UK PM Starmer in Italy stresses importance of fighter jet programme
ROME, Sept 16 (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday stressed the importance of a fighter jet programme with Italy and Japan after speculation that his new government could axe its participation in the scheme in a defence review.
Starmer met Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni for talks in Rome on Monday, which covered defence issues including the two countries' participation in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), known in Britain as Tempest.
"We agreed the vital importance of our collaborative defence programmes, including GCAP, for our shared national security interests and respective defence industrial capabilities, and we welcome the continued progress we are making," the leaders said in a joint declaration after the meeting.
Amid speculation that Britain's involvement in GCAP could be axed in a defence review, Starmer in July emphasised the programme's importance but didn't guarantee continued involvement.
Starmer said on Monday that the project came up "a number of times today" as he also met the chairman of defence firm Leonardo LDOF.MI, which is involved in the GCAP fighter jet project and which during the trip announced an investment of 435 million pounds ($574.50 million) in its UK business.
"GCAP is a very important project and I had the opportunity to make that clear, both publicly and here in private," Starmer told reporters shortly before he left Italy.
"Obviously, we have a strategic defence review. But that's not focused on any particular capability. GCAP is important and I've been able to make that clear today."
Defence firms including Leonardo and BAE Systems involved in delivering GCAP have said that the project is progressing and they expect it to continue under the new government.
($1 = 0.7572 pounds)
Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by Catarina Demony and Leslie Adler
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
