The UK is finalizing its defense spending plan and will publish it as soon as possible, administration spokesman Keir Starmer told Reuters. Amid a fight for political survival, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to approve an 18 billion pound ($24 billion) increase in defense spending, The Times reported on Friday.
According to a spokesman, the UK government’s defense investment plan will aim to quickly deliver equipment and technology to frontline forces while boosting economic growth. After one of Starmer’s main rivals in the government stepped down, the British prime minister appears to be scrambling to hang on to power. It’s been a tumultuous week for the Labor leader, who has been accused of lacking vision while others have positioned themselves as potential challenges to his leadership.
The biggest blow to Keir Starmer’s government came three weeks ago when one of the prime minister’s longest-serving supporters in Westminster, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, called the former prosecutor and urged him to set a timetable for leaving office. According to a Bloomberg report, Starmer refused to consider the request, arguing that his departure would hand power to populist Brexit architect Nigel Farage. Weakened by personnel scandals, fiscal wrangling and dismal election results, Starmer is facing calls from more than a fifth of his party to quit.
On Friday, Britain’s ruling Labor Party agreed to let Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham seek a return to parliament, a step towards a possible challenge to Starmer’s leadership. Britain’s leadership is expected to approve a spending increase as early as next week to end months of delays and infighting. However, details of the spending increase have not yet been released, but it would be “fully available”, a source familiar with the matter told The Times.
The development around the big funding boost comes nearly a month after Finance Minister Rachel Reeves said she did not favor tax hikes or higher borrowing to finance increased defense spending. After the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and the West Asian conflict, this became a priority.
Keir Starmer promises to increase defense spending to 3% of GDP
Earlier, the British prime minister promised the biggest permanent increase in British defense spending since the Cold War. Keir Starmer has pledged to increase defense spending to 3% of national output in the next parliament.
The Prime Minister’s Office said in a press release on 25 February 2025: “As the UK faces a period of profound change, with conflicts overseas undermining security and prosperity at home, the Prime Minister today (Tuesday 25 February) set out her commitment to increase defense spending to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027.
He added: “He has also set an ambition to spend 3% of GDP on defense in the next parliament as economic and fiscal conditions allow to keep the British people safe for generations to come.”
The move would require an extra £17.3 billion a year until 2029-30, according to the UK’s budget watchdog. The government will need to cut spending in areas such as public spending to fund a larger defense budget if it rules out tax increases or additional borrowing.
