UK to build up to 12 new attack submarines…
“The UK will build up to 12 new attack submarines, the prime minister will announce as the government unveils its major defence review on Monday. The review is expected to recommend the armed forces move to “warfighting readiness” to deter growing threats faced by the UK. Sir Keir Starmer will say up to 12 conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines will replace the UK’s current fleet from the late 2030s onwards. The prime minister is also expected to confirm the UK will spend £15bn on its nuclear warhead programme.” – BBC
- Defence Secretary accuses the Scottish government of “student union politics” over a policy of not providing public funding for munitions – BBC
- Dropping tactical nuclear weapons was a major strategic error. We must correct it. – Richard Kemp, Daily Telegraph
- EU red tape ‘delaying Nato’s mission to rearm against Russia’ – The Times
…but three per cent of GDP spending pledge is downgraded to an “ambition”
“Sir Keir Starmer’s flagship defence strategy was in disarray on Sunday night after a minister backtracked on his pledge to boost spending to 3 per cent of GDP. Last week, John Healey, the Defence Secretary, said he had “no doubt” that the Government would meet the target by 2034. But asked to repeat the pledge on Sunday, he declined to do so, saying it was only an “ambition”. The confusion comes ahead of the Spending Review later this month, which has seen Government departments facing savage cuts jostling for funding from Rachel Reeves.” – Daily Telegraph
- Labour’s delusion over defence spending threatens the country – Leader, The Times
- Starmer’s defence strategy in disarray – Leader, Daily Telegraph
- Just buying weapons won’t stop our enemies – Trevor Phillips, The Times
- Defence review to say UK must be ready to fight a war in Europe or Atlantic – The Guardian
- British Army will not be increased in size this parliament, Defence secretary acknowledges – The Guardian
>Today: Priti Patel on Comment: Labour have paid a huge price tag just to damage British interests and please lefty lawyers
Ukraine destroys 40 Russian bombers
“Ukraine says it completed its biggest long-range attack of the war with Russia on Sunday, after using smuggled drones to launch a series of major strikes on 40 Russian warplanes at four military bases. President Volodymyr Zelensky said 117 drones were used in the so-called “Spider’s Web” operation by the SBU security service, striking “34% of [Russia’s] strategic cruise missile carriers”. SBU sources told BBC News it took a year-and-a-half to organise the strikes. Russia confirmed Ukrainian attacks in five regions, calling them a “terrorist act”. The attacks come as Russian and Ukrainian negotiators are heading to Istanbul, Turkey, for a second round of peace talks on Monday.” – BBC
- Nato must brace to be attacked by Putin warns Germany’s defence chief – Daily Mail
- At last, Putin is getting a taste of his own medicine – Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, Daily Telegraph
Britain has lost control of its borders, admits Defence Secretary
“The Defence Secretary has admitted that Britain has “lost control of its borders” after nearly 1,200 migrants crossed the Channel in a single day on Saturday. John Healey described the scenes as “shocking” and said people-smugglers were able to load small boats on French shores “like a taxi”. The 1,000-plus arrivals marked the highest number of people to cross the Channel in a single day so far this year. Some 18 dinghies, each carrying more than 50 migrants, were reported to have left the French coast.” – Daily Telegraph
- Up to 50,000 migrants could cross Channel this year – The Times
- Humiliating arrival of 1,194 illegal migrants in a single day must be a watershed moment in immigration crisis – Leader, The Sun
- Labour’s shameful small-boat swindle – Leader, Daily Mail
- Stopping the boats is only half the battle. We must also restore British values – Daniel Johnson, Daily Telegraph
- On illegal migration, Labour are either liars or fools – James Price, Daily Telegraph
>Today: ToryDiary: Back from a break? Then it’s back to ‘business as usual but better’ please
>Yesterday: Video: Healey admits ‘Britain has lost control of its borders over last five years’
Nawrocki wins Polish presidential election
“Karol Nawrocki has narrowly won Poland’s presidential election in a contest seen as a choice between a pro-EU or Trump-style nationalist direction for the country. Data from Poland’s National Electoral Commission projected the Right-wing Mr Nawrocki had bested Rafal Trzaskowski with 50.89 per cent of the vote to his rival’s 49.11 per cent, a dramatic turnaround from initial figures which showed the liberal mayor of Warsaw ahead.” – Daily Telegraph
Farage sends “Doge” team into Kent
“Kent county council will become the first authority under Reform to face an Elon Musk-style Doge audit on Monday as a team of tech experts visit and analyse its spending. The party chairman’s, Zia Yusuf, has assembled a unit modelled on Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, which until recently was led by Musk. Reform said it will be led by a man it described as “one of the UK’s leading tech entrepreneurs” but has not named him. The party said he has a specialism in data analytics who has also been a “turnaround CEO”. His team are software engineers, data analysts and forensic auditors.” – The Times
>Yesterday: Video: ‘Reform can cut public spending by £300-400bn in first term’ – Yusuf
Conservatives warn water tariff plan will ‘punish large families’
“Ministers have backed proposals from water companies for “progressive” tariffs that will “punish” large families and homeowners with gardens. The Labour Party is also supporting plans for a seasonal pricing system that will charge more for water in the summer months…The Conservatives said that plans to charge above the standard water meter tariffs based on the volume used would penalise families because they do more laundry and younger children are more likely to have baths not showers. They said it was a “net zero stealth tax on children’s bath time”…Kevin Hollinrake said the plans were proof of “class war in action” and likened them to a “garden tax” and a “family tax” on households.” – The Times
