Tom Sharpe

South Yorkshire County, UK

Steel Sector Writer and Editor at MEPS International Ltd.

Managing Editor in the Steel City with @mepssteelprices. Also a motoring writer and UK Car of the Year judge. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Articles

An unarmed Royal Navy warship has just quietly struck a blow for freedom

1 week ago | telegraph.co.uk | Tom Sharpe
An unarmed Royal Navy warship has just quietly struck a blow for freedom

1 week ago | aol.co.uk | Tom Sharpe

Freedom of Navigation (FON) is a cornerstone of the international order – and it’s one that must be exercised or it can disappear. It’s not just a legal principle under the UN Convention on the Law Of the Sea (UNCLOS), but a live issue. Today, nearly every global choke point is under stress. The Red Sea has had Freedom of Navigation (FON) challenged successfully by the Houthis since December 2023.
Toyota evokes spirit of adventure with new Land Cruiser

1 week ago | rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk | Tom Sharpe

SCALING sand dunes or storming across the African Savannah would have provided a fitting test for the new Toyota Land Cruiser. Squeezing down leafy country lanes in a location where Jeremy Clarkson once rolled a Reliant Robin across a cricket pitch for the Top Gear cameras, our Heritage Blue test car looked a little incongruous. This is the fifth generation of an off-road icon, known for its bullet-proof dependability in the world’s most hostile places, after all.
The most powerful conventional engine of warfare ever built is headed for Iran

1 week ago | aol.co.uk | Tom Sharpe

“Admiral, we have a problem.”“OK, where is the nearest carrier?”So goes the start of most operational discussions in the Pentagon. And with good reason. A US Carrier Strike Group (CSG) boasts formidable firepower. It centres on a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with 65-70 fighter jets, including multiple types of F-18 Hornet and now increasingly F-35C stealth jets, plus radar/command-and-control planes and an assortment of helicopters.
Two Chinese carriers have deployed to sea as HMS Prince of Wales approaches

2 weeks ago | telegraph.co.uk | Tom Sharpe

America needs allies. Dr Ely Ratner argues in "The Case for a Pacific Defence Pact" for a decisive shift from America's post-WWII "hub-and-spoke" bilateral treaty system toward a more cohesive multilateral alliance. Not an Asian Nato, but something leaner: a tightly coordinated mutual defence agreement among the US, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines. Such a pact, Ratner contends, would offer strategic clarity: "Maintaining the status quo emboldens Beijing.
Madcap Micra wows industry test day

2 weeks ago | rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk | Tom Sharpe

NISSAN’S bid to make some noise about the Micra ahead of the launch of its new EV has resulted in the reinvigoration of a madcap concept car. Taking to the handling circuit at Millbrook Proving Ground during the recent SMMT industry test day, was the recently updated Micra 350SR. With a fresh look, updated components and even Apple CarPlay, the madcap one-off creation of the team behind Nissan’s 1990s British Touring Car successes, caught the eye of assembled journalists and influencers.
Skoda prioritises practicality with new Elroq EV

2 weeks ago | rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk | Tom Sharpe

SKODA’S Elroq has arrived in the UK as the first of six electric models set to be launched by the brand by the end of 2026. The affordable crossover will go head-to-head with the likes of Kia’s EV3 and the Volvo EX30 with prices starting at £31,500. Skoda offers a choice of SE, SE L, Edition and Sportline trims and three drivetrain variants to choose from, with the Edition 85 tested here price at £38,650. The Elroq falls just short of the Kia’s claimed driving range but still claims 360 miles.
I’ve read the Defence Review. Now show me the money

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Tom Sharpe

Today saw the unveiling of the much awaited Strategic Defence Review. Commissioned nearly a year ago and presented by an independent panel including Lord Robertson, Fiona Hill, and General Richard Barrons it has been a long time coming and the crescendo of speculation and rumours is now at an end. Which is a shame really because the review itself is something of a disappointment. It’s long, well written, insightful in places and contains some interesting strategic guidance.
Another example of two-tier Britain: the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate

1 month ago | aol.co.uk | Tom Sharpe

Today marks another important milestone in the regeneration of the Royal Navy. Last week it was the naming of HMS Glasgow, our new Type 26 anti-submarine frigate. Today, it is the roll out of HMS Venturer, the first Type 31 general purpose frigate: a class of ships that, if we get it right, could form the backbone of the Royal Navy for the foreseeable future. That we have two major Defence Primes building ships on both Scottish coasts at the same time is good news on many levels.
Vauxhall’s flagship starts to live-up to grand billing

1 month ago | rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk | Tom Sharpe

HAVING been christened with a name like Grandland in 2017, it often felt like Vauxhall’s flagship SUV had aspirations a little above its station. As tested here, with a mild hybrid drivetrain featuring a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged engine propelling its sizeable frame, there might be an initial concern that this second-generation version is also writing cheques it cannot cash.