7 h. ago Keir Starmer faces growing pressure from senior Labour MPs over his decision to cut the overseas aid budget to fund increase in defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP

Labour MPs lined up to criticise the move in the Commons on Monday, with Barry Gardiner warning it would lead to more 'more people being slain by famine, drought, disaster and war'.

Economics

13 h. ago Starmer faces pressure from senior Labour MPs over cuts to overseas aid budget

Labour former minister Barry Gardiner argued the cuts will lead to more deaths.

Events

3 d. ago Anneliese Dodds quits cabinet over aid cut in blow to Keir Starmer

Anneliese Dodds walked out as international development minister following the decision to slash the aid budget in order to fund an increase in defence spending

Politics

4 d. ago Boost for Starmer ahead of crunch Trump talks: US officials praise UK hiking defence spending to 2.5% of GDP and PM's offer of troops for any Ukraine peace deal

US officials praised the UK's commitment to hike spending on defence to 2.5 per cent of GDP, and the PM's offer of troops for any Ukraine peace deal.

Politics

4 d. ago Aid cut will have ‘devastating impact’ on world’s poorest, church leaders warn

The Prime Minister recently announced the foreign aid budget will be cut in order to fund an increase in defence spending.

Events

5 d. ago Keir Starmer FAILS to rule out Labour's defence spending boost being used to fund £9billion deal to hand Chagos Islands to Mauritius

The Prime Minister has announced that Britain's defence spending will rise from its current 2.3 per cent of GDP to 2.5 per cent in 2027.

Economics

5 d. ago A Bangladesh 'shrimp health' study, a Porsche deal for Albanian prisons and 'inclusion' in the DRC: How foreign aid is spent amid Labour row over using cash for defence instead

Sir Keir said defence spending would rise to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027 in the wake of the Trump administration's decision to leave Europe to fend for itself and move closer to Russia .

Economics

6 d. ago UK foreign aid: How much is spent and who receives it as Starmer slashes budget

UK foreign aid will be slashed from 0.5 to 0.3 per cent of GDP to fund an increase in defence spending

Economics

6 d. ago 'At this once in a generation moment, we must step up on defence and security'

Deputy PM Angela Rayner said tough choices meant the overseas aid budget had to be cut - but vowed 'this government will do everything we can to return to a world where that is not the case'

Events

6 d. ago Watch: Starmer defends cutting foreign aid budget to boost defence spending

Watch as Sir Keir Starmer holds a press conference on Tuesday, 25 February, after announcing he will slash the foreign aid budget to hike defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP to counter “tyrants” like Vladimir Putin.

Economics

6 d. ago Starmer slams accusation he is ‘Farage in disguise’ over defence spending increase

Sir Keir Starmer dismissed an accusation he is "Nigel Farage in disguise" over his plans to slash the foreign aid budget to hike defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP to counter “tyrants” like Vladimir Putin.

Politics

6 d. ago WW3 fears grow as Starmer denies Trump forced 'biggest change since Cold War'

To fund the increases in defence spending, Starmer said 'painful' decisions will have to be made as he explained development assistance aid will be cut from 0.5% to 0.3%

Politics

6 d. ago Watch live: Starmer defends cutting foreign aid budget to boost defence spending

Watch live as Sir Keir Starmer holds a press conference on Tuesday, 25 February, after announcing he will slash the foreign aid budget to hike defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP to counter “tyrants” like Vladimir Putin.

Economics

6 d. ago Starmer slashes aid to fund biggest increase in defence spending since Cold War

Sir Keir Starmer set out plans for defence spending to reach 2.7% of gross domestic product in 2027.

Economics

6 d. ago Sir Keir Starmer announces cuts to UK aid budget to fund defence spending increase

The Prime Minister announced the increase ahead of a meeting with Donald Trump

Economics

6 d. ago Keir Starmer's mission impossible? Fears grow over PM's trip to visit Trump after Macron's awkward visit and President hurls another insult at former ally Justin Trudeau

Fears have been fuelled that the PM is facing mission impossible at the White House after the US took an axe to decades-old alliances - voting with Russia on UN resolutions about Ukraine.

Politics

8 d. ago Bridget Phillipson blows hole in Sir Keir Starmer's tough talk on defence

The Education Secretary said Labour 's manifesto pledge of hiking it to 2.5 per cent was an 'ambitious' target and suggested it would not be further increased despite calls to do so.

Politics

2 w. ago Keir Starmer faces growing pressure to boost defence budget now to prepare British troops for Ukraine

The PM was warned that without hiking spending to at least 2.5 per cent of GDP within days, he risked failing to meet his promise that the UK will play a 'leading' role in keeping the peace in Ukraine.

Events