By GB News (Politics) | Created at 2025-03-04 08:19:03 | Updated at 2025-03-04 11:20:55
3 hours ago
Sir Keir Starmer has moved to protect Britain's defence industry from American takeovers as the Prime Minister begins following through with his vow to put the country on a "war footing".
At a defence event in Westminster yesterday, Starmer pledged to put "Britain first every step of the way" as he heaped praise on the UK's aerospace firms - which he said must be kept British.
It follows reports that American private equity giant Bain Capital has tabled a £1.1billion bid to buy Chemring, which makes crucial countermeasures used by RAF and US Air Force jets against missiles.
Bain's looming buyout could extend a list of defence firms which have been snapped up by US investors - a situation which the UK, as it appears to pivot away from America towards Europe, has been urged to avoid.
At Monday's event, the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary John Healey both wooed military tech firms as the pair pushed to keep production lines within the UK.
Starmer said: "We're really good at this in Britain. We're really good at creating things, making things. We're front of the game when it comes to AI and technology. We punch above our weight. We want to make sure that we stay in that position."
Asked whether it was important Chemring stays UK-based, the PM replied: "Keep them British, absolutely. We're really proud of what we do."
Healey added that last week's increase in defence spending highlighted a "need to reinforce British industry, British innovation, British jobs, British business".
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Britain 'absolutely committed' to peace in Ukraine, No10 says, after Trump leaves Zelensky in limbo
A Government spokesman has vowed that the UK is "absolutely committed" to securing peace in Ukraine following the news that Donald Trump has halted American aid to Volodymyr Zelensky's forces.
A statement this morning reads: "We remain absolutely committed to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. It is the right thing to do, and is in our interest to do so.
"We have bolstered Ukrainian military capabilities through our commitment to provide Ukraine with £3billion a year in military aid for as long as it takes and through a £2.26billion loan using sanctioned Russian assets.
"In addition, we've set up a partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use £1.6billion of UK Export Finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles manufactured in Belfast, putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace."
Labour RETAKES polling lead after Starmer's defence-Trump-Ukraine triple-header week - as Reform UK poised to become official opposition
Labour has retaken the lead in a national poll following Sir Keir Starmer's triple-header week of hiking defence spending, travelling to the White House and bolstering support for Ukraine.
Pollsters at YouGov surveyed Britons across Sunday and Monday - and the party of Government has gained two percentage points to leapfrog Reform UK to first place.
Labour now sits at 26 points, with Nigel Farage's party at 25.
Meanwhile both the Tories and Lib Dems have seen their support fall by one and two points to sit at 21 and 14 points respectively, while the Greens have gained one to take back nine per cent support.
After running the figures through Electoral Calculus's prediction tool, the polling would see Labour slump by 187 seats to just 217.
But Reform would surge to 175 seats - making them Britain's second-largest party in the Commons.
Farmers to return to Whitehall TODAY in fresh blow for Rachel Reeves's family farm tax raids - but they won't be allowed tractors
British farmers will descend on Whitehall once again today for a 'Pancake Day Rally'
PA
British farmers will descend on Whitehall once again today for a "Pancake Day Rally" as they continue their assault on Rachel Reeves's family farm tax.
Attendees will march from Whitehall at around midday before ending up at Parliament Square, with the demonstration due to end at 3pm.
But their use of tractors will be limited - the Met Police have imposed conditions have been imposed under the Public Order Act stopping demonstrators from bringing the farm vehicles, save for a limited number being brought by organisers.
Yesterday's top story: Starmer makes Trump feelings 'crystal clear' after Zelensky's White House bust-up as PM warns taking sides is 'totally unserious'
Sir Keir Starmer made his feelings on Donald Trump "crystal clear" to the Commons yesterday following the 47th President's now-infamous bust-up with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday.
After a weekend which has seen more questions than ever posed on the state of the "special relationship", the Prime Minister told MPs: "I do want to be crystal clear - we must strengthen our relationship with America, for our security, for our technology, for our trade and investment.
"They are, and always will be indispensable, and we will never choose between either side of the Atlantic.
"In fact, if anything, the past week has shown that that idea is totally unserious, because while some people may enjoy the simplicity of taking a side, this week has shown with total clarity that the US is vital in securing the peace we all want to see in Ukraine."
Starmer had also spoken about the incident which unfolded at the White House, describing the viral spectacle as "something nobody in this house wants to see".
