Defence secretary John Healey has insisted that Donald Trump’s demands are not the sole reason for a 2.5 per cent increase in defence spending, which has been announced ahead of Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to Washington.
Asked if it is fair to say the UK would not be boosting defence spending if it weren't for the US president, the Labour minister said: "No, it's not. I was with Sir Keir Starmer back in April last year in Barrow when we made the commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of what this country produces.
He pointed out that this promise was made in Labour's election manifesto. but is being delivered three years early as the “world has changed”.
It comes after prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said Britain would hike defence spending by 2027 with a further “ambition” to hit 3 per cent by the early 2030s.
European countries including France and Germany have signalled a need to increase defence spending, but details of how and when this will happen have been vague.
Sir Keir acknowledged his plans were accelerated by US president Donald Trump’s criticism of Ukraine and threats to withdraw security guarantees from Europe.
He is set to fly to Washington DC on Wednesday where he will meet with Mr Trump where he will follow in French president Emmanuel Macron’s footsteps to persuade him Europe has a plan for Ukraine.
Key Points
- Starmer to meet Trump in Washington
- Rachel Reeves urges Europe to raise defence spending
- Ukraine agrees to minerals deal with the US amid plans for peace talks
- Healey insists UK has been 'really firm' in dealings with Trump
Starmer insists international aid will continue for Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan
10:53
,
Holly Evans
Sir Keir insisted on Tuesday it was “not a decision I wanted to make” as he held a Downing Street press conference setting out the plans.
The Prime Minister, who previously backed calls to increase the aid budget, also told reporters: “It is important that I am clear that we will continue our support in areas such as Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine of course. That’s the context in which we’ve made this decision.”
He later added: “There is no driver of migration and poverty like conflict. That is why ensuring that by taking strong action now to deter tyrants like Putin we have to take decisions we’ve made today.
“Not a decision I wanted to take, a decision that was necessary for the protection of our country.”
ActionAid, a charity that works with women and girls living in poverty, described Sir Keir’s decision to slash the aid budget as “reckless” and said it is “profoundly shocked and disappointed” by the Government’s decision.
Save the Children UK similarly said it is “stunned” by the move, labelling it “a betrayal of the world’s most vulnerable children and the UK’s national interest”.
Starmer warned child poverty will hit all-time high if two-child benefit cap not scrapped
10:34
,
Holly Evans
Sir Keir Starmer is facing a fresh backlash over the two-child benefit cap after a key economic think tank warned child poverty would hit an all-time high if it is not scrapped.
The prime minister has been urged to rethink the Conservative-era limit after the Resolution Foundation said his strategy to tackle child poverty would lack credibility if it remains in place.
Furious Labour MPs told The Independent the two-child limit was a “critical issue” for the government to address, branding it the biggest driver of rising child poverty.
Read the full article here:
PM’s defence plan will not lead to end of working from home, says Whitehall chief
10:19
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Holly Evans
There are no plans to review the current policy on working from home for civil servants in response to the urgency of major changes announced by the Prime Minister, the head of the civil service has confirmed.
Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald, who was appointed by Sir Keir Starmer to “rewire” the way the British state works, told MPs that department leaders should always be considering appropriate ways of working that suit specific circumstances.
But during an appearance before the Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Sir Chris said the existing general rule that civil servants should spend a minimum of three days a week in the office will remain.
Sir Keir Starmer has slashed the aid budget to fund a dramatic increase in defence spending in response to “tyrant” Vladimir Putin and uncertainty over US President Donald Trump’s commitment to European security.
Should the UK and Europe step away from Nato – and US influence?
10:06
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Holly Evans
Germany’s likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has stirred debate by calling for Europe to achieve “independence” from the United States and questioning whether Nato can survive.
Amid America’s controversial negotiations with Russia on bringing Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine to an end, Merz has distanced himself from Trump’s rhetoric and advocated for stronger European unity.
Merz argues that Europe should build its own defence, with potential backing from nuclear powers like the UK and France.
