‘No doubt’ UK will spend three per cent of GDP on defence by mid-2030s, Healey says May 31, 2025 Defence spending at three per cent of GDP by 2034 is a firm commitment, John Healey has said. The government has previously set out its “ambition to reach three per cent in the next parliament”, after meeting its pledge to ratchet up defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by April 2027. But the [...]
European leaders talk of war, but I keep getting out of offices May 20, 2025 Europe talks a hard game on defence, so why is the ministry of defence more concerned with horse dentists, asks Michael Martins.
Defence boom will continue long after Ukraine war, says Panmure May 19, 2025 An end to hostilties in Ukraine would only be a short-term setback for the share price of European defence manufacturers, according to analysts. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS) said last week that in the case of a mid-2025 ceasefire in Ukraine, Russia could rearm and attack a Baltic state as soon as 2027. [...]
Terms emerge on UK-EU ‘reset’ talks May 19, 2025 Decisions on security, the youth mobility scheme, fishing and agriculture are anticipated to emerge from today’s UK-EU “reset” summit. These talks are part of a routine five year review of the UK-EU trade and cooperation agreement, which was signed in 2020. While agreements on key aspects of the deal have been completed, Trade Secretary Jonathan [...]
The defence industry shouldn’t expect a gold rush May 19, 2025 Despite all their talk, Labour's promises won't mean a gold rush for the defence industry, writes Eliot Wilson.
Starmer seeks UK-EU ‘reset’ – is another Brexit row looming? May 16, 2025 Ongoing talks between the UK and the EU will come to a head at a summit in London on Monday, as the government seeks a post-Brexit “reset” of relations. The talks have come about as part of a routine five year review of the UK-EU trade and cooperation agreement, though they have taken on new [...]
Rolls-Royce: Shares in FTSE 100 giant rally on trade deal hopes May 8, 2025 Shares in Rolls-Royce were driving the FTSE 100’s gains on Thursday as the UK looked poised to secure a trade deal with the US. Shares in the Derby-headquartered group were trading up three per cent at 790.60p in early deals, closing in on its all-time high The firm, which triumphed as Business of the Year [...]
BAE Systems to spend billions on growth and hire thousands more staff May 7, 2025 BAE Systems has said it plans to hire thousands more staff as the company prepares for an increase in global defence spending. Shares in the London-listed company have rocketed more than 50 per cent since the start of the year. This morning, it said it plans to recruit as many as 2,400 new apprentices, undergraduates, and graduates [...]
Sir Ben Wallace: Former defence secretary gets new job April 28, 2025 Former defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace has taken up his second private sector role since retiring from politics, joining the board of an engineering firm specialising in energy security. Advanced Innergy Holdings (AIS) supplies industrial and energy clients with technology used to protect a wide range of assets, ranging from subsea cables to offshore wind [...]
Russia says it has taken another village from Ukrainian forces in Kursk region April 19, 2025 Kremlin forces have pushed Ukrainian troops from one of their last remaining footholds in Russia’s Kursk region, officials said. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces took control of the village of Oleshnya, on the border with Ukraine. The “Units of the North military group have liberated the village of Oleshnya in the Kursk region during [...]