
Lammy and Healey to sign bilateral Aukus deal during trip to Australia
They will also visit Darwin as the Carrier Strike Group docks in the Northern Territory.
The Aukus partnership between the UK, US and Australia involves building nuclear-powered attack submarines – including Australia acquiring its first such fleet – and co-operating in other areas of defence.
It was agreed by the three countries in 2021, but the Trump administration has put it under review, raising fears it could pull out.
The deal now being signed by the UK and Australia sets out the bilateral aspects of the partnership and how the two countries will work together to deliver their Aukus submarine programmes over the next half century.
Defence Secretary Mr Healey said: 'Aukus is one of Britain's most important defence partnerships, strengthening global security while driving growth at home.
'This historic treaty confirms our Aukus commitment for the next half century.'
He said people 'not yet born' will benefit from jobs secured through the deal.
More than 21,000 people in the UK are expected to be working on the programme at its peak.
Foreign Secretary Mr Lammy said the UK-Australia relationship is 'like no other'.
He added: 'In our increasingly volatile and dangerous world, our anchoring friendship has real impact in the protection of global peace and prosperity.
'Our new bilateral Aukus treaty is an embodiment of that – safeguarding a free and open Indo-Pacific whilst catalysing growth for both our countries.'
The UK's Carrier Strike Group – an international formation of Royal Navy warships, submarines and aircraft – has been taking part in the Talisman Sabre military exercise hosted in Australia.
The Australia and US-led military exercise involves more than 35,000 military personnel from 19 countries.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: 'Aukus was a landmark achievement of the last Conservative government and it's essential that Labour keeps up the momentum, including on industrial collaboration.
'We welcome further progress but this must deliver in practice, both in terms of jobs and strengthened mutual security, at a time of heightened threats.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Americans encouraged to Venmo and Paypal the government to pay off national debt
As the US national debt nears $38trillion, the government has proposed a novel way for citizens to help pay off the tab. Americans are being encouraged to make donations with their Venmo and Paypal accounts. The option for a 'gift to reduce the Public Debt' was added to the US Department of the Treasury website a few months ago. It means that philanthropic residents with a burning desire to pay off Uncle Sam's debt will now have the option to use those methods, alongside traditional ones such as account transfers and credit and debit card payments. Allowing citizens to pay off the national debt - among other tabs - is nothing new, as the US Treasury, run by Scott Bessent, has long offered the option since 1996. But it seems they are now tapping into more popular payment systems, like Gen-Z favorite Venmo, to make it more easily accessible for those hesitant to attach their card and bank details. The current national debt stands at $36,721,531,033,602, as of Friday. As the US national debt nears $38trillion, Americans are now being encouraged to help pay off the tab with their Venmo and PayPal accounts Allowing citizens to pay off the national debt - among other tabs - is nothing new, as the US Treasury, run by Scott Bessent, has long offered the option since 1996. But it seems they are now tapping into more popular payment systems, like Gen-Z favorite Venmo It's up $34.5billion from the previous day, Treasury Department numbers show. The debt has grown each year since 2001, where it was at $10.3trillion and it doesn't appear the US will downsize its growing bill anytime soon after passing the Big Beautiful Bill. President Donald Trump's prized bill will add $3.4trillion to the debt over 10 years. The federal government also spent nearly $7trillion in the 2024 fiscal year, but collected approximately $5trillion. The US Treasury Department has burned through cash at a historic rate in March - an alarming signal that may require lawmakers to intervene to prevent the country from defaulting on the national debt. The agency burned through $286billion in the month of March alone. This is the largest single-month drawdown in American history, and it's only rivaled by the Treasury spending $279billion in August 2021 during the height of the pandemic. The change to payment methods was first spotted by NPR's Jack Corbett on X. Though it may seem unlikely that any American citizens would willingly hand the government more money, the feds have garnered $67.3million through the donation program since its inception. Although it may seem like a large amount, the government burns through that it less than a half an hour.


