19 m. ago Evri to hire 5,000 courier jobs, spending review pressures and Tesco profits warning amid UK store wars

From government spending pressures and Mike Ashley’s latest takeover target, to the collapse of healthcare firm Totally, Tesco’s results, a courier hiring spree at Evri, and a surge in nuclear sector jobs - here are today’s top UK business stories.

Events

3 d. ago Hegseth says Nato allies ‘very close’ to raising defence spending target to 5%

US defence secretary says he expects goal of 5% of GDP in next decade to be agreed this monthThe US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, said Nato allies were “very close, almost near consensus” to an agreement to significantly raise targets for defence spending to 5% of GDP in the next decade.The Trump administration official indicated he expected the increased target to be agreed at a summit in The Hague later this month – and confirmed that the headline figure was to be split into two parts. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago US warns Starmer it is 'important' UK hits new Nato target for spending 3.5% of GDP on defence as Labour struggles to balance the books

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered the message as he met ministers from the military alliance in Brussels.

Events

4 d. ago NATO chief makes huge demand to UK on defence spending after Donald Trump calls

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte today said allies will find themselves 'in great difficulty' in the coming years if they stick with the current 2% GDP alliance spending target

Politics

4 d. ago Will Nato states have to find $325BILLION a year more for defence? Alliance chief heaps pressure on Starmer saying Europe and Canada must 'equalise' contributions with the US

Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte warned that the current target of spending 2 per cent of GDP on defence is no longer sustainable after very public criticism from Donald Trump.

Economics

4 d. ago Head of Nato suggests alliance should look to ‘equalise’ US defence contribution

Mark Rutte said allies will find themselves ‘in great difficulty’ if the current 2% GDP spending target is maintained.

Politics

5 d. ago John Healey refuses to rule out tax rises to fund £14bn rearmament drive... as Nato prepares to set even HIGHER target of spending 3.5% of GDP on defence

Defence Secretary John Healey insisted he was '100 per cent confident' that the government will be able to ramp up spending to 3 per cent of GDP.

Economics

5 d. ago Nato to force UK to lift defence spending to 3.5% of GDP to appease Trump, say sources

Starmer bound to accept Mark Rutte’s higher target after announcing ‘Nato-first’ defence strategy, insiders sayDefence sources believe that Britain will be forced to sign up to a target of lifting defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035 at this month’s Nato summit after a campaign by the alliance’s secretary general to keep Donald Trump onboard.One senior insider said Britain would “without a doubt” sign up to a proposal from the Nato chief, Mark Rutte, to lift allies’ defence spending, which would represent a real-terms increase of about £30bn from the Labour government’s plan. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Strategic defence review live: Details of Starmer’s military plan revealed as Army to be ‘10 times more lethal’

But prime minister fails to make firm commitment to 3 per cent defence spending target

Events

6 d. ago Strategic defence review live: Starmer pledges to make UK ‘battle

Starmer fails to make firm commitment to 3% defence spending target

Events

6 d. ago Keir Starmer refuses to commit to date for 3% defence spending target

Britain to build up to 12 attack submarines as it moves to war-ready footing

Events

6 d. ago Starmer refuses to commit precise date for 3% defence spending target

Britain to build up to 12 attack submarines as it moves to war-ready footing

Events

6 d. ago Starmer defends not putting date on 3% defence spending target as UK to announce plans to build new submarines – politics live

Prime minister to launch strategic defence review in Glasgow this morningHere is the clip of Keir Starmer in his Today programme interview refusing to say when the government will raise defence spending to 3% of GDP.In an interview with the Times published on Saturday John Healey, the defence secretary, said that he had “no doubt” that Britain would reach the 3% target by 2034 – ie, before the end of the next parliament. Yesterday he described this as an “ambition”. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Government WILL meet its target of hiking defence spending to three per cent of GDP by 2034, Defence Secretary insists

Defence Secretary John Healey has insisted the Government will reach its target of hiking defence spending to three per cent GDP by 2034.

Politics

1 week ago NATO set to commit to five percent defense spending goal amid threats from Trump

‘I assume that in The Hague we will agree on a higher defense spending target of in total five percent,’ said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte

Events

2 w. ago Target sees massive drop in sales and warns customers aren’t spending over tariff fears

Sales at Target fell sharply in the first quarter and the retailer warned they will slip this year as consumers, worried over the impact of tariffs, pull back on spending

Economics

2 w. ago Blow to UK’s 2030 clean energy targets as SSE cuts spending on renewables

Danish developer shrinks five-year investment plans by £3bn blaming policy and planning delaysOne of the UK’s biggest energy developers will cut its planned spending on new renewables projects in a blow to the government’s 2030 clean power targets.SSE warned that it would be unlikely to meet its own renewable energy goals for the end of the decade after shrinking its five-year spending plans by £3bn to £17.5bn. Continue reading...

Events