Join The Independent’s debate here:
Questions raised over defence spending figure
09:48
,
Holly Evans
Paul Johnson, the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said on Tuesday that ministers were playing “silly games with numbers” and had provided “totally inconsistent figures” measured against different benchmarks.
The think tank’s associate director, Ben Zaranko, had earlier suggested the increase in spending would amount to around £6 billion, rather than the £13.4 billion the PM had indicated.
Mr Zaranko said: “As a minor note to what is a major announcement, the Prime Minister followed in the steps of the last government by announcing a misleadingly large figure for the ‘extra’ defence spending this announcement entails.
“An extra 0.2 per cent of GDP is around £6 billion, and this is the size of the cut to the aid budget. Yet he trumpeted a £13 billion increase in defence spending.
“It’s hard to be certain without more detail from the Treasury, but this figure only seems to make sense if one thinks the defence budget would otherwise have been frozen in cash terms.”
The Conservatives have also said the figures “don’t seem to be completely right”.
What is Keir Starmer’s plan to increase UK defence spending and is it affordable?
09:40
,
Holly Evans
Sir Keir Starmer is travelling to Washington this week armed having freshly announced plans to slash the foreign aid budget in order to fund a boost to Britain’s defence spending, which he hopes will help the UK avoid any conflict with US president Donald Trump.
The prime minister outlined plans for Britain to spend 2.5 per cent of its GDP on defence by 2027, up from 2.3 per cent currently, which he said amounted to a £13.4 billion annual uplift.
It comes amid calls from Mr Trump for Nato countries to significantly bolster their armed forces as he seeks to negotiate an end to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Read the full breakdown from Archie Mitchell here:
Starmer to host European allies this weekend after Washington visit
09:30
,
Holly Evans
The Prime Minister revealed on Tuesday that he will host European leaders over the weekend to discuss future defence.
“I am hosting a number of countries at the weekend for us to continue to discuss how we go forward together as allies in light of the situation that we face,” he said.
The gathering is likely to feature a similar group who appeared at a recent summit convened in Paris, including leaders from Germany, Spain, Italy, France, the Netherlands and the EU Commission.
Sir Keir spoke with Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday following the French President’s visit to Washington DC.
The two leaders both “reiterated that Ukraine must be at the heart of any negotiations” during the phone call, according to Downing Street.
Trump’s new axis of friendly dictators is a threat to US allies – and decades of joint intelligence
09:12
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Holly Evans
olicies can drift and diplomacy meander. As great powers try to resolve wars and conflicts, obfuscation and sleight of hand are inevitable and sometimes essential. But when a great power changes sides in the halls of the United Nations, it’s not a play – but a betrayal of their allies.
On Monday, the United States abandoned the United Kingdom, France and the whole of the European Union to vote alongside Russia, North Korea and Israel at the UN’s General Assembly.
The conclusion is that, under the presidency of Donald Trump, the US cannot be considered an ally of other Western democracies and must now be treated as a potential foe.
In the world of espionage, he has been seen as a liability since he was last elected president in 2016.
Read the full analysis from our world affairs editor Sam Kiley here:
Real terms increase is along £6bn mark, Healey suggests
09:00
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Holly Evans
Defence secretary John Healey has suggested the real-terms increase in defence spending is “something over £6 billion”, after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer suggested it would mean spending £13.4 billion every year.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mr Healey was asked about criticism of the figures and said “the definition of defence numbers can be done in different ways”.
He explained: “You can take it as a percentage of GDP, you can take it as cash terms.
“What Keir Starmer was talking about yesterday was the increase in hard cash that will be spent on defence in two years’ time compared to what’s being spent today.”
Pushed on whether the £13.4 billion figure would be correct if the assumption was that the Government did not increase the defence budget year on year in line with inflation, Mr Healey said: “Yes, that’s the cash… that’s a cash number.
“If we were increasing it … in real terms, taking in inflation, it would be something over £6 billion. Either way, this is a big boost for defence.”
