4 h. ago Defence firms get huge £30bn boost as Europe prepares to spend big to defeat Putin

Shares in leading defence companies across Europe have soared in anticipation of a new spending spree by governments, as the continent prepares for a big financial stand against Vladimir Putin

Economics

5 h. ago Brits back slashing aid to boost defence spending by 65% to 20% despite Labour backlash

YouGov research found that 65 per cent agree with the government's decision to fund the bump by trimming £6billion from aid by 2027.

Politics

3 d. ago Downing Street announces Anneliese Dodds' replacement hours after she quit over Keir Starmer's decision to slash the UK's aid budget to boost defence spending

Baroness Chapman of Darlington has been appointed the new minister for international development, just hours after Anneliese Dodds dramatically quit today

Economics

3 d. ago BORIS JOHNSON: We must learn from Trump and take the pruning shears to the vast undergrowth of State spending. And do it with all the zealotry of Elon Musk

A momentous week began with Keir Starmer going to the House of Commons and announcing a big boost to defence spending - and the yippees could be heard in every officers' mess in the country.

Politics

3 d. ago Cabinet minister Anneliese Dodds QUITS over Keir Starmer slashing billions from aid budget because she says 'it looks like UK is following in Trump's footsteps'

Development minister Anneliese Dodds has resigned warning that the reduction will only increase the influence of Russia and China.

Politics

3 d. ago Cabinet minister QUITS over Keir Starmer slashing billions of pounds from aid budget to boost defence spending

Development minister Anneliese Dodds has resigned warning that the reduction will only increase the influence of Russia and China.

Politics

3 d. ago Labour overtakes Reform after Starmer’s defence spending boost, latest poll reveals

Labour retakes the lead in weekly tracker poll during a crucial week form Keir Starmer

Politics

4 d. ago Labour MPs hammer Defence Secretary John Healey on foreign aid cuts at bruising meeting as he vows withdrawal of cash will be slow

A group of a dozen Labour MPs - mostly with backgrounds in development - led a backlash against the plans in the meeting with Defence Secretary John Healy.

Economics

4 d. ago Readers' letters: UK Government plumbs new depths with international aid betrayal

A reader suggests cutting international development aid to boost defence spending is a betrayao of the world’s most marginalised people

Politics

4 d. ago Keir Starmer 'set to blow defence billions on Chagos Islands surrender' as Labour repeatedly fails to deny that a significant chunk of its increase in military spending will fund airbase sell

Sir Keir Starmer yesterday 'all but confessed' Labour's defence spending boost would be used to help fund the Chagos Islands giveaway, it was claimed last night.

Events

5 d. ago Keir Starmer FAILS to rule out Labour's defence spending boost being used to fund £9billion deal to hand Chagos Islands to Mauritius

The Prime Minister has announced that Britain's defence spending will rise from its current 2.3 per cent of GDP to 2.5 per cent in 2027.

Economics

5 d. ago PMQs live: Starmer mocks Badenoch’s ‘desperate search for relevance’ in clash over defence spending boost

PM set to discuss increase to 2.5 per cent by 2027

Politics

5 d. ago Keir Starmer quietly dismantles Kemi Badenoch's 'desperate search for relevance' with savage putdown

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch tried to claim credit for the PM's plan to boost defence spending - claiming she'd made the suggestion over the weekend and saying it was the quickest response she'd ever had from No10

Politics

5 d. ago Swinney says SNP right to oppose Trident as he welcomes defence spending boost

But the Scottish First Minister said it is the ‘wrong choice’ to fund increased spending by slashing international aid.

Politics

5 d. ago UK politics live: Labour deny Trump is reason for Starmer’s defence spending boost

UK will increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent by 2027

Politics

5 d. ago Can Starmer charm Trump? PM heads for the US TODAY armed with defence spending boost as Western alliance hangs in the balance

Keir Starmer will fly to Washington later as he braces for a crucial meeting tomorrow where he will urge Donald Trump to stand by Nato and Ukraine.

Politics

5 d. ago Why Trump, not Starmer, is to blame for UK cutting foreign aid to boost defence spending

The peace dividend of ‘Pax Americana’ is over and the UK and other European countries have no choice but to rearm

Politics

6 d. ago Watch: Starmer defends cutting foreign aid budget to boost defence spending

Watch as Sir Keir Starmer holds a press conference on Tuesday, 25 February, after announcing he will slash the foreign aid budget to hike defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP to counter “tyrants” like Vladimir Putin.

Economics

6 d. ago Starmer announces big cut to UK aid budget to boost defence spending

PM confirms rise in military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 – three years earlier than plannedUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer has announced drastic cuts to Britain’s international aid budget to help pay for a major increase in defence spending, amid fears over Donald Trump’s commitment to European security.The prime minister said the UK government would increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 – three years earlier than planned – as he prepared for what is likely to be a diplomatically fraught visit to Washington DC this week. Continue reading...

Economics

6 d. ago Watch live: Starmer defends cutting foreign aid budget to boost defence spending

Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer holds a press conference on Tuesday, 25 February, after announcing he will slash the foreign aid budget to hike defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP to counter “tyrants” like Vladimir Putin.

Economics