Latest news with #Aukus
STV News
2 hours ago
- Business
- STV News
UK to be 'war-ready' as Government to build up to 12 attack submarines
The UK will build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and invest £15bn in its warhead programme, the Prime Minister will announce on Monday as the Government unveils its strategic defence review. Significant investment in the UK nuclear warhead programme this parliament and maintaining the existing stockpile are among the 62 recommendations that the Government is expected to accept in full. But questions were also raised about its commitment to defence spending after the Defence Secretary could not confirm the Treasury had guaranteed funding to bring it up to 3% of GDP by 2034. Building the new submarines, which is part of the Aukus partnership with the US and Australia, will support 30,000 highly skilled jobs into the 2030s as well as 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles across the next 10 years, the Ministry of Defence said. Defence Secretary John Healey said: 'Our outstanding submariners patrol 24/7 to keep us and our allies safe, but we know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression. 'With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead programme on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering on our Plan for Change with 30,000 highly skilled jobs across the country.' PA Media Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK 'must act decisively to face down Russian aggression' (Yui Mok/PA). The £15bn investment into the warhead programme will back the Government's commitments to maintain the continuous-at-sea nuclear deterrent, build a new fleet of Dreadnought submarines and deliver all future upgrades. From the late 2030s, the fleet of up to 12 SSN-Aukus conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines will replace seven astute class attack submarines the UK is due to start operating. In response to the strategic defence review, the Government will also commit to: – Getting the armed forces to a stage where it would be ready to fight a war – Boosting weapons and equipment stockpiles and making sure there is capacity to scale up production if needed in a crisis or war – Buying up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons in a move due to support 800 defence jobs – Setting up a new cyber command and investing £1bn in digital capabilities – More than £1.5bn of additional funding to repair and renew armed forces housing. Sir Keir Starmer will say: 'From the supply lines to the front lines, this Government is foursquare behind the men and women upholding our nation's freedom and security. 'National security is the foundation of my Plan for Change, and this plan will ensure Britain is secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering a defence dividend of well-paid jobs up and down the country. 'This strategic defence review will ensure the UK rises to the challenge and our armed forces have the equipment they need that keeps us safe at home while driving greater opportunity for our engineers, shipbuilders and technicians of the future.' The Conservatives and Lib Dems questioned Labour's commitment to funding the promises it was making. The Government has previously set out its 'ambition to reach 3% in the next parliament', after meeting its pledge to ratchet up defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027. Healey had said there was 'no doubt' the UK would reach 3% in an interview with The Times. But on Sunday, he sidestepped questions about whether he had any guarantee from the Treasury to provide the funding when asked on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme. He said he does not expect to increase the number of people in the armed forces until the next Parliament amid a recruitment and retention crisis. Asked when the Army would reach the target of 73,000, Healey said: 'We've narrowed the gap, but we've still got more people leaving than joining. 'The first job is to reverse that trend and then I want to see in the next parliament our ability to start to increase the number.' Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: 'All of Labour's Strategic Defence Review promises will be taken with a pinch of salt unless they can show there will actually be enough money to pay for them. 'Whereas, far from guaranteeing the funding, John Healey has been hung out to dry by Rachel Reeves. 'As recently as Thursday, Healey promised that defence spending would definitely hit 3%, but today he's completely backtracked. 'These submarines are not due to enter service till the late 2030s, so how can we have any confidence Labour will actually deliver them when they can't even sustain a policy on defence spending for more than 48 hours?' Lib Dem defence spokesperson Helen Maguire said: 'This signals absolutely the right intent about the need to bolster the UK's defences in the face of Putin's imperialism and Trump's unreliability. 'But this must come with a concrete commitment and detail on full funding. 'Labour's mere 'ambition' rather than commitment to reach 3% of GDP on defence leaves serious questions about whether the money for these projects will actually be forthcoming. 'The 2034 timeline suggests a worrying lack of urgency from the Government. 'Unless Labour commits to holding cross-party talks on how to reach 3% much more rapidly than the mid-2030s, this announcement risks becoming a damp squib.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The National
2 hours ago
- Business
- The National
How to watch Keir Starmer's defence speech in Scotland
Significant investment in the UK nuclear warhead programme this parliament and maintaining the existing stockpile are among the 62 recommendations that the Government is expected to accept in full. In response to the strategic defence review, the Government will also commit to: But questions were also raised about its commitment to defence spending after the Defence Secretary could not confirm the Treasury had guaranteed funding to bring it up to 3% of GDP by 2034. Building the new submarines, which is part of the Aukus partnership with the US and Australia, will support 30,000 highly skilled jobs into the 2030s as well as 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles across the next 10 years, the Ministry of Defence said. READ MORE: Hamilton by-election campaign enters final days as parties make final pleas to voters Defence Secretary John Healey said: 'Our outstanding submariners patrol 24/7 to keep us and our allies safe, but we know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression. 'With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead programme on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering on our Plan for Change with 30,000 highly skilled jobs across the country.' The £15 billion investment into the warhead programme will back the Government's commitments to maintain the continuous-at-sea nuclear deterrent, build a new fleet of Dreadnought submarines and deliver all future upgrades. From the late 2030s, the fleet of up to 12 SSN-Aukus conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines will replace seven astute class attack submarines the UK is due to start operating. How can I watch Keir Starmer's speech in Glasgow? Starmer will set out the review with a short speech, followed by a media Q&A from 10am. It will be live on BBC, as well as Sky News. You can watch here. Starmer will say: 'From the supply lines to the front lines, this Government is foursquare behind the men and women upholding our nation's freedom and security. 