UK Column News - 23rd October 2024

Mike Robinson, Vanessa Beeley and Charles Malet with today's UK Column News.

 

Update on the British-German Defence Pact: Latest Developments (EU Military Union)

00:00 GOV.UK: UK-Germany Trinity House Agreement on Defence

GOV.UK: Landmark UK-Germany defence agreement to strengthen our security and prosperity 

 

UK Leads DIAMOND Initiative to Integrate NATO Defences—Backed by $50 Billion G7 Loan for Ukraine

03:22 i News: UK missile defences 'inadequate' against Russian attack, ex-ministers warn

The Telegraph: UK Armed Forces ‘not up to defending Israel from missile attacks’

The Telegraph: Civil servants had serious concerns over Iraq 'dodgy dossier' (Archived)

MI5—The Security Service: Terrorism threat levels

GOV.UK: Britain bolsters NATO’s eastern flank with new pact with Estonia and new cooperation on missile defence   

GOV.UK: Defence Secretary oral statement on war in Ukraine—22 October 2024 

This is new money, new money which will be delivered under the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loans to Ukraine scheme. That’s part of the $50 billion loan package from G7 countries to support Ukraine’s military, budget, and reconstruction needs.

UK Defence Journal: Britain’s new air defence laser downs multiple missiles

BAE Systems: FCAS: Global Combat Air Programme

GOV.UK: Global Combat Air Programme update

UK Column interview: Winging it: Why is the UK training Ukrainian pilots?

 

Escalating Ethnic Cleansing in Northern Gaza: Relentless Mass Displacement of Civilians

12:25 AP News: Netanyahu mulls plan to empty northern Gaza of civilians and cut off aid to those left inside

Middle East Eye: War on Gaza: While eyes are on Rafah, Israel is cementing control of northern Gaza

Quds News: American Businessman Proposes $200 Million Mercenary Plan for Gaza

 

Silencing Dissent: Richard Hall Loses Harassment Case, Internet Archive Breached—The Information War Intensifies

22:21 BBC: Manchester Arena bomb survivors win conspiracy harassment case

Bleeping Computer: Internet Archive breached again through stolen access tokens

UK Column event: UK Column On Location Live Stream (09:02:00 Brian Gerrish, Mike Robinson, Charles Malet and Willsy)

 

Support Our Independent Journalism: Become a UK Column Member

30:11 Support Independent Journalism from the UK Column with only £5 a month

Access UKC News Extra—UK Column Community

UK Column event: UK Column On Location—Saturday, 19th October 2024 (Bristol)

UK Column event: UK Column On Location Live Stream

 

Record-Breaking Debt Interest Puts Western Economies Under Pressure as BRICS Expands Global Influence

30:50 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation: 16th BRICS Summit (22–24 October, 2024)

BRICS Pay: BRICS Pay

Richard Werner’s Substack: National debt explosion: The Fiscal Time Bomb and its Implications

Werner Economics (YouTube): BRICS Spurn the Dollar as US National Debt Explodes 

BRICS News (on X): West vs East

 

New Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson Takes Charge: Deep Tech and Private Equity Ties—More Public Funds Funnelled Away

36:13 GOV.UK: New investment minister to spearhead bolstered Office for Investment

Daily Mail: Tech tycoon who sold her £4bn cybersecurity company to a foreign private equity firm is appointed Keir Starmer’s new investment minister

GOV.UK: Minister of State (Minister for Investment) Poppy Gustafsson OBE

I am profoundly grateful to have had the privilege of leading such an exceptional team and I look forward to remaining engaged in this exciting next chapter of the business as a non-executive director after the transaction completes. I remain Darktrace’s number one fan.

The Guardian (2005): Mandelson's ex-adviser takes No 10 PR role

GOV.UK: Tech experts to shape government digital vision to drive innovation and boost public services 

CORRECTION: It was not Larry Fink who visited Keir Starmer with Bill Gates; it was Mark Suzman, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

House of Lords Library: House of Lords data dashboard: Peerage creations

GOV.UK: Advisory Committee on Business Appointments—Report 2020–24—‘The time to restore trust is now’

 

$3 Billion More for Ukraine as David Lammy’s Demilitarised Zone Promotional Video Isn't Fooling Anyone

41:08 GOV.UK: UK to extend training programme for Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel throughout 2025 

GOV.UK: ROK-UK Joint Statement on DPRK-Russia Cooperation

Korea Times: Russian and North Korean flags displayed together on Ukraine battlefield

David Lammy (on X): David Lammy’s post

We’ve all seen the reports of North Korea sending troops and weapons to support Putin’s illegal war against Ukraine.

I went to the Demilitarised Zone to send a simple message: this must stop.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy (on X): Zelenskyy’s post

I am deeply grateful to the United Kingdom for providing Ukraine with an additional $3 billion in financial assistance […]

 

Israel Bombs Lebanon: How Soon Before Iran Becomes the Next Target?

45:39 Amnesty International: Israel/Lebanon: Branches of Hezbollah-affiliated financial institution not military targets

Israel Defense Forces (on X): IDF’s post

Tonight, I am going to declassify intelligence on a site that we did not strike—where Hezbollah has millions of dollars in gold and cash—in Hassan Nasrallah’s bunker. Where is the bunker located? Directly under Al-Sahel Hospital in the heart of Beirut.

Steve Sweeney (on X): SweeneySteve’s post

Today I visited the Sahel hospital in southern Beirut the morning after Israel claimed—without evidence—that hundreds of billions of dollars in gold and cash were stored in the basement and used to fund Hezbollah.

 

Jail Time for Conspiracy Theory Placards: Prison Spaces Being Filled for Dissent

52:58 Ministry of Justice (on X): MoJGovUK’s post

Crime must have consequences. Prison will always have a place. And we must encourage offenders to turn their backs on a life of crime.

GOV.UK: Contract awarded for UK's first all-electric 'green' prison

BBC: Asylum hotel rioter, 61, dies in prison

The Guardian: ‘Disgraceful example of a grandfather’ jailed for role in Rotherham riot

Metropolitan Police: Statement from Met Commissioner following acquittal of Sgt Martyn Blake for murder

House of Lords Library: Police standards and culture: Restoring public trust

UK Column article: Police Misconduct: Cleaning house, or clearing the path for a one-world government? (2023)