Keir Starmer plans blunt defence warning for European leaders

Labour plans to issue a blunt defence warning to European allies just days after forming a new government if it wins the General Election.

Sir Keir Starmer and his defence team face a baptism of fire at a crucial NATO summit in Washington from July 9 to 11, less than a week after polling day on July 4.

Labour Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey will tell the alliance’s European members that they must “do more of the heavy-lifting” rather than assuming the United States will protect them.

The milestone event will mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of NATO in 1949 but there will be little time to celebrate as the need to step up support for Ukraine and counter the threat from Russia will be top of the agenda.

Mr Healey said: “Labour’s commitment to NATO is unshakeable.

“With war in Europe, next month’s NATO summit in Washington will not only mark 75 years since the alliance was founded, but it must also meet the challenge of deterring wider threats.

“European allies will need to do more of the heavy-lifting in NATO to safeguard our security, which is why Labour is totally committed to increase defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP.

“The last time the UK spent 2.5 percent on defence was when Labour was last in power.”

As well as defence ministers, NATO summits are typically attended by Presidents and Prime Ministers of the alliance’s 32 member states. It will provide an early opportunity for Sir Keir, if he becomes Prime Minister, to meet US President Joe Biden although the time available for one-to-one meetings will be limited.

Conservative Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has also committed to increasing UK defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP. The defence budget was £54.2 billion in the 2023/24 financial year, set to rise to £57.1 billion in 2024-25.

NATO countries are expected to spend two percent of their GDP on defence but just 18 members including the UK are on track to do so. US Presidential candidate Donald Trump has suggested that America might refuse to defend countries that fail to hit the target.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has announced that stepping up support for Ukraine will be top of the agenda at the Washington event.

Speaking last week in Sofia, Bulgaria, he said: “I have suggested that at the Summit, we agree a big NATO role in coordinating and providing security assistance and training for Ukraine.

“I strongly believe that we need a firmer, stronger institutionalized structure for the support. Ad-hoc, short term, voluntary announcements are good – but in the long term, we need more predictable, stronger support for Ukraine.”