Hegseth right to mock Royal Navy, says ex-army chief as he backs claims over military underfunding – UK politics live

A former army chief, Richard Barrons, supports claims that the UK's military forces are underfunded and too small for the current global landscape. This follows criticism of the Royal Navy. Meanwhile, Downing Street announced that Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron will co-chair a meeting in Paris on Friday with representatives from approximately 40 countries to discuss strategies for maintaining access to the Strait of Hormuz after the Iran war. Keir Starmer will also lead a newly formed cabinet committee, the Middle East response committee, to address the repercussions of the Iran conflict. The committee's initial focus is on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for global energy supplies. The Prime Minister established the committee to manage the domestic and international consequences of the war, including rising energy prices and stock market instability.