Starmer's latest freebie: British sovereignty in exchange for nothing
While we can't rely on the French to help police the Channel – despite paying them £500 million for the privilege, we can always trust our Gallic cousins to bear a grudge.
We already knew that the Prime Minister's great EU 'reset' was a sham; that much was clear when all we got in return was the use of e-gates that were already operational in many European countries.
Now, we learn that we may not even be granted access to the bloc's industrial defence programme, despite Sir Keir Starmer's insistence that defence and security was a central tenet of the deal.
As he boasted last month after selling us out to Brussels: 'We've also struck a new defence and security partnership to strengthen our cooperation and strengthen our security – which is vital in this dangerous new era.
'And it will open the door to working with the EU's new defence fund – providing new opportunities for our defence industry, supporting British jobs and livelihoods.'
Except, of course, the French have other ideas. In yet another example of just how bad Labour is at negotiating anything (see also the Chagos surrender and, more recently, the 'deal' to allow Spanish border guards to check passports on Gibraltar) we now learn that Emmanuel Macron is trying to shut out British arms firms from the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP).
While different to the defence fund, which is known as SAFE (Security Action for Europe), EDIP will see cash pumped into joint procurement projects and the production of weapons, ammunition and other military hardware. It was created for the benefit of the EU and 'allies' but French diplomats have insisted the tool should be solely used to boost firms based inside the EU, as well as Norway and Ukraine – shutting out the UK.
So much for Starmer's boast that the reset deal would put Britain 'back on the world stage' and give us 'unprecedented access to the EU market, the best of any country.'
Labour is yet to reveal how many billions is being squandered on a reset that has already prompted another big fat 'non' from Paris.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
26 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Starmer Faces Brewing Rebellion Over £5 Billion Benefit Cut
By , Lucy White, and Joe Mayes Save UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is less than 10 days away from the biggest parliamentary challenge to his authority in his not-yet year-long tenure. Unpopular cuts to disability benefits unveiled earlier this year as part of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves' efforts to balance the country's books are due before the House of Commons for their first vote on July 1, with a large-scale rebellion brewing on the Labour back benches.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Highest-paying jobs in Germany: Official data and job postings reveal top salaries
Germany is the world's third-largest economy, with a projected GDP of $4.74 trillion (€4.12tn) in 2025. According to IMF estimates from April of this year, it ranks among the top 20 countries in GDP per capita, with its total standing at $55,911 (€47,206). Germany is also the top EU destination for immigrants in total — combining arrivals from both within and outside the bloc, according to Eurostat. Some of them are highly skilled and dream of finding good, well-paid jobs. So, what are the highest-paying positions in Germany, and what are the average annual earnings for these roles? Euronews Business takes a closer look at the highest salaries in Germany using two sources that reflect different aspects of the job market. The first is the gross earnings dataset from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) from April 2024. While the data is reported monthly, it has been converted into annual figures by multiplying by 12. Euronews has also looked at job postings from global hiring firm Indeed, covering annual earnings from May 2024 to April 2025. According to Destatis, aviation is the top-paying sector in Germany, with a median gross annual salary of €336,000. Median earnings in this field typically start from €132,000. In the healthcare industry, median annual earnings range between €108,000 and €156,000, followed by the legal and judiciary sector, where salaries fall between €84,000 and €144,000. In academia and research, median salaries range from €72,000 to €120,000, closely followed by the IT and engineering sector, where salaries fall between €72,000 and €114,000. Public sector employees are also well paid, with median salaries ranging from €60,000 to €114,000. Retail and services represent the lowest-paid sector, with median annual earnings ranging from €30,000 to €42,000. The average gross monthly earnings in April 2024 were €4,634, amounting to €55,608 annually in Germany. Pilots have the highest median annual gross earnings in Germany, with salaries varying based on experience and specific roles. Those in highly complex aviation roles earn a median salary of €342,072, and an average of around €337,152. Flying instructors in complex roles have a median annual salary of €281,592, ranking them second in terms of median earnings. Among the top 50 highest-paying jobs, four additional aviation roles are also featured: air traffic surveillance and control (complex) at €147,996 (5th), airline and aircraft pilots (complex) at €139,524 (6th), aircraft pilots at €122,484 (12th), and technical air traffic control (complex) at €109,188 (20th). Healthcare occupations dominate the list of highest-paying jobs in Germany, with 11 roles included in the top 50. At the top of the list are managers in human medicine and dentistry, earning a substantial €165,576 annually and ranking third overall. Among technical roles, highly complex positions in laboratory medicine and radiology follow closely, with median annual salaries of €131,556 and €129,012, respectively. Medical doctors are also well represented, especially those in surgical specialties, earning €118,668 per year. General or unspecified medical practitioners in highly complex roles can expect to earn around €100,000 annually. Managers in legal services and jurisdiction rank fourth overall, with a median annual salary of €149,280. Judges in highly complex roles follow at 38th place, with prosecutors and lawyers in similarly complex roles ranking just behind them, all earning around €95,000 annually. Not surprisingly, managerial positions across various sectors appear in the top 50 highest-paying jobs. These sectors include universities, technical research, computer science, public administration, IT systems, software development, accounting, business organisation, and media management. These managers typically earn more than €100,000 annually, with none earning less than €90,000. Perhaps one of the most surprising entries in the list is the magicians and illusionists sector, ranking eighth