Why Starmer's defence plan leaves next PM with £4.7bn headache

Keir Starmer announces extra defence spending - but the subject will still be one of the trickiest issues in his successor's in-tray.

Starmer’s £15bn defence plan leaves short-term gaps, say former officers

UK’s large military investments are aimed at countering China, but questions remain about ability to withstand Russian threat

British PM-in-waiting Burnham presents decentralization plans

The likely successor to Keir Starmer highlighted devolution and reindustrialization as his key priorities. But with tight budget restraints, early doubts are emerging within Labour about his room for maneuver.

Burnham left with £4.7bn bill for Starmer’s new defence investment plan

Ally of PM-in-waiting says four-year boost for the armed forces is an ‘unexploded bomb’ Britain has finally grasped the nettle on defence, but tough choices lie ahead Andy Burnham will have to find an extra £4.7bn for defence in his first budget, after Keir Starmer announced a £298bn defence investment plan (Dip) without having fully identified how it will be funded. Sources close to the Makerfield MP said he would not try to renegotiate the Dip after the outgoing prime minister announced i...

By Kiran Stacey and Dan Sabbagh

UK’s Starmer announces 300-billion-pound defence investment plan

Plan includes more than 5 billion pounds for drones and autonomous systems over four years, Ministry of Defence says.

UK lays out defence plan with drones, self-flying fighter jets, no-crew submarines

Self-flying fighter jets, uncrewed submarines and drones will be at the centre of Britain’s future military under a defence plan being announced on Tuesday that reflects a world of conflicts transformed by technology. The Defence Investment Plan has been repeatedly delayed as military leaders and Treasury officials wrangled over the cost of equipping the nation’s military for an increasingly dangerous world. Like other Nato countries, the UK is under pressure to increase defence spending to...

By Associated Press

Voices: Keir Starmer could have left a far prouder defence legacy than this

Editorial: The widely-criticised Defence Investment Plan may be a small step in the right direction, but is underfunded, overdue, and thus a strange reflection on the priorities of a prime minister who claimed to put deterring Britain’s enemies first

By Editorial

The UK’s lithium moment: new issue of MINE out now!

Keir Starmer’s closest Cabinet ally backs Andy Burnham 

Speaking at the New Statesman Politics conference, Lord Hermer supported Burnham's succession, and defended the Starmer legacy

By Ethan Croft

More cash, not enough weapons: Nato presses to produce more

A year on from their historic pledge to ramp up defence spending, leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) gathering in Ankara next week will reckon with another challenge: getting industry to produce enough weapons. As money flows into defence budgets — up $90 billion in Europe and Canada last year alone — the 32-nation alliance is struggling to transform the funds into firepower. “Cash is crucial, but you can’t stop a missile or a tank with a dollar or a euro,” Nato chief Ma...

By none@none.com (AFP)

UK's Starmer unveils US$20 billion defence boost in long-delayed investment plan

Britain's outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a £15 billion (US$20 billion) plan to modernise the UK's armed forces by 2029 before leaving office later in July.

U.K.'s Starmer unveils $20B defense boost with bets on drones, AI, deterrence

UK introduces £10,000 repayment rule for asylum seekers seeking settlement

By Favour Ulebor The United Kingdom government has announced plans to require some asylum seekers to repay up to £10,000 spent on their accommodation and financial support before they can qualify for permanent residency. The proposed reform was announced on Tuesday by the UK Home Office through its official X handle and is aimed at […] The post UK introduces £10,000 repayment rule for asylum seekers seeking settlement appeared first on Vanguard News.

By Nwafor

Refugees will be told to repay around £10,000 under new asylum rules

People granted asylum in the UK will be required to pay back around £10,000 towards the cost of their accommodation and support once they start earning, the government has announced.

By Abubakar Ibrahim