UK national press

Guardian - Babcock and VT begin merger battle

Tags:
Date: 
4 March, 2010
Source: 
http://www.guardian.co.uk

Guardian source
Fight over merger that would create a defence group big enough to rival BAE systems begins after VT agrees to give Babcock financial documents
 
Two of Britain's largest engineering and defence contractors locked horns in a merger battle today after weeks of skirmishes that have encouraged investors in both groups to consider backing a combined firm to rival BAE Systems.

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Tribune - Scrap Trident, say activists as Miliband meets policy forum

Tags:
Date: 
27 February, 2010
Source: 
http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk

Tribune source
by René Lavanchy and Chris McLaughlin
 
Labour’s grassroots have petitioned the leadership to scrap the Trident nuclear deterrent in the run-up to the party finalising its manifesto for the general election.

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Financial Times - Dannatt questions need for Trident subs

Tags:
Date: 
24 February, 2010
Source: 
http://www.ft.com

Financial Times source
 by James Blitz
Plans to build a new platform for the submarine-based nuclear deterrent were called into question yesterday by a former head of the army, who argued that the US-led drive for global disarmament could mean the UK does not need the system in five years.

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BBC - Dannatt: Trident might not be needed in five years

Tags:
Date: 
23 February, 2010
Source: 
http://news.bbc.co.uk

BBC news source
 
The UK may not need an independent nuclear deterrent in five years' time, former head of the army General Sir Richard Dannatt has said.

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Guardian - Defence green paper: Hostile environment for the top brass

Tags:
Date: 
4 February, 2010
Source: 
http://www.guardian.co.uk

Guardian source
The Chilcot inquiry has produced a steady, if destructive, drip of insider revelations about the conduct of the Iraq war. The latest blow to Gordon Brown's abilities as a war-time leader was delivered by a former permanent secretary of the MoD Sir Kevin Tebbit, who told the inquiry yesterday that the former chancellor slashed military spending six months after the invasion, forcing the MoD to run a crisis budget. It has remained in crisis ever since, pitting one service chief against another, and prompting a seemingly penitent government green paper, to ask more questions than it can answer.

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