News · 30 June 2026
Starmer Adds £15bn for Defence, Cautions Successor Burnham
Chris McAndrew via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-3.0)
Keir Starmer warned his likely successor, Andy Burnham, not to borrow more for defence as he announced an extra £15 billion for the military. The four-year plan, lifting the total defence budget to almost £300 billion, is funded by reprioritising spending across government. Starmer urged that defence stay the top priority, before he leaves Downing Street next month.
Reported by The Guardian · How we write briefs