UK must ‘go faster’ on increasing defence spending, says Keir Starmer

Britain must “go faster” on defence spending, Sir Keir Starmer has said ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Prime Minister has already committed to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP next year and 3% after the next election.

But the BBC has reported he is now mulling bringing forward the 3% target to 2029, after the head of the UK’s armed forces set out the “moral” case for rearmament.

Asked about the reports at an event in London on Monday, Sir Keir would not confirm that he was considering bringing forward the target, but said Europe needed to “step up when it comes to defence and security”.

He said: “We have a threat of Russian aggression. In a few days’ time it’s the four-year anniversary of the start of the conflict in Ukraine.

“We want a just and lasting peace, but that will not extinguish the Russian threat, and we need to be alert to that, because that’s going to affect every single person in this room, every single person in this country, so we need to step up.

“That means on defence spending, we need to go faster.”

Sir Keir added that, as well as increasing spending, improving Britain’s defence also involved collaborating with “like-minded countries, particularly in Europe”, following his call at the Munich Security Conference for a shift towards “a more European Nato”.

While the Government has announced its plan to spend more on defence, it is yet to publish its delayed “defence investment plan” setting out how it will meet its commitments.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman insisted on Monday that the Ministry of Defence was working “flat out” to deliver the plan “as soon as possible”.

Reports that the 3% spending target could be brought forward come after the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, issued a joint call with his German counterpart for a “step change in our defence and security”.

Russia

Warning that Russia had “shifted decisively westward”, the pair said Europe “must now confront uncomfortable truths about its security”.

Writing in The Guardian and Die Welt, they said: “There is a moral dimension to this endeavour. Rearmament is not warmongering; it is the responsible action of nations determined to protect their people and preserve peace.

“Strength deters aggression. Weakness invites it.”

Conservative shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: “For all the Prime Minister’s tough talk in Munich, there is still no concrete action.

“Starmer can masquerade all he likes on the world stage, but until he publishes the long-overdue defence investment plan and shows he can stand up to his left-wing backbenchers, talk of 3% defence spending is nothing more than a pipedream.

“Only the Conservatives have a credible plan to truly stand up for our brave armed forces and veterans, and deliver the funding, clarity and long-term investment they deserve.”