United Kingdom accelerates on defense: what Starmer’s plan includes, the key points

United Kingdom accelerates on defense with a new investment package and a significant increase in resources for security and military capabilities. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, announced an additional increase of 15 billion pounds, obtained by redistributing the resources already foreseen in the state budget, as part of what she called a “securinomics” strategy, which links national security to economic growth.

Reeves, quoted by the BBC, claimed that the government has already achieved the largest increase in defense spending “since the end of the Cold War”, underlining that strengthening security does not concern remote scenarios but represents “an immediate and pressing need”. “By defending ourselves, we defend our allies and our values,” he said.

The plan

The outgoing Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, presented the new Defense Investment Plan, which he will bring overall spending on defense and security up to 4.2% of GDP, just under the 5% target set by NATO. The plan includes an overall commitment of 298 billion pounds over the next four years and aims to build a “more European NATO”, indicated Starmer, according to whom the war in Ukraine is destined to “shape our lives for decades”. In the event of a Russian victory, he warned, Vladimir Putin “would not stop there, but would turn his gaze to other allies”.

In detail, the program includes over 8 billion for the Global Combat Air Program with Japan and Italy for the development of a new stealth fighter, more than 63 billion for the renewal of the British nuclear deterrent (submarines, new warheads and 12 F-35As), 26 billion for the ‘Royal Oak’ project to modernize naval bases, including Faslane, Portsmouth and Devonport, and over 5 billion for the transformation of systems with drones and autonomous platforms.

Also foreseen are almost 2 billion for the digital integration of the armed forces through the new targeting system, around 790 million for the protection of bases at home and abroad and the development of anti-drone capabilities, over 11 billion for increasing armament stocks, including long-range missiles. The plan also includes investments in artificial intelligence, with 100 million for a dedicated task force. Starmer also confirmed that the plan will be presented to NATO partners at the next summit in Ankara on 7-8 July, where the Alliance’s spending objectives will also be discussed.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed the plan, calling it “an important step” towards strengthening the Alliance’s capabilities and a contribution to collective security, reiterating that the issue of military spending and production will be central at the next summit in Turkey.