Latest news with #Nato-first
Evening Standard
a day ago
- Politics
- Evening Standard
UK faces calls for 5% GDP defence spend, ahead of PM's meeting with Nato chief
A Number 10 spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister is clear that Europe must step up on defence and security, and we are proud to be leading the way with our Nato-first focused SDR, the commitment of our nuclear deterrent and nearly all of our armed forces to Nato and our historic uplift to defence spending.
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Starmer promises 'good, well-paid jobs' across Scotland as he places UK on war footing
The Prime Minister said his plans would protect 25,000 existing jobs north of the border Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Sir Keir Starmer has placed the UK on a war footing as he promised 'good, well-paid jobs' across Scotland as a result of his plans to increase defence spending. The Prime Minister said the new strategic defence review would protect 25,000 existing jobs north of the Border and 400,000 across the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Military drones and lasers will receive a £5 billion investment as the Government bids to put "the kit of the future into the hands of frontline troops". The funding, announced by Defence Secretary John Healey , includes £4 billion for drones and autonomous systems, and an extra £1 billion for lasers to protect British ships and soldiers. Sir Keir said he was '100 per cent confident' the review's recommendations – including extra attack submarines, £15 billion on nuclear warheads and thousands of new long-range weapons – could be delivered on current funding plans. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer | PA Launching the review in the shadow of Type 26 frigates being built in BAE Systems' shipyard in Govan, Sir Keir criticised the SNP's opposition to the Trident nuclear deterrent, insisting its removal would undermine the safety and security of the country. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sir Keir said 'three fundamental changes' would be made to the UK's defence. 'First, we are moving to war-fighting readiness as the central purpose of our armed forces,' he said. 'When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready, and frankly, to show them that we're ready to deliver peace through strength.' The second change is that the Government will adopt a 'Nato-first' stance towards defence so that everything it does adds to the strength of the alliance. Sir Keir added: 'Third, we will innovate and accelerate innovation at a wartime pace, so we can meet the threats of today and of tomorrow, as the fastest innovator in Nato.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The plans will see the delivery of up to 12 attack submarines, as well as the procurement of up to 7,000 long-range weapons built in the UK and the opening of at least six new munitions factories. The Prime Minister said he wanted to 'mobilise the nation in a common cause, recognising in these dangerous times that when it comes to defence of the realm and the defence of everything that we hold dear, nothing works unless we all work together'. The Government has highlighted the 'defence dividend' of the extra billions being spent, with claims that '30,000 highly-skilled jobs' will be supported by the measures. During his press conference in Govan, Sir Keir was asked how the review will benefit workers such as those at the Rosyth naval dockyard in Fife. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said he wanted to see the plans measured 'in good, well-paid jobs in Fife and across Scotland, because never forget the supply chains that are feeding into the major defence and security sectors'. The Government will increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product from April 2027 with an ambition – but no firm commitment – to increase it to 3 per cent during the next parliament. The Prime Minister insisted his plans could be funded within the 2.5 per cent commitment. 'I'm 100 per cent confident that this can be delivered because that was baked in from the very start of the review as one of the first conversations we had with the reviewers,' he said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Because what I wanted was to meet the new threats, the new instability, with a plan that matched our capability with the risk that we face as a nation.' The Review recommended a greater focus on new technology, including artificial intelligence and drones, as an "immediate priority". Mr Healey said the investment would provide "the most significant advance in UK defence technology in decades" and "ensure our armed forces have the cutting-edge capabilities they need to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world". He added: "We are delivering the Strategic Defence Review's vision to put the UK at the leading edge of innovation in Nato , by backing British industry and fast-tracking the kit of the future into the hands of frontline troops." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Part of the investment will see the establishment of a new "drone centre" to accelerate the deployment of the technology by all three branches of the armed forces. The focus on drones comes as the technology has proven increasingly lethal on the battlefield in Ukraine , where it now kills more people than traditional artillery. At a meeting of allied defence ministers in April, Mr Healey said the UK estimated drones were inflicting 70-80 per cent of battlefield casualties, while on Sunday Ukraine launched a major attack on Russian airfields deep behind the front line using a fleet of small drones. In addition to investment in drones and AI, the Government has announced an additional £1 billion for the development of "directed energy weapons" (DEWs) during the current parliament. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This includes the DragonFire laser scheduled to be fitted to the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyers from 2027, with a similar system provided for the Army by the end of the decade. DragonFire and other DEWs are intended to provide a lower-cost form of air defence against targets including drones, costing just £10 per shot compared with the thousands of pounds it costs to fire existing weapons. Mr Healey also told MPs he wants to 'increase the British Army to at least 76,000 full-time soldiers in the next Parliament'. The report also advocates an expansion in the cadet forces by 30 per cent by 2030, with an overall of 250,000 signed up in the longer term. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad According to the MoD, as of April 2024 there were 'over 139,000 young people and 26,000 adult volunteers' across cadet units in the UK. US President Donald Trump has been pushing for European countries to dramatically increase their defence spending rather than relying on Washington to subsidise the cost of their security. He has called for a 5 per cent spending target, while Nato general secretary Mark Rutte has reportedly asked for members to spend 3.5 per cent on their militaries by 2032 with a further 1.5 per cent on defence-related projects. The Conservatives and Lib Dems have questioned Labour's commitment to funding the promises it has made. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Elsewhere, Sir Keir attacked the SNP's opposition to Trident. During the event in Govan, he was asked whether his priorities matched those of the public. "I think the security and safety of everyone in Scotland is paramount, absolutely paramount,' the Prime Minister said. 'I can't imagine anybody who seriously wants to be prime minister of this country, coming to Scotland and saying that the first priority is not the safety and security of Scotland, consider the consequences of somebody as prime minister saying that. 'And remind ourselves that at this time of renewed threat and instability across Europe, the SNP's position is to get rid of our nuclear deterrent, the single most important part of our capability that has kept Scotland and the United Kingdom safe for many, many years. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "And at this moment, they renew their pledge to get rid of our nuclear deterrent. Imagine the effect that would have on the safety and security of the United Kingdom and of Scotland." First Minister John Swinney recently argued the billions of pounds spent servicing Trident, which is based at HM Naval Base Clyde, Faslane, would be better spent on conventional weapons. Speaking in February, he said nuclear weapons provide 'no tangible or realistic benefit to the military challenges that we face at this moment and are likely to face in future, and indeed I think they are an inhibitor because of the resources that they command'.
