Britain to expand nuclear deterrent fleet of new fighter jets
The UK is set to buy a fleet of new fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons, in what Downing Street has called the 'biggest strengthening' of Britain's posture 'in a generation'.
Britain will buy 12 F35A jets and join Nato's airborne nuclear mission in the move, which was confirmed while Sir Keir Starmer is at the alliance's summit in The Hague.
The jets, a variant of the F35Bs the UK already uses, can carry conventional weapons, but can also be equipped with nuclear bombs.
The Prime Minister has said that the UK 'can no longer take peace for granted' and that the move shows ministers are 'investing in our national security'.
Sir Keir is gathered with leaders of other Nato nations – including Donald Trump – in the Hague, where they are expected to formally agree a 5% of GDP defence and security spending pledge.
The Prime Minister said: 'In an era of radical uncertainty we can no longer take peace for granted, which is why my government is investing in our national security, ensuring our armed forces have the equipment they need and communities up and down the country reap the benefits from our defence dividend.'
The decision on the jets represents a victory for the Royal Air Force, which has long pushed for a return of its nuclear capabilities since the last British air-dropped nuclear weapon was withdrawn from service after the end of the Cold War.
Since then, the UK's nuclear deterrent has been carried exclusively by the Royal Navy's submarines, which the Government has also promised to invest in renewing with four new vessels.
Nato's nuclear mission involves allied aircraft being equipped with American B61 bombs stockpiled in Europe.
Seven nations currently contribute so-called 'dual capability aircraft' to Nato's nuclear mission, but the use of nuclear weapons would require the authorisation of the alliance's nuclear planning group as well as the US president and British prime minister.
Alongside the nuclear announcement, the UK is set to provide 350 air defence missiles to Ukraine as Sir Keir and Defence Secretary John Healey push for Nato to provide Kyiv with further support.
The delivery will be funded by £70 million raised from the interest on seized Russian assets.
Sir Keir said: 'Russia, not Ukraine, should pay the price for Putin's barbaric and illegal war, so it is only right we use the proceeds from seized Russian assets to ensure Ukraine has the air defence it needs.'
Mr Trump is also among the world leaders at the summit, and told reporters on the way to the Netherlands that it would depend 'on your definition' when asked if he would commit to Nato's Article 5, which requires members to defend each other from attack.
Wednesday is expected to see Nato allies formally sign up to the target of spending 5% of the GDP on defence.
It is a significant jump from the current 2% Nato target, and details of what counts towards it are due to be set out during this week's summit, but it is likely to include spending on energy and border security as well as intelligence agencies.
On Tuesday, Sir Keir said that the UK would stick to its commitment not to raise taxes to reach the new target.
'Clearly we've got commitments in our manifesto about not making tax rises on working people and we will stick to our manifesto commitments,' the Prime Minister told reporters in the Netherlands.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
31 minutes ago
- Reuters
US will not sanction Russia yet, Rubio tells Politico
June 25 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Politico that the United States will not impose further sanctions on Russia yet, and still wants room to negotiate a peace deal. "If we did what everybody here wants us to do, and that is come in and crush them with more sanctions, we probably lose our ability to talk to them about the ceasefire and then who's talking to them?," Rubio told Politico in an interview on the sidelines of the NATO summit. Rubio added that President Donald Trump will "know the right time and place" for new economic measures against Russia, and that the administration is working with Congress to make sure they allow Trump the appropriate flexibility, Politico reported. "If there's an opportunity for us to make a difference and get them (Russia) to the table, we're going to take it," Rubio said.
The Guardian
35 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Starmer says vote on welfare cuts bill happening on Tuesday amid growing Labour revolt
Update: Date: 2025-06-25T08:41:27.000Z Title: Keir Starmer says he is going ahead with welfare benefits cuts as number of Labour MPs joining rebellion grows Content: Good morning. MPs are due to vote on the universal credit (UC) and personal independent payments (Pip) bill next week, the legislation enacting the disability and sickness benefit cuts worth around £5bn. As Pippa Crerar and Aletha Adu report in our overnight story, Keir Starmer insisted yesterday that he was pressing ahead with the plans. But this morning it seems all but certain that, if the government goes ahead with the vote without offering a colossal concession, it will lose. And, if governments know they are going to get defeated on flagship legislation, they normally pull the vote at the last minute. Here are the key developments this morning. The Labour rebellion is growing – even though some cabinet ministers spent yesterday trying to persuade rebel Labour MPs to back the bill. By last night, 123 Labour MPs had signed the amendment, up from 108, plus 11 MPs from opposition parties, all from Northern Ireland. You can read all their names on the order paper here. They are the MPs who have signed Meg Hillier's amendment, listed under business for Tuesday 1 July. Starmer has failed to quell speculation that the vote will be postponed. Despite what he said publicly yesterday, the BBC is reporting a source close to government thinking saying: 'Once you take a breath, it is better to save some of the welfare package than lose all of it.' And the Times is reporting: Privately, some close to the prime minister are preparing to delay next Tuesday's vote in an attempt to buy time and find concessions to win enough of the rebels around. One minister described the mood in government as one of 'panic'. But Starmer has again confirmed the vote will go ahead. He told LBC: There'll be a vote on Tuesday, we're going to make sure we reform the welfare system. He said the welfare system had to change: It traps people in a position where they can't get into