Latest news with #TobiasEllwood
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
UK's plan for Arctic island base: How Boris was urged to buy £250m stretch to fend off Putin years BEFORE Ukraine crisis
A REMOTE Arctic base which would have bolstered British strength in the region whilst fending off Putin years before he invaded Ukraine was nearly bought by Boris Johnson. The bombshell revelation was made by a former minister who said he urged his old boss Johnson to purchase a key stretch of Norwegian land in the Arctic when it was on sale for £250million. 10 10 10 10 Tobias Ellwood told The i Paper that he encouraged the then Foreign Secretary Johnson to make a bid for land in the Svalbard archipelago in 2016 to improve influence and security in the region. The revelation comes amid spiralling concern over Russia 's soaring presence in the ever more important Arctic. Experts have named the High North as a crucial flashpoint for future worldwide conflicts with nations set to battle for territory there. Donald Trump has made attempts to increase US presence there, threatening to take the Danish territory of Greenland " one way or another". And Ellwood said the Arctic was a "huge issue, and one that for a long time has been recognised as an area where European, and British particularly, security, could be vulnerable". The UK has also made recent attempts to curb Russian strength there, especially after scheming Vladimir Putin positioned troops on the border of NATO member Finland earlier this month. On Tuesday, the Foreign Office announced sanctions interrupting the journey of the Vengery tugboat. The Vengery was set to tow a colossal 200-metre-long floating dock, designed to help Russia repair its nuclear-powered ice-breakers. These specialised machines are necessary for carving safe passages through frozen Arctic waters. The UK also renewed an "ambitious new UK-Norway defence agreement" and pledged to leverage AI to "detect hostile state activity in the Arctic". And Foreign Secretary David Lammy began a visit of Norway and Iceland on Tuesday - Britain's two nearest Arctic neighbours. Putin's chilling Arctic war warning as tensions rise over US Greenland stance He told The Telegraph: "The Arctic is fast becoming an area of intense focus for geopolitical competition – and a key flank of NATO's defences. "Russia has been building up its military presence here for years." The visit also came as British troops are actively training in Norway as part of a broader NATO effort to deter mad Vlad. Some 90,000 troops are taking part in Exercise Steadfast Defender to rehearse NATO's response to a Russian invasion. The new revelation that Johnson nearly bought a remote Arctic base in 2016 detailed why the Government failed to acquire Austre Adventfjord. The small Norwegian stretch of land sits across the fjord from the Svalbard town of Longyearbyen. It was put on sale by the Norwegian Horn family in 2016. Ellwood said: "[Arctic security] came up when Boris Johnson was foreign secretary, and I was foreign minister, and I tried to get him to buy a bit of Svalbard. "Svalbard is a group of islands and they're quite strategically important." He explained: "We were ahead of our time and [got] pushed back by [the] Civil Service and others." Ellwood highlighted how it would 'certainly have been useful to have assets there, to monitor traffic'. 10 10 10 They also planned to operate satellites there to track the threat of Putin. The former minister highlighted why it would have been a great advantage to have bought the territory in hindsight. He said: "For different reasons, it made sense for us to establish a base there, and sadly, it was never to be. "Norway is a close ally, there's no doubt about it, but this was a wonderful opportunity, which sadly we did miss. Ellwood continued: "This is exactly why Trump wants to buy Greenland, because the growing disorder we're seeing is seeing every country defend their immediate surrounds." Austre Adventfjord had also received interest from a Chinese billionaire when the Horn family put in on sale in 2016. But it was quickly snapped up by the Norwegian state for £21million, possibly due to the security threat a Chinese-owned territory could pose there. The Foreign Office did not deny that discussions had taken place over Ellwood's recommendation to Johnson and the Foreign Office in 2016. Another separate Svalbard island also came up for sale in 2024 - but a Foreign Office source confirmed there were no discussions of purchasing it. It is understood that the current Government believes any territory purchased there now would not give the UK a strategic advantage due to the Svalbard Treaty, which restricts military use of the land. However, the chair of the UK Space Agency said Svalbard is already 'one of the most active centres for the collection of satellite data anywhere in the world and an intense scene of strategic competition'. Additionally, European security expert Ed Arnold said that purchasing