Keir Starmer faced criticism regarding military spending plans that revealed a £5 billion shortfall for potential successor Andy Burnham. The Prime Minister and Kemi Badenoch clashed during PMQs over funding for the Defense Investment Plan (Dip), highlighting the need to find billions in the upcoming Budget.
Starmer defended the plan, stating that any Labour Prime Minister would support it, despite questions about Burnham’s knowledge of the funding gap. The shortfall could lead to considerations of tax increases, spending cuts, or additional borrowing to cover the deficit.
The Prime Minister criticized the Tories for neglecting the armed forces during their long tenure, expressing pride in the Labour government’s stance on the plan. The proposed £15 billion spending over four years exceeds the previous amount but falls short of the £28 billion demanded by defense leaders.
While the Treasury identified savings of £10.3 billion from various sectors to fund the plan, the remaining £4.7 billion awaits allocation in the autumn Budget. Plans for cuts will be outlined later in the year, with assurances that certain hospital projects will proceed without delay.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard defended the decision to defer some funding decisions to the Budget, emphasizing the substantial increase in defense spending and the need for readiness. Liam Fox, a former defense secretary, criticized the Prime Minister for leaving a challenging situation for the next leader.
Burnham will face pressure to secure funding for Starmer’s commitment to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035, aligning with Nato obligations.