33 h. ago UK foreign secretary vows to unlock £2.3bn of frozen funds from Chelsea sale

Proceeds of deal by Roman Abramovich have been sitting in a fund for more than two years

Economics

3 d. ago UK foreign secretary backs multilateral defence funding for Europe

David Lammy says Britain is ‘open’ to joint financing of military spending to boost continent’s security

Politics

3 d. ago Trump envoy says he plans to meet with Ukraine over peace ‘framework’ as Zelenskyy welcomes Europe’s plan to rearm – live

Trump envoy to travel to Saudi Arabia to meet Ukrainian delegation; Zelenskyy calls plans to rearm Europe ‘the right initiative’ and urges funds to Ukraine arms productionNorwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre has been speaking in the country’s parliament in the last few minutes, announcing plans to “significantly” increase spending to help Ukraine defend itself.He warned that the country was facing “the most serious security situation since the second world war.” Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Europe can’t just hope for the best with Trump. Ukraine needs all the arms we can send | Frans Timmermans

Member states must stop squabbling over trivial matters – and a firmer stance against states that promote Putin’s and Trump’s agenda is needed tooFrans Timmermans is a former vice-president of the European CommissionAfter US vice-president JD Vance’s speech in Munich last month, most European leaders came to the conclusion that our world has fundamentally changed. The Pax Americana that long ensured peace, security and freedom in Europe is over. Anyone who still doubted this will hopefully now realise, after the disgraceful treatment Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy endured last Friday at the White House, that we can no longer rely on the Americans for our collective security.We must hope for the best, but hope is not a policy. We – the Netherlands, the EU, and all western countries standing with Ukraine – must prepare for the worst. The question is this: how do we keep Ukraine free and independent, and how do we protect our economy, our freedom and democracy, and our borders...

Politics

4 d. ago Panicked EU leaders gather to drum up £700bn war chest as Macron says French nuclear umbrella can protect Europe after Trump halted Ukraine's military funding

European Union leaders are planning on holding emergency talks on Thursday to figure out how to quickly increase their military budgets

Events

5 d. ago UK, France and Germany say Gaza aid freeze could breach international law

Ministers issue joint statement after Israel cuts off supplies in effort to push Hamas to accept change in ceasefire dealBritain has joined Germany and France to warn that Israel could be in breach of international law by halting the entry of aid into Gaza, which is facing a “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis.The foreign secretary, David Lammy, signed a joint statement with his French and German counterparts to urge Israel and Hamas to engage constructively to get ceasefire talks back on track. Continue reading...

Society

5 d. ago Keir Starmer's aid cut will be 'music to the ears of terrorists' claim as anger grows

Former Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell said the decision to cut international aid by £6billion a year would be a 'clarion call to terrorists' as Keir Starmer faces a growing backlash

Events

6 d. ago Ursula von der Leyen proposes €800bn ‘rearm Europe’ defence fund plan to step up Ukraine support after Donald Trump’s US suspension

Ursula von der Leyen has proposed an €800bn ($841 billion) plan to boost defences of EU nations to counter possible US disengagement following Donald Trump's decision to suspend all military aid to Ukraine.

Politics

6 d. ago Tesla showroom is torched in arson attack in France with £550,000 of cars destroyed amid growing fury in Europe over Elon Musk's EU 'meddling' and Trump Ukraine funding row

The Tesla showroom in was set ablaze in the early hours of Monday, destroying 12 vehicles worth a staggering £550,000 in what authorities are treating as a deliberate attack.

Economics

9 d. ago Wes Streeting wants to mobilise millions calling for 'Blitz spirit' to rebuild the NHS

Health Secretary Wes Streeting calls on Brits to consider a career on the NHS frontline - insisting it remains a funding priority despite new arms race in Europe and Russian aggression

Politics

1 week ago How UK’s cut to international aid has handed a victory to Russia and China

Both Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy have spoken out against making cuts to international aid for very good reasons. Yet Labour has just done exactly that

Politics

1 week ago Keir Starmer loses fourth minister in a year in row over move to cut foreign aid budget

Former Conservative deputy foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell praises Labour MP as a ‘politician of decency and principle’

Politics

1 week ago Voices: No wonder Annaliese Dodds has resigned over cutting aid to the world’s poorest people – it’s the only right thing to do

Labour’s disgraceful attempt to balance the books on the backs of the poorest people in the world is shameful – but shows Dodds to be a politician of decency and principle, says former deputy foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell

Politics

1 week ago Trump praises Starmer’s ‘hard’ lobbying as he again suggests UK will be exempt from US tariffs – live