'National security is the foundation of my Plan for Change, and this plan will ensure Britain is secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering a defence dividend of well-paid jobs up and down the country. 'This strategic defence review will ensure the UK rises to the challenge and our armed forces have the equipment they need that keeps us safe at home while driving greater opportunity for our engineers, shipbuilders and technicians of the future.' The Conservatives and Lib Dems questioned Labour's commitment to funding the promises it was making. The Government has previously set out its 'ambition to reach 3% in the next parliament', after meeting its pledge to ratchet up defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027. Healey had said there was 'no doubt' the UK would reach 3% in an interview with The Times. But on Sunday, he sidestepped questions about whether he had any guarantee from the Treasury to provide the funding when asked on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme. He said he does not expect to increase the number of people in the armed forces until the next Parliament amid a recruitment and retention crisis. Asked when the Army would reach the target of 73,000, Healey said: 'We've narrowed the gap, but we've still got more people leaving than joining. 'The first job is to reverse that trend and then I want to see in the next parliament our ability to start to increase the number.'
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Record
UK to build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines in major defence shake-up
The UK will build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and invest £15 billion in its warhead programme. The UK is poised to construct up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and will pour £15 billion into its warhead programme, with the Prime Minister set to disclose these plans on Monday during the Government's strategic defence review. Major investments are queued for the UK's nuclear warhead programme this parliamentary session, along with commitments to maintain the current arsenal, as supported by 62 recommendations the Government aims to fully implement. However, there's been a debate over defence spending promises, after the Defence Secretary was unable to verify if the Treasury had secured budgeting to increase it to 3% of GDP by 2034. Part of the Aukus deal with the US and Australia, the creation of these submarines is projected to sustain 30,000 highly skilled jobs into the 2030s, along with generating 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate positions over the forthcoming decade, according to the Ministry of Defence. Defence Secretary John Healey remarked: "Our outstanding submariners patrol 24/7 to keep us and our allies safe, but we know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression. "With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead programme on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering on our Plan for Change with 30,000 highly skilled jobs across the country." The £15 billion investment into the warhead programme will bolster the Government's pledges to sustain the continuous-at-sea nuclear deterrent, construct a new line of Dreadnought submarines, and facilitate all forthcoming enhancements. From the late 2030s, the array of up to 12 SSN-Aukus class attack submarines – conventionally armed yet nuclear-powered – are set to succeed the seven astute class submarines that the UK anticipates commissioning. The Government, in echoing the findings of the strategic defence review, has pledged to:. - Prepare the armed forces for readiness to engage in conflict should the need arise. - Enhance armament reserves and maintain scalability in production capacities to respond promptly in times of crisis or warfare. - Procure up to 7,000 domestically produced long-range missiles, a decision projected to preserve 800 jobs within the defence sector. - Establish a pioneering cyber command while committing £1 billion towards digital advancements. - Allocate an excess of £1.5 billion for refurbishing and updating service personnel accommodation. Sir Keir Starmer is expected to declare: "From the supply lines to the front lines, this Government is foursquare behind the men and women upholding our nation's freedom and security. "National security is the foundation of my Plan for Change, and this plan will ensure Britain is secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering a defence dividend of well-paid jobs up and down the country." The Shadow Defence Secretary, James Cartlidge, expressed scepticism regarding Labour's Strategic Defence Review promises, stating that they would be viewed with caution unless Labour could demonstrate that sufficient funding would be allocated. Labour's Shadow Defence Secretary, John Healey, had previously mentioned in an interview with The Times that there was "no doubt" the UK would achieve its goal of 3% defence spending. However, when questioned on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, he sidestepped queries about whether the Treasury had provided any guarantees for the necessary funding. Healey also acknowledged that he did not anticipate an increase in the number of armed forces personnel until the next Parliament, citing ongoing recruitment and retention challenges. When asked about the Army's target of 73,000 personnel, he replied, "We've narrowed the gap, but we've still got more people leaving than joining. "The first job is to reverse that trend and then I want to see in the next parliament our ability to start to increase the number." In response, James Cartlidge argued, "All of Labour's Strategic Defence Review promises will be taken with a pinch of salt unless they can show there will actually be enough money to pay for them. "Whereas, far from guaranteeing the funding, John Healey has been hung out to dry by Rachel Reeves. "As recently as Thursday, Healey promised that defence spending would definitely hit 3%, but today he's completely backtracked. "These submarines are not due to enter service till the late 2030s, so how can we have any confidence Labour will actually deliver them when they can't even sustain a policy on defence spending for more than 48 hours?" Lib Dem defence spokesperson Helen Maguire commented: "This signals absolutely the right intent about the need to bolster the UK's defences in the face of Putin's imperialism and Trump's unreliability. "But this must come with a concrete commitment and detail on full funding. "Labour's mere 'ambition' rather than commitment to reach 3% of GDP on defence leaves serious questions about whether the money for these projects will actually be forthcoming. "The 2034 timeline suggests a worrying lack of urgency from the Government. "Unless Labour commits to holding cross-party talks on how to reach 3% much more rapidly than the mid-2030s, this announcement risks becoming a damp squib."
