Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged on Tuesday, 30 June ’26, to spend an extra USD 20 (£15) billion to modernize Britain’s depleted armed forces. This is in a long-delayed investment plan that’s designed to prepare for the wars of the future besides marking its legacy.
In what’s most likely Starmer’s last major policy statement, he said that the increased expenditure over the next 4 years went further than a previous draft that prompted his ally John Healey to resign as defense minister in June ’26. Healey had opined that Starmer was failing to secure sufficient capital to keep Britain safe.
Starmer’s defense investment plan fell short of the USD 37.24 (£28) billion needed by defense chiefs. The proposal was representing a 5% increase in annual defense expenditure. It was predicted to reach an annual USD 105.07 (79%) billion in another 3 years, by 2029. Starmer is expected to take the proposal to Ankara for a NATO meeting on Tuesday, July 7, and Wednesday, July 8, 2026. Starmer is expected to signal that Britain is on track to meet its commitment to achieving a defense expenditure of 3.5% of GDP by 2035, which is nine years away.
Starmer’s expected successor, Andy Burnham, is due to take power as soon as Monday, 20 July ’26. Burnham acknowledged that new governments may ‘build’ on his blueprint.
Some critics said that the plan had been delayed for more than 9 months. The response was insufficient and came too late. Furthermore, the government document published after the speech reflected the exact source of almost 1/3 of the extra funding, which wasn’t defined. As such, it may have to be sourced by Starmer’s successor in the ’26 budget.
Plan may ‘strengthen UK’s defense’
Starmer told an audience at a defense enterprise in southern England that when the world’s arming with rising aggression, the best way to avoid a war is preparation for it. He added that the best way to defend was to deter. Additionally, it is important to possess the strength that compels your adversaries to reconsider their actions before proceeding.
