Highlights:
- UK to spend nearly £300bn on defence modernisation over four years
- More drones, autonomous systems and nuclear deterrent upgrades planned
- Starmer calls package his political "legacy" before leaving office
- Critics say the investment falls short of military requirements
THE UK will spend almost £300 billion over the next four years to modernise its armed forces to counter rising threats, outgoing prime minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday.
The package includes more drones, uncrewed vehicles and an upgrade to the UK's nuclear deterrent as part of Starmer's long-awaited 10-year Defence Investment Plan (DIP), which he described as his "legacy".
The proposals include an extra £15 billion for defence spending up to 2030, the year by which UK intelligence has suggested Russia could attack a NATO country.
Starmer said the £300 billion package was a "record investment" that would transform Britain's military as the nature of modern warfare changes.
"By any measure, this is a huge historic shift for our nation and a legacy in which I take pride," he told reporters.
Starmer is expected to leave office next month after losing the support of Labour members of parliament and urged likely successor Andy Burnham to continue with his defence spending plans.
"I am absolutely certain that this is the platform on which whoever comes after me can build," Starmer added.
The plan follows months of disagreement within the Labour government over the resources needed to modernise Britain's armed forces, respond to greater aggression from countries such as Russia, and prepare for a less reliable United States.
Two defence ministers resigned earlier this month during a dispute over the plan, including defence secretary John Healey, who said it risked making Britain "less safe".
The resignations highlighted Starmer's weakening authority.
He announced on June 22 that he would step down after MPs from his ruling Labour party switched their support to veteran politician Burnham.
Burnham, the 56-year-old former Greater Manchester mayor, will take over as prime minister in mid-July if he faces no challengers for the Labour leadership.
Starmer's plan includes more than £5 billion for drones and autonomous systems over the next four years, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a press release.
The investment will cover capabilities ranging from "highly complex autonomous mine-hunting drones to small 'quadcopter' tactical drones, and low-cost 'kamikaze' one-way attack drones", the MoD added.
The wars in Ukraine and Iran have highlighted the growing use of war-fighting robots.
Ukraine uses roughly 200,000 drones a month to defend itself against Russia's invasion, while at the height of the US-Israel-Iran conflict, 700 offensive drones were being launched each day, the MoD said.
The plan aims to develop a "hybrid" Royal Navy by replacing six ageing destroyers with smaller autonomous vessels operating alongside crewed ships.
It also allocates more than £8 billion to develop the next generation of stealth fighter jets with Italy and Japan, and a $64 billion upgrade to Britain's nuclear deterrent.
US President Donald Trump has called on NATO members to spend five per cent of economic growth on defence by 2035 and become less reliant on Washington for security.
Starmer said the plan would take defence spending to 4.2 per cent of gross domestic product but did not specify when that level would be be reached.
The £15 billion increase is well below the £28 billion that military leaders had previously said was needed.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed the plan.
"Stronger UK defence makes us all safer," he wrote on X.
But the Conservatives' defence spokesperson James Cartlidge said the plan was "too little, too late".
"The plan is now almost a year overdue and only being rushed through because Keir Starmer is desperate for a legacy," he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
