This Is Why

The country is under threat. Russian aggression, war in the Middle East and a military which has been ‘hollowed out’ for decades have all led to a crisis point for the United Kingdom.
In a special episode of This Is Why, Britain’s most senior military official has explained why he believes this is the most dangerous moment in his 35-year career.
In a wide-ranging interview with Niall Paterson, the Chief of the Defence Staff – Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton – has also revealed:
How John Healey’s resignation as defence secretary took him by surprise
The battle for more military spending, and what to do with the money
Why it’s vital to have an honest conversation about national resilience

There is more exclusive content with Sir Richard Knighton on the new Sky News Defence Insider app.
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Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk

The case of Britain’s most prolific child killer has gripped the nation ever since Lucy Letby’s trial began in October 2022.
The former neonatal nurse was later convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.
Now, a public inquiry has found some of those deaths could have been avoided if safeguarding action had been taken to remove her from the ward. So, what else did the report find and what action might the hospital face?
Niall Paterson and Sky’s chief North of England correspondent, Greg Milam, also discuss whether the findings will support the cause of those who believe Letby is innocent.

It was a hole-in-one for the republican cause – the US president using a trip to his golf course in County Clare to lend his weight to the fight for a united Ireland.
The timing couldn’t have been better for the first ministers of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as they met to discuss further cooperation in the campaign for independence.
But despite Donald Trump’s insistence that he would “love to see” a united Ireland – even if that means the break-up of the United Kingdom – Westminster should not worry just yet.
Niall Paterson has been speaking to Sky’s Ireland correspondent, Stephen Murphy, about why there is not as much of an appetite on either side of the Irish border for reunification as you might expect.
Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk

As America marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks, a row has erupted between the man who led New York through its darkest moments and the city’s current mayor.
Rudy Giuliani became the face of New York’s resilience following the fall of the Twin Towers, but he warned Zohran Mamdani to stay away from official memorial events.
Mamdani, the city’s first ever Muslim mayor, ignored his predecessor advice – despite being compared by Giuliani to the al Qaeda terrorists who carried out the 9/11 atrocities.
Is Giuliani’s ire racially motivated? What brought about the former Trump ally’s own fall from grace? And what have native New Yorkers made of Mamdani’s time in charge?
Niall Paterson is joined by Niall Stanage, White House columnist at The Hill.
Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk

Don’t worry, AI’s not preparing to wipe out humanity with a Terminator-style nuclear Armageddon – that's just not its style.
But could it develop a virus that does the job instead? Well, that seems more of a possibility....
And speaking of odds, both former and current employees of tech giant Anthropic put the chances of AI ending all human life at roughly 10 percent. They only differ on the timescale.
With seemingly no end to the breathtaking pace of development, is it too late for governments to intervene? And as experts increasingly acknowledge AI could cause existential change, how exactly could that happen?
Niall Paterson is joined by Sky’s technology correspondent, Rowland Manthorpe.
Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk