Sir Keir Starmer has finally published his plan to modernise the armed forces, nine months after its original deadline and following the resignation of two ministers who deemed it insufficient. The outgoing Prime Minister faced widespread criticism for the proposal, which falls nearly £13.5 billion short of what military officials had requested.
Reaction from Opposition
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge MP lambasted the plan as "too little, too late," warning it was not "worth the paper it's written on." He accused Starmer of being Prime Minister "in name only" and reiterated calls for the next Prime Minister—widely expected to be Andy Burnham—to "cut welfare and give our armed forces the funding they need to keep Britain safe."
Future Possibilities
Andy Burnham has left the door open to revisiting the defence plan, should he become Labour leader and Prime Minister. The report's release marks a contentious end to Starmer's tenure, with critics arguing it fails to address critical defence needs.
