Keith Turnbull

Fifteen years ago today (1 May 2011), U.S. Navy SEALs raided a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan and killed Usama Bin Laden. The raid marked the end of a more than 15-year effort by partners across the Intelligence Community to find Bin Ladin. Learn more: cia.gov/stories/story/…

Saw your report today. Surprising yet informative as usual.

How MI5 is targeting Ireland’s next generation of terrorists telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/2…

Decade? That means when Labour is kicked out we still have a few years to do defence correctly then.

Nato members scrambling to rearm for a potential war with Russia face “empty shelves” after three decades of neglect in the defence industry, the alliance’s former top military officer has warned thetimes.com/world/europe/a…

🔴 Richard Williams, former commanding officer of 22 SAS, the British Army’s most elite regiment, breaks his lifetime vow of silence to sound the alarm over No 10’s ‘dangerous lies’ about the UK’s hollowed-out defence Read the full interview below ⬇️ telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/2…

@Blackheath_1858 @Natleague_rugby Will be there,but so close to automatic. Well done Club. Unlucky Sale.

Put 9 May 2026 in your diary, and keep an eye on the socials and the newsletter for more information. #blackheathrugby #blackheathfc #club #homeplayoffconfirmed @Natleague_rugby

@Blackheath_1858 Yes we know. At KGX for three hours. Now in Winchester watching a poor play off game level 7

Kick off delayed until 3:50 due to issues with trains. Normal service will soon resume.

The PM is asked by @Conservatives & @LibDems to take the politics out of defence & make accelerating investment to 3% of GDP a cross-party issue @Keir_Starmer tells @KemiBadenoch: Thanks but no thanks Given the gravity of the challenge, this position will surely need to change

Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves will today be accused of “corrosive complacency” on defence, in a damning intervention by the lead author of their own defence review. Lord George Robertson, a former Labour defence secretary and former head of the NATO alliance, will use a speech - first reported by @LOS_Fisher @FT - to reveal his deep frustration at a failure by the government to rebuild the “underprepared” military at pace in the face of escalating threats and instability. He will take particular aim at the chancellor, her apparent lack of interest in defence and the incompatibility of vast welfare spending with supercharging the defence budget. Lord Robertson will accuse “non-military experts in the Treasury” of “vandalism”, adding: “We cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget”. The public rebuke by a key ally and adviser of the government echoes a sense of growing dismay among defence insiders at the lack decisive political leadership when it comes to fixing the UK’s hollowed out armed forces and rebuilding wider national resilience. Sir Keir has yet even to publish a major, 10-year plan for new investment in the Royal Navy, army and Royal Air Force, which means defence companies are sitting idle, with employees even worrying about job security, instead of cranking up production and ensuring the UK is returning to a war-footing – something the prime minister has said is necessary. The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) should have been released last autumn in the wake of Lord Robertson’s Strategic Defence Review, which set out of the parlous state of the armed forces following decades of underinvestment and the plan for recovery. The hold up is because the Ministry of Defence needs tens of billions of pounds in new funding from the Treasury over the coming four years much faster than currently envisaged – but there is a deadlock over how that can be achieved. John Healey, the defence secretary, on Friday was unable to confirm to Sky News that the investment plan would be made public before MPs break up for the summer. In his speech in Salisbury, Lord Robertson will say: “We are underprepared. We are underinsured. We are under attack. We are not safe . . . Britain’s national security and safety is in peril.” He will also warn: “There is a corrosive complacency today in Britain’s political leadership. Lip service is paid to the risks, the threats, the bright red signals of danger — but even a promised national conversation about defence can’t be started.” Excerpts of the speech were first reported by the Financial Times. The Labour grandee will say that Donald Trump’s war in Iran “has to be a rude wake up call”. He will point to an inability by the navy even to deploy a single large warship at pace to defend British interests in the easter Mediterranean as a sign of just how hollow the armed forces have become. Ms Reeves will be called out over her apparent neglect of what should be the top priority of any government, Lord Robertson will pointedly say that she used “a mere 40 words on defence in over an hour” in her Budget speech last year, while last month “in the Spring Statement she used none”. Sir Keir has promised to increase spending on defence to 3% of GDP up from just over 2% - but not until the next parliament. A government spokesperson said: “We are delivering on the Strategic Defence Review to meet the threats we face. “It is backed by the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, with a total of over £270 billion being invested across this Parliament. “We are finalising our Defence Investment Plan that we will publish as soon as possible, putting the best kit and technology into the hands of our forces, rebuilding British industry to make defence an engine for growth and doubling down on our own commitment to NATO."

Europe must "take the gloves off" with Trump. Russia arms Iran, and Trump shrugs it off while choking off support to Ukraine. NATO allies must now stand on their own feet. "America is not a reliable partner under Trump." @CormacS63

The current state of the Royal Navy: 2 aircraft carriers — neither operational. 6 Type 45 destroyers (our most powerful warships) — one operational (in Cyprus). 7 Type 23 frigates (less powerful, much older) — three operational 5 Astute class nuke-powered subs — one operational (in Arabian Sea?). Surely those responsible for this appalling state of unreadiness (a national embarrassment if ever there was one)— political, civilian and military — should be fired/charged. Their incompetence has effectively left us without a navy. Quite an achievement for an ancient island nation.

I agree. As I do with you re the papers

Former intelligence chiefs have attacked Sir Keir Starmer for failing to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation. Follow the link below to read more about it ⬇️ telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/2…

Why tell everyone including them on board, so silly 😂 just do it and say after.

Only sea viper missiles and only if the Type 45 are operational.

🚨Iran has developed intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking London, Israel has warned Sir Keir Starmer Read this front page story here ⬇️ telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/2…

Iran tried unsuccessfully on Friday to target the UK-US military base in Diego Garcia with ballistic missiles, it is understood. The attack happened before the UK announced it would allow US forces to use the base to launch strikes against Iran. The attempt to hit a site some 4,000 km away though demonstrates a ballistic missile reach by Iran that until now had not been publicly confirmed. A @DefenceHQ spokesperson said: “Iran’s reckless attacks, lashing out across the region and holding hostage the Strait of Hormuz, are a threat to British interests and British allies. “RAF jets and other UK military assets are continuing to defend our people and personnel in the region. “This government has given permission to the US to use British bases for specific and limited defensive operations.”

@davisonceo @BladeoftheS Yup

@BladeoftheS Their money, their risk, their effort

Why should billionaires be able to pass on billions tax free?

We have five other '45's. Why wait for Dragon, send a different one that was battle ready 🤔