- There’s nothing progressive about a ‘bath tax’ – Matthew Lynn, Daily Telegraph
Blue Labour group urges ministers to ‘root out DEI’ to win over Reform voters
“The Labour faction influencing Downing Street’s pitch to Reform UK voters has urged ministers to “root out DEI”. An article from the Blue Labour campaign group, titled What is to be Done, calls for the government to legislate against diversity, equity and inclusion, echoing the rightwing backlash from Donald Trump and Nigel Farage. Describing itself as part of a tradition of “conservative socialism”, the caucus was founded in 2009 by the academic Maurice Glasman, now a Labour peer. It includes the MPs Dan Carden, Jonathan Brash, Jonathan Hinder and David Smith, who represent seats in the north of England.” – The Guardian
Starmer “under pressure” to sack Lord Hermer
“A cabinet minister refused to say Lord Hermer was safe in his job yesterday after likening Right-wing British politicians to Nazis. Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to sack his Attorney General over controversial comments he made in a speech last week that were seen as directed towards the Tories and Reform UK. Asked twice yesterday whether Lord Hermer’s job was safe, Defence Secretary John Healey did not directly address the question.” – Daily Mail
- Hermer declined to review ‘unduly lenient’ sentences for rapist and paedophile – Daily Telegraph
- UK ‘not among countries pushing for ECHR reform’ – The Times
Reform UK and Plaid Cymru vie for gains in Labour stronghold of Wales
“In the coming fortnight, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will travel to an undisclosed town in the Welsh valleys to fire the starting gun on his quest to end the Labour party’s historic grip on the nation’s politics. Labour has held power in the Senedd parliament in Cardiff for 25 years, since the start of Welsh devolution, and has emerged as Wales’s biggest party in every election since 1922. But its controlling influence is set to come to an end in legislative elections in May next year, thanks to a pincer movement from Plaid Cymru on its left and Reform on its right.” – Financial Times
Other political news
- AI could free 30,000 civil servants from routine admin, study finds – The Times
- Truss promotes whiskey launched by ex-prisoner – The Sun
- Retired policeman wrongly arrested over ‘thought crime’ X post wins £20,000 payout – Daily Mail
- Spending on agency staff across NHS England drops by almost £1bn – The Guardian
- Ministers to fast-track London airspace redesign in push for growth – Financial Times
- SEND shake-up terrifying parents who fear ‘chaos’ in the classroom – The i
- Clinton: Ending the Troubles is one of my greatest achievements – The Times
- “I’d tried to make Michael Gove feel loved, but he only cared about politics.” – Sarah Vine’s memoirs serialisation, Daily Mail
- MP calls for better road safety for horses – BBC
- Inheritance tax changes ‘put 200,000 jobs at risk’ – The Times
- Hoyle blew £5,500 of taxpayers’ cash on private flights for tour of Caribbean – Daily Mail
- NHS risks a ‘cycle of crises’ without 2.5% funding rise, Health Foundation warns – Financial Times
- London mayor reverses TfL ban on ads calling for abortion decriminalisation – The Guardian
- Dozens of universities yet to adopt antisemitism definition – The Times
- Commons clerks “worried that the Tory leader is pushing the limits of acceptable parliamentary language” – Daily Mail
- UK industrial strategy must deal with high energy costs, business warns – Financial Times
- Fruit and veg from EU set to get cheaper as UK axes border checks in Brexit reset – The i
Neil: Starmer is shifting Leftwards to save his own skin
“At the weekend, Starmer’s former Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh called on the Government to ‘rip up our self-imposed tax rules and deliver a proper wealth tax’. Thus speaks the authentic voice of the Labour Left, which is flexing its muscles across the board. Multiple Labour MPs are warning party whips they will not support welfare cuts, especially to disability payments. The mounting chorus of dissidents has been encouraged to speak up, even rebel, by Starmer’s proclivity to U-turn when it suits him. So he is now under pressure to move Left on a number of fronts. There is every chance he will do so, if only to save his skin. Indeed, the Leftward shift has already begun.” – Andrew Neil, Daily Mail
- IFS says tough public spending choices unavoidable – BBC
- Starmer and Reeves’ bond is being sorely tested – Anushka Asthana, The Times
- Starmer has entered the ‘degeneration’ phase. His MPs are in despair – Kamal Ahmed, Daily Telegraph
Mitchell: Labour’s coalition is fracturing
“The entire Labour Party coalition is taking flight — to Reform, to pro-Gaza candidates and even to the Lib Dems — while floating voters see mounting debt, lack of consistency on the economy and general incompetence and confusion. While the Tories are engaged in a period of reflection and renewal on the opposition benches, Labour are in power — but with no vision, no clarity, no idealism, no grip. No wonder their vote and core supporters are preparing to abandon ship.” – Sir Andrew Mitchell MP, The Times
- Left-wing haters need a lesson in Thatcherism – Iain Dale, Daily Telegraph
>Today: Steve Harden on Local Government: The Conservatives locally need to rediscover our values. Not just wait for change nationally.
News in brief
- What is Robert Jenrick up to? – James Heale, The Spectator
- Candidate selection: a new dawn? – Joanna Reeves
- By betraying the Chagos Islands, Starmer has betrayed Britain – Ross Kempsell, CapX
- Getting my phone nicked in Soho – Gawain Towler, The Critic
- Can Reform become the party of the working class? – Lisa McKenzie, Spiked Online