Trump calls Starmer meeting ‘tremendously productive’ and says ‘we have a very good chance at arriving at a very good deal’Trump-Starmer visit: the key takeawaysEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will travel to London this Sunday to take part in an informal meeting on Ukraine and European security, the European Commission has just confirmed. Jakub Krupa has more on his Europe live blog.David Lammy, the foreign secretary, has confirmed that President Trump has the ability to veto the deal that the UK has negotiated transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Isands to Mauritius. Speaking on ITV’s Peston last night, Lammy said:If President Trump doesn’t like the deal, the deal will not go forward.The reason for that is because we have a shared military and intelligence interest with the United States, and of course they’ve got to be happy with the deal, or there is no deal. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Trump hints UK could avoid the sanctions he plans for EU during White House talks with Starmer – follow live

US president says UK is ‘very different place’ where he has investmentsTrump-Starmer visit: the key takeawaysEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will travel to London this Sunday to take part in an informal meeting on Ukraine and European security, the European Commission has just confirmed. Jakub Krupa has more on his Europe live blog.David Lammy, the foreign secretary, has confirmed that President Trump has the ability to veto the deal that the UK has negotiated transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Isands to Mauritius. Speaking on ITV’s Peston last night, Lammy said:If President Trump doesn’t like the deal, the deal will not go forward.The reason for that is because we have a shared military and intelligence interest with the United States, and of course they’ve got to be happy with the deal, or there is no deal. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Trump invited to UK for state visit as US president calls Starmer ‘a special man’ at White House talks – follow live

King Charles also invites US president to Scotland ahead of the unprecedented second state visitTrump-Starmer visit: the key takeawaysEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will travel to London this Sunday to take part in an informal meeting on Ukraine and European security, the European Commission has just confirmed. Jakub Krupa has more on his Europe live blog.David Lammy, the foreign secretary, has confirmed that President Trump has the ability to veto the deal that the UK has negotiated transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Isands to Mauritius. Speaking on ITV’s Peston last night, Lammy said:If President Trump doesn’t like the deal, the deal will not go forward.The reason for that is because we have a shared military and intelligence interest with the United States, and of course they’ve got to be happy with the deal, or there is no deal. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Trump praises Starmer as a ‘special man’ as they meet at the White House – follow live

The two leaders will hold talks, followed by a joint press conferenceEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will travel to London this Sunday to take part in an informal meeting on Ukraine and European security, the European Commission has just confirmed. Jakub Krupa has more on his Europe live blog.David Lammy, the foreign secretary, has confirmed that President Trump has the ability to veto the deal that the UK has negotiated transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Isands to Mauritius. Speaking on ITV’s Peston last night, Lammy said:If President Trump doesn’t like the deal, the deal will not go forward.The reason for that is because we have a shared military and intelligence interest with the United States, and of course they’ve got to be happy with the deal, or there is no deal. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago White House ‘very pleased’ with UK’s increase in defence spending ahead of Starmer

The two leaders will hold talks later, followed by a joint press conferenceEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will travel to London this Sunday to take part in an informal meeting on Ukraine and European security, the European Commission has just confirmed. Jakub Krupa has more on his Europe live blog.David Lammy, the foreign secretary, has confirmed that President Trump has the ability to veto the deal that the UK has negotiated transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Isands to Mauritius. Speaking on ITV’s Peston last night, Lammy said:If President Trump doesn’t like the deal, the deal will not go forward.The reason for that is because we have a shared military and intelligence interest with the United States, and of course they’ve got to be happy with the deal, or there is no deal. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago David Lammy admits Labour's deal to hand Chagos Islands and £9bn to Mauritius will NOT happen if Donald Trump opposes it

The Foreign Secretary said defended the much-criticised agreement to cede the British Indian Ocean Territory, saying it was the 'best deal' which could be struck.

Economics

1 week ago Trump says US won’t give Ukraine security guarantees ‘beyond very much’ ahead of Starmer meeting – UK politics live

Starmer said he wants Trump to agree that, in the event of a peace settlement in Ukraine, US will offer security guarantees that make it durableEuropean Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will travel to London this Sunday to take part in an informal meeting on Ukraine and European security, the European Commission has just confirmed. Jakub Krupa has more on his Europe live blog.David Lammy, the foreign secretary, has confirmed that President Trump has the ability to veto the deal that the UK has negotiated transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Isands to Mauritius. Speaking on ITV’s Peston last night, Lammy said:If President Trump doesn’t like the deal, the deal will not go forward.The reason for that is because we have a shared military and intelligence interest with the United States, and of course they’ve got to be happy with the deal, or there is no deal. Continue reading...

Politics