30 m. ago Keir Starmer addresses nation after slashing aid budget to fund 'biggest sustained rise' in defence spending since Cold War

The Prime Minister said ‘extremely difficult and painful choices’ would be needed to reach the spending goal, including the cut to foreign aid

Economics

35 m. ago Watch live: Starmer defends cutting foreign aid budget to boost defence spending

Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer holds a press conference on Tuesday, 25 February, after announcing he will slash the foreign aid budget to hike defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP to counter “tyrants” like Vladimir Putin.

Economics

39 m. ago What is Keir Starmer’s plan to increase UK defence spending and is it affordable?

Keir Starmer has outlined plans to slash foreign aid in order to hike Britain’s defence spending, The Independent looks at what has been said about the move

Politics

1 hour ago Keir Starmer to hold urgent Downing Street press conference today

Keir Starmer will take questions from Downing Street around 5pm after announcing the biggest hike in defence spending since the Cold War in the face of Russian agression

Politics

2 h. ago Starmer balancing the books on backs of poorest, former minister suggests

Andrew Mitchell told the Commons he supported Sir Keir Starmer’s strategic direction to bolster defence spending, but argued he has ‘choices’.

Politics

3 h. ago Charities ‘shocked’ and ‘stunned’ by decision to cut aid to fund defence spending

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced a dramatic increase in defence spending from the current 2.3% to 2.5% by 2027.

Economics

3 h. ago Starmer hikes defence spending to counter ‘tyrants’ like Putin

PM brands Russia a ‘menace in our waters’ and says UK must stand by Ukraine to achieve lasting peace to avoid threats to economic instability

Politics

4 h. ago Watch: Keir Starmer fast tracks defence spending boost by cutting foreign aid

Watch as Sir Keir Starmer announced a fast track on the government’s defence spending boost by cutting foreign aid.

Politics

4 h. ago Starmer hikes defence spending to 2.5% ahead of crunch meeting with Trump

Labour PM cuts foreign aid funding as he prepares to fly to Washington to meet the US President who has piled pressure on Britain to bolster its armed forces

Politics

4 h. ago Keir Starmer vows to slash aid spending to pump 2.5% of GDP into defence by 2027 in dramatic statement to MPs ahead of 'mission impossible' trip to meet Trump in White House

In a dramatic Commons statement, Keir Starmer finally laid out a trajectory for boosting the military amid rising alarm about America withdrawing support.

Events

4 h. ago UK defence spending to rise to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 with aid budget slashed to help fund move

Keir Starmer says now is the time to deepen European security, as he announces move in the CommonsThe rightwing historian Niall Ferguson is in the audience for Badenoch’s speech, according to James Heale from the Spectator.Niall Ferguson spotted at Kemi Badenoch’s big speech on foreign affairs hearing we might get some policy tooTractors’ horns interrupt Badenoch’s speech shortly after she begins speaking. Attendant spinner heard swearing furiously Continue reading...

Economics

4 h. ago Kremlin disputes Trump claim Russia would accept Nato peacekeeping troops in Ukraine – live

Kremlin says it has nothing to add to the foreign ministry’s position on the unacceptability of Nato peacekeepers in UkraineUkraine’s presidential press service has issued a photograph showing president Volodymyr Zelenskyy introducing the world leaders visiting Kyiv some new developments in Ukraine’s defence industry.British prime minister Keir Starmer is set to announce a cut to the country’s aid budget to immediately hike defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, ahead of his visit to the White House on Thursday, according to The Sun. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago Starmer slashes aid to fund biggest increase in defence spending since Cold War

Sir Keir Starmer set out plans for defence spending to reach 2.7% of gross domestic product in 2027.

Economics

4 h. ago Keir Starmer slashes aid budget to fund 'biggest sustained rise' in defence spending since Cold War

The Prime Minister said ‘extremely difficult and painful choices’ would be needed to reach the spending goal, including the cut to foreign aid

Economics

4 h. ago Sir Keir Starmer announces cuts to UK aid budget to fund defence spending increase

The Prime Minister announced the increase ahead of a meeting with Donald Trump

Economics

5 h. ago Watch live: Keir Starmer gives statement on defence ahead of pivotal meeting with Donald Trump

Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer is expected to give an unexpected statement on defence today (25 February), ahead of his pivotal meeting with Donald Trump later this week.

Politics

5 h. ago Keir Starmer 'will pledge to boost defence spending' in statement to MPs TODAY amid mounting fears about 'mission impossible' trip to White House

Keir Starmer will make a statement on 'defence and security' amid mounting concerns that he is facing mission impossible at the White House.

Events

5 h. ago BREAKING: Watch live as Keir Starmer gives major update on defence and security

The Prime Minister is making a rare statement to the Commons about defence and security amid growing calls to ramp up spending due to the crisis in Ukraine and Donald Trump's interventions

Events

5 h. ago Keir Starmer to make major defence spending announcement ahead of crunch Ukraine talks with Trump

The Prime Minister is under increasing pressure to increase the UK’s defence spending amid the war in Ukraine

Politics

7 h. ago Merz warned he must change tone during Germany coalition talks – Europe live

Friedrich Merz aiming to build government before Easter but SPD co-leader says man expected to be chancellor must change courseBut, but, but before we even get to the new Bundestag in late March, there is some plotting under way to change the country’s constitutional debt brake in this parliament before it finishes its term.Once the new parliament gets in, two opposition parties – the far-right AfD and the far-left Die Linke – will have a blocking majority for constitutional changes and are unlikely to be willing to agree to fund further defence spend this way. Continue reading...

Events