4 h. 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 h. ago PMQs live: Starmer mocks Badenoch’s ‘desperate search for relevance’ in clash over defence spending boost

PM set to discuss increase to 2.5 per cent by 2027

Politics

5 h. ago Keir Starmer quietly dismantles Kemi Badenoch's 'desperate search for relevance' with savage putdown

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch tried to claim credit for the PM's plan to boost defence spending - claiming she'd made the suggestion over the weekend and saying it was the quickest response she'd ever had from No10

Politics

5 h. ago Swinney says SNP right to oppose Trident as he welcomes defence spending boost

But the Scottish First Minister said it is the ‘wrong choice’ to fund increased spending by slashing international aid.

Politics

8 h. ago UK politics live: Labour deny Trump is reason for Starmer’s defence spending boost

UK will increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent by 2027

Politics

9 h. ago Can Starmer charm Trump? PM heads for the US TODAY armed with defence spending boost as Western alliance hangs in the balance

Keir Starmer will fly to Washington later as he braces for a crucial meeting tomorrow where he will urge Donald Trump to stand by Nato and Ukraine.

Politics

11 h. ago Why Trump, not Starmer, is to blame for UK cutting foreign aid to boost defence spending

The peace dividend of ‘Pax Americana’ is over and the UK and other European countries have no choice but to rearm

Politics

23 h. 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

24 h. ago Starmer announces big cut to UK aid budget to boost defence spending

PM confirms rise in military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 – three years earlier than plannedUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer has announced drastic cuts to Britain’s international aid budget to help pay for a major increase in defence spending, amid fears over Donald Trump’s commitment to European security.The prime minister said the UK government would increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 – three years earlier than planned – as he prepared for what is likely to be a diplomatically fraught visit to Washington DC this week. Continue reading...

Economics

24 h. 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

28 h. ago Watch: Keir Starmer fast tracks defence spending boost by cutting foreign aid

Watch as Sir Keir Starmer announced a fast track on the government’s defence spending boost by cutting foreign aid.

Politics

29 h. ago Keir Starmer 'will pledge to boost defence spending' in statement to MPs TODAY amid mounting fears about 'mission impossible' trip to White House

Keir Starmer will make a statement on 'defence and security' amid mounting concerns that he is facing mission impossible at the White House.

Events

39 h. ago Boris Johnson urges Keir Starmer to boost UK defence spending to 3% of GDP

Speaking from Kyiv on the third anniversary of the start of the conflict, he demanded a rise to at least three per cent of GDP to help guarantee European security against Russian aggression.

Politics

54 h. ago Streeting to ask employers to pay for more staff medical checks

UK government wants to boost workplace preventive health measures to cut spending on hospital care

Politics

3 d. ago What is Keir Starmer’s plan to boost UK defence spending and is it affordable?

Keir Starmer is expected to outline plans to hike Britain’s defence spending, The Independent looks at what has been said about the move

Politics

3 d. ago Tories suggest benefits should be slashed for those with 'anxiety' in order to boost defence spending

Ex-defence minister James Cartlidge, now shadow defence secretary, said there was a need for Britain to become 'more resilient' and invest greater sums in 'hard power'.

Politics

3 d. ago Starmer backs Trump’s calls for Nato allies to boost defence spending in stirring speech ahead of US visit

Ahead of a meeting with the US president, Sir Keir Starmer said the UK and Europe ‘have to do more for our defence and security’

Politics

5 d. ago Pressure grows for Starmer to boost defence spending ahead of Trump showdown

PM travels to Washington next week as the only major UK party leader who has not backed calls to hike the defence budget to 2.5 per cent of Britain’s GDP by 2030

Politics

8 d. ago US ‘backstop’ vital to deter future Russian attacks on Ukraine, says Starmer

British prime minister says force would need protections such as air cover that only US can provide Keir Starmer has urged Donald Trump to provide a US “backstop” to a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine, saying it is the only way to deter Russia from attacking the country again.The UK prime minister’s appeal to Trump came after an emergency summit in Paris that heard widespread calls by European leaders for a large boost in defence spending. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Scottish MPs demand details after Sir Keir Starmer suggests sending troops to Ukraine

The Prime Minister has said the UK and Europe are facing a “generational challenge”

Politics