Most of the newspapers react to the government’s Defence Secretary Review plans, announced by the prime minister yesterday. The UK is set to spend an extra £2bn on drones and AI in a bid to make the country “battle ready” – but some papers (right-leaning Conservatives) warn that a tax rise will likely be on the way to pay for it. New submarines are set to be built in what some papers suggest is a warning to Russia, and the review lays out plans to recruit more people for the army, with a paid stint in the military for school leavers being considered.
READ: The Strategic Defence Review 2025 – Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad
The Independent says Britain’s military will be ‘10 times more lethal’ under the plans as the army’s boost will tackle a “new era of threat from Russia.” Defence secretary John Healey said Britain’s army needed to become “10 times more lethal” in the face of the “immediate and pressing threat” from Russia and the rise of China. “We are in a new era of threat, which demands a new era for UK defence,” he told MPs.
This headline uses threat framing (“new era of threat from Russia”) to justify military expansion and urgency. “10 times more lethal” is a dramatic claim, boosting the image of strength. The warning to Starmer and mention of his refusal to commit to 3% GDP spending subtly casts doubt on his leadership, using contrast to portray him as potentially slow or indecisive.
The i reports that in the review a military “gap year” for over-18s has been suggested. The prime minister has ruled out national service and instead suggests a paid year to teach school leavers about the military, it writes.
This headline uses positive framing (“taste of military life”, “gap year”) to make service sound appealing and voluntary, softening the image of military recruitment. Linking it to education and opportunity presents the Armed Forces as a career path, while the review’s suggestion implies a strategic push for recruitment without overt coercion.
The Times notes that the PM has insisted the British Army will grow for the first time in a generation as one expert cited by the paper warns that the increase in spending will mean “some really quite chunky take increases.”
This headline uses alarmist language (“war footing”, “weapons of mass destruction”) to create urgency and justify future tax increases. It frames the situation as a national emergency, making financial sacrifice seem necessary. This is a fear-based tactic to condition public acceptance of policy changes.
The Daily Express says ex-military official Lord Dannatt has said Sir Keir Starmer’s Strategic Defence Review announcements will be too slow. Ministers have been dazzled by drones, cyber, and artificial intelligence. But here’s the truth: you can’t fight a war with a laptop. You still need boots on the ground, crews in the air, and ships that sail with full complements. The Government says it will spend 2.5% of GDP on defence. But that figure was plucked out of thin air.
This headline uses a colloquial phrase (“won’t cut the mustard”) to mock the government’s response, adding a tone of dismissive criticism. Quoting a “former Army chief” lends authority, reinforcing the idea that the PM is failing under pressure. The mention of the “Russia threat” heightens fear and urgency to support increased military spending.
Copyright WTX News 2025