
'Multi-billion-pound' renovation for Faslane nuclear base on Clyde
READ MORE: 12 nuclear incidents may have leaked radioactivity at Faslane naval base since 2023
In a press release, the UK Government said: 'To secure the UK as a leader in both civil and defence nuclear, the government will also be investing £4 billion over the next decade in the Plymouth naval base as well as continued long-term investment in our Defence Nuclear Enterprise and its industrial base, as this is critical for our national security while also being a significant generator of economic opportunities, jobs and growth across the entire country.
'Further investments in the defence nuclear sector include over £6 billion over the Spending Review period to enable a transformation in the capacity, capability and productivity of the UK's submarine industrial base, including at BAE Systems in Barrow and Rolls-Royce Submarines in Derby – to deliver the increase in the submarine production rate announced in the Strategic Defence Review.
'In addition, we will embark on a multi-decade, multi-billion redevelopment of HMNB Clyde, with an initial £250 million of funding over three years, supporting jobs, skills and growth across the West of Scotland.
'The government will also invest over £420 million of additional funding in Sheffield Forgemasters, securing 700 existing skilled jobs and creating over 900 new construction roles.'
More to follow …
Hashtags

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


The Independent
8 minutes ago
- The Independent
Pound and gilts slump amid doubts over Chancellor's future
The value of the pound and long-term Government bonds slumped sharply after Sir Keir Starmer failed to back Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Ms Reeves was visibly tearful in the House of Commons over a 'personal issue', as her position and Government credibility faced scrutiny after a U-turn on welfare plans. The U-turn on the Welfare Bill is now expected to stop the Labour Government from securing almost £5 billion worth of savings as it seeks to balance the books. Financial markets were knocked as a result, with the value of the pound and gilts dropping noticeably as the Prime Minister spoke in Parliament. The pound slid by 1.14% to 1.358 against the US dollar on Wednesday. Sterling had risen to a fresh three-year high against the dollar on Tuesday. The currency also fell by 0.8% to 1.155 against the euro, striking its lowest level since April. Meanwhile, the yield on Government bonds, called gilts, jumped in the face of concerns among investors. The yield on 10-year gilts rose by 0.17 percentage points to 4.63%, while the 30-year gilt rose by 0.22 percentage points to 5.45%. Both of these were the sharpest increases since US President Donald Trump's tariff plans shook up financial markets in April. Gilt yields move counter to the value of the bonds, meaning that their prices were lower on Wednesday because of the change. The rise in yields also means it will be more expensive for the Government to pay off debts, putting further pressure on its finances. Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, said: 'UK bond yields have taken a step higher as we progress through Wednesday, and Prime Minister's Questions has not eased concern that the bond vigilantes are circling. UK bonds are tanking today. 'If yields continue to rise at this pace for the next few days, the PM and Chancellor will have to decide if they want to have a sensible fiscal policy whereby public sector debt is reined in, or whether they want to please the Labour backbenches, who don't seem worried by rising debt levels and forget that we are in a new era, where bond investors can shun sovereign debt in favour of less risky, less indebted corporate debt. 'Overall, this could be the start of another fiscal crisis for the UK.'


South Wales Guardian
9 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
MPs back foreign investors owning minority stakes in UK newspapers
The Commons voted overwhelmingly in favour of a change to the law by Labour which would allow foreign firms to buy minority stakes. It is the latest turn in a tumultuous two-year takeover process for the 170-year-old newspaper business. It comes after the previous Conservative government put a block in place amid fears the Telegraph could be bought by a majority-owned UAE company, Redbird IMI. The investment vehicle is a joint venture with US financiers. The regulation was approved by 338 votes to 79, majority 259. Labour was boosted in the voting lobbies by four Reform UK MPs, including its leader Nigel Farage (Clacton), and seven Independent MPs. Meanwhile former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a vocal critic of China, was among those to vote against it. The Liberal Democrats, who forced the vote over fears foreign ownership would compromise editorial independence, also opposed it. The result will give the green light to Redbird IMI, with the cap in place now being supported by MPs. RedBird Capital, the US junior partner in RedBird IMI, agreed a deal in May to buy a majority stake in the newspaper for £500 million. Abu-Dhabi's IMI will look to buy a minority stake as part of the consortium. RedBird has investments in AC Milan, film production giant Skydance and Liverpool FC owner Fenway Sports Group. It is also understood that the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) – which owns the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, the i, and the Metro – is also looking to buy a stake. This is in addition to Sir Len Blavatnik, who owns the Theatre Royal Haymarket in the West End, who is considering a minority stake, according to Sky News reports. The rules were introduced after Redbird IMI looked to buy the Telegraph Media Group (TMG) from the Barclay Brothers. Then-Conservative culture secretary Lucy Frazer told a Society of Editors Conference in April 2024: 'I had concerns about the potential impacts of this deal on free expression and accurate presentation of news and that's why I issued a public interest intervention.' Culture minister Stephanie Peacock told MPs last month that appropriate safeguards had been introduced. She said: 'Government need to balance the importance of creating certainty and sustainability for our newspaper industry with the need to protect against the risk of foreign state influence by setting a clear threshold for exceptions within the regime at 15%. We believe that we have done that effectively.' The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been approached for comment.

South Wales Argus
9 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
‘Certain inevitability' to Grangemouth closure when Labour won power
Michael Shanks said the UK Government 'did not take any option off the table' when asked about whether Scotland's last oil refinery could have been nationalised. But he said the plant was 'far too far down the line' for the outcome to have been averted. The plant ceased crude oil processing in April, with its closure causing the loss of 430 jobs. Grangemouth stopped producing oil earlier this year (Andrew Milligan/PA) The SNP had previously called for the UK Government to nationalise the site, which its owners said was losing £385,000 a day. Appearing before the Scottish Affairs Committee in the Commons on Wednesday, Mr Shanks, who is the MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West, said the Government is 'not in the business of nationalising failing businesses'. However, he also described Grangemouth currently as a 'hugely investable opportunity' for businesses. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously announced £200 million in funding for the future of the site, cash which he hopes to triple in private investment. That came after the Scottish Government had announced £25 million in funding, while both governments funded Project Willow – a £1.5 million report into future options to keep the plant open. We're questioning Energy Minister @MGShanks on the future of North Sea energy as part of our inquiry into GB Energy and the net zero transition. Watch live ⬇️ — Scottish Affairs Committee (@CommonsScotAffs) July 2, 2025 Asked about whether the UK Government considered bringing Grangemouth into public ownership, Mr Shanks told MPs: 'I think it is fair to say we didn't take any option off the table and we did look at a whole series of options. 'But firstly, the Government's not in the business of nationalising failing businesses. 'That is difficult to say, but it is the reality that a business that's losing tens of millions of pounds, it can't be nationalised with the public facing the cost of that. 'That's the same position we're in with the Prax Lindsey refinery (North Lincolnshire), and it's the same position with Grangemouth.' Mr Shanks said Labour 'moved every possible option forward' to do what it could to save the refinery, but added: 'The truth is, we were far too far down the line with the Grangemouth process to really change the outcome and as regrettable as that is, and it genuinely is, and I've met the workers on a number of occasions, I know how significant the impact is on them and their families, there was a certain inevitability about the outcome by the point in which we came into Government.'