34 m. ago Keir Starmer addresses nation after slashing aid budget to fund 'biggest sustained rise' in defence spending since Cold War

The Prime Minister said ‘extremely difficult and painful choices’ would be needed to reach the spending goal, including the cut to foreign aid

Economics

3 h. ago Charities ‘shocked’ and ‘stunned’ by decision to cut aid to fund defence spending

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced a dramatic increase in defence spending from the current 2.3% to 2.5% by 2027.

Economics

4 h. ago Starmer slashes aid to fund biggest increase in defence spending since Cold War

Sir Keir Starmer set out plans for defence spending to reach 2.7% of gross domestic product in 2027.

Economics

4 h. ago Keir Starmer slashes aid budget to fund 'biggest sustained rise' in defence spending since Cold War

The Prime Minister said ‘extremely difficult and painful choices’ would be needed to reach the spending goal, including the cut to foreign aid

Economics

4 h. ago Sir Keir Starmer announces cuts to UK aid budget to fund defence spending increase

The Prime Minister announced the increase ahead of a meeting with Donald Trump

Economics

7 h. ago Merz warned he must change tone during Germany coalition talks – Europe live

Friedrich Merz aiming to build government before Easter but SPD co-leader says man expected to be chancellor must change courseBut, but, but before we even get to the new Bundestag in late March, there is some plotting under way to change the country’s constitutional debt brake in this parliament before it finishes its term.Once the new parliament gets in, two opposition parties – the far-right AfD and the far-left Die Linke – will have a blocking majority for constitutional changes and are unlikely to be willing to agree to fund further defence spend this way. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Don’t mention the war: in Germany, politicians are hiding the truth about defence spending | Paul Taylor

By centring the discourse on immigration, MPs have handed support to the far right – and hidden a ticking economic timebomb from votersThe candidates to lead Germany’s next government are avoiding telling voters painful truths before Sunday’s crucial general election about Russia’s war in Ukraine, the coming disengagement of the US from Europe and the huge defence funding that is needed. Instead, the debate has largely focused on how to revive the ailing German economy after two years of recession and how to control migration, which has fuelled support for the far-right Alternative für Deutschland.The conservative CDU/CSU leader, Friedrich Merz, has swerved speaking about the need for massive borrowing to pay for a surge in defence spending because many of his supporters oppose extra debt. The Social Democratic (SPD) chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is dodging discussion of sending German troops to Ukraine as part of a possible European security force if a ceasefire agreement is reached bec...

Politics

6 d. ago EU considers tapping €93bn in unspent Covid recovery funds for defence

Brussels explores redirecting post-pandemic financing as part of options to boost investments in military

Economics