4 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

4 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

4 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

4 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

5 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

5 d. ago Shell vows to boost investor returns amid plans to cut costs and spending

The oil giant has lowered its annual spending outlook to £15.5 billion to £17 billion over the next three years.

Economics

6 d. ago Spring statement: What to expect – Politics Weekly Westminster

Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey walk us through what we can expect to hear when Rachel Reeves makes her spring statement on Wednesday. With the government facing downgraded growth forecasts, rising borrowing costs and the threat of Donald Trump’s tariffs, how can it boost the economy and save public services? And how will major spending cuts go down with the party and the public? Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. 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

7 d. 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

7 d. 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

9 d. 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

1 week 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

1 week 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

1 week ago German MPs approve €500bn spending boost to counter ‘Putin’s war of aggression’

Historic levels of spending on military and infrastructure secured in Bundestag with last-minute backing of GreensGermany’s parliament has voted in favour of unleashing historic levels of spending to boost the military of Europe’s biggest economy and inject its infrastructure with investments worth hundreds of billions of euros.The conservatives of Friedrich Merz and the Social Democrats (SPD), who are likely to form a new coalition following last month’s election, led the drive for the creation of a €500bn fund and relaxation of its constitutionally protected debt rules. They secured the last-minute backing of the Greens, which was needed to push the plans through the outgoing parliament. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week 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

1 week ago Bundestag prepares to vote on historic borrowing package in key test for Merz

Likely next chancellor needs two-thirds majority to back €500bn infrastructure fund and relaxation of debt rulesGermany’s likely next chancellor is to face a key vote on plans to unlock a record level of state borrowing, which he argues is necessary to boost the country’s military spending and inject growth into its ailing economy.Ahead of the crucial Bundestag vote on Tuesday, Friedrich Merz has faced a barrage of complaints from the opposition and from within his own ranks that he is not coupling the historic levels of spending planned – as much as €1tn (£840bn) – to demands for reform. Continue reading...

Politics

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

2 w. ago Donald Trump's claims he personally raised 'hundreds of billions' for NATO in unhinged rant

The US President boasted about pressuring European countries to boost military spending during his first presidential term in 2017 - claiming he raised 'hundreds of billions of dollars' for NATO

Politics

2 w. ago UK ploughs £1.3bn into army recruitment to bolster depleted armed forces

Exclusive: It’s hoped the spending boost will fill a gaping hole in staffing levels as UK readies itself to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine

Economics

2 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