'This is a stepping up on defence spending and a stepping up on support for Ukraine'
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) February 26, 2025
Defence Secretary John Healey spoke to #BBCBreakfast after the Prime Minister announced an increase in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027https://t.co/33gfxKWYKH pic.twitter.com/iduEQNbVnd
Trump has 'reinforced' need for UK and Europe to step up to defence challenge
08:48
,
Holly Evans
John Healey said Donald Trump has been “very direct in his challenge” over defence in recent weeks.
Asked whether the increase in defence spending announced on Tuesday is linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to the US president, the Defence Secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “President Trump, over the last two weeks, has been very direct in his challenge.
“He’s reinforced the imperative and the importance of Britain making this commitment and helping other European countries to step up in a similar way.”
Asked whether the decision means it is expected the US president will be more willing to engage with the UK, Mr Healey said: “I’ve never had any doubt that President Trump and the US administration … recognise that the UK is the US’s closest defence and security ally, they’ve challenged us to help lead in Europe.”
He added that Sir Keir will be able to say to his American counterpart: “You are challenging Europe and the UK to step up on European security, on Ukraine, on defence spending, on reinforcing our industrial base. We are, and we will step up further.”
Healey denies Trump is sole cause of defence budget boost
08:42
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Holly Evans
Defence secretary John Healey has insisted pressure from Washington is not the sole reason for the unexpected hike in defence spending, which will be funded by cuts to international aid.
Speaking from Wellington Barracks, Healey was asked if it is fair to say the UK would not be boosting defence spending if it weren't for Donald Trump."No, it's not", Healey says. "I was with Sir Keir Starmer back in April last year in Barrow when we made the commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of what this country produces.
"That's a level we've not spent in this country for 15 years."
He added that that this promise was made in Labour's election manifesto but is being acted upon now as “the world has changed”.
Figures 'don't seem completely right' says shadow defence secretary
08:23
,
Holly Evans
New figures shared on the rise in defence spending by the Government “don’t seem to be completely right”, the shadow defence secretary said.
James Cartlidge told Times Radio: “It’s in the national interest that we increase defence spending, so I do support that in principle.
“Obviously, we’ve got some questions to follow up on some of what was said in terms of the figures because they don’t seem to be completely right in the cold light of day, it’s fair to say.
“But we obviously need to look at that, understand what it means, because there was this £13.4 billion extra – that is the entire aid budget and the aid budget is being cut by, we understand about 40 per cent, so we’re looking at where the difference arises.”
Starmer keen to see relationship with US go 'strength to strength'
08:13
,
Holly Evans
John Healey has said he thinks Donald Trump will welcome the UK’s increase in defence spending.
Sir Keir Starmer will travel to Washington on Wednesday for talks with the US president.
Asked on Sky News whether he thinks Mr Trump will be welcoming the Prime Minister given this announcement, Mr Healey said “I do” and suggested that Mr Trump has indicated as such.
“The new defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, said publicly look, ‘Keir Starmer’s step was a strong step from an enduring partner and the US-UK relationship’.
“They are our closest security ally, we are strong partners on trade, on economic growth, on technology.
“And Keir Starmer will be saying to President Trump, look, we have a special depth to our relationship that goes back decades, not just on security and defence, but that’s at its heart.
“And Keir Starmer will say we want to see that relationship go from strength to strength.”
Defence secretary admits Keir Starmer fiddled figures on defence increase announcement
08:12
,
Holly Evans
The defence secretary has admitted that Sir Keir Starmer misled voters when he claimed the increase in defence spending meant a £13.4 billion yearly boost for the armed forces.
“If you did it in real terms, taking in inflation, it would be something over £6 billion,” Mr Healey told BBC Breakfast. “Either way, this is a big boost,” he insisted.
On Tuesday, Institute for Fiscal Studies director Paul Johnson accused Sir Keir of a “misuse of statistics”. Mr Johnson said it was “a major announcement as it is”, adding that it “does not need exaggeration”.