land in Svalbard would make the UK an Arctic state. This title would boost diplomatic prominence in the region and provide an argument for the UK to join the Arctic Council. Seven of the current eight Arctic Council members are NATO allies, excluding Russia. Ellwood emphasised the importance of Arctic presence, saying: "The significance of the Arctic is all the more important because of the melting ice caps. "It's going to become ever busier… Because this is new and unfolding, Russia has been quick to plant flags in the sea, making territorial claims." He added: "Ultimately, this is testing NATO, because it's a new geographical domain we've not really got our heads around. "Russia is advancing at an incredible rate of knots and therefore there's a greater responsibility to hold Russia in check, not just in Ukraine, not just on the Finnish border, but also at sea as well." The former minister highlighted Russia's long-lasting attempts to seek influence in the region. "The Russians prioritised the Arctic from the 2010s and really, NATO sort of de-prioritised it after the Cold War," he said. "It noticed what Russia was doing, but didn't really respond to it, because they don't want to provoke Russia." It comes as Vladimir Putin continues to invest heavily in his prized Northern Fleet. The Russian tyrant now possesses 18 nuclear-powered submarines and warships equipped with hypersonic missiles. He has also as Moscow increases its risk appetite in the Arctic, given its already strained relationship with NATO countries. It also comes as Trump is continuing efforts the take the autonomous Arctic island of Greenland, pressing to acquire it either through purchase or military force. The President said the US 'needs Greenland for international security ', but also emphasised the potential benefits of mining natural resources across the island. 10 10
Al Arabiya
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Britain halts Israel trade talks and sanctions settlers over Gaza escalation
In this episode of W News, presented by Leigh-Ann Gerrans, we report on Britain pausing free trade talks with Israel, summoning the Israeli ambassador, and imposing new sanctions on West Bank settlers. The moves come after Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was horrified by the escalating violence in Gaza. In response, Israel said external pressure will not deter it from 'its path in defending its existence and security.' Guests: Tobias Ellwood – Former UK MP Trent Murray – Correspondent Larry Sabato – Founder and director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia Mohammed Sallak – Former spokesperson of the Libyan Presidential Council Yena Lee – Journalist
Wales Online
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Wales Online
Seven items households 'should stockpile in case of grey zone attack'
Seven items households 'should stockpile in case of grey zone attack' Former defence minister warns that the UK must 'wake up and start preparing' "They're real-world scenarios we must now seriously consider," says former MP Tobias Ellwood, (Image: (Image: Getty) ) UK households are being advised to stock up on seven essential items incase of an attack on the country, according to a former defence minister. Tobias Ellwood, former defence minister and ex-MP, warned that the UK needs to "wake up and start preparing" for a potential "grey zone attack" that could disrupt the country's infrastructure, energy, or food supplies. On Thursday, Mr Ellwood urged people to be prepared for realistic scenarios, including drone attacks, internet outages, and power cuts. He recommended that households stockpile seven key items, including drinking water, food, radios, and iodine tablets. Article continues below In an article for PoliticsHome, he wrote: "What if your phone buzzed with a national emergency alert warning of a swarm drone attack en route to your city – where would you go? How would you respond?" "These aren't scenes from a dystopian thriller – they're real-world scenarios we must now seriously consider. "Britain is now facing a surge in grey-zone warfare – deniable, covert attacks aimed at weakening our economy, undermining our infrastructure, and sowing confusion and panic. "Russia's so-called shadow fleet is already mapping the UK's undersea cable networks – those vital arteries that deliver our electricity, gas and data. Autonomous underwater vehicles are criss-crossing the seabed, gathering intelligence.", "This isn't speculation – Russia's ambassador to the UK recently acknowledged that sensors had been placed in British waters, after several devices washed ashore. "The Royal Navy is responding, ramping up its ability to detect threats and developing its own unmanned underwater vehicles. But this fight doesn't begin and end with the military." Mr Ellwood urged households to stock up on these seven key items, reports the Express: At least 100 litres of clean water Non-perishable food items, including tinned goods and food that can be consumed cold Candles and a working torch. A battery-powered radio Iodine tablets for protection against nuclear fallout Sufficient cash A basic first-aid kit Continuing his cautionary advice, he declared: "The era of complacency is over. A significant grey-zone attack on the UK is not just possible – it's likely. If we want to protect our lives, our economy and our democracy, we must get ready now." The UK's own emergency website, Prepare UK, echoes the call from the former defence minister. