Starmer could boost size of Armed Forces

Sir Keir Starmer will open the door to an increase in the size of Britain’s Armed Forces as he announces a review of the nation’s readiness to fight future wars.

The Telegraph understands that a “root-and-branch” strategic defence review, to be announced by the Prime Minister on Wednesday, will “look at everything on the table”.

It is understood that this includes troop numbers, which were cut to their smallest size since the Napoleonic era under the previous government.

The Prime Minister will also restate his commitment to increasing defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP but will decline to set a clear date by which this target will be achieved and instead state that the review will determine the “roadmap” to this goal.

Sir Keir will arrive at Nato’s 75th anniversary summit in Washington on Wednesday, his first international trip as Prime Minister

He is joined on the trip by his wife, Lady Starmer, and accompanied by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, and Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Europe minister.

The presence of Mr Thomas-Symonds will spark fears among those who believe Sir Keir will use the trip to reset relations with the European Union.

During the trip, Sir Keir will have his first bilateral meeting with Joe Biden, the US president, and he and his wife will attend a dinner at the White House with other Nato leaders.

On Tuesday night, Sir Keir said: “There is no more important duty for me as Prime Minister than keeping the people of our country safe.

“At a time when we face multiple threats at home and abroad, we must make sure we are ready to defend ourselves. That’s why I have immediately ordered a root-and-branch review that will secure Britain’s defences for the future.”

Defence sources suggested the review, which will be officially launched next week and overseen by John Healey, the Defence Secretary, could look at how to increase troop numbers. Cuts to the size of the Armed Forces are understood to be off the table.

In 2021, the Ministry of Defence announced it would cut troop numbers from 82,000 to 73,000 by 2025.

The row over troop numbers has engulfed the military and, according to sources, led to Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, the former chief of the General Staff, being pushed out of his post because he openly criticised the decision.

The Telegraph understands the review will focus on the changing threats of warfare, including a focus on drones, which have played a significant role in the war in Ukraine.

The military’s readiness to fight will also be reviewed, along with how to enhance the UK’s defence partnerships, develop a new defence industrial strategy and deliver procurement reform.

It is understood that the review will set out a “roadmap” for how the UK can reach 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence.

On Wednesday, Sir Keir will say that the UK has committed to increase defence spending and will praise Nato members’ efforts to increase their own budgets while encouraging them to go further.

Nato members have a target to spend 2 per cent of GDP on defence, but last year only 11 of the alliance’s 32 members, including the UK, reached that level.

Sir Keir’s spokesman added: “We obviously want to see other countries continue to take steps to increase defence spending as well in order to ensure that we’re sending a strong signal to [Vladimir] Putin that we will do whatever it takes to support Ukraine in their defence.”

However, writing for The Telegraph, below, James Cartlidge, the newly appointed shadow defence secretary, accused Sir Keir of “rowing back” on the Tories’ commitment to increase defence spending and called on him to produce a “credible timeline” for how Labour will achieve 2.5 per cent.

He said: “In this increasingly dangerous world, the platitudes Sir Keir Starmer has been able to produce so far will not cut it.

“Sir Keir is today attending a Nato summit having rowed back on our plans to increase defence spending, whilst asking our allies to do the exact opposite.”

Mr Cartlidge said under Rishi Sunak, the Government’s pathway to achieving 2.5 per cent by 2030 was “fully funded”.

He writes: “Part of increasing our defence spending is convincing our allies to make sacrifices to increase their own too. How can Starmer stand there at today’s Nato summit and ask others to make sacrifices he is not willing to make himself?”

Former military leaders warned the Prime Minister he is “playing with fire” by waiting for the review before outlining a timeline to increase the defence budget to 2.5 per cent of GDP. 

Philip Ingram, a former colonel in British military intelligence, told The Times the government was “playing with fire” as the “threat is now and it will take years to fix the army, our ammunition stocks, get the RAF and navy ready”.

Meanwhile Admiral Lord West, a former head of the navy who served as a security minister under the last Labour government, urged ministers to outline a timetable at the summit to “set an example to all European countries”, according to the paper.

Speaking before his departure to the US on Tuesday night, the Prime Minister said he was committed to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence “within our fiscal rules” and that he needed to carry out a review before setting a timeline to reach that goal.

He said: “The most important thing is to, at this Nato summit, recommit to our solidarity with and stand with Ukraine and discuss the practical plans for further action we can take together in relation to Russian aggression.”

He added: “In relation to defence more generally, we will carry out our strategic review to look at the challenges, the capabilities, and on the back of that make further plans.

“I am committed to that 2.5 per cent within our fiscal rules. That strategic review needs to come first. But today, tomorrow and the next day is all about standing together with our allies, discussing practically how we provide further support to Ukraine and send a very, very clear message to Putin that we will stand against Russian aggression wherever it is in the world.”