The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
Labour must speed up plans to shut all asylum hotels, says party's red wall chief
Labour must shut down all asylum hotels 'a lot quicker' than its current plan to put a stop to them by the end of the current parliament in 2029, the chairman of the party's red wall group of MPs has said. Jo White, the MP for Bassetlaw, who leads a caucus of around 40 MPs in the party's traditional heartlands, said Chancellor Rachel Reeves ' plan to axe the use of asylum hotels by 2029 needed to be sped up. There are currently around 32,000 asylum seekers in hotels around the UK. Anti-migrant demonstrations last week outside one of those hotels, in Epping, led to more than a dozen arrests. The hotel was thrust into the spotlight after a man living there was charged with sexual assault, harassment and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity. The man, from Ethiopia, has denied the offences and remains on remand in custody. Ms White told The Telegraph: 'There's a commitment to close down the hotels by the end of the parliamentary term. I think we all want it to be a lot, lot quicker than that.' 'There is a huge sense of unfairness because people work hard here in this country and commit to supporting the country and then there's the sense that what asylum hotels cost is a huge drag on what should be invested into our NHS, our schools and our infrastructure. 'So they have to close, we have to get those asylum hotels cleared out.' She added that she believes Labour ministers share her frustrations and went on to urge Sir Keir Starmer to 'stop the incentives' for those seeking to reach the UK illegally. A record 24,000 migrants have crossed the Channel so far this year, the highest tally for the first half of the year since records began in 2018. It represents a 48 per cent rise compared to the first six months of last year. Ms White welcomed home secretary Yvette Cooper 's plan to share asylum‑hotel locations with food‑delivery firms, calling it a sensible measure to crack down on illegal working. She also urged Sir Keir Starmer and Ms Cooper to revisit the idea of national identity cards, a proposal repeatedly ruled out by Downing Street. Reflecting on last week's demonstrations in Epping, however, she described the scenes as 'really frightening and quite scary', adding that while anger is understandable, violence against asylum seekers could not be condoned. It was revealed last week that plans to reduce the number of asylum hotels could see migrants rehoused in vacant residential properties and council‑owned homes. Public concern over the scheme has intensified as Sir Keir has vowed to significantly reduce both legal and illegal migration. At the same time, more than 40,000 failed asylum seekers remain in limbo, having appealed against their decisions and still requiring housing. A government spokesman said that since taking office, ministers had acted immediately to fix the asylum system, closing hotels and removing over 35,000 people with no right to be here.


The Sun
14 minutes ago
- The Sun
Chocolate lovers racing to Poundland to try new flavour of Nestle Milkybar scanning at tills for just £1.50
A BRAND-new Nestle flavour has hit the shelves and it's been spotted in Poundland for just £1.50. The Swiss confectionery giant's new Milkybar features a vanilla-flavoured biscuit centre and a milk chocolate base. Posting in the Facebook group New Foods UK, a shopper wrote: "Actually really enjoyed this new Milkybar Chocolate Crumble Bar. "The crunchy cookie pieces with the creamy chocolate works so well. Now available at Poundland." While many chimed in with enthusiasm, one user insisted: "Nothing should be mixed with Milkybar chocolate." The 84g Milkybar Chocolate Crumble was priced at £2.00 in Sainsbury's but now seems to be out of stock. It combines a vanilla-flavoured filling with biscuit pieces, layered on a milk chocolate base and coated in white chocolate. This crumbly twist has a crunchier texture compared to the classic Milkybar. The whole bar packs around 460 kcal, with each of the five segments containing about 92 kcal. A Nestle spokesperson said earlier in the year: "This year, Nestlé is set to introduce a range of exciting confectionery products. "Keep an eye on this space for delightful surprises in store." The company has been expanding its product range in 2025, introducing several new chocolate products alongside innovations in coffee. These chocolate bites are packed with a rich double chocolate brownie flavour and Aero's recognisable bubbly texture. They appear to be exclusive to Sainsbury's for now. It comes months after shoppers spotted another Milkybar flavour from Nestle on supermarket shelves. The Biscoff Milkybar is available at B&M for just £1 - much cheaper than the £2.99 price listed on iFoods UK online. When adding the £6.99 shipping fee, a single bar from iFoods costs nearly £10. Nestle - the world's largest food and beverage company - was founded in 1866 by German-born pharmacist Henri Nestlé in Switzerland. While it originally began with infant formula, its product range now extends from baby food and coffee to confectionery and pet care. The company owns well-known brands like KitKat, Milkybar, Nescafé, Perrier and Purina. 2