Background: The UK and Netherlands had previously announced a joint programme to develop a new class of amphibious transport ships, with a £500 million investment and plans for a combined fleet. Today: UK Defence Minister Luke Pollard confirmed to a joint session of the Treasury and Defence Committees on 8 July that all eight planned Anglo-Dutch Amphibious Transport Ships, including the four vessels destined for the Royal Netherlands Navy, will be built in British shipyards under a £2.4 billion agreement signed at the NATO summit in Ankara by Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Rob Jetten. Pollard described the arrangement as an export success for British industry. The first ship is expected to enter service in the 2030s, restoring a dedicated amphibious capability for the Royal Navy after the retirement of HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark. The final allocation of work between UK shipyards has yet to be decided, with block construction across multiple sites possible. Navantia UK has publicly positioned its Harland and Wolff yard in Belfast for the programme. Shipbuilder Balaena has publicly announced its readiness to construct the 160-metre, 15,000-tonne vessels at its Birkenhead and North East England facilities, citing its delivery of structural components for the Type 26 frigate programme and units for the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. The company also highlighted its commercial order book, including three ferries scheduled for delivery in 2026. The joint programme, officially named the Amphibious Transport Ship, supersedes the UK's earlier Multi-Role Strike Ship concept. Navantia UK, owner of Harland & Wolff in Belfast, has also signalled interest in the construction contracts, indicating competition among major UK shipbuilders.

Four Ugandan farmers have filed a case in the UK High Court against EACOP Ltd, the company behind the East African Crude Oil Pipeline led by TotalEnergies. The lawsuit argues that the pipeline violates Ugandan constitutional, environmental, and climate law, and seeks an injunction to stop oil transportation. This case is seen as a global test for legal challenges against fossil fuel megaprojects.

The UK Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is hearing an appeal by LGBTQ+ activist Jason Jones against a Trinidad and Tobago court ruling that upheld colonial-era laws criminalizing anal sex between consenting men. The case challenges the 'savings clause' in Caribbean constitutions that preserves British colonial laws. Activists across the region are watching closely, as the outcome could affect similar laws in Guyana, Jamaica, and other former British colonies. The Trinidadian government opposes the appeal, arguing it could have wide-ranging implications for colonial-era laws.