29 h. ago Lammy to urge allies to boost defence spending to make Nato ‘more lethal’

It comes after the UK announced the largest sustained increase to defence spending since the Cold War.

Politics

8 d. ago Royal Navy could bring four laser 'death ray' weapons that can destroy a £1 coin from a kilometre away into service in just two years under defence spending boost

The spaced-aged 'death ray', dubbed 'DragonFire', is used to blow up missiles, jets and swarms of explosive suicide drones - with a former head of the Royal Navy hailing them 'war-winners'.

Economics

9 d. ago FTSE 100 Live 26 March: Inflation boost ahead of Chancellor statement, Ocado surges

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to announce welfare cuts and a boost to defence spending when she delivers a statement to parliament today.

Economics

9 d. ago John Healey challenged over £2.2bn defence boost as benefits to be slashed further

John Healey was challenged on whether national defence comes “even before the most vulnerable in society” as Rachel Reeves is set to cut benefits further in her spring statement on Wednesday, 26 March, while defence will see a boost in spending.

Economics

9 d. ago FTSE 100 Live 26 March: Inflation cheer ahead of Chancellor statement, Vistry halts dividend

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to announce welfare cuts and a boost to defence spending when she delivers a statement to parliament today.

Economics

9 d. ago Reeves to unveil £2.2bn UK defence spending boost in Spring Statement

Money for increase from April will come from aid budget and backup funds

Economics

1 week ago Rachel Reeves denies pursuing austerity as axe set to fall on Civil Service

It comes after a backlash to cuts to welfare spending and a decision to slash the aid budget to fund a boost to defence spending

Politics

1 week ago Rachel Reeves denies Labour is pursuing austerity ahead of spring statement

It comes after a backlash to cuts to welfare spending and a decision to slash the aid budget to fund a boost to defence spending.

Politics

1 week ago Rachel Reeves denies Labour is pursuing austerity as Civil Service cuts confirmed

It comes after a backlash to cuts to welfare spending and a decision to slash the aid budget to fund a boost to defence spending.

Politics

2 w. ago Europe is crying out for leadership. After years of drift, Germany is finally ready to answer | John Kampfner

A historic vote to boost spending on defence and infrastructure shows the country is shedding its excess of caution – and its complacencyFew people outside Berlin’s political bubble will have heard of Lars Klingbeil. They will soon, though, as he is about to become one of the pivotal players in the new German government. The co-leader of the Social Democratic party (SPD) captured the moment in this week’s debate in the Bundestag, one of the most important in Germany’s recent history.“A few weeks ago, many would have thought that we couldn’t have come to an agreement. The differences were too great,” he said. “What differentiates this country from others is that we are ready, as parties of the democratic centre, to find solutions and not to leave the ground for populist extremism to blossom.”John Kampfner is the author of In Search of Berlin, Blair’s Wars and Why the Germans Do It Better Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Keir Starmer makes rare visit to Vanguard nuclear submarine in show of strength

PM to say Barrow is ‘blueprint for how increasing defence spending can boost UK prosperity’

Events

2 w. ago Keir Starmer lays keel for first Dreadnought class of nuclear submarines

PM to say Barrow is ‘blueprint for how increasing defence spending can boost UK prosperity’

Events

2 w. ago Countries must bolster climate efforts or risk war, Cop30 chief executive warns

Ana Toni also criticises the UK’s plans to slash overseas aid to fund defence spendingCountries looking to boost their national security through rearmament or increased defence spending must also bolster their climate efforts or face more wars in the future, one of the leaders of the next UN climate summit has warned.Some countries could decide to include climate spending in their defence budgets, suggested Ana Toni, Brazil’s chief executive of the Cop30 summit. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago ‘Germany is back’: Merz secures Greens support for defence spend boost

Chancellor-in-waiting put forward proposal to relax debt brake and backing of Greens is tantamount to getting deal throughGermany’s conservative chancellor-in-waiting, Friedrich Merz, has said he has secured the support of the Green party for his radical plan to increase spending on defence and infrastructure after marathon talks that went through the night, paving the way for its approval in parliament.“Germany is back,” Merz said in Berlin on Friday. “Germany is making its large contribution to the defence of freedom and peace in Europe.” Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Merz presses Greens to name their terms for German defence spending rise

‘What more do you want from us?’ asks chancellor-in-waiting as he seeks urgent support for fiscal rule changesGermany’s chancellor-in-waiting has tried to win over the Greens to his ambitious but controversial plans to raise the country’s defence spending, promising to expand the scope of the plans and demanding of them: “What more do you actually want from us?”The outgoing parliament met on Thursday to debate the creation of a €500bn (£420bn) fund for infrastructure investment and radical changes in Germany’s borrowing limits in order to boost defence spending. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Merz makes offer to Greens as he seeks to increase German defence spending

Chancellor-in-waiting attempting to garner support for fiscal rule changes before new parliament convenesGermany’s would-be chancellor has attempted to win the support of the Greens for his proposed fiscal rule changes, offering to expand the scope of defence spending and demanding to know: “What more do you want from us?” The outgoing parliament is meeting to debate the creation of a €500bn (£420bn) fund for infrastructure investment and radical changes in Germany’s borrowing limits in order to boost defence spending. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago German parliament to debate radical borrowing rule changes to boost defence

Election winner Friedrich Merz also trying to seal €500bn fund to revive economy before new parliament convenesGermany’s outgoing parliament is meeting on Thursday to debate the creation of a €500bn (£420bn) fund for infrastructure investment and radical changes in the country’s borrowing limits in order to boost defence spending.Friedrich Merz, whose conservatives won last month’s election and who is on the verge of becoming the new chancellor, wants to seal the funding deal before the new parliament convenes in less than two weeks. An expanded group of far-right and far-left MPs could oppose it in the new Bundestag, a so-called “blocking minority” Merz is keen to avoid. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Penny Mordaunt urges UK to boost defence spending to counter Russia’s threat

Penny Mordaunt said the UK is "still holding back on defence spending" and needs to go further in order to deter Russia when she appeared on BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on 9 March.

Events

4 w. ago China boosts its defence spending by 7% after threatening US with 'any war' amid Trump's tariff roll

Sabre-rattling China is set to boost its defence spending by 7.2% after threatening America with 'any war' amid a furious row over Donald Trump's planned tariffs.

Events

4 w. ago Is Trump’s America still an ally to the UK? – Politics Weekly UK

The news that the US had suspended military aid to Ukraine stunned world leaders and led to a rapid reassessment of how much we can really rely on our American ally. Is this the end of the western alliance? John Harris asks our diplomatic editor, Patrick Wintour. Plus, as the UK pledges to boost defence spending by slashing our foreign aid budget, ActionAid’s CEO, Taahra Ghazi, tells John about the fallout for organisations working on the ground.Send your questions and feedback to politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com Continue reading...

Politics