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here It also urges Brits to stock up on essential foods, radios, batteries and spare phone battery packs among other key items. Prepare UK highlights: "Emergencies happen every day in the UK and across the world. They can be caused by severe weather or other natural hazards, by deliberate actions, or as a result of accidents or infrastructure failure. "They can be events that happen quickly and are over in a few hours, or they can develop and continue over the course of several days, months, or sometimes even longer." The guidelines recommend: "Consider what supplies you and your household might need during an emergency lasting a few days, such as a power cut or water outage, or situations where you are advised to stay at home or to leave your home (evacuate) for safety reasons." Additionally, households are advised to consider stockpiling essential items including baby supplies, hand sanitiser, and wet wipes, as well as a portable power bank, bottled water, first aid kits, and non-perishable food. Article continues below
Al Arabiya
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Florida renames Gulf of Mexico; latest on Gaza war
In this episode of Global News Today, presented by Tom Burges Watson, we bring you reaction to Florida's decision to officially recognize the body of water as the 'Gulf of America' rather than the 'Gulf of Mexico.' We'll also have the latest updates on the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Guests: Tobias Ellwood - Former UK Defense Minister
The Independent
07-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
UK ‘behind the curve' on Russian undersea spying, former minister says
Britain's navy needs a huge expansion of its surveillance capability, warning the UK is 'behind the curve' in tracking Russia's undersea operations. a former minister has said. Tobias Ellwood made the comments after it was revealed the navy had captured a number of Russian sensors suspected of trying to spy on Britain's nuclear submarines. The existence of the sensors was revealed by The Sunday Times, which reported several sensors were discovered after they washed ashore. The Times reported the devices were believed to have been placed in the seas around Britain to gather information on the UK's four nuclear-armed Vanguard submarines. The discovery of the sensors was deemed a national security threat, the publication reported, and has not been confirmed by the government. Mr Ellwood, a former foreign office and defence minister, told The Guardian the report confirmed that the UK was 'now in a greyzone war with Russia'. The former Conservative MP said the sensors were only 'half the story', and claimed that Russia had built 'remote seabed platforms' around the UK coast to allow mini submarines to recharge. Those submarines, he said, are used by the Kremlin 'to map our undersea cable network for potential sabotage'. Mr Ellwood said that because 90 per cent of the UK's data comes through undersea cables and 60 per cent of Britain's gas comes through one line from Norway, the UK was vulnerable to 'enormous' damage from sabotage. He said the damage would also be 'deniable and it's cheap to do'. While the UK commissioned a deep-sea surveillance vessel in 2023, the RFA Proteus, Mr Ellwood said it was 'just one ship and given the threat from this greyzone capability we are going to need half a dozen of these vessels if not more'. The Times reported that 'unmanned Russian vehicles' had been found hovering around deep-sea communications cables, and that the government was looking at making energy and technology companies work more closely with the military to protect underwater infrastructure. A senior military figure told the publications: 'There should be no doubt, there is a war raging in the Atlantic. This is a game of cat and mouse that has continued since the ending of the Cold War, and is now heating up again. We are seeing phenomenal amounts of Russian activity.' Less than a fortnight ago, the Royal Navy shadowed three Russian ships through the English Channel, including an oceanographic survey ship that has previously been accused of involvement in an operation to map Britain's critical undersea infrastructure. Defence Secretary John Healey revealed in January that the Navy had been tracking a Russian spy ship through the Channel, and warned Vladimir Putin the government was watching Russian activity in British waters. 'We see you,' he warned at the time.
