Starmer warned to boost defence spending or enter ‘bin of history’ February 15, 2025 Keir Starmer has been warned by a former head of the army that he faces being consigned to the dustbin of history unless the government significantly hikes defence spending. Ex-chief of the general staff Lord Dannatt said spending should rise to a 3.5 per cent share of the economy. The UK currently spends around 2.3 [...]
‘Free speech in retreat’- JD Vance warns Europe of ‘threat from within’ February 14, 2025 JD Vance has accused the UK and Europe of a “backslide away from conscience rights”, warning of the “threat from within” and claiming: “Free speech, I fear, is in retreat.” The US vice-president made the comments while addressing European leaders at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Friday, amid wider concern on the continent [...]
Trump’s halt on foreign bribery offers ‘unique opportunity’ for Serious Fraud Office February 14, 2025 President Trump's plans to halt the ban foreign bribery law has created a "unique opportunity" for Serious Fraud Office to display leadership, says lawyers
Munich summit: Ukraine on ‘irreversible path to NATO’, Starmer tells Zelenskyy February 14, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer told Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the UK remains committed to Ukraine “being on an irreversible path to NATO.” Speaking to the Ukrainian President this morning, the Prime Minister “began by reiterating the UK’s concrete support for Ukraine, for as long as it’s needed”, a Downing Street spokeswoman has said. Sir Keir was “unequivocal [...]
UK economy could face £24bn blow from Trump tariff plans February 14, 2025 The UK economy could face a £24bn blow from Donald Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on countries that charge VAT. The President announced plans to impose reciprocal tariffs last night, telling reporters that he considered VAT to be a tariff on US exporters. “I have decided for purposes of fairness that I will charge a [...]
PMQs: UK should impose ‘Tesla tariffs’ on US electric cars, Davey says February 12, 2025 The UK should impose “Tesla tariffs” on US electric cars produced by Elon Musk, after President Donald Trump announced higher taxes on steel imports, the Lib Dem leader has suggested. Sir Ed Davey called for the UK to retaliate – after Trump confirmed he would impose 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminium [...]
Move fast and break the civil service: Will Whitehall get its own Elon Musk? February 12, 2025 Whether it sees Elon Musk’s DOGE as a success or a failure, Whitehall should see it as a warning. Because institutions which won’t reform themselves can only ever be reformed by outsiders, usually in unpredictable ways, says Joe Hill In December, the Prime Minister pledged to “rewire the State”, and Cabinet Minister Pat McFadden told [...]
Steel tariffs: No10 won’t say if Trump wrong to impose import charges February 11, 2025 Downing Street has refused to say whether Donald Trump is wrong to impose 25 per cent tariffs on the UK’s steel exports to America. Trump’s executive order scrapped exemptions for the UK and all other countries, with all steel and aluminium exported to the States to face tariffs from March 12. Speaking from the Oval [...]
UK economy: Britain’s resilience to tariffs could support pound sterling February 10, 2025 Sterling could outperform against the euro in the coming weeks because the UK is less exposed to the threat of Donald Trump's tariffs, analysts think.
IOC in dock over boxing gender row as IBA takes Trump-inspired legal action February 10, 2025 The International Boxing Association (IBA) has launched legal action against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over its inclusion of gender eligibility row boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting at the Paris 2024 Games. Citing President Trump’s recent order banning trans athletes from women’s sport, the IBA said it was filing official complaints with the attorney [...]
