Keir Starmer forced on back foot at PMQs over ‘weak’ defence plan | PMQs
Keir Starmer was forced to go on the defensive in the House of Commons over his long-delayed defense investment plan announced this week; Critics claim his successor as prime minister is expected to be Andy Burnham, who will find an extra £4.7bn in his first budget.
Starmer defended his £298bn defense investment plan (Dip) in the face of prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, despite a growing backlash from members of Burnham’s team and ministers and MPs angry at cuts to key transport infrastructure projects to fund it.
Overall, defense spending will rise from 2.6 per cent of GDP in 2027 to 2.7 per cent by 2030, or almost £80bn. Starmer said this would put the UK on track to reach 3 per cent in the next parliament, but the figure would remain well below NATO’s target of 3.5 per cent by 2035.
Last year, under pressure from Donald Trump, Starmer and other NATO leaders increase defense spending Dip offers no plan to get there, according to a report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
An ally of Burnham likened the plan to “an unexploded bomb”. The Guardian understands that the Makerfield MP was not informed of the funding shortfall when he was briefed on the announcement.
In Starmer’s penultimate PMQs, Kemi Badenoch accused him of preparing an inadequate plan. “This is not right and it is not fair, certainly not to our soldiers who risk their lives every day for all of us,” he said.
Calling on the Labor government to cut welfare spending to cover defense spending, he said: “Even the limited plan he announced has completely unraveled because he couldn’t find the money to pay for it. He’s £5bn short. We all know he left this mess to his successor.”
He added: “The truth is that Labour’s plan is too weak, too little, too late. If his successor does not want to be complicit in this failure, he should come out and condemn it.”
Starmer accused the Conservative leader of “fake anger” and the Conservative Party of cutting defense and increasing welfare spending by £88bn while in power. He said his government had found another £15bn for defense outside the budget and spending review.
“In 14 long years they have reduced defense by 2.5% to 2.3%,” Starmer said. “And what [did they] What will you do about welfare? They increased the bill by £88bn. So there is no lesson from them.
He added: “That means around £1bn a year over four years. Because of the decisions in the last budget, we have £22bn available. That’s exactly so we can make decisions like this.”
Starmer dodged Badenoch’s question about whether Burnham knew about the £5bn black hole. “We have made record investments in defense and security,” he argued. “I’m proud of this Labor government and any Labor prime minister would get behind this plan.”
