Starmer Unveils £15bn Defence Boost, Cuts Some Road and Energy Projects to Fund Military Expansion

Keir Starmer has announced an additional £15 billion in defence funding, saying the investment will strengthen Britain’s security, modernise its armed forces and support tens of thousands of jobs across the country.

Speaking during a major defence announcement, the prime minister said the extra funding would be financed in part by scrapping a number of planned road and energy infrastructure projects.

Starmer revealed that by 2029, the UK is expected to spend almost £80 billion annually on defence, describing the increase as a necessary response to evolving global security challenges.

He said the investment programme would “make the British people safer” while driving what he called “a generational transformation” of the UK’s armed forces.

Emphasising support for domestic industry, Starmer declared that the guiding principle for future defence procurement would be “back British”, with the programme expected to create almost 60,000 jobs throughout the United Kingdom.

The prime minister also outlined plans to strengthen European defence cooperation within North Atlantic Treaty Organization, referring to the importance of a more “European NATO” in addressing shared security challenges.

As part of that strategy, Starmer announced an £8.6 billion investment in a joint programme with Italy and Japan to develop next-generation fighter jets, reinforcing international defence partnerships while supporting the UK’s aerospace industry.