Crawford’s International Defence Review

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June 16, 2026

Delivery apps are eating Britain’s independent restaurants

                 Delivery apps were once seen as a lifeline for restaurants, cafés and takeaways. Increasingly, many independent operators see them as part of the problem. With commissions often taking 25% to 35% of every order, small hospitality businesses are finding themselves busier than ever but making less money. As platforms expand into “super-apps” that […]
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June 15, 2026

Sky-high energy bills and cheap imports threaten UK pottery heritage

                 The UK’s small businesses are bracing for another difficult year after the CBI warned that 200,000 jobs could disappear by Christmas as growth slows, inflation rises and business costs continue to climb. With energy prices increasing, employer National Insurance contributions higher, wage bills rising and consumer spending under pressure, many small and micro […]
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June 14, 2026

Late payment crisis costs Britain 38 businesses every day

                 Small businesses across the UK are still being forced to wait months for money they have already earned, with late payments contributing to an estimated 38 business failures every day. Now a new Commercial Payments Bill making its way through Parliament aims to tackle the problem by capping payment terms, banning controversial construction […]
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June 4, 2026

Cutting-edge underwater tech for AUKUS forces to be developed through landmark partnership

            First-of-its-kind project to develop cutting-edge uncrewed underwater technologies as AUKUS nations ‘step on the accelerator’ for Pillar 2. Follows first successful submarine maintenance period for a UK submarine at HMAS Stirling earlier this year, as UK and US submarines set to rotate through the Australian base from 2027. Additionally, three British companies named amongst […]
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May 21, 2026

UK and Ukraine strengthen defence medical cooperation during senior military medical visit

            Major General Anatolii Kazmirchuk visited the UK to strengthen defence medical cooperation with Ukraine, including collaboration on training, research and front-line care. From: Cyber & Specialist Operations Command Major General Anatolii Kazmirchu. MOD Crown Copyright UK Defence Medical Command has welcomed Major General Anatolii Kazmirchuk, Surgeon General of the Medical Forces of the Armed […]
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June 7, 2026

Building trade in freefall as confidence collapses

                 Housebuilding crisis deepens across the UK The foundations of Britain’s construction industry are beginning to crack. New industry figures reveal the sharpest downturn in construction activity for six years, with builders cutting jobs, delaying projects and warning that rising costs are making many developments unviable. From housebuilders to subcontractors, firms across the sector […]
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June 4, 2026

UK’s 1.25 million youth warning cannot be ignored

                 The warning signs are flashing red. A new report suggests the number of young people not in work, education or training could climb to 1.25 million, raising fears of a lost generation being locked out of opportunity. For young people, the consequences are obvious. For businesses and the wider economy, the risks are […]
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June 2, 2026

The first duty of government is defence. So why is it stuck in the treasury in-tray?

              By Lt Col Stuart Crawford What does all this defence spending wrangling actually mean to the ordinary man or woman in the street? Most people are understandably more concerned about paying the bills, running a business, getting an NHS appointment or keeping food on the table than they are about defence procurement. Yet […]
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June 1, 2026

Burberry backs away from climate goals — should small firms follow?

               As Britain swelters through record-breaking heat, luxury fashion giant Burberry has quietly watered down its climate targets, raising fresh questions about whether corporate Britain is losing its appetite for net zero. But while global brands may be able to shift course when the pressure mounts, small businesses face a tougher reality: climate change is […]
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May 29, 2026

The ‘lost generation’ myth ignores a record surge in young entrepreneurs

               Britain’s young people are being labelled as NEETs — Not in Education, Employment or Training — but the evidence suggests a very different story. While more than one million young people are currently outside work, education or training, a record 13.7% of 18–24-year-olds are actively starting businesses. Far from being a lost generation, they […]
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May 29, 2026

Ukraine jet deal boosts UK jobs

            Copyright and all rights reserved – .gov.uk Major new Swedish fighter jet deal to strengthen Ukraine and boost British jobs UK welcomes Sweden’s leadership in brokering new deal to supply Ukraine with fighter jets. Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression will be strengthened through a major new fighter jet deal, with essential parts of the […]
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May 19, 2026

Baroness Foster – Sky News ‘The Wrap’ 19th May 2026

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May 18, 2026

Repeat Entrepreneur Relief could help unlock billions in founder-led investment for Britain’s small businesses and start-up

                 A new proposal called Repeat Entrepreneur Relief could help unlock billions in founder-led investment for Britain’s small businesses and start-ups. Supporters say lower Capital Gains Tax for entrepreneurs who reinvest after selling a business could create a self-sustaining cycle of growth, keeping money, talent and experience inside the UK economy instead of losing […]
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March 23, 2026

One in five entrepreneurs ready to quit UK

               Nearly 9 in 10 entrepreneurs think the Government doesn’t understand their needs and a fifth of them want to leave the UK in the next 12 months. How bad does it have to get before the policy makers listen? The Entrepreneurs Network (TEN) has published the third edition of their Entrepreneurs Survey. The findings […]
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March 24, 2026

Britain’s £250bn youth time bomb

               High youth unemployment is hitting the headlines and it’s not just a short‑term labour‑market issue. It is a strategic economic threat that will shape the UK’s productivity, fiscal health, and competitiveness for decades. Even at conservative estimates, unless the number out of work drops, this could cost the UK more than a quarter of […]
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March 24, 2026

Tough new measures to tackle late payments

               Small suppliers, long beleaguered by overdue invoice payments and long payment terms in their contracts with customers are waking up this morning to an announcement that Government is to put an end to the practice. The Press Release from Government is available to read below. It basically says that suppliers will be paid in […]
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March 30, 2026

