The UK has called for the expansion of the UN Security Council's permanent seats to include India, Brazil, Germany and Japan as well as African representation.

Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of July Ambassador Barbara Woodward's comments came as she briefed UN correspondents on the programme of work of the Security Council for the month.

On reform of the UN Security Council, she said UK wants to see the expansion of the Council's permanent seats to include India, Brazil, Germany and Japan and African representation.

Woodward referred to remarks by British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly last week in which he announced the UK’s ambition to drive forward reform of the multilateral system.

Woodward said the UK's presidency of the Security Council in July marks the first step in that process.