Jun 12, 2026 – 6.22amPortsmouth | When the story of Keir Starmer’s lamentable and seemingly not long for this world government is written, Richard Marles may find himself a footnote in the pages of British political history.Marles had been meant to tour the Royal Navy’s Portsmouth base south of London with Defence Secretary John Healey on Thursday, a demonstration of close Anglo-Australian military ties in the era of AUKUS.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles