Defence of the United Kingdom
A Commons Defence Committee report warns that anti-submarine warfare shortfalls and lost under-ice capability could expose UK infrastructure and the nuclear deterrent to threats in the High North.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readMPs have approved the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill by 330 votes to 178 at Third Reading, as ministers defend the reforms and critics question protections for veterans.
Staff member · 2 min readCounter-terrorism police have re-arrested two men under the National Security Act in the investigation into suspicious activity near RAF Fairford, saying Iranian state involvement is highly likely.
Staff member · 2 min readThe Ministry of Defence has confirmed RAF Typhoons will fly defensive missions over Saudi Arabia, alongside new transport and advisory support, amid Houthi attacks.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readDefence Secretary Wes Streeting has acknowledged that some future British Army training exercises have been cut amid Ministry of Defence spending pressures, while saying training continues in 2026.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readDowning Street has challenged US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks about NATO allies in Afghanistan, citing the sacrifices made by British and other coalition forces.
Staff member · 2 min readBritish troops will join multinational exercises in Poland in November to prepare for a possible future mission supporting Ukraine after a ceasefire. No UK deployment into Ukraine has been authorised.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readThe Prime Minister and Ukraine’s president discussed speeding up defensive military support before winter, following a £45 million UK missile announcement.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readKemi Badenoch has criticised Nigel Farage over comments suggesting a Chagos-related deal with Donald Trump in exchange for restraint over the Falklands. Reform UK says Farage meant long-term US use of Diego Garcia, not a transfer of the archipelago.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readDowning Street has announced £45 million in surface-to-air missile deliveries for Ukraine, including £10 million accelerated for winter, as Andy Burnham asks ministers to prepare further sanctions and support.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readMinisters have proposed Attorney General consent for serious Troubles-related prosecutions alongside new safeguards against repeated investigations, amid debate over protections for veterans and victims’ rights.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readMI5 Director General Sir Ken McCallum warns Iran is seeking to target UK military sites, as he reveals more than 50 arrests linked to Iran investigations in the past year.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readNigel Farage has clarified Reform UK’s position after Robert Jenrick suggested Royal Marines could use lethal force while intercepting small boats in the Channel.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readThe IFS estimates that protecting departmental budgets and raising defence spending could require around £35bn in tax rises or benefit cuts.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readWes Streeting reaffirms Britain’s support for Volodymyr Zelenskyy and urges unity between allies after Donald Trump calls for Ukraine to choose a new leader.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readWes Streeting reaffirmed UK defensive assistance after the Riyadh airport attack. Saudi authorities reported 12 deaths and more than 300 injuries.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readMOD and QinetiQ launch Project Safari to improve access to testing facilities. A Hebrides agreement covers initial design work for expanded hypersonic testing.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readTwo men were arrested following a perimeter breach at RAF Molesworth. Counter-terrorism police are investigating their suspected National Security Act offence.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readAndy Burnham says Britain is open to Germany joining the Global Combat Air Programme, with further discussions to involve existing partners Italy and Japan.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readBritain has added 26 individuals and entities and 12 ships to its Russia sanctions regime, targeting oil revenues, financial networks and military supply chains.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readTeddy Young, 24, has appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court charged with two National Security Act offences. He was remanded in custody ahead of an Old Bailey hearing on 16 October.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readKemi Badenoch has pledged £10 billion over ten years for a new Britannia Shield integrated air-defence network designed to protect Britain, UK territories and overseas military bases from missile and drone attacks.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readThe Pentagon has confirmed that all US bombers deployed to RAF Fairford have returned to their home bases in America following security concerns surrounding a suspected terrorist plot targeting the Gloucestershire airbase.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readPrime Minister Andy Burnham says the UK has ‘strong indications’ Iran played a part in the security incident near RAF Fairford, while stressing that the counter-terrorism investigation remains ongoing.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the RAF Fairford incident clearly involves a foreign actor, while British counter-terrorism police say possible foreign-state involvement remains one of multiple lines of inquiry.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readThe Government has announced that three new floating docks for Britain's nuclear submarine fleet will be built in the UK through a competition restricted to British industry.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readCounter Terrorism Policing is leading the investigation after five men arrested near RAF Fairford were further arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readSeveral men have been arrested under the Explosives Act after a major incident was declared near RAF Fairford, with residents evacuated and Army bomb-disposal experts examining vehicles.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readSenior figures from Britain's critical infrastructure and defence sectors are to receive closed-door Government briefings on Russian cyber, sabotage, espionage and hybrid threats.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readBritish defence firms are to receive access to Ukrainian battlefield data to train and test artificial intelligence systems designed to coordinate advanced drone swarms.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readThe Government and defence industry have agreed plans to provide 40,000 opportunities a year for young people by 2030, rising to 50,000 annually by 2035.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readMinistry of Defence figures show spending with UK industry and commerce reached a record £34.1 billion in 2025/26, up 3.2% in real terms.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readThe Government is reviewing the Chagos agreement after US opposition, with Defence Secretary Wes Streeting confirming that planned payments to Mauritius will not be made at this stage.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readThe RAF has formed No. III Space Effects Squadron, the UK’s first military unit dedicated to countering hostile activity against British interests in space.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readDonald Trump has directly challenged Andy Burnham over the Chagos Islands agreement, branding it a ‘terrible deal’ during the leaders’ first face-to-face meeting in New York.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readBritain and the United States have completed their first live launch of a heavyweight torpedo from an uncrewed underwater vessel during an AUKUS trial in UK waters.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readPrime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to work with Mauritius and the United States on a way forward for Diego Garcia after legislation implementing the Chagos Islands treaty stalled.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readPrime Minister Andy Burnham has approved a time-limited RAF operation providing defensive air-to-air refuelling support for Saudi aircraft responding to Houthi attacks.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readRussia has summoned the UK’s chargé d’affaires in Moscow over British military aid to Ukraine and issued a conditional warning about alleged British facilities used for strikes on Russian territory.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readIndependent MP Ayoub Khan says he supports UN forces entering Gaza and the West Bank and would have sent British troops after three British World Central Kitchen workers were killed in an Israeli strike.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readFirst Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins has warned that Russia is probing Britain for weakness around critical undersea infrastructure as he calls for greater Royal Navy warfighting readiness.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readA Scottish Affairs Committee report warns persistent skills shortages could limit Scotland's ability to support the UK's defence strategy and benefit from increased defence spending.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readThe Government will work towards the public acquisition of Speciality Steel UK after rejecting a private-sector proposal, with more than 1,300 jobs supported across four sites.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readAndy Burnham has rejected Conservative plans to fund higher defence spending through major welfare cuts after telling MPs that national security “can’t come at the expense of social security”.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readThe UK has pledged £100 million towards a winter air-defence package for Ukraine, including support for Patriot missiles, as Britain steps up military deliveries ahead of winter.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readThe Government has launched a new UK Space Strategy backed by £7.8 billion to 2030, including major investment in satellite communications, space intelligence and protection against hostile threats.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readCommons Defence Committee chair Tan Dhesi has urged the Government to commit now to spending 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, arguing that renewed tensions over the Falkland Islands underline the need for faster decisions.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readRoyal Marines and RAF personnel have deployed to Norway's remote Jan Mayen island alongside Norwegian and US forces in a NATO operation designed to strengthen allied capability in the strategically important High North.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readArgentina has begun sanction proceedings against 45 people and companies linked to Falklands oil exploration after President Javier Milei vowed tougher action over the Sea Lion project.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readThe British Army has scaled back a range of non-essential collective training as funding pressures bite, with readiness-related and deployment training being prioritised.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readBritain has vowed to uphold the Falkland Islanders' right to self-determination after Javier Milei renewed Argentina's sovereignty claim and announced measures targeting offshore oil development.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readThe British Army has curtailed non-essential collective training for many UK-based units amid budget pressures, while operational and high-readiness training continues.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readAndy Burnham and Emmanuel Macron have discussed next steps towards establishing local SCALP missile assembly lines in Ukraine after Britain cleared the release of classified information on UK components.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readKemi Badenoch is setting out a Conservative plan for an extra £10 billion a year in defence spending and a 3% of GDP target by 2029-30, funded through welfare reforms and other spending cuts.
Charlotte Mercer · 5 min readFormer SAS soldier Andy McNab says he would not join the regiment today as veterans warn fears of future prosecution are affecting recruitment and retention, while the Government insists lawful service personnel will be protected.
Charlotte Mercer · 7 min readChancellor John Healey says the 2027 Spending Review will set a target date for Britain to reach 3% of GDP on defence and a clear path towards the NATO core-defence commitment of 3.5% by 2035.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readThe UK Government has declared its support for the Falkland Islands 'unwavering' after a senior US official reportedly refused to rule out using Washington's position on the islands as leverage in the dispute over NATO defence spending.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readThe Royal Navy has tracked Russian warships and sanctioned cargo vessels through the North Sea and English Channel as British naval activations to monitor Russian activity rise 25% year-on-year.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readChancellor John Healey is reportedly preparing to shelve the 2030 deadline he once championed for defence spending to reach 3% of GDP as he confronts a £4.7bn funding gap in the existing Defence Investment Plan.
Charlotte Mercer · 6 min readRussia has threatened that British military assets could be targeted in response to Ukrainian strikes using British-supported missiles, following Andy Burnham's agreement to help Kyiv produce long-range Storm Shadow weapons.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readMauritius is reportedly preparing to press Andy Burnham at the UN over the stalled Chagos sovereignty agreement, leaving the Prime Minister caught between Port Louis and Donald Trump's opposition to the deal.
Charlotte Mercer · 4 min readChancellor John Healey has backed increased US economic pressure on Iran and revealed that the UK Government has imposed more than 240 sanctions on Iran since taking office.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readAndy Burnham is preparing for his first face-to-face talks with Donald Trump as he plans to press the US President over access to Patriot air-defence interceptors for Ukraine.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readThe Government is preparing a public resilience campaign urging households to keep basic emergency supplies as it steps up planning for extreme weather, cyber attacks and hostile-state threats.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readBritain has become the first international partner to gain access to Ukraine's Avengers AI Labs under a new defence and artificial intelligence partnership signed in Kyiv.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readThe Coalition of the Willing has reaffirmed preparations for a multinational force that could deploy to Ukraine once a credible cessation of hostilities is in place.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readPrime Minister Andy Burnham has travelled to Kyiv on his first overseas visit as PM as Britain backs plans to assemble long-range SCALP missiles in Ukraine.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readZia Yusuf’s posts accusing former defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace of treachery remained online after Nigel Farage publicly called the language ‘over the top’ and promised his Reform UK spokesman a ‘ticking off’.
Charlotte Mercer · 5 min readDefence Secretary Wes Streeting has visited the Rosyth shipyard and forces housing in Edinburgh, highlighting Scotland’s role in Royal Navy shipbuilding, skilled employment and national security.
Peter Jackson · 4 min readVictoria’s new premier Ben Carroll wants the state to secure more jobs and investment from AUKUS, as Australia, Britain and the United States expand their shared submarine and defence-technology programme.
Charlotte Mercer · 5 min readThe UK's Nuclear Institute and the Australian Nuclear Association have agreed reciprocal membership, giving nuclear professionals free cross-border access.
Charlotte Mercer · 2 min readReform UK’s Operation Fortress has sparked a confrontation with France, an attack on the BBC from Richard Tice and a provocative Second World War jibe from Sarah Pochin.
Charlotte Mercer · 5 min readVeterans are preparing a legal challenge over rules that treat Armed Forces occupational pensions as unearned income when Universal Credit is calculated, amid claims that some former service personnel have received demands for tens of thousands of pounds.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readThe first 46 of 138 new homes for British armed forces personnel and their families have been completed at Dhekelia Station in Cyprus.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readForeign Secretary Ed Miliband has welcomed the announcement that Hamas will disarm, while warning that Israeli withdrawal, the ceasefire and humanitarian access must also be delivered.
Charlotte Mercer · 3 min readAndy Burnham has welcomed investment in the UK's nuclear deterrent, highlighting the creation of 22,000 apprenticeships and the role of defence manufacturing in supporting skilled jobs.
Staff member · 2 min readReports are suggesting Prime Minister Andy Burnham has approved the continued use of British military bases for certain US strikes against Iran, with the Government describing the authorised operations as limited and defensive.
Staff member · 1 min read