Families and shops crushed by rising costs

                 Which? says businesses should be doing everything they can to help their customers. According to research from the consumer association half of households are struggling to afford essentials and dipping into saving to pay for everyday items. The war in the middle east has pushed up the price of oil, gas, crop fertiliser […]
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April 1, 2026

Minimum wage crackdown starts today

               T The latest minimum wage rates kick in today (1st April 2026). 389 employers were fined last year for failing to comply with the minimum wage rules. They were operating across retail, hospitality, care, travel, manufacturing, and high‑street brands. In total they had to pay back £7.3 million to 60,000 workers and were fined […]
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April 11, 2026

Iran trapped by its own minefield

              Iran has mined the Strait of Hormuz and, crucially, no longer knows where all the mines are. That is not a minor detail in a distant conflict but the central fact shaping one of the most dangerous choke points in the global economy today, with direct consequences for Britain. However, congestion is not […]
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May 1, 2026

Successful missile interception test

            Copyright and all rights reserved – .gov.uk As Defence Minister visits region The UK military and Gulf partners will be better protected against drone attacks following the successful testing of new British-built Skyhammer interceptor missiles and launchers in Jordan. From: Ministry of Defence and Luke Pollard MP New Skyhammer interceptor missiles and launchers, produced by UK start-up Cambridge Aerospace, successfully tested in Jordan. Designed to counter […]
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April 21, 2026

Hormuz defence talks led by UK-France

              Scottish Labour politician Graeme Downie MP has set a hare running in the continuing debate on how the UK can raise its defence budget to a realistic level. In an article published last week in ‘The House’ – “a weekly, non-partisan political publication considered the official magazine of the UK Parliament” – Downie […]
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April 29, 2026

Hormuz defence talks led by UK-France

            Military planners from over 30 nations met on Wednesday 22 April to advance detailed planning to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in a two-day UK-hosted conference. UK and France convene military planners to advance multinational mission to re-open the Strait of Hormuz. Over 30 nations expected to attend the conference at UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters in North London. Military planners will turn diplomatic consensus into a detailed […]
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May 7, 2026

Why national service won’t work

              Scott Galloway, the London-based multimillionaire author and podcaster, has said in the Daily Telegraph that ‘Britain must implement mandatory national service to save its lost young men’. In a wide-ranging interview, he suggests that one of the reasons Israel has one of the lowest levels of young adult depression in the world may […]
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May 8, 2026

Iran conflict spirals dangerously

              The uneasy ceasefire between Iran and the US/Israeli/Gulf States ‘combined force’ looks unlikely to last for very much longer. The focus of the renewed tension is, of course, the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, or more accurately the right of international shipping to pass through it. Iran, in the form of the […]
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May 11, 2026

Allies meet on Hormuz

            Copyright and all rights reserved – .gov.uk   …. as British Warship to pre-position in the region UK and France to host first meeting of Defence Ministers to advance the Strait of Hormuz multinational mission. This comes as HMS Dragon, one of the UK’s most capable warships, will forward deploy to the region. From: Ministry […]
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May 13, 2026

HMS Spey marks UK-PH ties

            Copyright and all rights reserved – .gov.uk UK Royal Navy offshore patrol vessel HMS Spey recently concluded a three-day port visit to Manila, marking a significant moment in the UK-Philippines relations. From: British Embassy Manila Published 13 May 2026 Crew of HMS Spey wave to the Philippine Navy during a passage exercise (PASSEX) as the […]
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May 14, 2026

Conflict Trump cannot contain

              A month into the US/Iran ceasefire in the Middle East, and it’s beginning to look as if it’s on its last legs. Donald Trump has said that the temporary cessation of hostilities is “on massive life support”, adding that the present arrangement was “unbelievably weak”. The outlook was much more optimistic when the […]
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April 23, 2026

Special art exhibition in Shepperton this May 2026

             Diana Moran, best known as TV’s “Green Goddess”, will host a special art exhibition in Shepperton this May — offering the community a chance to say goodbye before she leaves the area. The exhibition will feature a wide range of Moran’s paintings, including landscapes, seascapes, animals, birds and still life, created in oil, acrylic […]
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April 1, 2026

Sack staff and risk six figures as new laws hit small firms

               T Small and micro‑business employers need to prepare for the new unfair dismissal landscape once the Employment Rights Act 2025 reforms come into force. In Summary From 1 January 2027, major reforms to UK employment law will significantly increase the risk and cost exposure for small and micro‑business employers. The most important change is […]
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March 30, 2026

UK commits £100 million air defence package for Ukraine

            Copyright and all rights reserved – .gov.uk …. to protect cities and critical infrastructure The UK will urgently commit an additional £100 million for air defence support to Ukraine, helping to defend the country from Russia’s relentless attacks. From: Ministry of Defence, Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street, The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP and The Rt Hon John Healey MP New funding brings the total […]
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Tank CommanderLt Col Stuart Crawford’s latest book Tank Commander (Hardback) is available now

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3 thoughts on “Crawford’s International Defence Review”

  1. The UK hasn`t had an Indepedant Foreign Policy since 1965; when Harold Wilson Refused to send British Troops to Vietnam. We have been America`s Poodle ever since. We have sent British Troops to Fight in America`s Oil Wars ever since. Now, we are helping America`s Military and Financial efforts to Humble Russia and China. We are leading NATO`s Puppets to Start a War Based on the Ukraine to Enrich the US “Merchants of Death”.

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  2. Pingback: Crawford’s International Defence Review w/c 22nd August 2022 – peoplematter.tv
  3. Pingback: CIDR – Nuclear Scaremongering – peoplematter.tv

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