Press release

COBR meeting on Hurricane Irma, 10 September 2017: Foreign Secretary's statement

Following the latest COBR meeting, Boris Johnson gave an update on government support for the UK Overseas Territories after Hurricane Irma.

• From: Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Department for International Development, Ministry of Defence and The Rt Hon Boris Johnson
• Published: 10 September 2017

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government

Foreign Secretary’s post-COBR statement

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

I’ve just come out of COBR where we’ve again been discussing the catastrophe that’s engulfed our friends in the British Virgin Islands, in Anguilla and Turks and Caicos, and of course across the Caribbean, the victims of Hurricane Irma.

It was a mercy that Hurricane Jose proved less destructive than had been feared, but now we’re stepping up our aid effort. Three planes going in today, 500 British troops in the region, 125 UK soldiers on British Virgin Islands alone. As I speak, 53 UK police officers in the air, on their way to help sort things out, get these wonderful places back on their feet.

If you want to donate to help British people over there in the Overseas Territories, then we will match your contributions to the Red Cross, pound for pound.

To donate to the British Red Cross Hurricane Irma appeal visit: www.redcross.org.uk/HurricaneIrma or call 0300 456 4999.

Read more about the government’s response to Hurricane Irma.

Published 10 September 2017