Defence
From pike-and-pitchfork brigade to crack militia: ‘Dad’s Army’ wasn’t so ludicrous after all
Sinclair McKay traces the gradual evolution of the Home Guard into what one colonel described as ‘the best trained and equipped force of its kind in the history of our country’
Britain’s ‘drone gap’ makes us vulnerable
When John Healey was asked, on stage at the London Defence Conference, whether the armed forces were ‘ready’ for war,…
What’s Britain’s place in the post-Iran world order?
Midway through James Joyce’s Ulysses, the character J.J. O’Molloytips his hat to ‘Our watchful friend, the Skibbereen Eagle’, a playful…
What happened to Britain’s fighting spirit?
When war is in the air, young men traditionally sign up – and they traditionally sign up, disproportionately, from the…
The only ‘civilisation’ Trump will destroy is his own
If, as Donald Trump had threatened, ‘a whole civilisation’ had died on Tuesday night, the whole civilisation concerned would have…
A Ukrainian win is more important than ever
On 3 April we mark 1,500 days since Russia invaded Ukraine; on 11 June, the conflict will have lasted longer…
How the army can rediscover its fighting spirit
The seemingly endless debate about the hollowness of our armed forces has concentrated on size, technical capability and sustainability –…
Revealed: Keir Starmer’s new plan to get closer to the EU
A Labour MP, reflecting on the problems the Prime Minister faces over the war in Iran, observed this week: ‘Keir…
Can Keir Starmer keep us safe?
‘Shape without form, shade without colour. Paralysed force, gesture without motion.’ T.S Eliot’s lines from ‘The Hollow Men’ sum up…
Our armed forces are hollow – and our enemies know it
When you’re the chief of the defence staff, the head of the British armed forces, it’s never a good sign…
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…
