Aukus is a gamechanger

Aukus is one of the most significant security pacts in modern history. It marks a bold new era in how we think about our alliances and our national resilience. Brits are on board with the pact: 64 per cent are confident about its ability to make us safer; a similar number (65 per cent) think it will make the UK more competitive towards China.

After 18 months of intensive research and negotiations, the Aukus trilateral pact is finally taking shape. An elegant solution has been found for Australia’s submarine deficit, with Rishi Sunak joining the American and Australian leaders in San Diego in the United States to announce the launch of a state-of-the-art SSN-Aukus submarine project. It will take a phased approach, harnessing the best of each partner’s capabilities, and delivering vital new strength and capacity to all three defence industrial bases.

For the UK, this multi-decade submarines project will enhance our skilled workforce in Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, deliver jobs and contracts for British companies, and allow us to contribute to a deterrence mechanism to uphold stability in the global order.