3 d. ago Britons would likely back defence spending boost if they knew about perilous state of our defence capabilities, says former Nato chief

George Robertson, pictured, who led Nato between 1999 and 2003, said Britons were largely unaware of the state of the country's military - and that they would back increased spending if they knew.

Politics

3 d. ago Rheinmetall chief says tanks to get cheaper despite defence spending surge

Germany’s biggest weapons maker says customers stand to benefit from economies of scale and more automation

Events

8 d. ago Home Office reveals how people will be chosen to come to UK from France under ‘one in, one out’ scheme – UK politics live

People will be chosen via three-stage process, with government expected to accept around 50 migrants a week when scheme startsRushanara Ali, the homelessness minister, is facing criticism for hiking rent on a property she owns by hundreds of pounds, reportedly just weeks after the previous tenants’ contract ended, PA Media reports. PA says:Four tenants who rented a house in east London from Ali were sent an email last November saying their lease would not be renewed, which also gave them four months’ notice to leave, the i newspaper reported.Ali’s property was then re-listed with a £700 rent increase within weeks, the newspaper said. Continue reading...

Society

8 d. ago Reeves confirms Treasury reviewing gambling taxes – UK politics live

Gambling tax reform is being strongly promoted by Gordon Brown, the former Labour PM who also spent 10 years as chancellorRushanara Ali, the homelessness minister, is facing criticism for hiking rent on a property she owns by hundreds of pounds, reportedly just weeks after the previous tenants’ contract ended, PA Media reports. PA says:Four tenants who rented a house in east London from Ali were sent an email last November saying their lease would not be renewed, which also gave them four months’ notice to leave, the i newspaper reported.Ali’s property was then re-listed with a £700 rent increase within weeks, the newspaper said. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago First people detained under ‘one in, one out’ deal before being sent back to France – UK politics live

Home secretary says the move ‘sends a message to every migrant currently thinking of paying organised crime gangs to go to the UK’Keir Starmer has also issued a statement about the detention of small boat arrivals (see 9.58am) on his social media feed. He says:We have detained the first illegal migrants under our new deal before returning them to France. No gimmicks, just results.If you break the law to enter this country, you will face being sent back.The transfers to immigration removal centres are under way as we speak, so we won’t provide operational details at this point that criminal gangs can simply use and exploit.But no-one should be in any doubt: anyone who arrives from now on is eligible for immediate detention and return.The pilot has now begun, so the first migrants who have arrived on the small boats are now in detention. We will then swiftly make the referrals to France and that process will now start to be able to return people to France.It’s the beginning of the pil...

Politics

8 d. ago UK politics live: Gordon Brown calls for extra defence spending to be exempt from fiscal rules

Former PM says ‘exceptional’ aim to spend 5% of GDP should be a joint Nato and European initiative financed via bonds or a defence fundGood morning. In every era in politics there are claims that the current generation of politicians aren’t as impressive as the ones that came before. A lot of this is just false memory warped by nostalgia, but in the UK at the moment there are eight former prime ministers and they provide a sub-set that does, sort of, stand up the theory.Five of them were in office after 2010 – David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak – and their contribution to public life at the moment is, frankly, minimal, or negative. But the three who were in office before 2010 – John Major, Tony Blair, and Gordon Brown – remain serious voices. Major is 82, he does not speak out much, but when he does, he is always worth hearing. Blair is running a thinktank actively trying to shape policy in the UK and around the world. And Brown is perpetually engag...

Politics

8 d. ago Rheinmetall order growth slows amid change of government in Berlin

German arms maker remains bullish on demand as European countries boost defence spending

Politics