Leader Live
4 days ago
- Business
- Leader Live
Starmer promises funding will meet plan for ‘battle-ready, armour-clad' UK
The Prime Minister said he was '100% confident' the plans in the new strategic defence review – including extra attack submarines, £15 billion on nuclear warheads and thousands of new long-range weapons – could be delivered on current funding plans. The Government will increase defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product from April 2027 with an ambition – but no firm commitment – to increase it to 3% during the next parliament. The Prime Minister said all parts of society needed to be involved in dealing with an increasingly dangerous world. He said the plan would create 'a battle-ready, armour-clad nation with the strongest alliances, and the most advanced capabilities, equipped for the decades to come'. Launching the review in the shadow of Type 26 frigates being built in BAE Systems' shipyard in Govan, Glasgow, Sir Keir said 'three fundamental changes' would be made to the UK's defence. 'First, we are moving to war-fighting readiness as the central purpose of our armed forces. 'When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready, and frankly, to show them that we're ready to deliver peace through strength.' The second change is that the Government will adopt a 'Nato-first' stance towards defence so that everything it does adds to the strength of the alliance. Sir Keir added: 'Third, we will innovate and accelerate innovation at a wartime pace, so we can meet the threats of today and of tomorrow, as the fastest innovator in Nato.' The Government has accepted all 62 recommendations in the review, which will see: – Up to 12 attack submarines built for the Royal Navy as part of the Australia-UK-US Aukus. – The procurement of up to 7,000 long-range weapons built in the UK. – The opening of at least six new munitions factories. – 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. The Prime Minister said he wanted to 'mobilise the nation in a common cause, recognising in these dangerous times that when it comes to defence of the realm and the defence of everything that we hold dear, nothing works unless we all work together'. The Government has highlighted the 'defence dividend' of the extra billions being spent, with claims that '30,000 highly-skilled jobs' will be supported by the measures. Sir Keir said the shift in the approach to defence would bind together military personnel with civilians in arms factories and tech experts. 'Every part of society, every citizen of this country, has a role to play because we have to recognise that things have changed,' he said. 'In the world of today, the front line, if you like, is here.' Insisting that the plans could be funded within the 2.5% commitment, he said: 'I'm 100% confident that this can be delivered because that was baked in from the very start of the review as one of the first conversations we had with the reviewers. 'Because what I wanted was to meet the new threats, the new instability, with a plan that matched our capability with the risk that we face as a nation.' US President Donald Trump has been pushing for European countries to dramatically increase their defence spending rather than relying on Washington to subsidise the cost of their security. He has called for a 5% spending target, while Nato general secretary Mark Rutte has reportedly asked for members to spend 3.5% on their militaries by 2032 with a further 1.5% on defence-related projects. The Conservatives and Lib Dems have questioned Labour's commitment to funding the promises it was making. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge suggested his opposite number John Healey had been 'hung out to dry by Rachel Reeves' over the 3% target. '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,' he added. Lib Dem defence spokesperson Helen Maguire said the timeline for the commitment 'suggests a worrying lack of urgency from the Government'. She also said: '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.' Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice said: 'The commitments made in this defence review are completely empty if Labour does not commit to spending 3% of GDP on defence.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
At a glance: Key points from government's defence strategy
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has set out the government's defence strategy for the next decade. The so-called "root and branch" review of the UK's defence capability, led by former UK defence secretary and Nato secretary general Lord Robertson, looked at everything from equipment to personnel to future threats. The government says they will implement all of the review's 62 recommendations. Here is a summary of the government's response to the review. A Nato-first defence policy, with the UK's "biggest contribution" to the military alliance since it was founded in 1949 Move to "war-fighting readiness" as the armed forces' central purpose A "defence dividend", with defence investment used to drive growth, creating jobs and driving investment across the country Create a hybrid Royal Navy that uses aircraft, drones, warships, submarines to patrol the north Atlantic "and beyond" A "10-times more lethal" army, combining air defence, artificial intelligence, long-range weapons and land drone swarms A "next generation" RAF with new F-35 jets, Typhoon jets and autonomous aircraft New defence exports office in the Ministry of Defence, exporting to UK allies Save £6bn by 2029 with efficiency savings and changes to the civilian defence workforce Build 12 new attack submarines as part of the Aukus programme in partnership with Australia and the United States, with a new submarine delivered every 