New UK weapons factories to be built ‘very soon’, Defence Secretary John Healey reveals
New weapons factories will be built “very soon” to show Vladimir Putin the UK is “stepping up our deterrents”, the defence secretary has told Sky News.
Last night, the government announced at least six new arms plants as part of a £6bn push to rearm at a time of growing threats.
Politics latest: Healey questioned by Trevor Phillips
No details on timings or where the factories would be were provided ahead of the strategic defence review, which the £6bn investment will be part of, being published on Monday.
But Defence Secretary John Healey told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “We should expect to see new factories opening very soon.
“And we’ve already got strong munitions factories in every part of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
“The investment we’re making will boost the jobs in those areas as well.”
Asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin should be “frightened now” or in the future, Mr Healey said: “The message to Putin is we take our defence seriously, we’re stepping up our deterrents.”
Mr Healey said Vladimir Putin should know the UK is stepping up its deterrents. Pic: Sputnik/AP
Mr Healey also said he has “no doubt” defence spending will hit 3% of GDP in the next parliament.
He defended not trying to get to that in this parliament – by 2029 – and said: “It’s how much [is spent on defence], but also how you spend it.”
The defence secretary said his government is showing a sense of urgency by investing £1bn into cyber warfare capabilities, £1.5bn to improve forces’ housing over the next five years and a £6bn commitment to “rearm” over the next five years.
Read more:
Prison officers should have lethal weapons, Tories say
Starmer says govt will ‘look at’ scrapping two child limit
Robert Jenrick said he could not be sure the chancellor will allow 3% of GDP to be spent on defence
Senior Conservative Robert Jenrick told Trevor Phillips he welcomed “any extra investment in defence” and the fact Labour had reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence.
However, he said: “We want to see the UK reach 3% within this parliament, we think that 2034 is a long time to wait, given the gravity of the situation.”
He called Mr Healey “a good man” who is “doing what needs to be done in the national interest”.
But he added: “I am sceptical as to whether Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, is going to make good on these promises.
“Since the general election, all I can see are broken promises from Rachel Reeves.”
Politics
Scottish Labour win Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election as SNP suffer shock defeat
Scottish Labour’s Davy Russell has won the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election.
Mr Russell took top spot with 8,559 votes. The SNP placed second with 7,957 votes, with Reform UK closely taking third with 7,088 votes.
The new MSP said he was “proud” to have been elected, adding: “I said in this campaign that I will put this community, our community first.
“I will work every single day to do that.”
The Scottish Labour team celebrating the win. Pic: PA
The by-election was called following the death of SNP MSP Christina McKelvie.
The Scottish government minister died in March at the age of 57, having last year taken medical leave to undergo treatment for secondary breast cancer.
South Lanarkshire councillor Katy Loudon had hoped to retain the Holyrood seat for the SNP, given her party’s heavy losses to Labour at last year’s UK general election.
First Minister John Swinney congratulated Mr Russell following the result.
In a post on X, the SNP leader said Ms Loudon had “fought a superb SNP campaign”.
He added: “We have made progress since the election last year but not enough. We still have work to do and we will do it.”
All eyes were also on Reform UK and whether it would enjoy a “tartan bounce” in light of the party’s recent slew of local election wins in England.
With Reform UK never having won an election in Scotland, party deputy leader Richard Tice said candidate Ross Lambie coming in third was a “massive boost for us”.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice turned up to the count to support candidate Ross Lambie. Pic: PA
He added: “It’s a fantastic result, just a few hundred votes away from the SNP, nobody predicted that.
“I think that sets us up with excitement and momentum for the next 11 months into the Holyrood elections.”
Davy Russell celebrating with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and the party’s deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie. Pic: PA
Mr Russell said the constituents had voted to “take a new direction” with his party.
He added: “Like the people here in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, and right across Scotland, we all feel we have been let down by the SNP.
“They’ve broken our NHS, wasted our money, and after nearly two decades they don’t deserve another chance.”
Mr Sarwar and Mr Russell on the campaign trail. Pic: PA
Mr Russell said the community had also “sent a message” to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage “and his mob tonight”.
He added: “The poison of Reform isn’t us, it isn’t Scotland, and we don’t want your division here.
“Reform have no real answers to the issues we face, and they can’t beat the SNP here or replace them across Scotland.”
Mr Russell said his party was ready to “fix” the NHS and “end the SNP’s addiction to wasting your money”.
He added: “The road to a new direction for Scotland in 2026 – with Anas Sarwar as first minister and a Scottish Labour government – begins right here. So, let’s go and win it together.”
By-election Scottish Conservative candidate Richard Nelson (left) and Reform UK candidate Ross Lambie. Pic: PA
Ten candidates went head-to-head in the Holyrood by-election:
• Collette Bradley, Scottish Socialist Party – 278 votes
• Andy Brady, Scottish Family Party – 219 votes
• Ross Lambie, Reform UK – 7,088 votes
• Katy Loudon, Scottish National Party (SNP) – 7,957 votes
• Janice MacKay, UK Independence Party (UKIP) – 50 votes
• Ann McGuinness, Scottish Green Party – 695 votes
• Aisha Mir, Scottish Liberal Democrats – 533 votes
• Richard Nelson, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party – 1,621 votes
• Davy Russell, Scottish Labour Party – 8,559 votes
• Marc Wilkinson, Independent – 109 votes
The votes were verified and manually counted at South Lanarkshire Council headquarters in Hamilton.
Dame Jackie got emotional after Mr Russell’s win. Pic: PA
Campaigning became heated in the run up to the by-election, with Reform UK accused of running a “racist” ad on Facebook against Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.
Reform leader Mr Farage continued to double down, accusing his rival of “sectarian politics”.
Read more from Sky News:
‘Farage could become PM – this is how Labour can stop him’
Prisoners to be transferred to lower security jails
In response, the Scottish Labour MSP branded Mr Farage a “poisonous little man” and accused him of running a “campaign of dirt and smear”.
First Minister Mr Swinney had earlier warned it was a “two-horse race” between the SNP and Reform UK, urging voters to “defeat the gutter politics” of Mr Farage.
With less than a year to go before the Scottish parliament election, the result potentially offers a snapshot of how the political landscape north of the border could look in 2026.
Mr Sarwar said: “I think people need to change the script, because we’ve proven the pollsters wrong.
“We’ve proven the commentators wrong, we’ve proven the bookies wrong. We’ve proven John Swinney wrong and so many others wrong too.”
The Justice Department has filed a civil forfeiture complaint to seize crypto and NFTs allegedly tied to laundering efforts by North Korea.
Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis was one of the few voices in Congress tying Michelle Bowman’s confirmation to a win for cryptocurrency policies.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway