Labour blasted for 'prioritising' benefits over 'clear plan' on defence

Labour blasted for 'prioritising' benefits over 'clear plan' on defence

Sir Keir Starmer has been blasted by critics after his long-awaited defence investment plan failed to stump up the cash the military needs.

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Labour's unwillingness to cut welfare to fund defence has been blasted as a poison pill for the next decade of funding for the armed forces.

The accusation came last night after the release of Sir Keir Starmer's long-awaited funding package to re-arm and future-proof the military.

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But defence insiders warned that the cash was still below 2.68%, prompting two of his own defence ministers to quit in protest earlier this month.

It also creates an almighty headache for potential incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham, after a nearly £5billion black hole was exposed in the scheme - meaning he'd have to cut budgets or slam up taxes.

Speaking to the Express, the Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge agreed that Mr Burnham was the wrong Prime Minister for an uncertain world.

He warned that Mr Burnham had made a huge speech about the rewiring of the country, but Mr Cartlidge asked: "What about the rewiring of defence?"

"Where is the defence of the realm, which is the number one responsibility of any government? Where was that in his speech?" he blasted.

In a warning shot to the PM-to-be, he added: "If the government doesn't have a plan to cut welfare and fund defence [...] they are not going to be successful."

Even the former Defence Secretary John Healey said: “More needs to be done in the months ahead”.

But he warned that the country needed to "develop a clear, credible funding plan" that would mean the UK could hit its NATO spending commitment of 3.5% by 2035?"

The long delayed defence investment plan (DIP), due last autumn, provides the Ministry of Defence (MoD) with an additional £15bn but falls short of the £28bn required to achieve the recommendations accepted by the government in last year’s Strategic Defence Review.

The uplift sees additional money allocated for drone production, unmanned navy vessels and the nuclear deterrent, but has been accused of not modernising and equipping the military quickly enough.

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The plan has been the subject of significant “wrangling” between the Treasury and MoD, with former Defence Secretary John Healey resigning last month after learning that the military would be given an uplift of just £13.5bn.

The plan will see defence spending rise to 2.68% of GDP by 2030, falling significantly short of that spent by key NATO allies and the 5% demanded by US President Donald Trump.

Mr Healey responded to the release on X, expressing concern that the UK would be spending just 2.7% of GDP in 2030, the year NATO has warned Russia could attack.

He said: “European security is at stake. The PM has said today that 3% must be the number 1 priority for the next spending review.

Defence Select Committee member Mike Martin MP believes that the level of funding outlined by the Prime Minister leaves the UK vulnerable.

He told the Daily Express: “The main point is two weeks ago John Healey resigned and said the amount offered in the DIP left us unsafe. We have seen a small increase since, but does that make us safe? I don’t think so.

“Look at what is happening in Ukrainian cities or happened to our allies in the Middle East where they faced a barrage of drones and missiles - we have no defence against that.”

There will also be funding for a “hybrid” Royal Navy, with smaller, autonomous vessels working alongside crewed ships, coming at the expense of Type 45 Destroyers.

Martin added: “We now see our only protection from ballistic missiles in Type 45 Destroyers being ditched for uncrewed vessels, which are nothing more than a PowerPoint slide.”

Some £64 billion is due to be spent on nuclear weapons, fuel and technology.

The uplift will also see the MoD adopt novel technologies as it evolves from a military of rifles and fully-crewed vehicles to meet the demands of the modern battlefield.

The Government has pledged more than £5 billion of spending over the next four years to fund a “drone transformation” for the armed forces, learning the lessons from Ukraine, where drones account for around 90% of enemy kills.

Alexander Fitzgerald, CEO and Founder of Isembard, urged the Government to concentrate on investing in an industrial base that is able to scale production of drones and other vital equipment and pace and scale.

He said: “Factories win wars. And high rates of production build factories. So let’s stop agonising about this plan and commit to increasing production today. Drones, rockets and satellites will not build themselves.

“Every hour we wait sends a shiver down my spine”.

Sir Keir said he would not cut day-to-day spending on frontline services to fund the DIP, but had scrapped some capital projects that were not “immediately vital”.

These included some roads and energy projects, he said.

The release of the plan despite the Prime Minister’s resignation is seen by many as an attempt to firm up his legacy on defence before he leaves office.

Officials told this paper that the Government’s commitment to defence was absolute, promising that it would be the priority in the next spending review.

This comes despite uncertainty over who will be the occupants of 10 and 11 Downing Street at that time.

Andy Burnham, the favourite to be the next occupant of No. 10, is believed to see the DIP as "settled".

Sources close to the potential next Prime Minister told the Daily Express: "It’s important for confidence in the defence industry and preparedness that the investments are delivered."