6 h. ago Britain has escalated the global nuclear arms race – and is bringing us closer to armageddon | Simon Tisdall

The UK’s strategic defence review risks normalising nuclear warfare. Don’t believe the PR hype: these weapons are immoral, irrational and catastrophicPlans by Keir Starmer’s government to modernise and potentially expand Britain’s nuclear weapons arsenal, unveiled in the 2025 strategic defence review (SDR), seriously undermine international non-proliferation efforts. They will fuel a global nuclear arms race led by the US, China and Russia. And they increase the chances that lower-yield, so-called tactical nukes will be deployed and detonated in conflict zones.This dangerous path leads in one direction only: towards the normalisation of nuclear warfare.Simon Tisdall is a Guardian foreign affairs commentator Continue reading...

Sport

25 h. ago Russia is already at war with Britain and we can no longer rely on Trump, defence adviser warns

‘Russia is at war with us’, one of the authors of Sir Keir Starmer’s flagship strategic defence review has warned

Events

42 h. ago Russia is at war with Britain and US is no longer a reliable ally, UK adviser says

Government defence expert Fiona Hill warns UK to respond to threats by becoming more cohesive and resilientRussia is at war with Britain, the US is no longer a reliable ally and the UK has to respond by becoming more cohesive and more resilient, according to one of the three authors of the strategic defence review.Fiona Hill, from county Durham, became the White House’s chief Russia adviser during Donald Trump’s first term and contributed to the British government’s strategy. She made the remarks in an interview with the Guardian. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Why is defence such a hard sell? The same reason Starmer is struggling in the polls | Martin Kettle

Decades of failures have left liberal democratic governments unable to command public confidence when it really mattersDefence reviews and foreign policy resets seem to turn up almost as often as the Sussexes’ lifestyle brand relaunches these days. Labour’s strategic defence review this week comes less than two years after the Conservatives’ hardly less detailed defence white paper in July 2023, which in turn was a “refresh” of Boris Johnson’s ambitious integrated review of defence and foreign policy of March 2021. By this measure, it must be doubtful if, come the 2030s, analysts will look back on Keir Starmer and John Healey’s review and say it broke the mould.The Labour government was entitled to try to put its own stamp on defence policy, of course, and its review team of George Robertson, Richard Barrons and Fiona Hill did a good, reasonably independent job. Yet this 2020s pattern of repeated strategic adaptation and refocus feels like the new normal now. It is also true that gr...

Politics

3 d. ago Five ways Putin could bring UK to its knees within hours of World War 3 breaking out

Strategic Defence Review details methods that could be employed by the Kremlin if conflict broke out

Politics

4 d. ago ‘We have no plans to attack Britain,' say Russia’s London diplomats as defence review lays out Putin threats

The Strategic Defence Review mentions Russia 33 times and tells of the ‘immediate and pressing threat’ posed by Putin’s regime

Politics

4 d. ago Brits threatened with 'painful' deaths in a nuclear apocalypse as Putin hits back at PM

After Sir Keir Starmer yesterday unveiled his defence review, one of Vladimir Putin's leading mouthpieces said he 'can't understand why the British have gone mad'

Events

4 d. ago Nato ‘will force Starmer to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence’ to keep Trump happy

PM under pressure from nuclear alliance and US president after row over funding threatened to derail the launch of strategic defence review,

Politics

5 d. ago Nightmare of how Putin would flatten Britain: Ports and airfields bombarded, oil rigs and satellites sabotaged and waves of cyber attacks feared if Russia pounces

In a 144-page document, revealed yesterday, defence chiefs outlined the five terrifying 'methods of attack' Britain should brace itself for if it was forced into a major conflict with the likes of Russia.

Events

5 d. ago Voices: ‘The money tree appears to have grown again’: Readers react to Starmer’s defence review

Our community is divided on Starmer’s push to make Britain ‘war-ready’. While some supported it as a smart move in uncertain times, others felt the money should go to urgent needs at home

Economics

5 d. ago Defence secretary fails to rule out tax rises to fund defence spending uplift

While John Healey said he is ‘100 per cent confident’ the defence spending uplift would be achieved, he struggled to say how it would be paid for

Economics

5 d. ago Putin threat of biological attack on UK streets: Novichok poisonings in Salisbury were 'wake

The Novichok poisoning in Salisbury were a “wake-up call” to the threat from Vladimir Putin’s Russia of a chemical or biological attack on Britain’s streets, says Defence Secretary John Healey.

Events

5 d. ago Healey insists defence funding will rise to 3% target to meet review aims

Defence Secretary John Healey said he was ‘100% confident’ spending will rise to 3% of gross domestic product.

Events

5 d. ago Crucial defence review warns Britain's Armed Forces aren't ready to fight a war against a foe with similar capabilities in stark assessment of UK's military prowess

Britain's Armed Forces aren't ready to fight a war against a military with similar capabilities, the authors of Britain's Strategic Defence Review have warned.

Events

5 d. ago UK's threats from FOUR countries amid fears of nuclear and biological warfare

The UK faces multiple threats as the world becomes increasingly unstable with Prime Minister Keir Starmer ordering a review to enhance the country's defence capabilities, setting it on the path of war readiness

Events

5 d. ago The cost of deterring Russian aggression is high – but the cost of war is higher still

Editorial: As the prime minister unveils his defence review, he must draw focus to the historic argument that it is not in the British national interest for the continent of Europe to be dominated by a hostile power

Events

5 d. ago New defence plans could lead to ‘significant cuts’ in other areas, MPs warn

John Healey said the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) is ‘not about cuts’, amid concerns the plans will be funded at the expense of existing programmes.

Events

5 d. ago UK issued ominous warning of 'enemies at our door' as PM unveils major defence plan

The Prime Minister said the long-awaited strategic defence review would make the UK 'safer and stronger, a battle-ready, armour-clad nation' amid Russian threats

Events

5 d. ago Strategic defence review live: Starmer reveals largest increase in spending since Cold War as UK faces ‘new era of threat’

John Healey warns ‘new era’ for UK defence needed as ‘threats we face now more serious and less predictable than at any time since end of Cold War’

Events

5 d. ago Watch: Furious Lindsay Hoyle scolds Keir Starmer over defence review ‘leaks’

Sir Lindsay Hoyle accused the government of committing a “blatant breach” of the ministerial code over how it released details of a major defence review on Monday, 2 June.

Politics