BRITISH home secretary Sajid Javid will announce on Wednesday (5) his decision to allow soldiers from Commonwealth countries to bring their families to Britain.
The home secretary told the Daily Mail: "As we celebrate the incredible heroism of those who stormed the beaches of northern France, it’s only right that we give those serving today the ability to build their lives in the country they serve so well."
Javid, who is in the race to replace Theresa May, is expected to scrap settlement fees of nearly £3,000 per person that Commonwealth soldiers must pay to bring families their families to Britain.
Under current immigration rules, foreign workers must earn £18,600 to apply for their spouse to live in the UK. The minimum income requirement to bring over one child is £22,400.
A soldier’s basic pay after training at the rank of Private is £18,859 a year, forcing many to take on second jobs to afford to move their families to the UK.
The UK Armed Forces currently has more than 6,000 personnel from foreign and Commonwealth countries. More are being recruited each year.
Calling for a change in immigration rules, the Army Families Federation (AFF) had earlier said: "Commonwealth members of our Armed Forces make up a significant and vital part of the UK’s defence capability and as a nation, we ask them to make significant sacrifices to do so.
"Years of enforced separation from their families should not be one of those sacrifices."
Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, who was a lieutenant colonel in the British Army, tweeted back in February: "Commonwealth troops should be able to bring their kids to Britain. If they fight for us, they should be able to live with us."
Commonwealth troops should be able to bring their kids to Britain. If they fight for us, they should be able to live with us. https://t.co/8ZaXMX2NLb
Javid announced his bid to run for the post of the leader of the Conservative party on May 27 with video on microblogging platform Twitter.
"I'm standing to be the next leader of @Conservatives & Prime Minister of our great country. We need to restore trust, bring unity and create new opportunities across the UK. First and foremost, we must deliver Brexit. Join @TeamSaj to help me do just that," Javid tweeted.
May is set to step down as the leader of the Conservatives on June 7.
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer will travel to Egypt to attend the Sharm El Sheikh Peace Summit, where leaders are expected to sign a US-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza, his office said.
The first phase of the plan is set to begin with the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners by Monday (13), marking what Britain called a "historic turning point" after two years of war.
He is expected to call for continued international coordination to implement the next phase, which includes deploying a ceasefire monitoring mission and establishing transitional governance in Gaza.
Starmer will reiterate Britain's "steadfast support" to help secure the ceasefire and deliver humanitarian aid.
Trump and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will chair the summit, also attended by world leaders including the UN chief.
The gathering in the Red Sea resort town will bring together "leaders from more than 20 countries", Sisi's office said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he will attend, as will Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and Pedro Sanchez of Spain.
French president Emmanuel Macron and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also travel to Sharm el-Sheikh, according to their offices.
The European Council will be represented by its president, Antonio Costa, a spokesperson said.
"The plan offers a real chance to build a just and sustainable peace, and the EU is fully committed to supporting these efforts and contributing to its implementation," the spokesperson added.
Jordan's King Abdullah II is also expected to attend, according to state media.
There was no immediate word on whether Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu would participate, while Hamas has said it will not take part.
Hossam Badran, a Hamas political bureau member, said that the Palestinian militant group "will not be involved".
Hamas "acted principally through... Qatari and Egyptian mediators" during previous talks on Gaza, he said.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.