UK inflation fears grow after Donald Trump vowed to restrict shipping in a vital oil strait following failed talks with Iran. The PM said Britain will not join any US move. The Chancellor heads to Washington as markets brace for higher energy costs and possible rate shifts.

Insiders warn delays to a £300bn Defence Investment Plan risk leaving the UK short of vital equipment and personnel. A former senior commander and industry chiefs cite a procurement vacuum after a Whitehall funding dispute. Pressure mounts on the PM to sign off spending and bolster deterrence with allies.

A hostile state moved sanctioned military supplies through the Channel on tankers escorted by a frigate, according to the Defence Secretary. He also disclosed three submarines sought to monitor UK undersea data cables. No damage occurred, but he called the state the primary threat to UK security.

UK to deploy minehunter drones to secure shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with the PM accelerating work to reopen Gulf routes amid regional tensions. But analysts expect fuel bills to remain high and call for a plan to protect households as energy supplies stay tight.