The £13.4 billion figure assumed an unrealistic counterfactual scenario in which defence spending would not have increased in line with inflation or remained at a constant percentage of Britain’s GDP. “Why governments of all ilks insist on over-egging like this is beyond me,” Mr Johnson said.
Plan to increase defence spending is 'iron-clad' to obtain peace in Europe
08:05
,
Holly Evans
John Healey has said the Government’s commitment to spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2027 is “iron clad”.
Mr Healey told Sky News: “Yes, that commitment to 2.5 per cent by 2027 is iron-clad.
“The important thing is that Keir Starmer said exactly how we will fund that so people can have confidence in that.
“Our industry can be confident that we have a long-term plan to boost them as part of strengthening our… own security.
Asked about the extended target of hitting 3 per cent of GDP for defence in the next Parliament, Mr Healey added: “It’s a signal to other European countries that they also must do more, and it’s a signal to the US and to our adversaries in particular that Europe will do more of the heavy lifting on our own security.
“We’ll step up further on Ukraine because it’s important that Ukraine stays strong in order to get a secure, durable peace, and we will also do more across the board on defence industry and defence spending.”
Keir Starmer tries to channel his inner Winston Churchill
08:00
,
Holly Evans
Mild-mannered Keir Starmer is not cut out for Churchillian speeches that stir the blood. But the prime minister got as close as he ever will on Tuesday with the extraordinary announcement of a huge increase in defence spending to counter the threat from Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
To underline the gravity of the situation, Starmer staged a televised, live Downing Street press conference of the kind that normally marks a national emergency, such as a pandemic.
The threat he wanted to highlight on this occasion is rather more tangible than an invisible virus: that of military invasion.
He conjured up a chilling picture of enemy tanks rolling down the highways and byways of Britain, just like they have in Ukraine over the last three years.
It is not what Starmer expected to be doing when he won last year’s election.
Read the full analysis from Simon Walters here:
Labour manifesto pledge on the backburner in pursuit of defence boost
07:51
,
Archie Mitchell
The defence secretary has admitted to Labour putting a manifesto pledge on the backburner as it chases Sir Keir Starmer’s defence spending uplift.
John Healey said reaching 0.7 per cent of GDP on development spending - as Labour promised during the general election campaign - remained the party’s “long-term aim”.
“It’s our desire to see an increase in UK development aid,” he told Sky News.But, confronted with the fact the commitment will clearly not be met this parliament, Mr Healey cited “difficult decisions”.
He added: “Difficult decisions demanded by the challenges we face, the increasing unpredictability and danger in the world, the more aggression that we see from adversaries.
“And it's important to remember, Russian aggression isn't confined to Ukraine, and if Putin prevails in Ukraine, he won't stop at Ukraine.”
Healey insists UK has been 'really firm' in dealings with Trump
07:46
,
Holly Evans
The UK has been “really firm” over principles in its dealings with the US, the Defence Secretary has suggested.
Asked whether Britain has been brave enough in dealing with Donald Trump, John Healey said the country shares the president’s aims in ending the war.
He told Times Radio: “I think the UK has been really firm about the sort of principles and what’s required.
“We’re recognising and we share President Trump’s aims to bring a durable peace and an end to the Ukraine conflict.
“He’s pledged to bring Putin to the negotiating table.
“There’s some way to go on that, and in the end, the US is the only force strong enough to put pressure on Putin to negotiate, and the only strongest force to stand behind any long-term peace to make sure that it doesn’t become a pretext for Putin to regroup, re-arm, reload, and then re-invade.”
Healey tight-lipped on whether Chagos deal will count towards defence uplift
07:40
,
Archie Mitchell
The defence secretary will not say whether Britain’s deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius will count towards the prime minister’s plans to hike defence spending.
Under the deal, which will see the UK cede control of the archipelago, home to a key UK-US airbase, the PM is expected to agree to handing billions of pounds to the Mauritian government.
