UK

One of Sir Keir Starmer’s first acts as prime minister was to order a “root and branch” review of Britain’s armed forces. The prime minister said the UK’s military capabilities had been “hollowed out” during 14 years of Conservative rule, warning that an urgent revamp was needed with the country facing an increasingly dangerous world. And 10 months on, Sir Keir will on Monday unveil the outcome of the so-called strategic defence review.The Independent looks at what we know about the defence review and what to expect. Sir Keir Starmer ordered a review of Britain’s defence capabilities within weeks of taking office More

The moment that determined the outcome of Labour’s defence review could be judged to be just over three years and three months ago when Russia invaded Ukraine. And, indeed, the 130-page detailed document will draw heavily on lessons learned from the war currently raging on the edge of Europe.As the defence secretary John Healey said on Sunday, the government’s response has been designed to send a “message to Moscow”.But, in reality, the most important moment in the run up to the review happened in January – when Donald Trump entered the White House for the second time. US president Donald Trump and prime minister Sir Keir Starmer More

Britain is set to build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines in response to rapidly increasing global threats, Sir Keir Starmer will announce as he unveils his long-awaited defence review. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will also spend £15bn on new warheads for the UK’s nuclear deterrent, the prime minister will reveal for the first time, as part of plans to make the country ready for war. Ministers must act “decisively to face down Russian aggression” and ensure Britain is “secure at home and strong abroad”, the defence secretary John Healey warned. Sir Keir has called the 130-page review, which is set to be published on Monday, a “radical blueprint”, and pledged it will lead to a “wave of investments” in shipbuilding, drone technology and cyber defence. Announcing the plans – which he will claim will create a “defence dividend” that supports tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs – Sir Keir is expected to say they will “ensure the UK rises to the challenge and our armed forces have the equipment they need that keeps us safe … while driving greater opportunity”.Among the report’s 62 recommendations, which are all expected to be accepted by the government, are: A “landmark” shift to war readiness to deter growing threats Up to six new munitions factories that can be scaled up in response to a crisis A new stockpile of 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons A new cyber command to counter a “continual and intensifying” level of cyber warfare£1.5bn for military housing amid claims that years of neglect have led to troops quittingThe nuclear investments announcement comes just weeks after the Labour leader pledged to destroy Vladimir Putin’s “shadow fleet” of ships, which evade international sanctions. The Royal Navy is also increasingly concerned about hostile state activity by Russia in the Arctic, a key flank of Europe and Britain’s security, amid fears about the threat to critical infrastructure such as undersea cables that provide power to the UK. The Strategic Defence Review was launched by the prime minister last year More

The defence secretary has hit out at “shocking” scenes of migrants being picked up by people smugglers “like a taxi” to be brought to the UK on dangerous small boats while French police stand by. A furious row has erupted over the lack of action after more than 1,000 people crossed the channel in a single day on Saturday. French police officers were seen watching as migrants, including children, boarded at a beach in Gravelines, between Calais and Dunkirk, while authorities were then pictured escorting the boats.John Healey said it was a “big problem” that French police had not intervened to intercept the boats in shallow waters and said ministers were pushing the French government to implement an agreement that they would. The authorities in France had to “stop these people in the boats, not just on the shore,” he added. People thought to be migrants board a small boat leaving the beach at Gravelines, France (Gareth Fuller/PA) More

After months of behind the scenes wrangling, the government’s long-awaited strategic defence review (SDR) is finally set to be published on Monday. The flagship review, which was promised by Sir Keir Starmer immediately after assuming office, is intended to address the “true state of the armed forces” – and the money available to spend on it.Whenever ministers have faced questions over Britain’s ailing military in the past few months, they have pointed to the SDR as a fix-all remedy. But when the review is published on Monday – and inevitably pored over by defence experts, journalists and MPs – there will no longer be anywhere for the government to hide. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with Defence Secretary John Healey (Oli Scarff/PA) More