Latest news with #Dreadnought
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Historic hotel in 'gateway to the Highlands' to re-open this summer under new ownership
An historic hotel in Callander, Perthshire, is to re-open this summer after being taken over by travel firm Caledonian Travel An historic hotel in the 'gateway to the Highlands' is to re-open under new ownership. Callander's Dreadnought Hotel has been taken over by travel firm Caledonian Travel. The group announced on Monday that it the hotel is the latest property to join the Caledonian Hotel Collection. As a result of the takeover, the Leny Road hotel will now be known as The Caledonian Thistle Hotel. The original Dreadnought Hotel was built by the Clan MacNab in 1802 as a hostelry for clansmen travelling north but it was extensively enlarged in 1890. The new owners are now to embark on a refurbishment of the hotel and is expected to re-open at the end of July. Announcing the takeover, Caledonian Travel said: 'We're delighted to announce that The Dreadnought Hotel in Callander – known as the gateway to the Highlands – is the latest property to join The Caledonian Hotel Collection. It will now be proudly known as The Caledonian Thistle Hotel. 'Located on Callander's charming high street, this landmark hotel is ideally placed for exploring the area – from the dramatic views of Ben Ledi to the peaceful shores of Loch Lubnaig. 'Inside, you'll find comfortable en-suite bedrooms, cosy lounge spaces, hearty dining, live evening entertainment every night, and that signature Caledonian welcome. Whether you're heading off on an adventure or unwinding with a drink in hand, The Caledonian Thistle Hotel, Callander is a true Highland haven. 'We'll now begin a full refurbishment of both the interior and exterior, with plans to reopen at the end of July. We're also going to be recruiting new members to the team – so watch this space!' The firm is also offering an introductory offer of a 10-per cent discount on breaks booked by midnight on Sunday, June 15. The former Dreadnought was hit by a fire back in February 2017. Emergency services raced to the scene to tackle the fire which broke out in staff quarters, behind the main hotel and next to the public car park. Police probing the cause of the blaze interviewed the two teenagers, a boy and a girl both aged 14, in connection. Then owner of the hotel, Dayo Ogunyemi said: 'It was the staff quarters at the back. There was nobody hurt. There was nobody there. 'It has not been used for a long time. It wasn't being used for anything. 'Normally it closes in the winter. We always close in October then we open back up in March. Obviously it will be later now.' In May that same year, Mr Ogunyemi con firmed that it would remain closed for the rest of that year's tourist season. In August 2018, The Dreadnought was put up for sale for £600,000. At that time, the town's community council said that if no buyer was found, it could potentially consider a community buyout, with a survey to be launched ton gauge public support for the idea. The hotel was traditionally a popular accommodation for holidaymakers to the scenic town through the busy summer months.
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Business
- Wales Online
12 new submarines set to be built in UK, the Government has announced
12 new submarines set to be built in UK, the Government has announced Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was due to say today: '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' John Healey appeared on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg yesterday (Image: PA ) The Prime Minister was set to announce today, June 2, that the UK would build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and channel £15 billion into enhancing its warhead programme, as part of the Government's strategic defence review. The move will also support 30,000 jobs and is expected to create a further 40,000. The review includes 62 recommendations, with the Government expected to fully endorse significant investment in the UK's nuclear warhead programme during this parliament and the maintenance of the current arsenal. However, there has been some uncertainty regarding the Government's pledge to defence spending, following the Defence Secretary's inability to confirm whether the Treasury had secured funding to achieve a target of 3% of GDP by 2034. The construction of the new submarines, a key element of the Aukus alliance with the US and Australia, is expected to support 30,000 highly skilled jobs into the 2030s. It will also create 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate positions over the coming decade, according to the Ministry of Defence. 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." Article continues below He added: "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 Government's commitment to maintaining the continuous-at-sea nuclear deterrent, constructing a new fleet of Dreadnought submarines and delivering all future upgrades, will be supported by a £15 billion investment into the warhead programme. From the late 2030s, a fleet of up to 12 SSN-Aukus conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines will take over from the seven astute class attack submarines that the UK is set to begin operating. In line with 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 £1 billion in digital capabilities More than £1.5 billion of additional funding to repair and renew armed forces housing. Sir Keir Starmer was due to 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." Both the Conservatives and the Lib Dems have expressed scepticism over Labour's commitment to financing what's proposed. After fulfilling its promise to elevate defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by April, 2027, the Government has voiced its "ambition to reach 3% in the next parliament". Mr Healey told The Times there was "no doubt" the UK would hit the 3% mark. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . However, during Sunday's broadcast of BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Mr Healey evaded the question regarding Treasury assurances for the proposed funding. He said he did not foresee an increase in armed forces personnel before the subsequent Parliamentary session amid ongoing recruitment and retention issues. Confronted with queries about when the Army might achieve its 73,000 personnel target, Mr Healey acknowledged: "We've narrowed the gap, but we've still got more people leaving than joining." His immediate priority is to reverse this trend before looking to expand numbers in the following Parliament. 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." Article continues below
STV News
3 days 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
3 days 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 days 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."
