Latest news with #JohnGlen


BBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Porton Down science labs move 'a hammer blow', says Salisbury MP
A Wiltshire MP has criticised the government's decision to go forwards with a plan to move a major science and defence facility from his constituency to Glen, the Conservative MP for Sailsbury, said news on Thursday the UK Health Security Agency laboratories at Porton Down would closes was a "hammer blow" for his government has pledged to bring the UK Security Agency's centres to one site as it creates a large facility aimed at protecting the country from future pandemics. The Wiltshire facility's move was first announced in 2015, but was postponed due to spiralling costs. The government has pledged a "multi-billion pound" investment to make the National Biosecurity Centre (NBC) in Harlow the largest of its kind in Europe by bringing the agency's existing centres in London and Wiltshire to one site. Visiting Harlow, Health Secretary Wes Streeting had said: "Covid-19 taught us how crucial it is to be able to respond quickly to new emerging threats and the new NBC will allow us to do exactly that."But Glen said he was "beyond disappointed" that the government had chosen to go ahead with the move, calling it a "vanity project" which failed to recognise "Porton Down's existing expertise". The MP added what may have been a "marginally good decision to make 10 years ago", was now floored due to the significant increase in costs."In 2015 it was going to cost £525 million, and it would all be done by 2021."Now it's going to cost £3.2 billion, and it will be done by 2035 to 2038."What I was saying to the secretary of state, was pause and think again, refurbish Porton. Stop this mega plan in Harlow, because it's so many years away and it's an enormous waste of taxpayers' money."Glen said he will continue to ask "questions about the cost of the project", and will be working with Wiltshire Council to build up a taskforce to look at what to do with the Porton Down site. Following the announcement, Streeting said that "the transformational investment in the UK's national biosecurity will better protect the British public from future health emergencies, boost the life sciences sector and create new jobs."


Evening Standard
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Evening Standard
Lisa Nandy hits out at BBC leadership over Glastonbury live stream
Conservative former minister John Glen said: 'I think we all in this place understand the fine editorial judgments that the BBC and their staff have to make, but this is of a completely different order, and when people are losing faith in the great institutions of this country, could I urge the Secretary of State, in her follow-up conversations that … the BBC actually identified accountability to individuals?'
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wiltshire in Pictures: Steeds and sunrises
The memories of last weekend's dramatic summer solstice linger on, but life in Wiltshire keeps going. Racing returned to Salisbury this week, and a festival in Chalke is offering visitors the chance to travel back in time. Alongside these events, nature as - as ever - been putting on a show as the sunny days keep coming. Time-travellers paradise: Chalke History Festival is on all this week, featuring more than 170 experts and numerous re-enactors. The first few days have school visits during the day. Sublime solstice: While 25,000 went to Stonehenge for the summer solstice, a few thousand went to Avebury for the sunrise. However, the celebrations started very much in the dark and went past sunrise at the ancient site, where people gathered round with fire tricks and later on a sacred druid ceremony took place (below). Job done: Local dignitaries, including local MP John Glen, could not resist recreating a certain well-known Beatles album cover when celebrating the £4.5 million revitalisation of Salisbury Railway Station forecourt. Peaceful scenes: Stourhead near Warminster remains a popular place to visit - weather watcher Marciaspictures snapped this photo. Wildflowers: Weather watcher CraigRich captured the ups and downs of a British summer near the village of West Dean. Break in the clouds: Contributor Chully went out in the countryside near Calne to get this sunny moment. Seeing stars in Trowbridge: The town's Civic Centre hosted more than 80 children and young people for the annual Star Awards – an event to honour the resilience, talent and triumphs of Wiltshire Council's children in care and care-experienced young people. Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Wiltshire in Pictures: Special solstice sunrise Wiltshire in Pictures: Strawberry moon and cycling Wiltshire in Pictures: A Royal visit to the county Wiltshire in Pictures: Shindig and crop circles Wiltshire in pics: Shindigs and a princess visit Wiltshire in Pictures: Stunning Salisbury blooms Wiltshire in Pictures: VE Day and bank holiday sun Wiltshire in Pictures: Sunshine and school success Wiltshire in Pictures: Flowers and Easter flames Wiltshire in pics: Magical murals and an Easter donkey Wiltshire in Pictures: Blossoms and celebrations Wiltshire in pictures: Sun, wonky roads and pigeons Wiltshire in Pictures: Let the music play Wiltshire in pics: Spring equinox and indoor moon Wiltshire in pics: cows, Crufts and challenges Wiltshire in pictures: Sunshine and Shrove Tuesday Wiltshire in pictures: Crocuses and a tiny newt Wiltshire in pictures: Bird life and art hunt Wiltshire in Pictures: Romance in the animal world Wiltshire in Pics: Football, floods and remembrance Wiltshire in Pictures: Tunnels, murals and sunrises Wiltshire in Pictures: Toothbrushes, tigers and barges Wiltshire in pictures: animals enjoying the snow Wiltshire in pictures: Cold snap brings frosty scenes Wiltshire in pictures: Presents, bats and meerkats Wiltshire in Pictures: Star Wars and 'Fudgehenge' Wiltshire in Pics: Prince William and Storm Bert Wiltshire in pictures: Remembrance and light shows Wiltshire in pictures: Royal visit and mason's award Wiltshire in pictures: Halloween and sacred stones Wiltshire in pictures: Daleks, bats and pigs Wiltshire in pictures: Welcoming the troops home In pictures: Dragons, cows and Jane Austen Wiltshire in pictures: Culture and murals Wiltshire in pictures: Spinal tattoos to air tattoos Wiltshire in pictures: Exotic animals and Stonehenge Wiltshire in pictures: Silhouettes and bras Wiltshire in pictures: Reunions, sunflowers and maize Wiltshire in pictures: New sports hub and wartime cakes