The Independent
4 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
UK politics live: Labour reveals new nuclear programme and submarines ahead of Starmer defence review
Britain will build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and invest £15 billion in its warhead programme, Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce. The government will unveil its strategic defence review today. Significant investment in the UK warhead programme this parliament and maintaining the existing stockpile are among the 62 recommendations that the government is expected to accept in full. Building the new submarines, which is part of the Aukus partnership with the US and Australia, will support 30,000 highly skilled jobs into the 2030s as well as 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles across the next 10 years, the Ministry of Defence said. The £15 billion investment into the warhead programme will back the government's commitments to maintain the continuous-at-sea nuclear deterrent, build a new fleet of Dreadnought submarines and deliver all future upgrades. From the late 2030s, the fleet of up to 12 SSN-Aukus conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines will replace seven Astute-class attack submarines the UK is due to start operating. UK to build up to 12 new attack submarines and invest £15bn in warheads The UK will build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and invest £15 billion in its warhead programme, the prime minister will announce today as the government unveils its strategic defence review. Significant investment in the UK warhead programme this parliament and maintaining the existing stockpile are among the 62 recommendations that the government is expected to accept in full. Building the new submarines, which is part of the Aukus partnership with the US and Australia, will support 30,000 highly skilled jobs into the 2030s as well as 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles across the next 10 years, the Ministry of Defence said.
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
UK to publish major defence review to face ‘new era of threat'
Prime Minister Keir Starmer cautioned on June 1 that the UK was being 'directly threatened' by hostile states as his government announced a raft of new defence measures. PHOTO: REUTERS London - Britain is set to publish on June 2 a major review of its defence strategy and armed forces as the government warned of 'growing' Russian aggression and the changing nature of modern warfare. Prime Minister Keir Starmer cautioned on June 1 that the UK was being 'directly threatened' by hostile states as his government announced a raft of new defence measures. 'We will restore Britain's war-fighting readiness as the central purpose of our armed forces,' he said in a statement. The UK has been racing to rearm in the face of the threat from Russia and fears that US President Donald Trump will no longer help protect Europe. On June 2, the Labour government will publish its Strategic Defence Review, a document that will assess threats facing the UK and make recommendations. The review warns that Britain is entering 'a new era of threat' as drones and artificial intelligence transform modern warfare, The Guardian newspaper reported over the weekend. Mr Starmer said it would serve as 'a blueprint for strength and security for decades to come'. His government pledged in February to lift defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027 in the 'largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War'. And despite budget constraints, it aims for spending to rise to 3 per cent in the next parliamentary term, due in 2029. The Labour government has said it will cut UK overseas aid to help fund the spending. 'Daily' attacks The last such defence review was commissioned in 2021 by the previous Conservative government, and was revised in 2023 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Based on the recommendations of the review, which is led by former Nato secretary general George Robertson, Mr Starmer announced measures to boost stockpiles and weapons production capacity, which could be scaled up if needed. This includes £1.5 billion (S$2.6 billion) for building 'at least six munitions and energetics factories', procuring 7,000 domestically built long-range weapons, and spending £6 billion on munitions over the current parliamentary term. The government also said it would build 12 new attack submarines as part of its Aukus military alliance with Australia and the United States, and invest £15 billion in its nuclear warhead programme. The defence ministry last week pledged £1 billion for the creation of a 'cyber command' to help on the battlefield. 'We're in a world that is changing now... and it is a world of growing threats,' Defence Secretary John Healey told the BBC in an interview on June 1. 'It's growing Russian aggression. It's those daily cyberattacks, it's new nuclear risks, and it's increasing tension in other parts of the world as well,' he said. 'Sophisticated challenge' While launching the review, Mr Robertson said it would tackle with threats from Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, calling them a 'deadly quartet'. But in an op-ed in The Sun, Mr Starmer did not mention China, while warning that 'The Kremlin is working hand in hand with its cronies in Iran and North Korea'. The softer rhetoric on China is in line with the Labour government's efforts to thaw relations with Beijing, which reached new lows under former prime minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative government. The review describes Russia as an 'immediate and pressing' threat, but calls China a 'sophisticated and persistent challenge', according to The Guardian. At a time when Washington is demanding that its Nato allies bolster their own defences, Britain is considering strengthening its deterrent by buying nuclear-missile capable aircrafts from the United States, The Sunday Times reported. Without confirming or denying, Mr Healey said on June 1 that 'strong deterrence is absolutely essential in order to keep Britain and the British people safe'. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
