Starmer on back foot at PMQs over 'weak' defence plan
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced heavy criticism at Prime Minister's Questions over his long-delayed defence investment plan, which critics say leaves his expected successor Andy Burnham with an extra £4.7bn to find in his first budget.
Keir Starmer was forced on the defensive at Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions as he defended his £298bn defence investment plan (Dip) announced this week. The plan has drawn backlash from allies of his expected successor Andy Burnham, as well as from ministers and MPs angry over cuts to key transport infrastructure projects to fund it.
Defence spending will rise from 2.6% of GDP in 2027 to 2.7%, or nearly £80bn, by 2030. Starmer said this puts the UK "on a trajectory" to hit 3% in the next parliament, but it remains well below the NATO target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035. According to a report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the plan does not set out how to reach that target.
A Burnham ally described the plan as an "unexploded bomb". The Guardian understands that Burnham was not told about the funding gap when he was briefed on the announcement.
At what could be Starmer's penultimate PMQs, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused him of producing an insufficient plan. "It is not right, and it is not fair, certainly not to our troops," she said. She called on the government to cut welfare spending to pay for defence, claiming the plan is "£5bn short" and that Starmer is "leaving this mess to his successor".
Starmer dismissed her comments as "faux outrage", pointing out that the Tories cut defence and increased welfare spending by £88bn while in power. He said his government had found £15bn more for defence outside a budget and has £22bn of headroom. When asked directly whether Burnham had known of the £5bn black hole, Starmer dodged the question, arguing that any Labour prime minister would stand behind the plan.
