Hello from The National and welcome to the View from London – your weekly guide to the big stories from our London bureau
Saudi defence
Wes Streeting, the UK Defence Secretary, spoke on Tuesday about the decision to send RAF Typhoons to defend against Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
"This is an intolerable escalation and the United Kingdom is the kind of country that, when our allies call for help, we will respond," he said.
The Ministry of Defence views the assistance as part of the long-standing defence and security partnership with Saudi Arabia and part of London's strong interest in a stable, secure and prosperous Middle East.
There is a read-across to the cost of living increases in the UK itself. That serves as a rationale for dedicating more forces as additions to the air defences and air-to-air refuelling assets already deployed.
Saudi Arabian officials had worked hard for this result. It is only a week since the Saudi ambassador to London told a meeting of parliamentarians that recent Houthi attacks against the kingdom put regional security in jeopardy.
Prince Abdullah bin Khaled asked for the UK's deeper support in the face of the Houthi missile menace.
The UK will also provide an Atlas A400M transport aircraft with heavy-lift capability and a cohort of British military advisers will travel to support Saudi officers.
In September, Britain said it would provide more defensive military assistance to Saudi Arabia after renewed Houthi attacks, including an RAF Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft. That announcement did not include fighter jet support.
In March, Downing Street announced that four fighters would head to the region to provide defensive cover from Iranian missiles. That was an expansion of the UK presence, with the aircraft joining four Typhoons already in Qatar.
Tech transfer
Omani and British officials will sign a series of deals on Wednesday, including participation in a $1 billion data centre in Salalah, southern Oman.
Boosting the UK-Oman Sovereign Investment Partnership means increased investment across a number of key sectors, including in renewable energy, technology, critical minerals, space, health care and financial services.
At the UK-GCC Strategic Dialogue at London's Guildhall, Haitham Al Salmi, chief executive of the Muscat Stock Exchange, spoke to The National about the continuing programme of economic reforms in Oman.
The accession of Sultan Haitham, who is on a state visit to the UK, has brought about a new phase of catch-up in the Gulf economy. “[This visit] has a major mandate to facilitate more investment between the two countries,” Mr Al Salmi told The National. "Major reforms happened in Oman, in terms of our credit rating, in terms of having a new financial centre that is working with the common law – a lot of businesses to be discussed."
The executive added that the UK had a geopolitical role that was friendly to Oman and the wider GCC. "The geopolitical situation in the GCC has shown that the GCC is a resilient place for investment. The political situation has its own forces but the market has remained resilient," he said.
Richard Stanford, a retired major general and chairman of the British-Omani Society, said there was a spillover from British research on growth sectors in Oman.
"The R&D has happened in the UK but the manufacturing piece is really important and there will be a tech transfer to Oman," he revealed. "These capabilities can be manufactured by Omanis in Oman.
"Some of these relate to net zero, some of them relate to high-tech satellite, some of them relate to the oil and gas sector, and these are really interesting developments coming out of UK universities."
Magnificent mansion
We had a look at just how deep the relationship between the sultanate of Oman and the UK runs. It took us to the door of Grove House. Very unusually, the Sultan of Oman embarked on the formal part of the state visit from his own front door.
Sultan Haitham's London residence, which is listed in UK planning documents as Grove House in Regent's Park, was named in the 1990s as London's most expensive private property.
The villa was built between 1822 and 1824 for the geologist George Bellas Greenough, and designed by the architect Decimus Burton, according to the National Archives.
The Grade I-listed building, which is also along the Grand Union Canal, is believed to be the least altered of the historic villas surrounding Regent's Park, according to Neil Tomlinson Architects, which replaced the roof in 2014.
The 1.6 hectare site is among one of the largest private gardens in the city, “made up of an ornamental garden with outbuildings including stables, an annexe and small garden follies”, according to the architecture practice.
Furore grows
Parliamentarians in the House of Lords asked questions about the vetting of the National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell after a very public spat involving his partner.
The journalist Sarah Helm is a veteran reporter on the Palestine beat. Her entry into the controversy around the terrorist proscription of Palestine Action has suddenly caused a backlash. The government would only say that "the views are held by an individual who does not represent the government in any capacity".
Police said at the weekend they closed their investigation of an X post by Ms Helm last week after deciding on no action as it did not meet the criminal threshold.
On Monday, Ms Helm then asked: “Where do I sign?” in response to a letter calling for the Palestine Action ban to be lifted and backing Irish author Sally Rooney and her publisher Faber after they decided her books would no longer be sold in the UK.
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