The increase, which would be spread over the next four years, would allow the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to fulfill all 62 recommendations featured in the strategic defence review, enabling the armed forces to modernise and prepare to fight a future war. Despite the increase, the £18 billion falls short of the £28bn black hole needed to meet the MoD's forecast costs in the next four years.
Want LBC stories before everyone else? Set us as your Preferred Source on Google Defence spending is set to be boosted by £18 billion next week, an increase expected to be approved by Sir Keir Starmer in a bid to save his premiership.
The “big, bold offer” on defence investment is understood to form the pushback effort by the embattled Prime Minister to convince his party to stand by him, amid the expected leadership challenge. To be spread over the next four years, this investment would allow the Ministry of Defence to fulfil all of the 62 recommendations featured in the strategic defence review, enabling the armed forces to modernise and prepare to fight a future war.
However, he chose to stick by the larger sum, seen as a response to his critics, who have said he needs to show greater boldness. This follows a week of lobbying by Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser, and John Healey, the Defence Secretary. Both figures have warned that the Armed Forces do not have the capability to fight a future war without a significant increase in spending.
Dame Antonia Romeo, the cabinet secretary, is also understood to have pushed for a big increase in spending. Despite the increase, the £18 billion falls short of the £28bn black hole, which the MoD has said is needed to meet its forecast costs in the next four years. Losing the support of five ministers, including Wes Streeting, half of his backbenchers and all 11 of Labour’s affiliated unions in the past week, the Prime Minister's support has been fracturing.
Should Burnham be successful in his bid for Parliament, this would pave the way for him to challenge Starmer as early as next month. Loyalists have said that Starmer could consider standing down if Burnham wins the by-election, with sources close to the Prime Minister admitting that he is much less defiant privately than in public.
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