BBC News
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Wiltshire in pictures: Steeds, scenery and sunrise
The memories of last weekend's dramatic summer solstice linger on, but life in Wiltshire keeps returned to Salisbury this week, and a festival in Chalke is offering visitors the chance to travel back in these events, nature as - as ever - been putting on a show as the sunny days keep coming. Time-travellers paradise: Chalke History Festival is on all this week, featuring more than 170 experts and numerous re-enactors. The first few days have school visits during the day. Sublime solstice: While 25,000 went to Stonehenge for the summer solstice, a few thousand went to Avebury for the sunrise. However, the celebrations started very much in the dark and went past sunrise at the ancient site, where people gathered round with fire tricks and later on a sacred druid ceremony took place (below). Job done: Local dignitaries, including local MP John Glen, could not resist recreating a certain well-known Beatles album cover when celebrating the £4.5 million revitalisation of Salisbury Railway Station forecourt. Peaceful scenes: Stourhead near Warminster remains a popular place to visit - weather watcher Marciaspictures snapped this photo. Wildflowers: Weather watcher CraigRich captured the ups and downs of a British summer near the village of West Dean. Break in the clouds: Contributor Chully went out in the countryside near Calne to get this sunny moment. Seeing stars in Trowbridge: The town's Civic Centre hosted more than 80 children and young people for the annual Star Awards – an event to honour the resilience, talent and triumphs of Wiltshire Council's children in care and care-experienced young people.


BBC News
12-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Future of major research facility remains in doubt
The future of a major science and defence facility remains in the balance, despite government promises that it would be confirmed during the chancellor's spending UK Health Security Agency at Porton Down in Wiltshire researches how to tackle the world's most infectious diseases, and prepare the UK for future facility's move to Harlow in Essex was first announced in 2015, but has been been postponed from its initial moving date of 2024, due to spiralling no mention of the facility in Chancellor Rachel Reeves' statement, Salisbury MP John Glen asked whether the move was going ahead, but was told it was up to the Health Secretary. In her full response, the chancellor said that the government had given a "significant sum of money" to the Department of Health & Social Care and that it will be for the Health Secretary to make a of the spending review, the government had explicitly stated that a decision would be announced concerning the Glen says that despite searching for more information, he was unable to find a more definite answer."I scoured all the press releases and all the information I could find, and the decision is not apparent to us yet," he said."It is being kicked down the road. If they are going to move ahead with it it's going to cost a lot of money, with grave uncertainties and a lot of insecurity for people who work at Porton along the way." Council leader Ian Thorn said if the facility were to leave Wiltshire, it would be a "huge mistake" on the government's part."Beyond the health security agencies facilities, we have some of the most extraordinary research and development facilities in the world at Porton Down, much of it delivered by Wiltshire Council and our partners," he said."If you want to focus your attention in terms of delivering fantastic services, providing the right environment for highly skilled technicians and scientists, then staying in Wiltshire is clearly the right thing they should do."