RAF chief set to be new head of armed forces
Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton is thought to be in line to be the next Chief of Defence Staff.
The position is currently held by Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, who has been in the role since 2021.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton giving a reading during the annual Battle of Britain service at Westminster Abbey in September 2024 (Lucy North/PA)
According to his biography on the Government website, Sir Richard joined the RAF in 1989 as a university cadet, and served as deputy chief of the defence staff from 2019 to 2022.
The appointment comes as the Government has pledged to increase defence spending in the UK to 2.5% of gross domestic product on defence from April 2027, with a goal of increasing that to 3% over the next parliament, a timetable which could stretch to 2034.
The Ministry of Defence said: 'This is speculation. The appointment process is ongoing and any announcement will be made in the usual way.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Land value tax in Wales could replace council tax and rates
The former first minister said the Welsh Government continues to explore the feasibility of LVT as used in countries such as Denmark and Singapore. Professor Drakeford has long supported a LVT, arguing those who have the privilege of ownership should pay something back for that privilege. LVT is levied on the value of the land rather than the property itself. Proponents argue LVT is easier to collect, more efficient and difficult to avoid, while discouraging speculation and encouraging people to bring idle land back into use. Professor Drakeford told the Senedd: "I am anxious to see this discussion move beyond the theoretical and into the realms of the practically possible. He explained that the Welsh Government has invited tenders to test approaches to valuing land, with submissions for every aspect of the work. The finance secretary said: "I want to use the coming months to test the boundaries of what might be possible in the next Senedd term. "Let's open the door to more radical, fundamental and progressive reform in the future." He added: "The current system is unfairly weighted against those who experience difficulty in paying. "I want to shift the focus from harmful escalation towards supportive prevention." He stated ministers will introduce a new council tax appeals process by April 2026 that will be "easier to navigate and provide a better, modern system for taxpayers". Peter Fox agreed that council tax is regressive by nature "and that it will never really become a fair local tax". Mr Fox accused the Welsh Government of increasing tax on families "by stealth" through underfunding councils which, in turn, pass on the shortfall to people. He called for reform of the "outdated and flawed" funding formula. Professor Drakeford replied: "Almost every local authority in Wales will agree that the formula needs revision – nobody can agree on how that should be done. "The 22 local authorities each believe that the formula uniquely disadvantages them."
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Minister to be referred to standards commissioner following Larne fire
Prior to the fire, Gordon Lyons posted on social media that the leisure centre had been used to accommodate several people following riotous behaviour in the town of Ballymena, which is 30 minutes away. Matthew O'Toole, the leader of the opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said he would refer the minister to the commissioner. Mr Lyons said on Wednesday: 'As a local MLA for the area, neither I nor my DUP Council colleagues were made aware or consulted on this decision until late this afternoon.' He added: 'It has now been confirmed to us by the PSNI and Council that all these individuals are in the care of the Housing Executive and have been moved out of Larne. 'Protesting is of course a legitimate right but violence is not and I would encourage everyone to remain peaceful.' Communities Minister Gordon Lyons (Liam McBurney/PA) A fire later broke out at the centre following vandalism at the facility on the third night of disorder in Northern Ireland. Masked individuals smashed windows at the leisure centre in Co Antrim on Wednesday and set fires outside which spread inside. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said the facility had been designated as an emergency rest centre for those in urgent need following disturbances in nearby Ballymena but the families had been safely relocated elsewhere. Police and firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control on Wednesday night. Mr Lyons condemned the damage inflicted on Larne Leisure Centre and said it only serves to hurt residents of the town. Emergency services at the scene (Liam McBurney/PA) He said: 'The violence and disorder witnessed on our streets over recent nights serves no purpose. Wanton destruction such as the attack on Larne Leisure Centre is an attack on all residents who use the facility. 'There is absolutely no excuse for what has taken place in Larne, and it must be condemned.' Mr O'Toole, an SDLP MLA, said: 'The actions of the Communities Minister cannot be ignored. 'He is the minister response for the Housing Executive and lives are at stake.' He said the opposition will refer Mr Lyons to the standards commissioner on Thursday and 'explore all other options for accountability'. Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole (Liam McBurney/PA) The fire coincided with a third night of public disorder in Ballymena. The violence began around Clonavon Terrace on Monday night following an earlier peaceful protest which was organised in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in the area. Two teenage boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged. The DUP has been contacted for comment.
