Key points of the Strategic Defence Review
Here are some of the key points from the review:
– Defence Secretary Mr Healey has pledged to 'create a British Army which is 10x more lethal', by combining capabilities with air-defence, long-range weapons and other technologies.
– The review has been drawn up with the Government's commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 in mind, and the authors say they are 'confident' that it is 'affordable over ten years'. However they say that given the 'turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster'.
– Russia has been described as 'an immediate and pressing threat', as the invasion of Ukraine 'makes unequivocally clear its willingness to use force to achieve its goals'. The report also states that Moscow's 'war economy, if sustained, will enable it to rebuild its land capabilities more quickly' in the event of a ceasefire.
The first duty of government is to keep people safe.
This is how we're doing that. pic.twitter.com/gwEkScutmq
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) June 2, 2025
– China is labelled a 'sophisticated and persistent challenge'. The review warns that Beijing is 'likely to continue seeking advantage through espionage and cyber attacks' and is expected to have 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.
– The UK is already experiencing attacks targeting critical national infrastructure, and a war could see attempts to disrupt the economy as well as efforts to manipulate information and undermine community cohesion.
– As well as looking to prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems, the MoD should invest in the UK's resilience of military space systems.
– A 'small uplift' in the number of Army regulars should be prioritised when the funding allows, and the number of active reserves should be increased by 20% when there is the money, which is likely to be in the 2030s.
📍BAE Systems, Glasgow, today.
Local opportunities, skilled work, community pride.
That is what our transformation of defence will deliver. pic.twitter.com/KCHsTjcKPS
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) June 2, 2025
– Personnel in back-office roles should also be moved into front-line roles with automation taking over a portion of jobs such as HR and finance.
– When it comes to Army recruitment there should be a focus on speed, helping potential recruits get from the point of expressing an interest to beginning work more quickly. Officials should also look to the 'gap year' model used in Australia, the report suggests.
– The review promotes an Integrated Force Model, looking to breakdown distinctions between the Army, Navy and RAF to get them to a position where they are working as a combined operation. That comes after a change in April, which saw the Chief of Defence Staff become the commanding officer of all of the service chiefs.
– More F-35 fighter jets will be required in the next decade, ministers have been told, and could mean a mix of those which are able to operate from an aircraft carrier and those which are not.
– Ministers have been told they should do more to ensure that the permanent joint headquarters at Northwood is resilient to both physical and cyber attacks given its importance.
– The National Security Council of ministers should review progress on the UK's nuclear deterrent at least twice a year, the reviewers say.
We're building up to a dozen new attack submarines as part of the AUKUS programme, in response to rapidly increasing threats.
This builds on a £15 billion investment in our sovereign nuclear warhead programme and will support 30,000 highly skilled jobs across the UK👇 pic.twitter.com/u0TRUalGLk
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) June 2, 2025
– John Healey has pledged to create a new 'hybrid Navy' with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels that can patrol the North Atlantic.
– He has also promised a 'next-generation RAF' with 'F-35s, upgraded Typhoons next-generation fast jets'.