overall with annual earnings of €134,316. National security service employees in highly complex roles also feature in the top 50, with salaries just over €90,000. Indeed's list of highest-paying occupations also highlights broader salary trends. Corporate tax advisors top the chart with a median annual salary of €145,000 in Germany. Various sales roles come next in the ranking, such as managing directors and heads of sales, with median earnings ranging from €107,500 to €138,243. A labour law attorney earns €105,000, while general lawyers receive around €93,334. System Applications Product consultants earn just under €100,000, with senior system engineers following closely at €95,000. Other tech roles, such as IT security specialists and technical SAP consultants, have salaries around €90,000. In the management category, directors also earn approximately €90,000. There is only one medical profession appearing on the list — dentists — with a median wage of nearly €86,000 because 'physicians and surgeons' is excluded from Indeed's dataset, requiring a separate analysis. As jobs and skills continue to evolve, the highest-paying roles are expected to shift as well. 'We anticipate that AI/GenAI, green energy, cybersecurity, and biotechnology will produce new top-earning job titles over the next 5–10 years,' Pawel Adrjan, Director of Economic Research at Indeed, told Euronews Business. He noted that roles like AI ethicist, GenAI engineers, climate data analysts and key sustainability roles are gaining momentum and are likely to enter the upper salary tiers as demand for specialised expertise in these fields increases. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
San Francisco Chronicle
40 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Diplomatic breakthrough elusive as Israel-Iran war stretches into second week
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Hours of talks aimed at de-escalating fighting between Israel and Iran failed to produce a diplomatic breakthrough as the war entered its second week with a fresh round of strikes between the two adversaries. European ministers and Iran's top diplomat met for four hours Friday in Geneva, as President Donald Trump continued to weigh U.S. military involvement and worries rose over potential strikes on nuclear reactors. European officials expressed hope for future negotiations, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he was open to further dialogue while emphasizing that Tehran had no interest in negotiating with the U.S. while Israel continued attacking. 'Iran is ready to consider diplomacy if aggression ceases and the aggressor is held accountable for its committed crimes,' he told reporters. No date was set for the next round of talks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's military operation in Iran would continue 'for as long as it takes' to eliminate what he called the existential threat of Iran's nuclear program and arsenal of ballistic missiles. Israel's top general echoed the warning, saying the Israeli military was ready 'for a prolonged campaign.' But Netanyahu's goal could be out of reach without U.S. help. Iran's underground Fordo uranium enrichment facility is considered to be out of reach to all but America's 'bunker-buster' bombs. Trump said he would put off deciding whether to join Israel's air campaign against Iran for up to two weeks. The war between Israel and Iran erupted June 13, with Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists. At least 657 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 2,000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates. Most have been shot down by Israel's multitiered air defenses, but at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded. Worries rise over the perils of attacking Iran's nuclear reactors Addressing an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency warned against attacks on Iran's nuclear reactors, particularly its only commercial nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr. 'I want to make it absolutely and completely clear: In case of an attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant, a direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment,' said Rafael Grossi, chief of the U.N. nuclear watchdog. 'This is the nuclear site in Iran where the consequences could be most serious.' Israel has not targeted Iran's nuclear reactors, instead focusing its strikes on the main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, centrifuge workshops near Tehran, laboratories in Isfahan and the country's Arak heavy water reactor southwest of the capital. Grossi has warned repeatedly that such sites should not be military targets. After initially reporting no visible damage from Israel's Thursday strikes on the Arak heavy water reactor, the IAEA on Friday said it had assessed 'key buildings at the facility were damaged,' including the distillation unit. The reactor was not operational and contained no nuclear material, so the damage posed no risk of contamination, the watchdog said. Iran previously agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors access to its nuclear sites under a 2015 deal with the U.S., France, China, Russia, Britain and Germany in exchange for sanctions relief. But after Trump pulled the U.S. unilaterally out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium up to 60% — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90% — and restricting access to its nuclear facilities. Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but it is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich uranium up to 60%. Israel is widely believed to be the only Middle Eastern country with a nuclear weapons program but has never acknowledged it. Israel says 'difficult days' ahead Israel said its warplanes hit dozens of military targets across Iran on Friday, including missile-manufacturing facilities, while an Iranian missile hit Israel's northern city of Haifa, sending plumes of smoke billowing over the Mediterranean port and wounding at least 31 people. Iranian state media reported explosions from Israeli strikes in an industrial area of Rasht, along the coast of the Caspian Sea. Israel's military had warned Iranians to evacuate the area around Rasht's Industrial City, southwest of the city's downtown. But with Iran's internet shut off — now for more than 48 hours — it's unclear how many people could see the message. The Israeli military believes it has destroyed most of Iran's ballistic missile launchers, contributing to the steady decline in Iranian attacks. But several of the roughly three dozen missiles that Israel said Iran fired on Friday slipped through the country's aerial defense system, setting off air-raid sirens across the country and sending shrapnel flying into a residential area in the southern city of Beersheba, a frequent target of Iranian missiles where a hospital was hit Thursday.