Sir Keir also issued a message directly to Mr Putin.

“This Nato summit is an opportunity for allies to stand together, to strengthen their resolve, particularly in light of that appalling attack, against Russian aggression,” he said, referring to Russian missile attacks on Monday that damaged Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital.

“I’m pleased to have the early opportunity to confirm and reaffirm Labour’s strong support, unshakeable support for Nato.

“We are a founding member, it’s now the 75th anniversary but this is an opportunity to send that message in relation to Russian aggression wherever.

“But that attack ... was appalling so that message is even more important than it was before.”

The Prime Minister, who is in Washington for two days, is understood to have no plans to meet Donald Trump, who is running as the Republican candidate for the presidency.

Asked about the presence of Mr Thomas-Symonds on the trip, Mr Healey, who has also joined the Prime Minister in Washington, said: “Nato is a political and military alliance of countries from Europe and North America. It’s not unusual that the minister for Europe would accompany the Prime Minister. I’m sure as you’re aware, the PM has said he wants to reset our relationship with Europe. He’s told a number of his European counterparts exactly that over the weekend, he sees the Nato summit as an important opportunity to continue laying the groundwork.

“Britain’s commitment to Nato is unshakeable. We cannot have prosperity without security and we must never take our ability to live freely for granted.

“The world is increasingly volatile with rapidly changing global threats. In the footsteps of Bevin, our government will help ensure we have a strong Nato in this increasingly insecure world.

“Our Government’s first duty is to keep the country safe. That’s why we will increase defence spending and launch a strategic defence review to ensure we have the capabilities needed to protect the UK now and in the future. The review will also set out defence reforms to secure faster procurement and better value for money.”

PM is showing that defence is not a priority

By James Cartlidge

When it comes to our nation’s defence in a more contested world we need deeds, not words. We must signal to our allies, and our adversaries, that we are serious about defending our nation.

To do this, we need a credible timeline and plan to fund an increase in defence spending to 2.5 per cent. In this increasingly dangerous world, the platitudes Sir Keir Starmer has been able to produce so far will not cut it.

Sir Keir is attending a Nato summit having rowed back on the Conservatives’ plans to increase defence spending, whilst asking our allies to do the exact opposite.

By not joining the Conservatives’ fully funded pledge to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030, Starmer has shown the country and the world that defence is not the top priority for him that it needs to be.

Starmer must produce a timeline and a funding package, as we did, to reach this important target.

This is not party-political point scoring. I’ve been clear that we must work with Labour where it is in the national interest, not least on support for Ukraine.

Nevertheless, it is indisputable that we are living in a more dangerous world: war in Europe; British ships being attacked in the Red Sea Threats growing, not diminishing.

As such, increasing defence spending is a military necessity. How much more unstable will the world have to be for Starmer to give our Armed Forces the funding they need to protect us?

Britain’s future is threatened by a new axis of malign states. But Labour seems blind to it.

The first and most important duty of any prime minister is defence of the realm. That means deterring aggressors. Put simply, potential adversaries must believe you are willing to do whatever is necessary to defend the United Kingdom, at home and abroad.

Having no plan is having the opposite of credibility. It undermines deterrence, rather than strengthening it.

I welcome the fact that Labour now embraces the nuclear deterrent, but we cannot ignore the fact that almost a dozen front benchers – including the Foreign Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister – voted against trident renewal under Jeremy Corbyn.

Sir Keir claims he has changed the Labour party. But by not having a plan for our nation’s defence now, he is doing nothing to regain credibility as a government serious about defence.

The then-Conservative government’s plan to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent was fully funded, with a clear pathway to delivery by 2030. Whereas Labour’s commitment is weak, and without a timescale. What certainty does that give the brilliant men and women of our Armed Forces?

We are living in a more dangerous world, where national defence comes at a higher price. Either Starmer doesn’t see it, doesn’t understand it, or doesn’t think it’s worth it. To restore the credibility of UK defence policy, he must change course immediately.

Moving to 2.5 per cent will provide significant additional funding to boost our military capability, but also the vital “enablers” that support our personnel – such as service family accommodation.

Moving together slowly but surely are Russia, North Korea, China and Iran. Their bully boy expansionist policies are being tested in the sandboxes of Ukraine and the Middle East. They cannot be appeased. They cannot succeed. We need to stand strong against them, with our allies.

As well as our own defence, the UK’s defence spending increase has global significance.

Part of increasing our defence spending is convincing our allies to make sacrifices to increase their own too. How can Starmer stand there at the Nato summit and ask others to make sacrifices he is not willing to make himself?

The risk is the UK transformed from a global leader to a follower on security, the biggest beneficiaries of which would be our adversaries.

We need to change course before it is too late. The national interest requires no less.

James Cartlidge is the shadow defence secretary