Starmer’s delayed defence investment swansong satisfies absolutely no one

The Dip couldn’t be more Keir if it tried: the military, the allies and probably not even Keir himself were happy Starmer warns Burnham not to borrow to fund defence as he reveals £15bn plan There was an air of melancholy as the defence investment plan (Dip) was announced at Malloy Aeronautics in Maidenhead, Berkshire. A sense that the main figures were fading out of history even as the legacy was being written, as if the event were sepia-tinted. The Dip was supposed to be Keir Starmer’s lasting bequest to the country. His gift to an ungrateful nation. And if it is to be his swansong, it couldn’t be more Keir if it tried: something that manages not to satisfy any of the major players involved – the military, nor our allies – and probably not even Keir himself. The story of his time in government. First to speak was Dan Jarvis, the defence secretary for these past few weeks since the resignation of his predecessor. He conveniently forgot to point out that the extra £1.5bn he had managed to extract from the Treasury still fell well short of the bare minimum John Healey had said was required to fulfil the UK’s commitments to Nato at the speed the military wanted. Maybe h