𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK must “go faster” on defence spending amid reports he is considering significantly increasing investment in the military. The Government is said to be weighing up bringing forward a target to spend 3% of GDP on defence to 2029.

The Prime Minister, who last week survived intense calls for him to step down, has already committed to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP next year and 3% after the next election. It follows continued calls for the UK to invest more in its forces amid growing global tensions and US demands for NATO’s European allies to spend more and take on greater responsibility for their security. So what do you think? Vote in our poll and join the debate in the comments section. Can’t see the poll below? Click here.

Sir Keir’s comments come after the head of the British military set out the “moral” case for rearmament.

When asked about BBC reports suggesting he was mulling over a defence spending hike, Sir Keir refused to confirm this but said Europe needed to “step up when it comes to defence and security”.

Speaking at an event in London, Sir Keir 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.

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“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.”

It comes amid continued uncertainty over Labour’s spending plans with the delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP) still yet to be published.

The Ministry of Defence is already said to be facing a whopping £28 billion gap in funding.