come for more if we

let him get away with that. So, this is

let him get away with that So this is

more than 10 years of aggression that

we've been dealing with on our

doorsteps. We need to be very robust in

doorsteps We need to be very robust in

our response.

our response

>> Talking of foreign threats, there were

>> Talking of foreign threats there were

reports this morning that Chinese

hackers have stolen thousands of secret

files from the foreign office. can

files from the foreign office can

confirm that that's happened.

confirm that that's happened

>> So, there certainly has been a hack at

>> So there certainly has been a hack at

the FCDO and we've been aware of that

since um October and just as um you will

have been reporting earlier on this year

on um the cyber hack at JLR and at Mark

and Spencers and, um, earlier last year I

and Spencers and um earlier last year I

think it was at the British Library. All

think it was at the British Library All

of these are really important things for

us to um tackle and be aware of and and

and prevent wherever possible. Some of

and prevent wherever possible Some of

the reporting has I think been a bit

more speculation than accurate. So what

more speculation than accurate So what

can you tell us fact-wise?

can you tell us fact-wise

>> Remarkably little is the honest truth. I

>> Remarkably little is the honest truth I

mean there is a October. So

mean there is a October So

quite often the investigation takes

quite a long time to get down to the

facts. We managed to close the hole as

facts We managed to close the hole as

it were very quickly. Um it was a

it were very quickly Um it was a

technical issue in one of our sites I

gather. Um and uh I I I we we're fairly

gather Um and uh I I I we we're fairly

confident um that there's a low risk of

any individual actually being um

affected by this. I know that some of

affected by this I know that some of

the reports have have said potentially

um various things could happen. I think

um various things could happen I think

that that's a bit more speculation than

is helpful. Um so I don't want to scare

is helpful Um so I don't want to scare

about this. I I we are on top of it. Um

about this I I we are on top of it Um

and also it's not entirely clear where

this has come from. I know everybody's

this has come from I know everybody's

speculating about that as well. It's

speculating about that as well It's

that that is not entirely clear either.

that that is not entirely clear either

>> So it's not clear that it's Chinese

hackers as is being reported.

hackers as is being reported

>> No, it's not entirely clear to us.

>> No it's not entirely clear to us

>> Can you give us an idea of the nature of

the material that has been compromised?

the material that has been compromised

>> No.

>> No

Again, I'm being fairly careful here

Again I'm being fairly careful here

because um just as when it happened with

JLR and with Mark and Spencers, I don't

JLR and with Mark and Spencers I don't

want to um there's some stuff that I

simply don't know, but there's also

simply don't know but there's also

stuff that I think it would be a bad

idea to put in the public domain.

idea to put in the public domain

>> Okay, let's move on to the Employment

>> Okay let's move on to the Employment

Rights Act because it came into law

yesterday. It's great finally. It's

yesterday It's great finally It's

really good news. Yes.

really good news Yes

>> Yeah. It's great. And there are elements

>> Yeah It's great And there are elements

that I'm sure lots of people, lots of

that I'm sure lots of people lots of

workers will be pleased about. um access

workers will be pleased about um access

to sick pay and paternity leave from day

one, but it is heavily watered down, not

one but it is heavily watered down not

least because that significant measure,

least because that significant measure

the right to claim unfair dismissal at

day one, has been scrapped. Are you

day one has been scrapped Are you

disappointed that it's a watered down

version?

version

>> No. So, so first of all, I think it's

>> No So so first of all I think it's

really good that the final version of

the bill is um we we we managed to get

businesses and unions and government to

sit down around the same table and come

forward with a proposal which I think 15

million people in the UK will get new

rights from and will be will be pleased

with that. Um not least because I I've

with that Um not least because I I've

never believed in this kind of workers

against the bosses kind of um rhetoric.

against the bosses kind of um rhetoric

I've always thought if you want to have

a really strong economy, you want to

a really strong economy you want to

have workers who are incentivized and

feel valued in their work. Um, most

feel valued in their work Um most

really good businesses know that as

well. So, it is good news that from

well So it is good news that from

April next year, people will have uh

April next year people will have uh

paternity leave and uh unpaid parental

leave um from uh from day one. Uh we'll

leave um from uh from day one Uh we'll

have we're getting rid of the three-day

waiting moment for um sick pay. Uh we're

waiting moment for um sick pay Uh we're

putting in in place a better enforcement

measure which is take which is taking

three different organizations and

putting them into one. So, saving money.

putting them into one So saving money

And then other things we're going that

are in the bill. So for instance the

are in the bill So for instance the

ending exploitative zero as contracts. I

ending exploitative zero as contracts I

want to be very clear ending

exploitative ones because there are ways

in there are versions of this where

where it works for both sides but when

it doesn't work for both sides then it

is exploitation. So some of those other

is exploitation So some of those other

elements we're going to introduce over

two years. But I think that I think the

two years But I think that I think the

one proposal you that was uh that we

obviously started the bill with um which

was that we were going to take the two

years rights down that your rights

didn't really kick on unfair dismissal

didn't uh kick in until two years in.