– As part of plans to increase innovation, defence experts should have faculty positions in partner universities from the 2026/27 academic year.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
25 minutes ago
- Wales Online
UK steel industry welcomes Donald Trump decision not to impose 50% tariffs but ‘uncertainty remains'
UK steel industry welcomes Donald Trump decision not to impose 50% tariffs but 'uncertainty remains' Donald Trump has decided to 'provide different treatment' to the UK with a trade deal still to be finalised Levies will remain at 25% for imports of steel from the UK into America (Image: Getty Images ) The steel Industry has welcomed Donald Trump's decision to keep tariffs at 25% on British steel and aluminium for now, but warned that "uncertainty remains" over the final tax rate. The US president has decided to "provide different treatment" to the UK after a deal that was struck between Washington and London last month, despite him doubling tariffs on imports from elsewhere to 50%. Levies will remain at 25% for imports of steel from the UK into America, however Britain could still be subject to the higher 50% rate from July, or the quotas in the agreement could come into force, effectively eradicating the tax. The 50% tariff rate for imports of steel and aluminium from other nations came into force at 12.01am Washington DC time on Wednesday, shortly after 5am in the UK. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here The Government said on Tuesday night they were "pleased" that the industry "will not be subject to these additional tariffs". Gareth Stace, the director general of UK Steel, said Mr Trump's decision was a "welcome pause". Article continues below He added: "Continued 25% tariffs will benefit shipments already on the water that we were concerned would fall under a tax hike. "However, uncertainty remains over timings and final tariff rates, and now US customers will be dubious over whether they should even risk making UK orders. The US and UK must urgently turn the May deal into reality to remove the tariffs completely." Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's trade deal with the US, struck last month, included relief on the steel and aluminium tariffs, but it has not yet come into force. Officials have been working to try to finalise the details of the agreement. According to the text of the order, published by a White House X account on Tuesday, Mr Trump has "further determined that it is necessary and appropriate to allow for the implementation of the U.S.-UK Economic Prosperity Deal of May 8, 2025 (EPD), and to accordingly provide different treatment, as described below, for imports of steel and aluminium articles, and their derivatives, from the United Kingdom". The order later says that rates will for now stay at 25% and adds: "On or after July 9, 2025, the Secretary may adjust the applicable rates of duty and construct import quotas for steel and aluminium consistent with the terms of the EPD, or he may increase the applicable rates of duty to 50 percent if he determines that the United Kingdom has not complied with relevant aspects of the EPD". The Government has pledged to keep working with the US to get the agreement up and running, and the 25% tariff rate "removed". A spokesperson said: "The UK was the first country to secure a trade deal with the US earlier this month and we remain committed to protecting British business and jobs across key sectors, including steel as part of our Plan for Change. "We're pleased that as a result of our agreement with the US, UK steel will not be subject to these additional tariffs. We will continue to work with the US to implement our agreement, which will see the 25% US tariffs on steel removed." The Conservatives have said that Labour's "botched negotiations have left businesses in limbo". Shadow business and trade secretary Andrew Griffith said: "Keir Starmer stood in front of the nation and insisted to the British public that his Labour government had achieved a trade deal with the US – and now one month later our industries face a fresh tariffs blow. "So once again it seems that Keir Starmer's promise was just like the rest: hollow and broken. Labour's botched negotiations have left businesses in limbo and this country simply cannot afford their continuing failure." Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds met White House trade representative Jamieson Greer in Paris on Tuesday. According to the Department for Business and Trade, Mr Reynolds and Mr Greer discussed a desire to implement the deal struck between London and Washington as soon as possible, and committed to working closely to make it happen. The general terms for the agreement between the UK and US were published in May when the deal was announced, and outline the intended plans. Article continues below White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked if there was a text of the full deal ready to be released, and told reporters on Tuesday: "There 's most definitely text with this deal, there is language that this side has seen. "You'll have to ask the UK Parliament why they haven't seen it from their own Government, I obviously can't answer that question."
The Independent
34 minutes ago
- The Independent
Government ‘confident' it can implement US deal in time to protect steel sector
