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      Watch live: Starmer launches plan to ready UK for war as he warns of Russia threat

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      Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer launches the landmark Strategic Defence Review in Glasgow, unveiling new measures as the country moves to “warfighting readiness”.The prime minister will announce that the UK plans to build up to 12 new attack submarines which will replace the current fleet from the late 2030s onwards, during his speech on Monday (2 June).He is also expected to confirm that £15billion will be spent on its nuclear warhead programme.The review, led by former Labour defence secretary Lord Roberston, will make an 60 additional recommendations, which the Labour government is expected to agree to in full.Speaking on BBC’s Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday (2 June), Sir Keir could not rule out the possibility of sending forces to Nato’s eastern border.Asked by Nick Robinson if British troops could be sent “risk their lives” and “possibly die”, the prime minister said he “hopes not”, though stressed the only way to stop this was to “prepare”.On Sunday (1 June), German’s chief of Defence, General Carsten Breuer, told the broadcaster that Russia would attack again within the next four years.Sir Keir also said earlier that while he wants to reach spending of 3% of GDP on defence, he would not “indulge in the fantasy politics of simply plucking dates from the air”. More

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      Nuclear jets, home guard and tensions over spending: What we know about Starmer’s defence review

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      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

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      How many nuclear submarines does the UK have – and are they ready for war?

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      Britain will build up to 12 new nuclear-powered submarines, Sir Keir Starmer will announce as he unveils his much-anticipated defence review. In a bid to “ensure the UK rises to the challenge” of growing global security threats, the prime minister will say that the 130-page review is a “radical blueprint” signalling a “wave of investments” into military infrastructure and weaponry. An extra £15bn will be spent on new nuclear warheads for the UK’s nuclear deterrent.Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and defence secretary John Healey visit a Vanguard-class submarine off the coast of Scotland More

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      Why the spectre of Trump looms over Starmer’s defence review

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      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

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      From submarines to Trident: The UK’s nuclear capability explained

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      Britain will build up to 12 new nuclear-powered submarines, Sir Keir Starmer will announce as he unveils his much-anticipated defence review. In a bid to “ensure the UK rises to the challenge” of growing global security threats, the prime minister will say that the 130-page review is a “radical blueprint” signalling a “wave of investments” into military infrastructure and weaponry. An extra £15bn will be spent on new nuclear warheads for the UK’s nuclear deterrent.Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and defence secretary John Healey visit a Vanguard-class submarine off the coast of Scotland More

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      Keir Starmer turns to submarines and nuclear warheads to fight new cold war with Russia

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      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

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      Surge in parents turning to baby banks as UK’s child poverty crisis laid bare

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      Demand for help from baby banks from parents struggling to feed their children has surged by more than one-third in a year, The Independent can reveal, amid record-high levels of child poverty.As the cost of living continues to rise, a growing number of families are having to turn to baby banks, with new data showing that more than 3.5 million essential items were handed out in 2024, including nappies, clothes and cots – an increase of 143 per cent on the previous year.Describing the rising need as “absolutely shocking”, actor and podcast host Giovanna Fletcher questioned how this is happening in the UK as she joined forces with MPs and children’s charities to urge the government to take action.The new figures come after Labour delayed until autumn its flagship plan to cut child poverty, although it insists its strategy is “ambitious”. Meanwhile, ministers are debating whether or not to scrap the two-child benefit cap as the cost of living crisis continues to bite, and statutory maternity pay remains equivalent to less than half of the 2025 national living wage. Parents including Adam Coggins (left) and Kirsty-Louise Fulford (right) speak with Giovanna Fletcher (second from right) at Bicester Baby Bank More

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      Smuggler boats pick up Channel migrants ‘like taxi service’ while French police stand by, minister fumes

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      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