Deborah Haynes

I am security and defence editor at Sky News - DMs open or my email is [email protected]

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

Out now, The Wargame, a podcast series that simulates a Russian attack on the UK
We imagine it's October 2025
Russia deploys a task force of ships, jets & submarines to the North Atlantic. The UK is in missile range. The PM calls an emergency Cobra meeting
https://t.co/7Zvq7Z8jnB

[Dominic Hauschild @domhauschild]

The head of the armed forces Sir Richard Knighton has just revealed something shocking about the defence budget💥

He said during a House of Lords committee meeting that the armed forces would have to "dial back" its work if he doesn't get any more money.

He was responding to a series of questions from Lord Robertson, who asked whether the reported £10bn spending uplift offered to John Healey - prompting his resignation - was enough.

[Dominic Hauschild @domhauschild]

Minister Luke Pollard just said in the House of Commons he is still a minister in MoD because John Healey asked him to stay.

He said: "Its no secret I worked in lock step with the former defence secretary. He is a friend and mentor.... I am still standing here because he [Healey] asked me to stay and because we need continuity..."

It's hard not to read between the lines here. Is the implication of this that he *wanted* to resign over the defence investment plan but Healey told him not to..?

[Guido Fawkes @GuidoFawkes]

LUKE POLLARD defence minister says he is only still in post because John Healey asked him not to resign.

"he asked me to stay, and because we need continuity in this complex and difficult operational environment."

[Sky News @SkyNews]

BREAKING: Donald Trump has said that "ships are starting to move" out of the Strait of Hormuz, following a tentative deal with Iran to 'end war'

Live updates: https://t.co/sEGCzbrEsl

📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube

[Sky News @SkyNews]

'[Defence] should be a central coherent principle for government, not something in a separate silo that you have to raid other government departments to support'

Former armed forces minister Al Carns speaks to Sky's @BarbaraGSerra on how the defence budget should be spent

[Financial Times @FT]

Arson targeting Keir Starmer properties originated in Russia https://t.co/dKTlGm69PD

[Esther Webber @estwebber]

✈️ NEW: Starmer heads off to seek refuge on the world stage — but UK allies know the jig is up.

✈️ Defence spending "consistently" raised by international partners in meetings.

✈️ European diplomat: “Weak domestically is eventually weak abroad."

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

BREAKING: There were 25 crew members of various nationalities on board the Russian shadow fleet vessel that was intercepted by UK forces in the Channel, according to Lieutenant Colonel Tom Quinn, Commanding Officer, 42 Commando. They are "in the care" of the National Crime Agency

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

The raid took place in international waters in the Channel - so more than 12 nautical miles from the coast

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

BREAKING: First video of British forces boarding a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Channel - the Royal Marines can be seen fast-roping from a Chinook helicopter overnight onto the vessel

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

No info so far from @DefenceHQ & @ukhomeoffice on:
1. the number & nationality of crew on the sanctioned Russian shadow fleet vessel that was seized
2. whether any other passengers were on board
3. what's going to happen to them all
Apparently it's because this is an ongoing National Crime Agency investigation

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

@DefenceHQ Final video from @DefenceHQ of the raid. We have yet to be told who was on board, what nationality and what will happen to them

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

BREAKING: First video of British forces boarding a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Channel - the Royal Marines can be seen fast-roping from a Chinook helicopter overnight onto the vessel

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

@DefenceHQ This third video looks to be towards the end of the six-hour boarding operation given the sun is rising. You can see the boarded vessel from the view point of a helicopter that was involved

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

🚨The UK operation to board a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the English Channel came after weeks of military and political planning, it is understood

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

BREAKING: First video of British forces boarding a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Channel - the Royal Marines can be seen fast-roping from a Chinook helicopter overnight onto the vessel

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

BREAKING: UK forces for the first time overnight intercepted a sanctioned oil tanker - part of Russia's shadow fleet - in an operation that saw Royal Marine commandos fast rope onto the vessel in the Channel from helicopters.
Warships and surveillance aircraft also involved.
The Smyrtos tanker - flying under the flag of Cameroon - will be moved to an anchorage off the south coast of England and will be monitored for any environmental or safety concerns.
It is not immediately clear what will happen to the crew.

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

“We feel like window dressing for a government that doesn’t actually care” - that’s the verdict of one defence industry source after about 20 companies were invited by the Ministry of Defence to showcase their kit at the launch of a vast drone-testing centre in Swindon.

At a minimum, those who attended had hoped to meet the new defence secretary.

Instead, many were left disappointed as Dan Jarvis rushed in, gave a short speech, looked at a few stalls and then sped off.

“I don’t know why we bothered” said another source.⬇️

https://t.co/RiGRmHkaKJ

[Sky News @SkyNews]

Sir Keir Starmer has suffered a bruising few days with his defence secretary and armed forces minister resigning.

Al Carns followed his boss John Healey out of government over a lack of funds for the military in the coming defence investment plan.

@haynesdeborah reports

[Deborah Haynes @haynesdeborah]

“We feel like window dressing for a government that doesn’t actually care” - that’s the verdict of one defence industry source after about 20 companies were invited by the Ministry of Defence to showcase their kit at the launch of a vast drone-testing centre in Swindon.

At a minimum, those who attended had hoped to meet the new defence secretary.

Instead, many were left disappointed as Dan Jarvis rushed in, gave a short speech, looked at a few stalls and then sped off.

“I don’t know why we bothered” said another source.⬇️

https://t.co/RiGRmHkaKJ