Sir Keir Starmer has declined to guarantee that his administration will meet the commitment of 2.5% defence spending within his first term, despite previously describing the goal as a “cast iron” promise.
As Prime Minister, Starmer is set to meet US President Joe Biden and other NATO leaders in Washington, DC on Wednesday for a summit marking the alliance’s 75th anniversary. One of the key topics will be urging European nations to increase their defence expenditures.
However, decisions on achieving the UK’s target of spending 2.5% of GDP on defence will depend on the outcomes of a comprehensive defence review, which is scheduled to begin next week. Any spending plans must also adhere to the Government’s stringent fiscal rules regarding expenditure and borrowing.
During his trip to the US, Starmer was repeatedly questioned about whether the defence spending target would be met within his first term. He reiterated the commitment but emphasized its dependence on fiscal constraints: “We are committed to the 2.5%, as I have said before the election and I say again after the election. That is obviously subject to our fiscal rules, but the commitment is there.”
Starmer mentioned that the strategic review would commence next week and that details would be provided then. “The manifesto commitment was that it would take place within a year. I would like it to be quicker than that if I’m honest, and we’ll set out the details about how we are going to do it,” he added.
While officials have described the 2.5% goal as a “cast iron commitment,” Labour has not specified a deadline for achieving it.
