Evening briefing on Tuesday 30th June

0:00This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by PwCWC. Staying competitive means getting ahead, not just keeping up. So how do business leaders cut through the noise and focus on what really matters? PwC takes you further with tech, from optimising the systems that put your data to work, to scaling AI from proof of concept to competitive edge. PwC helps you meet tomorrow's tech demands, so you can compete at a speed that rewrites the rules. Discover more at pwc.co.uk This is your Times Evening Briefing on Tuesday 30th June. The former head of the British Army, Lord Dannert, has told Times Radio that Sir Keir Starmer's inaction over defence investment will have consequences.

0:47Sir Keir Starmer announced an extra£15 billion is being given to the military over the next four years, taking the total Ministry of Defence budget to£298 billion between now and 2029-2030, with money being taken from other departments to pay for it. Lord Dunnett, former Chief of General Staff, says it's all too little, too late. Actions have consequences, and in his case, inactions have consequences. The Strategic Defence Review of last July provided a very thorough analysis of the threats and dangers to our security, and it was to be followed last autumn by this Defence Investment Plan. Well, that didn't happen.

1:25It didn't happen in the autumn, didn't happen in the winter, didn't happen in the spring, and now it's happened today. But the tragedy is, it's taken the resignation of John Healy and Al Karnes to finally get the Prime Minister to wake up that this is really, really serious. Defence editor at the Times Larissa Brown questions some glaring omissions in the document. There are some detailed costings for the next four years, but quite crucially there aren't detailed costings for the years after that. Now this is meant to be a 10-year plan, so obviously that seems quite extraordinary to begin with.

1:58Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis has insisted defence chiefs are in support of the defence investment plan and told MPs in the Commons the success of the plan will be judged by whether those in the armed forces support it. The US Supreme Court has thrown out Donald Trump's attempt to limit birthright citizenship. The ruling upholds 150 years of legal precedent, meaning any baby born on American soil is automatically a citizen of the country. The decision is a major challenge to the president's agenda to reduce immigration. Senior midwife Donna Ockenden has criticised a new national report into NHS maternity failings, saying it'll absolutely not make a difference and tells us nothing new.

2:39Labour peer Baroness Amos, who was commissioned by the government last year, has published eight key recommendations for overhauling NHS care, including appointing a new maternity commissioner. Bereaved families have criticised the review and are demanding a public inquiry. But Lady Amos told Times Radio it shouldn't be necessary. Personally, whilst I understand the frustration and the trauma of families who have lost their child and feel it's the only way to get justice, I do think that the recommendations that we have made will have a transformational impact and that therefore we would not need a public inquiry.

3:17Asylum seekers may not end up being charged£10 ,000 to contribute for housing. This despite a new plan that's being unveiled by the Home Secretary that says migrants will have to contribute once they start earning. But Dr Minea Quibus, a senior researcher at the Migration Observatory, says refugees who get into work won't be paid enough to contribute the full amount. He says this isn't just about getting more revenue for the government. This is also about sending a broader message about contribution and also about the costs of asylum seekers here in the UK. So on those terms, the policy might be more successful.

3:55An emotional Iga Sriontek kicked off her women's title defence at Wimbledon with a tough three-set victory against American Taylor Townsend in the first round. Elsewhere, Katie Swan, Arthur Ferry and Jacob Fernley are through to round two, but 13 Brits have been knocked out in the first round. Seven-time champion Serena Williams will return to the All England Club later after four years away. You can follow The Times Radio News Briefing on Spotify and listen live to Times Radio online. That's your Times Evening Briefing on Tuesday 30th June.

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