LONDON: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer — just back from a NATO summit — launched on Tuesday a review of Britain’s armed forces to set out a path to increasing defense spending to 2.5 percent of GDP.
The ministry of defense said the “Strategic Defense Review” would begin work “immediately in recognition of the urgency of the threats facing the UK,” and aim to deliver a report in the first half of 2025.
Launched less than two weeks after coming to power, prioritising the review is the government’s response to Conservative Party efforts to cast doubts about Labour’s commitment to defense.
During the election campaign, popular attack lines from the Tories included Starmer’s lack of timeframe for increasing defense spending and claims that Labour was a “danger” to national security.
At last week’s NATO summit in Washington, Starmer reaffirmed the UK’s support for the Western military alliance and its “serious commitment” to spending 2.5 percent of its GDP on defense.
The review, which will be headed by former defense secretary and NATO secretary general George Robertson, will “ensure a ‘NATO-first’ policy is at the heart of Britain’s defense plans.”
Starmer said the review would make sure “that defense spending is responsibly increased.”
It will be overseen by current defense secretary John Healey, who said “at the start of a new era for Britain, we need a new era for defense.”
“The Review will ensure that Defense is central to the future security of Britain and to its economic growth and prosperity,” Healey added.
The defense secretary had urged NATO to consider moving toward a 2.5 percent goal at the 75th anniversary summit last week, with NATO allies having committed in 2014 to reach a 2-percent goal.
Other specific aims of the review include “bolstering Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression” and to “modernize and maintain the nuclear deterrent.”
Starmer at the summit recommitted to £3 billion ($3.9 billion) a year of military support for Ukraine until 2030-31.
UK launches armed forces review after NATO summit
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UK launches armed forces review after NATO summit
- The review, which will be headed by former defense secretary and NATO secretary general George Robertson, will “ensure a ‘NATO-first’ policy is at the heart of Britain’s defense plans”
Thousands protest Slovak leader Fico over whistleblower office closure and penal code changes
- Rallies took place in 10 communities, including the capital, Bratislava
- Fico has long been a divisive figure in Slovakia and people rally often to protest his pro-Russian and other policies
BRATISLAVA: Thousands rallied across Slovakia on Tuesday to protest the latest moves by the government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico to dismantle an independent office that protects those who report corruption and other criminal activities and amend the penal code.
Rallies took place in 10 communities, including the capital, Bratislava, where the protesters at Freedom Square had a massage for Fico: “Resign, resign.”
Fico has long been a divisive figure in Slovakia and people rally often to protest his pro-Russian and other policies.
This time, people were angered after lawmakers in Parliament loyal to Fico’s coalition government approved a plan to cancel the Whistleblower Protection Office last week despite critical responses to such a move at home and abroad.
In another controversial step, they voted to ban the use of evidence gathered from the suspects who cooperated with law enforcement authorities in exchange for a lower sentence. Such evidence cannot also be used if they lied in any other case.
A banner in the crowd read: “Fico’s government helps mafia.”
Michal Šimečka, the head of the Progressive Slovakia opposition party that organized the rally told the crowd: “Slovakia is the only country where the government approves laws to make life easier for criminals and mafia.”
“Shame, shame,” people chanted.
The opposition charged that the changes were designed to help a prominent ally of Fico, deputy speaker of Parliament Tibor Gašpar, who should face trial on charges of establishing a criminal group.
Protesters called on President Peter Pellegrini, usually an ally of Fico, to veto the changes. Pellegrini has to sign the legislation to become law, but the government has a majority to override it.
Fico’s critics claim that under his government, Slovakia is following the direction of Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
László Gubík, head of the Hungarian Alliance, a party that represents the 450,000 strong Hungarian minority in Slovakia, joined the anti-government protest for the first time.