18 months £15bn investment in the sovereign warhead programme, as part of the renewal of the old Trident nuclear deterrent Programme would create 9,000 jobs and "thousands more" further down supply chains Small increase to the size of the regular army to 76,000 full-time soldiers after 2029 - although this has yet to be funded A fully-trained strategic reserve, ready to mobilise at any time Over £1.5bn extra funding until 2029 to improve accommodation for the UK armed forces Increase number of Armed Forces cadets by 30% and introduce a voluntary cadets gap year for school and college leavers Battlefield decisions about targets to be taken quicker with £1bn investment which will better join up weapons systems Establish a new Cyber and Electromagnetic Command to lead defensive and offensive cyber capabilities, as well as electromagnetic warfare - such as the ability to jam signals to drones or missiles £11bn annual budget for front-line kit Building at least six new munitions and energetics factories, backed by a £1.5bn government investment and creating over 1,000 jobs Building up to 7,000 long-range weapons, supporting around 800 jobs Invest in "world leading" drone capabilities and battlefield tech £400m investment in a UK defence innovation organisation £1bn new funding for a UK air and missile defence UK's aircraft carriers to become first "hybrid air wings" of a European country, housing drones, jets and long-range weapons.
Powys County Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
Starmer promises funding will meet plan for ‘battle-ready, armour-clad' UK
The UK will move to 'war-fighting readiness', Sir Keir Starmer said as questions remained about his plans to increase defence spending. The Prime Minister said he was '100% confident' the plans in the new strategic defence review – including extra attack submarines, £15 billion on nuclear warheads and thousands of new long-range weapons – could be delivered on current funding plans. The Government will increase defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product from April 2027 with an ambition – but no firm commitment – to increase it to 3% during the next parliament. The Prime Minister said all parts of society needed to be involved in dealing with an increasingly dangerous world. He said the plan would create 'a battle-ready, armour-clad nation with the strongest alliances, and the most advanced capabilities, equipped for the decades to come'. Launching the review in the shadow of Type 26 frigates being built in BAE Systems' shipyard in Govan, Glasgow, Sir Keir said 'three fundamental changes' would be made to the UK's defence. 'First, we are moving to war-fighting readiness as the central purpose of our armed forces. 'When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready, and frankly, to show them that we're ready to deliver peace through strength.' The second change is that the Government will adopt a 'Nato-first' stance towards defence so that everything it does adds to the strength of the alliance. Sir Keir added: 'Third, we will innovate and accelerate innovation at a wartime pace, so we can meet the threats of today and of tomorrow, as the fastest innovator in Nato.' The Government has accepted all 62 recommendations in the review, which will see: – Up to 12 attack submarines built for the Royal Navy as part of the Australia-UK-US Aukus. – The procurement of up to 7,000 long-range weapons built in the UK. – The opening of at least six new munitions factories. – 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. The Prime Minister said he wanted to 'mobilise the nation in a common cause, recognising in these dangerous times that when it comes to defence of the realm and the defence of everything that we hold dear, nothing works unless we all work together'. The Government has highlighted the 'defence dividend' of the extra billions being spent, with claims that '30,000 highly-skilled jobs' will be supported by the measures. 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👇 — Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) June 2, 2025 Sir Keir said the shift in the approach to defence would bind together military personnel with civilians in arms factories and tech experts. 'Every part of society, every citizen of this country, has a role to play because we have to recognise that things have changed,' he said. 'In the world of today, the front line, if you like, is here.' Insisting that the plans could be funded within the 2.5% commitment, he said: 'I'm 100% confident that this can be delivered because that was baked in from the very start of the review as one of the first conversations we had with the reviewers. 'Because what I wanted was to meet the new threats, the new instability, with a plan that matched our capability with the risk that we face as a nation.' US President Donald Trump has been pushing for European countries to dramatically increase their defence spending rather than relying on Washington to subsidise the cost of their security. He has called for a 5% spending target, while Nato general secretary Mark Rutte has reportedly asked for members to spend 3.5% on their militaries by 2032 with a further 1.5% on defence-related projects. The Conservatives and Lib Dems have questioned Labour's commitment to funding the promises it was making. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge suggested his opposite number John Healey had been 'hung out to dry by Rachel Reeves' over the 3% target. '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,' he added. Lib Dem defence spokesperson Helen Maguire said the timeline for the commitment 'suggests a worrying lack of urgency from the Government'. She also said: '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.'
