Starmer and Reeves blasted at PMQs over 'hold-up' on defence spending plans

Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch attacked the Prime Minister for "talking about an increase" but not implementing an increase.

She criticised Sir Keir for blaming past governments for the decimation of the defence sector, and said: "The military and the defence industry want to hear about what he's going to do. Not him prosecuting past governments."

Ms Badenoch criticised the Prime Minister for promising the Defence Investment Plan would be published last autumn, but it is now due in the middle of April.

"What's the hold up?" she asked.

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The Opposition Leader also criticised the government's record on welfare spending, saying: "It is being reported that the Treasury is asking the MoD to make three and a half billion pounds worth of cuts this year.

"He won't fund our military because he wants to fund more welfare. That's why he has a welfare plan to 2031, but no defence investment plan at all."

Sir Keir defended his position and referred to commitments he has already made to defence spending.

He told the House of Commons: "Last February, that was seven months after taking office, I took the decision to increase defence spending from 2.3 to 2.6% paid by a difficult decision on overseas aid.

"Last June, at the NATO summit, I committed to raising core defence spending to 3.5%."

He also defended Chancellor Rachel Reeves after comments about the Treasury.

"It's because of the decisions of this Chancellor we've got the biggest boost to defence spending since the Cold War." he said.

"We've also got the biggest pay rise for our armed forces for over 20 years. We've also got the biggest investment in military housing for over half a century."

Addressing his defence plans, he said: "The Strategic Defence Review is a 10-year blueprint for national security.

"The Defence Investment Plan will put that into effect. It will be published as soon as possible. We need to get it right.

"We inherited plans that were uncosted and undeliverable, and we're not going to repeat those mistakes."

Sir Keir hit out at the Conservative Party for their record on defence.

He said: "When they came into office, defence spending was 2.5%, when they left, it was 2.3.

"When they came into office, the army was 100,000. When they left office, 72,000.

"They cut frigates and destroyers by 25%. They cut mine hunters by 50%. [Ms Badenoch] said at the weekend, our defence is the weakest for 400 years.

"That is what they left behind."

The government has faced renewed questions over defence spending in recent days, with former Nato chief Lord George Robertson warning that the UK is underprepared for war due to the “ever-expanding welfare budget” and “corrosive complacency” from politicians.

Lord Robertson told the Financial Times there was a gap between the Prime Minister’s rhetoric on defence and the action he had delivered, saying Sir Keir was “not willing to make the necessary investment”.