Indefensible: PM finally unveils his defence plan
Sir Keir Starmer passed the buck to Andy Burnham on defence yesterday after short-changing Britain's military.
After months of delays, the Prime Minister published the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), only to be told it was not enough to protect the country.
He said the package of an extra £15billion over four years would give the Armed Forces the resources needed to deter a Russian attack.
But the plan began unravelling last night after it emerged only £10.3billion in savings had been identified, meaning it contains a £4.7billion black hole Mr Burnham will have to fill in his Budget this autumn.
Despite the growing military threat, the Ministry of Defence must find £10.7billion in efficiency cuts to help fund the package.
No date was set for raising defence spending to three per cent of GDP – which is widely seen as the minimum.
In an extraordinary statement, Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis told MPs the package was too little at a time of global insecurity.
He suggested more money may be available at a spending review next year – another decision for Mr Burnham to make.
Sir Keir Starmer finally published the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), but has been told it is not adequate to protect the country
Mr Jarvis said: 'We do need to do more. We will need to spend more on defence. That's why there is a clear commitment to make it the No1 priority at the next spending review.'
One defence source accused the PM last night of handing his likely successor a 'poison pill'.
And the Tories warned the package was 'too little, too late'.
Party leader Kemi Badenoch urged ministers to slash the benefits bill to free up more money.
She said the deal was 'barely half what... is needed, and well below what our allies are spending'.
She added: 'Starmer is no longer the real Prime Minister. But he's underfunding our military in his search for a 'legacy'.
'If Andy Burnham has signed off on this, then he too is culpable of putting our service personnel at risk with this weak plan.
'We need to cut benefits to fund our Armed Forces. It doesn't matter who leads them, the problem is Labour MPs who won't do what is necessary to defend our country.'
John Healey resigned as Starmer's Defence Secretary last month in protest against his unwillingness to properly fund the sector
Andy Burnham will be left to pick up the pieces of Starmer's defence legacy
Sir Keir faces a bruising encounter with Donald Trump at next week's Nato summit in Turkey.
Speaking before the publication of the plan, a White House official said: 'President Trump expects Nato allies to abide by their 5 per cent defence-spending pledge.'
Bitter rows over defence spending triggered the resignations of former defence secretary John Healey and Armed Forces minister Al Carns last month.
Mr Healey said the PM had proved 'unable' and Chancellor Rachel Reeves 'unwilling' to fund Britain's defence.
Yesterday, he repeated his call for Britain to hit a three per cent spending target by the end of the decade.
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Mr Jarvis has pledged an extra £1.5billion following the resignation of Mr Healey, who had secured £13.5billion. But defence chiefs say they need £28billion.
Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton was said to be so alarmed by the £4.7billion black hole that he banned ministers from saying he supported the plan.
General Sir Richard Barrons, a co-author of Labour's 2025 strategic defence review, said it was 'not going to crack the issue' of proper funding.
'We're not keeping up with our allies,' he said.
'We're certainly not keeping up with our enemies, and we know the US is no longer going to save European security in the face of a Russian threat.'
Mr Jarvis denied the Government was leaving a 'hand grenade' for Mr Burnham, who he said had been consulted on the plans.
He said: 'Andy is committed... to make sure we've got the right resources... to defend our nation.'
But Mr Burnham faces finding £4.7billion immediately – and demands to boost the package.
There were signs last night that other parts of the plan could unravel. Ministers in other departments have had to put 1 per cent of their capital budgets into it, with an extra £700million raided from roads and £2billion from Ed Miliband's Net Zero plans.
Last night, Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer became the first senior figure to protest publicly, saying Mr Burnham should reverse cuts to a road scheme in his Lincoln constituency. Mr Miliband has objected to the raid on Net Zero.
The new package includes £5billion for drone technology but cuts to conventional forces, including destroyers.
Defence spending will rise to 2.68 per cent by 2030, up from 2.3 per cent in 2024.
Tory defence spokesman James Cartlidge said: 'Much of the capability [the plan] contains won't be in service until the 2030s – the threat we face is right now.'
Tan Dhesi, Labour chairman of the Commons defence committee, said it was 'disappointing' and urged the Government to commit to spending 3 per cent of GDP by 2030.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
