Sir Keir Starmer’s plans to make Britain a “battle-ready” nation have been overshadowed by a funding row as senior Labour figures have warned tax rises will be needed to pay for it.A new defence review has warned Britain faces a “new era of threat” and must rebuild its military to prepare for war.The Prime Minister said that the UK will move to “war-fighting readiness” ahead of the review, which he said would create a “battle-ready, armour clad” nation.Under the plans, the British Army will grow for the first time in a generation to at least 76,000 full-time soldiers in the next Parliament, surpassing the recommended target of 73,000.While Starmer said he was “100 per cent confident” that recommendations in the long-awaited strategic defence review (SDR) would be delivered, senior Labour figures and economists have issued a warning that taxes would have to rise to pay for it.The proposals assume Britain will spend three per cent of GDP on defence by 2034, reports The Times.Head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank Paul Johnson told Times Radio: “[There would need to be] some really quite chunky tax increases.”Meanwhile, former Labour Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: “Taxes will have to rise. I don’t see any alternative to that and at the same time, there will have to be some quite difficult retrenchment, particularly on parts of the social security budget.”It comes as Starmer is under pressure from Labour backbenchers as well as opposition parties over Winter Fuel Payments and the two-child cap on benefit claims.FOLLOW BELOW FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY…
Sir Keir Starmer ‘on a war path’ over defence spending plans, says Greens
Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of being “on a war path” over yesterday’s defence plans by the Greens as the party called for restored international aid to prevent “horrors of war.”Ellie Chowns MP, who holds the defence brief for the Parliamentary Green Party, said: “Keir Starmer is sounding like he is on a war path with his ‘battle-ready, armour-clad nation’ rhetoric. “Security is not just based on arms expenditure and threats, but on real leadership that uses diplomacy and development too. “There must be a real commitment to an international order based on human rights, equality and genuine cooperation.“To avoid the horrors of war and armed conflict, we need to look at the deeper causes of insecurity, including poverty and climate breakdown. “This is why the Green Party strongly supports the restoration of the international aid budget to at least 0.7 per cent of GNI. “We will continue to argue that real patriotism means ending UK-made weapons or components being sold to dictators, human rights abusers or for use against civilians anywhere in the world.”
Scottish Labour councillor defects to Reform in blow to Anas Sarwar
Councillor Jamie McGuireFacebookA Scottish Labour councillor who was seen as a “rising star” in the party has defected to Reform UK. Jamie McGuire, who represents Renfrew North and Braehead on Renfrewshire Council, has quit to join Nigel Farage’s party just days before a crunch Holyrood by-election.The 25-year-old was formerly the chair of the Glasgow University Labour Club and was pictured showing support for former party leader Jeremy Corbyn in 2021.
Thames Water bidder drops out of plans to refinance Britain’s largest water company
Thames Water has stated that private equity firm KKR has withdrawn from investing in the utility.The water company is now progressing talks with other senior creditors for an alternative to stabilise its finances.It follows Thames Water being fined £122.7million for breaching rules over sewage spills and shareholder payouts.READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
Labour accused of ‘sitting on its hands’ over defence cuts
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey with Epsom and Ewell MP Helen MaguirePALabour has been accused of having “sat on its hands” over cuts to defence numbers. Figures analysed by Sir Ed Davey’s party show that full-time trained Armed Forces personnel have dropped by 2,181 since Labour came to power in July 2024.Helen Maguire MP, Liberal Democrat defence spokeswoman and army veteran, said: “This Government has sat on its hands rather than acting to undo the Conservatives’ reckless cuts to our armed forces.”Since their fine words at the election on making the Army fit to fight again, we’ve seen a drop of over 2,000 armed forces personnel. It’s time for Labour to walk the walk and make good on their promises.”We’re calling for emergency measures to reverse the shameful Army troop cuts – introduced by the previous Conservative government – so we can restore our armed forces.”