1 hour ago Labour UK government unveils £200m to regenerate Scottish communities

Scottish Government welcomes cash but says it should have been invested through “well established mechanisms”

Politics

4 h. ago Defence firms get huge £30bn boost as Europe prepares to spend big to defeat Putin

Shares in leading defence companies across Europe have soared in anticipation of a new spending spree by governments, as the continent prepares for a big financial stand against Vladimir Putin

Economics

5 h. ago Brits back slashing aid to boost defence spending by 65% to 20% despite Labour backlash

YouGov research found that 65 per cent agree with the government's decision to fund the bump by trimming £6billion from aid by 2027.

Politics

5 h. ago Scots Labour MP behind campaign for Keir Starmer to hike taxes to fund defence spending

The letter is intended to be delivered as PMQs starts on Wednesday.

Economics

10 h. ago Markets climb as defence stocks, euro and pound rally on Europe’s Ukraine peace push – business live

German stock market records biggest gains after Starmer announces ‘coalition of the willing,’ as investors expect big splurge in defence spending Eurozone inflation has dipped, moving closer to the European Central Bank’s 2% target, ahead of a widely expected drop in interest rates at the central bank’s meeting on Thursday.Headline inflation fell from 2.5% to 2.4% in January, while core inflation, which strips out volatile energy and food costs, dropped from 2.7 to 2.6%, Eurostat said this morning.After quite a strong January reading, February eurozone inflation came in soft. Core inflation ticked down after having been stable at 2.7% since September.The weak economic environment seems to trump an increase in reported input costs for the moment. For the European Central Bank, this is a dovish sign as the governing council mulls over how low it should bring rates. Continue reading...

Economics

12 h. ago Increased defence spending to see small businesses offered new contracts hub by ministers

Up to 12,000 SMEs could be supported by the plans, it is claimed

Politics

14 h. ago Readers' Letters: Increased defence spending won't keep UK safe from aggressors

Aftershocks of President Trump’s rage at Zelensky dominate The Scotsman postbag

Politics

16 h. ago SNP has failed on public services and Scottish Labour will provide a new direction

In his Daily Record column, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar says the Scottish Government has let people down on the NHS, the education system and the economy.

Events

21 h. ago Ministers will set target to spend more defence money with small businesses

The Ministry of Defence will also launch a new hub for small and medium sized enterprises to give them better access to the sector.

Politics

27 h. ago European leaders privately set out plans on defence spending, says NATO's Rutte

European leaders privately set out plans on defence spending, says NATO's Rutte  Reuters

Politics

31 h. ago Kemi Badenoch says UK must 'prepare for the worst' by hiking defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2029

Kemi Badenoch urged Keir Starmer to seek 'peace through strength', saying that was the only thing Russia respected.

Politics

35 h. ago ‘This will cost lives’: cuts to UK aid budget condemned as ‘betrayal’ by international development groups

Widespread alarm at Keir Starmer’s decision to slash funds, amid warnings of dire consequences for world’s poorestKeir Starmer promised at the UN last September that the UK would “be a leading contributor to development”. Just five months later few expected an announcement that could result in UK aid spending falling to its lowest level this century.Overseas development aid will fall from 0.5% of the UK’s gross national income to 0.3% – a cut of about £6bn – in order to pay for increased defence spending. Continue reading...

Society

37 h. ago In this dangerous age, Britain needs to exert soft power as well as the hard stuff | Andrew Rawnsley

Defence spending has to go up, but siphoning money from international aid is a self-defeating follyShortly before he flew to Washington, Sir Keir Starmer turned up in the Commons, put on his sombre voice and declared: “Everything has changed.” One of the more startling transformations has been to Sir Keir himself. The Labour leader came to office thinking, as did most of those who voted for him, that he was going to be a domestically orientated prime minister with primary ambitions to improve living standards, build lots of homes and rejuvenate public services. That’s what “change”, his one-word election slogan, was supposed to be about. When he originally selected his overriding “five missions”, the defence of the realm didn’t make the cut.His central definition today is as a geopolitically focused prime minister who is promising to spend more on guns, missiles and warplanes and less on international aid. More British bullets will be purchased at the expense of succour to the impov...

Politics

38 h. ago International aid is as vital as defence spending – cutting either undermines British security | Emily Darlington

When funding to support vulnerable countries is withdrawn, the risk of war and global destabilisation increasesNational defence and international development are two sides of the same coin. Our long-term security requires us to invest in both. European nations need to fill any vacuum left by America’s new administration as we ensure there can be no victory for Vladimir Putin in Ukraine and Donald Trump’s decision to shut down USAid.Before being elected as an MP, I lived in Kenya and saw the vital work done by local charities that help families of children growing up in informal settlements on the outskirts of Nairobi. I met teenagers working on social media projects to tackle disinformation and prevent post-election violence. And I talked to women about the ever-present threat of rape and sexual violence. Continue reading...

Events

38 h. ago Keir Starmer faces backbench rebellion over ‘shortsighted’ cuts to aid budget

MPs ask ‘what will be left of Labour programme?’ amid calls for rethink and plan to speak out against decisionLabour MP Emily Darlington: ‘International aid is as vital as defence spending – cutting either undermines British security’Keir Starmer is facing a backbench revolt by Labour MPs this week as anger mounts over the government’s decision to cut the international development budget by almost half in order to pay for an increase in defence spending.The Labour chair of the all-party select committee on international development, Sarah Champion, who has already called on the government to rethink the decision, has secured a debate in the Commons on Wednesday at which dozens of Labour backbenchers are considering intervening to express their dismay. Continue reading...

Politics

46 h. ago Danny Dyer leaves shocked Jack Whitehall speechless as he drops banned expletive live on air and slates Keir Starmer during the BRIT Awards

Some of the biggest names in music and TV descended on London's O2 Arena for the highly-anticipated ceremony, which was aired live on ITV from 8.15pm.

Events

47 h. ago Ed Miliband could face axe in the Spring Reshuffle as Keir Starmer pushes Net Zero drive to the side

Ed Miliband could be the most high-profile victim of a spring reshuffle as Sir Keir Starmer sidelines the Net Zero environmental agenda as part of the Government's 'dash for growth'.

Politics

3 d. ago Downing Street announces Anneliese Dodds' replacement hours after she quit over Keir Starmer's decision to slash the UK's aid budget to boost defence spending

Baroness Chapman of Darlington has been appointed the new minister for international development, just hours after Anneliese Dodds dramatically quit today

Economics

3 d. ago Fresh delay hits CalMac ferries being built in Turkey for Scottish waters as labour shortages blamed

The four ferries being built in Turkey for Scottish service will be further delayed, with global geopolitical events cited

Events

3 d. ago Trump says he is ‘for both Ukraine and Russia’ as he meets Zelenskyy – Europe live

US president says he is in the ‘middle’ of negotiations and says Europe and Nato need to spend more on defencein AthensThe peaceful scenes in central Athens have now been eclipsed by the eruption of full scale clashes between rock-throwing youths and riot police. Continue reading...

Politics