9 d. ago Nato promises historic rearmament shift in bid to win over Trump

Pledge to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP would unleash hundreds of billions of euros

Politics

9 d. ago Trump hails ‘big win’ as Nato states agree to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP

US president appears relaxed and reaffirms commitment to military alliance – though Spain criticisedA relaxed Donald Trump said Nato’s decision to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP was a “big win” for western civilisation in a digressive press conference at a summit in The Hague where he reaffirmed the US’s commitment to the military alliance.There was every sign that the careful setup of the summit – in which most allies in Europe and Canada committed billions more on defence – had worked to keep Trump bound in to the alliance, with the US president praising Mark Rutte, its secretary general, and a night where he “slept beautiful” in the Dutch king’s palace. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago Nato leaders confirm defence spending will rise to 5% of GDP and say support for members is ‘ironclad’ – Europe live

New defence spending target will be realised by 2035, Nato countries sayAsked about his commitment to Nato’s Article 5, Trump says:We are with them all the way. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Starmer: No tax rises on working people to reach 5% defence spending pledge

He said the current commitment to get defence spending up to 2.5% of GDP was coming from cuts to overseas development aid.

Economics

1 week ago Starmer leaves door open for tax rises to fund rise in defence spending

IFS director Paul Johnson warned that the £30bn increase in defence spending would need to be funded by tax rises

Economics

1 week ago Keir Starmer won't say where £30BILLION A YEAR of extra defence cash will come from as he joins Nato summit vowing to hit target for spending 3.5% of GDP

Keir Starmer insisted the government will say 'precisely' how it will fund the goal of spending 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence at a later stage.

Economics

1 week ago Brace yourself for MORE tax rises as Keir Starmer ploughs billions into defence and the NHS and Labour backbenchers rebel over welfare cuts to pay for it

The PM will join fellow Nato leaders in The Hague today after signing up to the goal of spending 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence.

Economics

1 week ago Keir Starmer heads for crucial Nato summit TODAY vowing to hit new target for spending 3.5% of GDP on defence... but ministers refuse to say where the extra £30BILLION is coming from

Keir Starmer will join fellow leaders from the military alliance in The Hague after signing up to the goal of spending 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence.

Politics

1 week ago Minister defends Liz Kendall’s handling of welfare reform brief despite major rebellion before vote – UK politics live

Pat McFadden insists welfare reform change vote will go ahead as planned but says party will ‘engage with’ rebelsLabour MPs launch major rebellion to stop welfare billA senior minister in the UK government has said the country is “not starting from zero” when it comes to raising defence spending to 5% of GDP.Speaking on the BBC, Pat McFadden said one of the earliest actions of his party, which came to power of 2024, was to increase defence expenditure to 2.5% of GDP over the next couple of years.She has been central to the development of these reforms.She has argued for them, not as a difficult choice, but as the right choice, because she believes in a welfare state that should be there for people. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Nato members willingly increasing defence spending amid rising threat from Russia, says Rutte

Exclusive: As alliance members arrive at The Hague summit, secretary general says Moscow capable of launching attack within three to five yearsMark Rutte, Nato’s secretary general, said it was “not a difficult thing” to get members to agree to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP because of the rising threat from Russia – and stressed that Trump remained “absolutely” committed to supporting the alliance.In an interview on the eve of the western alliance’s summit, Rutte told the Guardian that all 32 members had agreed to increase defence spending because “there is so much at stake” after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Keir Starmer heads to Nato summit where he will vow to spend 5% of GDP on defence

Sir Keir Starmer's pledge to increase defence and security spending to 5 per cent of GDP by 2035 was last night branded 'a con'.

Politics

1 week ago Starmer pledges to spend 5% of GDP on national security and defence by 2035

But Downing Street will not say how the new NATO commitment demanded by Donald Trump will be paid for by the UK taxpayer

Events

1 week ago Starmer to commit to spending 5% of GDP on defence by 2035 at Nato summit

The figure is in line with the demands of President Donald Trump, who has called for Nato allies to shoulder more of the burden of European defence.

Politics

1 week ago Defence spending target of 5% GDP a ‘quantum leap’ in security, says Nato’s Rutte– Europe live

Ukrainian president to hold talks with UK PM after meeting with kingFor more updates on the Israel-Iran war, including US president Donald Trump’s call to “make Iran great again”, you can also follow our live blog here run by Jane Clinton:Let’s stop for a moment on that question of the EU-Israel association agreement, which sees Spain calling for immediate suspension of the deal, while Germany appears to be distancing itself from it. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago UK steps closer to WW3 as NATO doubles defence spending in move similar to WW1 prelude

NATO allies have agreed to commit to spending 5% of GDP on defence spending and related infrastructure by 2035, according to Sky News, which cited two sources with knowledge of discussions.

Politics

2 w. ago Spain rejects Nato plan for member states to spend 5% of GDP on defence

PM Pedro Sánchez says he wants a ‘more flexible formula’ that would make target optional or allow Madrid to opt outSpain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has rejected Nato’s proposal for member states to increase their defence spending to 5% of their GDP, saying the idea would “not only be unreasonable but also counterproductive”.Sánchez said that he was not seeking to complicate next week’s Nato summit in The Hague, but he wanted there to be a “more flexible formula” that would either make the target optional or allow Spain to opt out. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Spain threatens to block NATO 5% defence spending target in snub to alliance chief who demanded nations boost spending

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is pushing bloc members to boost their defence spending to 5% GDP by 2032, after Trump declared America's allies were shirking their responsibilities

Events

2 w. ago Spanish PM rejects Nato’s ‘unreasonable’ 5% GDP target for defence spending – Europe live

Pedro Sánchez reportedly says move would be ‘counterproductive’ and harm Spanish economy Earlier today, I cheekily suggested that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is probably wondering how to persuade US president Donald Trump to stay at the Nato summit in The Hague next week long enough to get to discussions on Ukraine and Russia – and not leave early, as he did at the G7 summit.Well, looks like this issue may have actually influenced the planning.“Budapest city hall will organise the Budapest Pride march on 28 June as a city event. Period.” Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Reeves pours cold water on Nato demands for more defence spending making clear it WON'T go over 2.5% of GDP before 2029 and hinting 3% will be the limit in the next Parliament

Chancellor Rachel Reeves stressed that Labour had only committed to hitting 2.5 per cent of GDP in the current Parliament.

Politics

3 w. ago UK yet to commit to Nato plan for rise in defence spending to 3.5% of GDP

Nato chief Mark Rutte wants members to agree to plan at summit later this month but UK remains cautiousBritain has still not committed to agreeing an increase in defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by the mid-2030s at the Nato summit later this month in line with a proposal from the alliance secretary general, Mark Rutte, defence sources said.Though Rutte visited Downing St on Monday and the Nato chief expressed confidence in a speech in London afterwards that countries would sign up, senior insiders complained that Britain was still dragging its heels over the issue. Continue reading...

Politics