Starmer rejects accusation Labour is ‘complacent’ on defence funding

PM responds to warnings by former Nato chief George Robertson by saying defence spending is increasing rapidly Keir Starmer has said he does not agree with George Robertson’s comments about the government’s “corrosive complacency” on defence funding, as the prime minister faced sustained pressure on the issue. Questioned in the Commons about the claims by Robertson, the former Labour defence secretary and Nato chief who co-authored a defence review for the government, Starmer insisted that defence spending was increasing rapidly. Pressed by Kemi Badenoch about whether he agreed with Robertson, now a Labour peer, that social security should be cut to boost defence, Starmer said his government was tackling both areas – and argued that previous Conservative governments neglected them. Government sources have not denied that Rachel Reeves has proposed increasing the budget by less than £10bn over the next four years amid concerns that any more would be unaffordable. While the government has committed to reach 2.5% of GDP on defence from April next year, then 3% in the next parliament, military leaders believe there is still a £28bn shortfall after years of the armed forces