Skip to main content

Unlock unlimited access, free

Try a month of Britain’s best writing, absolutely free. Cancel any time.

SUBSCRIBE

Sign In

TRY A MONTH FREE

Home
Writers
Newsletters
Podcasts
Briefings
Events
Club
Archive
Shop

- Coffee House
- Politics
- Economy
- World
- Culture
- Life
- Magazine
- Home
- Writers
- Newsletters
- Podcasts
- Briefings
- Events
- Club
- Archive
- Shop
Coffee House
- Politics
- Society
- World
- Data
- Economy
- Scotland
Culture
- Arts
- Books
- Exhibitions
- Film
- Music
- Radio & podcasts
- Television
- Stage
Life
- Culture
- What to watch
- Wine & food
- Travel
- Property
- Sport
- Style
- Health
Magazine
- The Week
- Features
- Columnists
- Books
- Arts
- Life
- Cartoons
- Puzzles & games
This week's issue

10 May 2025

Coffee House
Politics
Economy
World
Culture
Life
Magazine

Sign In

TRY A MONTH FREE

Sign In

- Coffee House
- Politics
- Economy
- World
- Culture
- Life
- Magazine
- Home
- Writers
- Newsletters
- Podcasts
- Briefings
- Events
- Club
- Archive
- Shop
Coffee House
- Politics
- Society
- World
- Data
- Economy
- Scotland
Culture
- Arts
- Books
- Exhibitions
- Film
- Music
- Radio & podcasts
- Television
- Stage
Life
- Culture
- What to watch
- Wine & food
- Travel
- Property
- Sport
- Style
- Health
Magazine
- The Week
- Features
- Columnists
- Books
- Arts
- Life
- Cartoons
- Puzzles & games
This week's issue

10 May 2025

From the magazine

Cartoons

Tweet 4

The Spectator

Share
Share

The Spectator

Tweet 4
Linkedin

Messenger

Email

What exactly is the point of Starmer’s EU defence pact?

Sir Keir Starmer’s cherished agreement on defence with the European Union seems to have been high on the diplomatic agenda for a very long time without ever quite reaching its top. The Labour party’s manifesto for last year’s general election promised an ‘ambitious new UK-EU security pact to strengthen cooperation on the threats we face’.