7 d. ago Massive spending cuts needed if Britain is to meet NATO target of extra £36 billion every year on defence, IFS warns.

Britain must overhaul 'the state' to find the tens of billions of pounds to meet NATO spending targets, a watchdog has warned. The UK must raise defence spending from 2.3 per cent to 3.5 per cent of GDP.

Events

2 w. ago Arne Slot slams ‘pundits that favour other clubs’ in defence of Liverpool’s £450m summer spending spree

The Liverpool boss said the summer buys were viewed as an investment in the club’s long-term future

Economics

3 w. ago Starmer fancies himself a leader among leaders – but his tough talk on defence is just expensive bluster | Simon Jenkins

With the world in crisis, the PM is spending billions to back his posturing. But he has no clout over Gaza or Ukraine, and it’s time he acted accordinglyEach night we wonder where we are. We sit in comfort watching death and destruction fall on thousands in Gaza and Ukraine. Each night we see buildings exploding, people screaming and children starving. Statesmen stand around and deplore. There is anxious talk of what next – another 9/11 perhaps, or a Cuba 1962? Or is it, as some say, a 1939 or 1914 moment? As for the one man with notional power over the world, Donald Trump, his pledge of an end to wars has proved futile – and a bonanza for defence industries everywhere.Whenever someone cries that something must be done, I always ask by whom? Day after day, Britain’s Keir Starmer – when he isn’t battling domestic crises and scandals – rises in the Commons to announce that he is working towards a ceasefire. But he is not. He is talking about working. If Trump cannot stop the killing –...

Politics

3 w. ago SNP Government accused of 'dithering' on defence spending support

UK Government minister Luke Pollard said he wanted both administrations to work closer together.

Politics

3 w. ago Boosting the nation's defences is once again making Britain the workshop of the world, claims defence secretary JOHN HEALEY

Backed by our historic increase in defence spending, the Government's new Defence Strategy will place the UK at the leading edge of innovation, writes John Healey

Economics

3 w. ago Higher defence spending is pointless without climate aid, says UN chief

Achim Steiner says cuts to development budget are shortsighted in an interconnected global economySpending more on defence will be pointless unless western governments also tackle the climate crisis in poor countries, the UN’s departing chief of international development has warned.“The more you restrict your ability to act by simply focusing on what’s happening inside your country, the more vulnerable you become,” said Achim Steiner, who recently completed his second term as administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), which works on overseas aid and lifting people out of poverty. “Vulnerability can then very quickly translate into a very real crisis scenario.” Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Leaders gather for ‘Coalition of the Willing’ talks on Ukraine security guarantees – Europe live

Emmanuel Macron says Europe ready to provide such guarantees at meeting in Paris todayRutte gets also asked about his views on Russia’s opposition to the deployment of any Nato troops to Ukraine as part of security guarantees.He says:“But why are we interested in what Russia thinks about troops in Ukraine? It’s a sovereign country. It’s not for them to decide. Russia has nothing to do with this. Ukraine is a sovereign nation. If Ukraine wants to have security guarantee forces in Ukraine to support the peace deal, it’s up to them. Nobody else can decide about it. “Do you really think if he would not have been elected president united states, that Italy, Canada, Spain, Slovenia, Belgium and Luxembourg would have committed to do 2% this year? Do you really think that the whole of Nato would have committed to 5% committed to 5% including 3.5% core defence spending at the Nato Summit in The Hague?”“He took that leadership role, and it is not easy to solve this, but he is absolutely commi...

Politics