Derrick Wyatt KC, retired academic and lawyer
EU law, international law, constitutional law
Politics
Writes on law and policy at https://derrickwyatt.substack.co
Derrick Wyatt's Law and Policy Blog
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From the Times.
Labour is failing catastrophically on defence. Burnham hasn't mentioned the subject since he mused aloud that more borrowing might be the answer.
Tony Blair recently urged the UK to stay close to the US for security reasons.
But as Trump backs away from NATO, “business as usual” is not an option, argues Derrick Wyatt on @lsepoliticsblog.bsky.social
blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandp...
Blair's advice to Labour on defence would have been different if he had not insisted Trump is a reliable ally. The UK, like France, should deploy some of its nuclear warheads on aircraft, and consider both “forward deterrence” and nuclear-sharing with allies.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Trump's war on Iran has created a shortage of Patriot missile interceptors that leaves Ukraine vulnerable to Russian missiles.
The same for NATO countries which use the Patriot system - such as Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, Spain, Poland and Sweden.
www.arabnews.com/node/2646323...
Fact that US is considering buying the Chagos Islands from Mauritius and not the UK indicates the US endorses the UK position on the now suspended UK/Mauritius agreement recognising Mauritius sovereignty and leasing back Diego Garcia.
news.sky.com/story/techni...
I have doubts about the costs/utility of the UK's 2 aircraft carriers
1) escorting them anywhere is beyond the ability of the Royal Navy without allied back-up
2) could more, say, drone (aerial and seaborne/undersea) -capable frigates offer a bigger "bang for buck"?
We all need to resist attempts like this to politicise Henry Nowak’s death and divide our country - whether they come from MAGA politicians like Vance or their cronies here in the UK.
institute.global/insights/pol...
Options like mitigating the loss of the US nuclear umbrella by the UK acquiring its own airborne nukes for "forward deterrence," and/or nuclear-sharing with allies, could have been urged by Blair if he had not insisted on portraying Trump as a reliable ally
Blog soon
lots of academic literature discussed in this opinion - eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-conten... including @profjacob.bsky.social @blogwyatt.bsky.social and (ahem) moi
news.sky.com/story/burnha...
No party should be described as progressive if it advocates undermining NATO in its stand against Russian aggression and other war crimes. Yes, that means the SNP, PC, and the Greens.
Tony Blair has urged the UK to stay close to the US for security reasons. But as President Trump backs away from NATO, “business as usual” is not an option.
WASHINGTON: The White House is considering a plan to buy the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, the Telegraph reported on Sunday. US officials have drawn up a proposal to bypass the UK and make their own...
Tony Blair has urged the UK to stay close to the US for security reasons. But as President Trump backs away from NATO, “business as usual” is not an option.
Senior figures from the progressive parties will form a new group to discuss how the "progressive majority" can stop Reform winning the next election, including discussing electoral pacts.
