Starmer: We are moving to war-fighting readiness

THE UK will move to “war-fighting readiness”, Sir Keir Starmer said as questions remained about his plans to increase defence spending.

- DAVID LYNCH, DAVID HUGHES and HELEN CORBETT

The Prime Minister said he was “100% confident” the plans in the new strategic defence review - including extra attack submarines, £15bn on nuclear warheads and thousands of new long-range weapons - could be delivered on current funding plans.

The UK Government will increase defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product from April 2027 with an ambition - but no firm commitment - to increase it to 3% during the next Parliament.

The Prime Minister said all parts of society needed to be involved in dealing with an increasingly dangerous world.

He said the plan would create “a battle-ready, armour-clad nation with the strongest alliances, and the most advanced capabilities, equipped for the decades to come”.

Launching the review in the shadow of Type 26 frigates being built in BAE Systems' shipyard in Govan, Glasgow, Mr Starmer said “three fundamental changes” would be made to the UK's defence.

“First, we are moving to war-fighting readiness as the central purpose of our armed forces. When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready, and frankly, to show them that we're ready to deliver peace through strength.”

The second change is that the UK Government will adopt a “Nato-first” stance towards defence so that everything it does adds to the strength of the alliance.