The Government remains 'confident' it can implement its trade deal with the US in time to prevent Britain's steel industry facing even higher tariffs, a Cabinet minister has said. US president Donald Trump exempted the UK from the 50% tariffs on steel and aluminium that came into effect on Wednesday morning, saying he would 'provide different treatment' after the deal struck between London and Washington last month. The decision means that British steel exports will continue to face a 25% levy from America, rather than the higher rate, while negotiations continue on bringing the agreement into effect. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: 'As a result of our landmark deal with the US, UK steel won't be subject to additional tariffs. 'My Government will always protect British businesses and British jobs.' But the situation could still change again in July, when the US is set to either increase the tariffs to 50% or introduce the quotas in the US-UK agreement, effectively eradicating the tax, depending on whether the deal is implemented. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told the BBC's Today programme on Wednesday she was 'really confident' that her Cabinet colleagues had the 'ability' and 'determination' to 'ensure that we are protecting British businesses and that we can get on and implement the trade deals we have agreed'. Ms Alexander said the Government would be introducing legislation 'to ensure that that happens', although this could take the form of regulations rather than a full Bill. Meanwhile, the head of industry body UK Steel, Gareth Stace, urged the Government to 'apply rocket boosters' to negotiations with the US on implementing the deal. Mr Stace said Mr Trump's decision to keep tariffs on British steel at 25% was a 'welcome pause' but warned that continuing uncertainty was making US customers 'dubious over whether they should even risk making UK orders'. The Government has pledged to keep working with the US to get the agreement up and running and the 25% tariff rate 'removed'. Those negotiations saw a meeting between Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and US trade representative Jamieson Greer in Paris on Tuesday at which the two men committed to working closely to implement the deal. A spokesperson said: 'The UK was the first country to secure a trade deal with the US earlier this month and we remain committed to protecting British business and jobs across key sectors, including steel as part of our plan for change. 'We're pleased that as a result of our agreement with the US, UK steel will not be subject to these additional tariffs. We will continue to work with the US to implement our agreement, which will see the 25% US tariffs on steel removed.' The Conservatives have said that Labour's 'botched negotiations have left businesses in limbo'. Shadow business and trade secretary Andrew Griffith said: 'Keir Starmer stood in front of the nation and insisted to the British public that his Labour government had achieved a trade deal with the US – and now one month later our industries face a fresh tariffs blow. 'So once again it seems that Keir Starmer's promise was just like the rest: hollow and broken. Labour's botched negotiations have left businesses in limbo and this country simply cannot afford their continuing failure.'
The Guardian
38 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Ministers offer concessions on AI and copyright to avoid fifth Lords defeat
Ministers have offered a series of last-minute concessions on copyright protections in an effort to avoid a fifth defeat in the House of Lords which could threaten the progress of a key bill. The data bill faces the prospect of being shelved amid a tense standoff over plans to allow AI companies to use copyrighted material to train their models. In a letter to all peers late on Tuesday night, the government offered further concessions in an effort to stave off another defeat. Maggie Jones, the Lords minister for the digital economy and online safety, said the government would commit to publishing further technical reports on the future of AI and copyright regulation and do so within nine months instead of 12. Jones wrote that ministers intended to move as quickly as possible in this important area and that the amendments would be laid on Wednesday afternoon. 'A number of noble Lords have voiced concerns during ping-pong that the government is not listening. This is simply not the case,' she said, reiterating that ministers regretted the way they had gone about the changes. Jones stressed that the data bill was expected to generate £10bn of economic benefit by updating data protection law and that it would improve online safety, including by strengthening powers to ask social media companies to preserve data following the death of a child. The bill has been used by Beeban Kidron, the award-winning film director and cross-bench peer, as a vehicle to oppose the government's proposed changes to copyright law. The government's concessions are intended to fulfil changes requested by Kidron. Kidron is preparing to table another amendment to the bill on Wednesday morning. If she puts forward the same amendment which the Commons stripped out of the bill on Tuesday, and the Lords vote for it, it would put parliament in double insistence territory. This means the Commons and Lords cannot reach agreement over legislation. In this scenario, under parliamentary convention, the bill would fall unless ministers accept the rebel amendment. This is extremely rare but not without precedent – it happened to the European Parliamentary Elections Bill 1997–98 – and the government could find potential ways to avoid it. Kidron said: 'It is in the gift of the government to accept the amendment, or put something meaningful in its place. They have failed to listen to the Lords, they have failed to listen to the creative sector, they have failed to listen to their own backbenchers. 'I have always been willing to find a route through this, but you have to ask why they feel unable to protect UK interests, and why they are giving away the country's riches and jobs, without ensuring they have the regulatory tools necessary to negotiate a settlement. Ministers keep saying fair: what is not fair is letting one sector steal from another.' Under the government's proposals, AI companies would be allowed to train their models using copyrighted work without permission unless the owner opts out. The plans have been fiercely criticised by creators and publishers including high-profile artists such as Paul McCartney and Tom Stoppard. The Lords dealt a fourth defeat to the government on Monday night, with peers voting 242 to 116 to a change that would introduce transparency requirements to force AI companies to publish how they are training their models. Peter Kyle, the technology secretary, has said he regretted the decision to launch a consultation on changing copyright law with the opt-out system as the 'preferred option'. Campaigners against the changes believe that there is resistance inside Downing Street to making more substantial concessions.
