Defence policy

UK calls for extra vigilance on China ahead of Nato summit

Boris Johnson and Liz Truss among those saying Ukraine war highlights potential Chinese threat to Taiwan

Peter Walker Political correspondent

28, Jun, 2022 @6:25 PM

Boris Johnson seeks to defuse row over abandoning defence spending pledge

PM insists manifesto promise of above-inflation increase will be kept despite Downing Street ‘reality check’ briefing

Peter Walker and Dan Sabbagh in Madrid

28, Jun, 2022 @6:24 PM

Ben Wallace ‘wants defence budget lifted to 2.5% of GDP by 2028’

Defence secretary’s leaked letter to PM warns of shortfalls in military personnel and long-range rocket artillery

Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor

28, Jun, 2022 @9:16 AM

Takeover of UK defence supplier Ultra Electronics set to be approved

Sonar and radio comms maker expected to be sold to Cobham, owned by private equity firm Advent, in £2.6bn deal

Jasper Jolly

23, Jun, 2022 @10:19 PM

Bruce Kent: tributes paid as peace campaigner dies aged 92

The former general secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and retired priest died after a short illness

Nadeem Badshah

09, Jun, 2022 @5:22 PM

Ministry of Defence contractors ‘drop standards’ to boost profits, MPs warn

Highly critical committee report says MoD should consider retaining firefighting and ancillary services in house

Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor

26, May, 2022 @5:00 AM

Boris Johnson uses Ukraine crisis to launch a British comeback in Europe | Simon Tisdall

UK’s revival of old alliances in eastern Europe and Scandinavia to help deter Russia fuels new tensions with the EU as Northern Ireland row looms

Simon Tisdall

15, May, 2022 @6:00 AM

Tory MP says no massive need for food banks in UK and real problem is people’s cooking skills – as it happened

Latest updates: Conservative Lee Anderson says people just need to be shown how to cook nutritious meals that cost less

Christy Cooney (now); Andrew Sparrow (earlier)

11, May, 2022 @8:33 PM

‘Ukraine will be free,’ Boris Johnson tells country’s parliament

There should be no peace settlement imposed against the will of Ukrainian people, PM tells Verkhovna Rada

Jessica Elgot Chief political correspondent

03, May, 2022 @1:12 PM

UK inquiry ‘to establish whether British components used in Russian weapons’

Reported investigation into use in Ukraine despite ban on direct sale of arms and dual-use components follows thinktank findings

Haroon Siddique

02, May, 2022 @8:27 PM

Raab under pressure over lack of action on cost of living crisis

Deputy PM says cabinet still working through ideas, while not dismissing call for higher defence spending

Rowena Mason Deputy political editor

27, Apr, 2022 @8:57 AM

Minister backs Ukraine carrying out Russia strikes with British weapons

James Heappey says it is ‘completely legitimate’ for Kyiv to identify targets in Russia to disrupt attacks