didn't uh kick in until two years in

We've taken that down to 6 months rather

than day one. I think that that is a

than day one I think that that is a

good compromise. Businesses and trade

good compromise Businesses and trade

unions sat around the table together.

unions sat around the table together

>> They did. You say it's good for

>> They did You say it's good for

businesses, but some businesses might

businesses but some businesses might

say we like the idea of happy workers,

say we like the idea of happy workers

but we can't necessarily afford as many

of them. And in fact, the tries are

of them And in fact the tries are

calling it a job destroying bill.

calling it a job destroying bill

They're pointing out the fact that

unemployment is rising. It's up to its

unemployment is rising It's up to its

highest level in almost 5 years. And

highest level in almost 5 years And

they're saying that it piles extra costs

on small businesses. I mean, they have

on small businesses I mean they have

got a point, haven't they?

got a point haven't they

>> No, I don't think they have. I think

>> No I don't think they have I think

there are two versions of the world, you

there are two versions of the world you

know, there is a Tory version of the

know there is a Tory version of the

world in in which you want to pit one

set of people against another. And there

set of people against another And there

is another version of the world where

where you get businesses and trade

unions and and government to sit around

the table and develop legislation

together to guarantee that people have

rights in work, which means that they're

rights in work which means that they're

more fulfilled. They're more likely to

more fulfilled They're more likely to

um engage. And and I think we will have

um engage And and I think we will have

a thriving economy if we get these

things right. And and you know, it's

things right And and you know it's

been quite a week for us because we've

had um interest rates come down. They're

had um interest rates come down They're

coming down faster um than in for for

many decades, which is really good news.

many decades which is really good news

That's more money in people's pockets.

That's more money in people's pockets

Um we've we've also had the growth um

forecasts increased in the last couple

of months since in since since the

budget. Um debt is beginning to fall.

budget Um debt is beginning to fall

There are so um and wages are rising. So

There are so um and wages are rising So

all of this I think is good news for an

economy that I think we should be very

optimistic about as we write go into

2026.

2026

>> Before I let you go, I just want to ask

>> Before I let you go I just want to ask

you about the the news the government's

confirmed that local councils in England

that are undergoing reorganization will

be given the option of delaying May's

elections next year. here. The tries are

elections next year here The tries are

saying that means you've got little

regard for local people and their

democratic rights. Uh Nigel Farage has

democratic rights Uh Nigel Farage has

called um Karmama he's accused Karma of

turning the UK into a banana republic.

turning the UK into a banana republic

>> Look uh for years in the UK large parts

of the UK have had a mixture of local

authorities. You have district

authorities You have district

authorities which are in charge of some

of some things like rubbish collection

and so on and and a local and a county

council which is in charge of education

um and social care and things like that.

um and social care and things like that

We are doing the biggest reorganization

of local government um for many decades.

of local government um for many decades

It's really important. It will save

It's really important It will save

money. It will make local authorities

money It will make local authorities

more effective. We put 78 billion pounds

more effective We put 78 billion pounds

into local authorities in our local

government finance settlement. And on

government finance settlement And on

the back of that, we're simply saying to

the back of that we're simply saying to

people, look, you're going to have these

people look you're going to have these

new authorities are going to come online

in two years time. Does it make sense

in two years time Does it make sense

for you up to you to decide does it make

sense for you to hold elections for

people who will only be in post for a

year?

year

I think most people will go, "Hang on,

I think most people will go Hang on

that that just doesn't seem to make any

kind of sense. Why don't we just delay

kind of sense Why don't we just delay

the elections for a year?" I I I I I

the elections for a year I I I I I

just think it's a common sense proposal

and and we will end up with much more

effective local government because of

the local government reorganization. But

the local government reorganization But

when you have transitional moments, um

when you have transitional moments um

that's always difficult. I just want to

that's always difficult I just want to

say one other thing because I got the

Korea deal, our trade a new trade deal,

Korea deal our trade a new trade deal

our fourth trade deal this year over the line.

our fourth trade deal this year over the line

line. We managed to um uh get the my

line We managed to um uh get the my

Korean counterpart over here on in on

in J on Monday. That is yet

in J on Monday That is yet

another example of where we're giving

businesses, UK businesses, an

businesses UK businesses an

opportunity to shine around the world.

opportunity to shine around the world

>> Okay. Um I'm sure businesses would love

>> Okay Um I'm sure businesses would love

to have an interview with you and talk

about some of the stresses on them, but

about some of the stresses on them but

we don't have time.

we don't have time

>> I'm happy to do that whenever you want

to have me on. Okay. Well, we will we

to have me on Okay Well we will we

will do just that. We'll set it up.

will do just that We'll set it up

>> Have a lovely lovely Christmas.

>> Have a lovely lovely Christmas

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