But, asked on Times Radio whether the spending would contribute to Sir Keir’s plans to spend 2.5 per cent of Britain’s GDP on defence, John Healey refused three times to be drawn. The defence secretary repeated that there is not currently a deal or agreement that has been signed.
UK foreign aid: How much is spent and who receives it as Starmer slashes budget
07:35
,
Holly Evans
Sir Keir Starmer is set to slash the UK’s foreign aid budget to fund the largest increase in defence spending since the Cold War.
The prime minister said the extra £13.4bn for defence every year from 2027 was needed to counter “tyrants” like Vladimir Putin.
The increase in defence spending from 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent of GDP will be funded by cutting spending on overseas aid from 0.5 per cent of gross national income (GNI) to 0.3 per cent, Sir Keir said.
UNICEF said the move was “deeply concerning” and WaterAid warned it was a “cruel betrayal” of people in poverty.
Here, The Independent takes a look at how much the UK spends on foreign aid and what the money has funded over the years.
Read the full article here:
US and Ukraine 'close to a deal' that could help long-term peace, Healey says
07:29
,
Holly Evans
Defence Secretary John Healey has said a minerals deal agreed between the US and Ukraine would be a “good thing” if it helps “shape” long-term peace.
Speaking to Times Radio, Mr Healey said it appears the countries are “close to a deal”, adding he spoke to his counterparts in Washington and Kyiv on Tuesday.
“In the end, that detail’s a matter for the two countries, and we’ll see the detail emerge, but peace is part of a process,” he said.
“We’re at an early stage, and if this helps shape the long-term peace that’s required in Ukraine, then that’s a good thing.
“In the meantime, my job as defence minister is to make sure that we help keep Ukraine in the fight as strong as possible and that we don’t jeopardise the peace by forgetting about the war.”
Ukraine agrees to minerals deal with the US amid plans for peace talks
07:27
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Holly Evans
Kyiv has agreed to a minerals deal which had been pushed for by the new US administration, according to Ukrainian officials, which could be signed off when their president visits Washington.
Mr Zelensky had claimed the 50 per cent share of rare minerals initially demanded by America would have been akin to selling his nation, but Ukraine now appears satisfied the deal will lead to a continued flow of US military support in its war against Russia.
Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Olha Stefanishyna said the minerals deal was part of wider talks between the two countries.
“We have heard multiple times from the US administration that it’s part of a bigger picture,” she told the Financial Times.
Rachel Reeves urges Europe to raise defence spending
07:23
,
Holly Evans
Writing in The Daily Telegraph newspaper, Chancellor Ms Reeves urged European nations to follow the UK’s lead in raising defence spending, amid uncertainty over the US’s commitment to European security.
“This is a generational moment for our continent. All of us must step up and do more on defence,” she said, as she travels to South Africa to meet with G20 finance ministers.
Ms Reeves added: “That is why, over the coming days, I will be talking to European counterparts at the G20 in South Africa about the importance of security and defence for our economies, and how we can work together to bolster them.”
European leaders will meet in the UK over the weekend to discuss future defence, Sir Keir revealed, a gathering likely to feature a similar group to those who appeared at a recent summit convened in Paris, including leaders from Germany, Spain, Italy, France, the Netherlands and the EU Commission.
Sir Keir and Mr Macron both “reiterated that Ukraine must be at the heart of any negotiations” when they spoke over the phone on Tuesday.
Starmer to meet Trump in Washington
07:18
,
Holly Evans
Sir Keir Starmer will fly to the United States on Wednesday ahead of crunch talks with Donald Trump, as the chancellor urged European allies to follow the UK in raising defence spending.
The prime minister will travel to Washington DC after facing his weekly grilling in the House of Commons, following his announcement of a dramatic increase in the size of the UK’s war chest, paid for by cutting the international aid budget.
Meanwhile, European nations must “step up and do more on defence”, Rachel Reeves said after the UK pledged to raise defence spending from its current 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent of the UK’s economic output by 2027.
Sir Keir will follow French president Emmanuel Macron in visiting Mr Trump in Washington DC and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit on Friday.