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Government should auto-enrol eligible pupils for free school meals
There is variation in free school meal registration practices across England, research by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has suggested. It comes after ministers set out plans to expand free school meals to all pupils in England from families on universal credit. Currently, households in England on universal credit must earn below £7,400 a year (after tax and not including benefits) to qualify for free school meals. The expansion of free school meals to all pupils in families on universal credit from September 2026 will make 500,000 more children eligible for free lunches, the Government has said. Parents currently have to apply for their children to receive free school meals and eligible children are not automatically enrolled. The paper, funded by The Nuffield Foundation, calls on the Government to introduce a national auto-enrolment scheme to ensure all eligible families are registered for free school meals. It said: 'Despite this expansion in FSM (free school meals) eligibility, without further action from the Government, children may continue to miss out on the free meals they are entitled to. 'The barriers to registration and differences in registration practices across LAs means children still face inequalities in access to free meals.' The report added: 'In terms of barriers families face in applying to FSM – including English as an additional language, stigma, confusion about eligibility – auto-enrolment would largely eradicate these issues.' Despite efforts to boost registration, language barriers and a lack of digital access are preventing the meals reaching children that need them, it said. An additional 77,700 children became eligible for free school meals in the past year, according to recent data published by the Department for Education. More than one in four (25.7%) pupils in England were eligible for free school meals in January, the equivalent of 2.17 million children – up from 24.6%, or 2.09 million, in January 2024. But the report from EPI – which is based on surveys and interviews with local authorities and multi-academy trusts in 2024 and early 2025 – found where a child lives or goes to school determines how hard it is for families to register for free school meals. In some local authorities, parents are required to make their own application while facing significant barriers and if found ineligible at the time must reapply when circumstances change. While in others, they use local auto-enrolment to proactively identify entitled children without relying on parents sharing details or making an application. The report also found that some children who attend maintained nurseries before and after lunch are missing out on free meals to which they are entitled. Dr Kerris Cooper, senior researcher for early years and inequalities at EPI, said: 'Our research shows that while the extension of free school meal eligibility is a very positive step, more needs to be done to ensure that all children entitled to free meals can actually access them. 'First, there are still significant barriers for families to register for FSM, and where a child lives plays too big a role in their chances of being registered. 'Second, the youngest children, who face the highest risk of poverty, will not benefit from this expansion in eligibility unless all children attending early education are also included and settings are supported to deliver this. 'Introducing national auto-enrolment and including children in early education would enable this expansion in FSM eligibility to more meaningfully extend access to more children in poverty.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'The expansion of free school meals, to include all children in households on universal credit, is a positive move that recognises there are children living in poverty who have been missing out. 'Moving to a national system of auto-enrolment would be the next logical step to ensure that everyone who is now eligible under the new criteria will actually receive a meal and the intended benefits.' He added: 'We see no reason why a national system of auto-enrolment cannot be established relatively straightforwardly. 'This is something that would make a big difference to vulnerable families.' Last week, education minister Stephen Morgan told MPs in the Commons that the Government would be working to make it easier for people to apply. He said the announcement on expanding free school meals was a 'significant, straightforward process for parents to know whether they are eligible'. A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'Through our Plan for Change, this government has taken a historic step to tackle the stain of child poverty and spread opportunity – extending free school meal eligibility to all children in households on Universal Credit. 'This means over half a million more children will be able to access free meals from the 2026 school year, lifting 100,000 children completely out of poverty – and we will launch an upgraded eligibility checking tool next year to make it simpler than ever for parents to see if they can benefit. 'This forms part of our wider plan to put money back in the pockets of working families – with parents also set to benefit from our free breakfast club rollout and school uniform cost cap, helping them save up to £500 a year.'