work. In fact, it's counterproductive, it works against them getting into work. So we have to reform it, and that is a Labour argument, it's a progressive argument. John Healey, the defence secretary, refused to rule out the government making further concessions before the vote in an interview on the Today programme this morning. Kemi Badenoch has in effect confirmed that the Tories will not support the bill. She implied the opposite in a statement she released last night, saying: The government is in a mess, their MPs are in open rebellion. If Keir Starmer wants our support, he needs to meet three conditions that align with our core Conservative principles. The first condition is that the welfare budget is too high, it needs to come down. This bill does not do that. The second condition is that we need to get people back into work. Unemployment is rising, jobs are disappearing, and even the government's own impact assessments say that the package in this bill will not get people back to work. The third is that we want to see no new tax rises in the autumn. We can't have new tax rises to pay for the increases in welfare and other government spending. We are acting in the national interest to make the changes the country needs. And if Keir Starmer wants us to help him get this bill through, then he must commit to these three conditions at the dispatch box. There is no chance of the government committing to no tax rises in the autumn, and so, while sounding supportive, this statement is anything but. The bill also fails Badenoch's first condition, because it would not stop spending on disability benefits still rising (but by less than it would without the cuts). Ministers have made this point to Labour rebels in a bid to persuade them the bill is not as harsh as people suppose. Here is the agenda for the day. 9.30am: Stephen Timms, minister for social security and disability, gives evidence to the Commons work and pensions committee about the proposed disability benefit cuts. 10am: Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Treasury, gives evidence to the Commons Treasury committee about the spending review. Morning: Keir Starmer and other leaders arrive at the Nato summit in The Hague. Starmer is expected to hold a press conference in the afternoon, after the main meeting. Noon: Angela Rayner, the deputy PM, takes PMQs. Also, Wes Streeting, the health secretary, is giving a speech in Blackpool where he will say that England's poorest areas will get billions in extra health funding under new government plans to tackle stark inequalities. If you want to contact me, please post a message below the line when comments are open (normally between 10am and 3pm at the moment), or message me on social media. I can't read all the messages BTL, but if you put 'Andrew' in a message aimed at me, I am more likely to see it because I search for posts containing that word. If you want to flag something up urgently, it is best to use social media. You can reach me on Bluesky at @ The Guardian has given up posting from its official accounts on X, but individual Guardian journalists are there, I still have my account, and if you message me there at @AndrewSparrow, I will see it and respond if necessary. I find it very helpful when readers point out mistakes, even minor typos. No error is too small to correct. And I find your questions very interesting too. I can't promise to reply to them all, but I will try to reply to as many as I can, either BTL or sometimes in the blog.
Daily Mirror
36 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
River Island full list of 33 stores planned for closure announced
River Island, which fell to a £33.2million loss in 2023 after sales slid by 19%, has reportedly hired advisors from PwC in order to oversee the restructuring process River Island has revealed the full list of 33 stores it wants to shut as part of a major restructure. The fashion retailer confirmed its plans last week following a report by Sky News - but at the time, it did not publish which locations would be impacted. The restructuring plan - which also includes proposals to cut rents at dozens of River Island stores - will be put to creditors in August before it needs approval from the High Court. A letter to the court, seen by fashion industry news website Drapers, has revealed the list of stores earmarked for closure by January 2026, along with plans to reduce rents at another 71 shops. The retailer is proposing rent cuts of between 25% and 75% for 36 months at 38 stores, and wants to reduce rent to zero at 24 other stores. Landlords for nine stores are set to receive full rent under the proposed plan. River Island has around 230 stores and employs around 5,500 people. The retailer, which fell to a £33.2million loss in 2023 after sales slid by 19%, has reportedly hired advisors from PwC in order to oversee the restructuring process. Ben Lewis, chief executive of River Island, said: 'River Island is a much-loved retailer, with a decades-long history on the British high street. 'However, the well-documented migration of shoppers from the high street to online has left the business with a large portfolio of stores that is no longer aligned to our customers' needs. 'The sharp rise in the cost of doing business over the last few years has only added to the financial burden. We have a clear strategy to transform the business to ensure its long-term viability. 'Recent improvements in our fashion offer and in-store shopping experience are already showing very positive results, but it is only with a restructuring plan that we will be able to see this strategy through and secure River Island's future as a profitable retail business. 'We regret any job losses as a result of store closures, and we will try to keep these to a minimum.' The Mirror has contacted River Island for further comment. River Island is closing one of its shops this weekend in Banbury, Oxfordshire. The store will shut for good on June 28. River Island stores in Willows Place, Corby, and in Vicar Lane Shopping Centre in Chesterfield both closed in April. These branches were not part of the 33 planned store closures. Full list of River Island planned store closures Beckton Bangor Bloomfield Wrexham Edinburgh Princes Street Hereford Surrey Quays Didcot Sutton Coldfield Aylesbury Burton-Upon-Trent Northwich Taunton Workington Falkirk Cumbernauld Kirkcaldy Gloucester Hartlepool Brighton Lisburn Norwich Oxford Poole Kilmarnock Hanley Barnstaple Grimsby Leeds Birstall Park Rochdale Great Yarmouth St Helens Stockton On Tees Perth
