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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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”.