Defence spending numbers defended by Starmer amid ‘silly games’ criticism

Sir Keir Starmer has defended his claims over the level of extra money for defence after the Government was accused of playing “silly games” over the numbers.

Defence Secretary John Healey suggested the real-terms increase in defence spending year on year “would be something over £6 billion”, compared with the £13.4 billion figure cited by the Prime Minister.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch pressed Sir Keir after the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) accused ministers of playing “silly games with numbers”, over their claim that the defence spending increase to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 would mean £13.4 billion more would be spent on defence every year.

Sir Keir announced the extra funding in response to “tyrant” Russian President Vladimir Putin and ongoing uncertainty over the US’s commitment to European security, although it comes at the expense of cuts to the UK’s aid budget.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Mrs Badenoch wished Sir Keir “every success” on his trip to Washington to visit US President Donald Trump and said the visit “must serve our national interest”.

She told the Commons: “The Prime Minister and I are completely united in our support for Ukraine as a proud and sovereign nation.

“What specific steps will he take to ensure Ukraine is at the negotiating table for any peace settlement?”

Sir Keir said Ukraine “must be at the table”, telling MPs: “There can be no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine. That has been my consistent position in all of the discussions that I’ve had.

“That will continue to be my position, because this is about the sovereignty of Ukraine and their ability to decide for themselves the future of their country. So they must be at the table.”

Mrs Badenoch then switched her attention to the Government’s defence spending announcement and joked she was pleased Sir Keir “accepted my advice” to cut the aid budget.

She added: “However, he announced £13.4 billion in additional defence spending yesterday. This morning his Defence Secretary said the uplift is only £6 billion. Which is the correct figure?”

Sir Keir replied: “I’m going to have to let the Leader of the Opposition down gently. She didn’t feature in my thinking at all.

“I was so busy over the weekend I didn’t even see her proposal. I think she’s appointed herself, I think, saviour of the western civilisation. It’s a desperate search for relevance.

“But, if you take the numbers for this financial year and then the numbers for the financial year 27/28 that’s £13.4 billion increase.

“That is the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, which will put us in a position to ensure the security and defence of our country and of Europe.”

Mrs Badenoch continued to press on the same question, saying: “The IFS said today that the Government is playing ‘silly games’ with numbers. How does he find this difference in numbers?”

Sir Keir replied: “We went through this two weeks ago, of going through the same question over and over again.

“So let me say – if you take the financial year this year and then you take the financial year for 2027/28, the difference between the two is £13.4 billion.

“That’s the same answer. If you ask again, I’ll give the same answer again.”

Mrs Badenoch replied: “Someone needs to tell the Prime Minister that being patronising is not a substitute for answering questions.”

Mrs Badenoch went on to ask if the spending plans would allow the Government to “effectively” fund the commitment to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine.

Sir Keir replied: “She asks a serious question about the security guarantees in Ukraine, and that is extremely important because the worst of all outcomes, if there’s to be a cessation of hostilities, is that it is a short break rather than sustained and lasting peace.

“And I think that that means there’s got to be security guarantees.

“I’ve indicated that we will play our full part. There has to be US backing, because otherwise I don’t think it will deter Putin.

“We are working on that. I am having extensive discussions about it.

“I’m not in a position to put details before the House, as she well knows, today, but I’ll continue down that route because I want a lasting peace in Ukraine and Europe for the safety and security of Ukrainians, of Europeans and of course, for everybody in this country.”

Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Wednesday, Mr Healey was asked about criticism of the defence spending figures and said “the definition of defence numbers can be done in different ways”.

He said: “You can take it as a percentage of GDP, you can take it as cash terms.

“What Keir Starmer was talking about yesterday was the increase in hard cash that will be spent on defence in two years’ time compared to what’s being spent today.”

Pushed on whether the £13.4 billion figure would be correct if the assumption was that the Government did not increase the defence budget year on year in line with inflation, Mr Healey said: “That’s a cash number.”

He added: “In real terms, taking in inflation, it would be something over £6 billion. Either way, this is a big boost for defence.”

Sir Keir will follow French President Emmanuel Macron in visiting Mr Trump in Washington DC, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit on Friday.

The Ukrainian president told reporters on Wednesday that a framework economic deal with the United States is ready – but security guarantees that Kyiv views as vital remain to be decided.

During a news conference in Kyiv, Mr Zelensky said the framework deal is a first step towards a full agreement that will be subject to ratification by Ukraine’s parliament.

Ukraine needs to know where the United States stands on its continued military support, he added.