Defence
Labour’s dereliction of duty over defence
Last week, our political editor, Tim Shipman, revealed a recent meeting between Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the Chief…
Britain needs a Stolen Valour Act
Next month Jonathan Carley will appear in court in Carmarthen, charged with wearing military uniform without permission. This charge comes…
The Afghan asylum leak cover-up saved lives
The United Kingdom’s immigration system is broken. Tens of thousands have entered the country who should not, and the bureaucracy…
How often do volcanoes erupt?
Under control UK air space is to be reorganised – the first wholesale change since the 1950s – to improve…
Letters: Where to find Britain’s best dripping
Open arms Sir: The latest magazine (29 March) has two references to American military capabilities, from Rod Liddle and Francis…
The underlying message of Rachel Reeves’s Spring Statement
Rachel Reeves may not be the most mellifluous writer ever to inhabit 11 Downing Street. At the weekend, she informed…
Britain is far from prepared for the era of AI warfare
How safe will this country be under Labour? The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) is supposed to provide the answers. It…
Labour’s cuts are going to hurt our armed forces
Defence Secretary John Healey has announced more changes to the armed forces, detailing several capabilities to be cut to achieve savings of…
The medieval English matriarch was a force to be reckoned with
Like many 15th-century women, Margaret Paston was a fearless protector of her family, supremely capable, in her husband’s absence, of defending their property against predatory neighbours
John Healey’s ‘joint declaration’ with Germany is pure waffle
The new cabinet cannot be accused of laziness. John Healey, secretary of state for defence, has just been on a…
The cost of European peace
After six months of delay, the US Senate has finally passed a $60 billion foreign-aid package which will send urgently…
Britain doesn’t need an Iron Dome
Air defence was in the news this week, after Israel, with the help of allies including the UK, shot down…
Germany’s missteps in Ukraine have left Scholz fighting for his political life
Difficult though it may be to believe, there is chaos at the top of the German government over its mishandling…
Will Nato accept Ukraine?
Shortly after the invasion of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky made an offer to Vladimir Putin. Ukraine would drop its ambition to…
Nato is no longer ‘brain dead’
Finland and Sweden will be formally invited to join Nato today. Them joining the alliance will bolster Nato’s presence in the…
France is strong where Britain and America are weak
Emmanuel Macron unveiled his campaign manifesto in a carefully orchestrated press conference on Thursday and his pledges to cut taxes…
Can Britain afford to spend more on defence?
With rumours swirling that the Ministry of Defence will see its budget boosted in next week’s spring statement it’s hard…
Putin’s invasion has exposed the frailty of Europe’s armies
Putin’s forces are currently steamrolling Ukraine’s defences, with Russian troops circling the capital and invading from the south and east…
A principled pragmatist
A headline in the Mail on Sunday, taken up eagerly by the BBC’s Todayprogramme, claimed recently: ‘The SAS is getting…
Defence contractors were the real winners in Afghanistan
The fall of Kabul, like the fall of Saigon, will be taught in classrooms for decades to come. But the…
Has Britain learned from its failures in Afghanistan?
As the Americans prepare to leave Afghanistan, and in the UK we hold our own Defence Review, should we not…
The terrifying development of AI warfare
The Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc Cave in France contains some of the earliest known Palaeolithic cave paintings, including those of lions, bears, and…
The economy of tanks
That an abundance of tanks is no guarantee of a happy and secure nation was evident from the Soviet Union’s…
An off-the-shelf insect repellent could help kill Covid-19
Should we be spraying surfaces, and ourselves, with an off-the-shelf mosquito repellent to tackle the spread of Covid-19? The Ministry…
Australia’s choice: Chinese trade – or American security?
Sydney For decades, Australia has been known as ‘the lucky country’. At the end of the world geographically, we are…
