Keir Starmer warned that Britain must be ready for war today as he unveiled a new weapons drive.
As the government prepares to launch its defence review tomorrow, the PM has pledged action to make UK forces ‘more lethal than ever’.
He pointed to war in Europe and ‘new nuclear’ threats, saying that Russia is working with ‘cronies’ in Iran and North Korea.
However, there was no mention of China – despite the US raising concerns about hostile intentions towards Taiwan.
As part of the review the Government is committing £1.5billion to set up at least six munitions factories, and will support the procurement of up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons.
In other elements of the plans:
- British fighter jets could soon carry nuclear weapons for the first time;
- Army units based in Estonia will be equipped with hundreds of fearsome HX-2 kamikaze drones;
- More than £1.5billion in extra funding will go to military homes in response to the review.
Keir Starmer warned that Britain must be ready for war today as he unveiled a new weapons drive
Ministers unveiled plans to build six munitions factories in the UK and produce 7,000 long-range weapons, including attack drones and precision missiles
The munitions move is in response to the review’s call for an ‘always on’ production capacity that could be scaled up quickly.
The new funding will see UK munitions spend hit £6billion during this Parliament and support around 1,800 jobs throughout the country.
Sir Keir called the review a ‘radical blueprint’ that would drive forward investments in shipbuilding, drone technology and cyber defences.
The threats we face are no secret. War in Europe. New nuclear risk,’ the premier wrote in the Sun on Sunday.
‘The Kremlin is working hand in hand with its cronies in Iran and North Korea. We face daily cyber attacks.
‘The Royal Navy has chased off Russian spy ships loitering in our waters.
‘The RAF has scrambled to intercept Russian planes that menace our skies.’
Sir Keir said the government would ‘bring together every capability we have, from drones, to artillery, to human instinct and intelligence, into one formidable, integrated fighting machine.’
‘To achieve this, we are announcing a wave of new investments in our Armed Forces across land, air and sea.’
He said Labour would end the ‘disgraceful hollowing out’ of the armed forces.
‘We will invest in a fighting force that is more integrated, more ready, more lethal than ever — putting Britain back where it belongs as a leader in defence and a leader in Nato.
‘We will provide better kit for our warriors when they are fighting abroad — so that they can use the full range of conventional and technological capabilities.’
However, there are fears recommendations could be ‘unaffordable’ after an apparent row over whether and when a target of spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence will be reached.
Defence Secretary John Healey said it was time for Britain to ‘move to warfighting readiness to deter our adversaries’ and that the measures he is announcing are a ‘message to Moscow’.
Writing in The Mail on Sunday, Mr Healey said the promised 7,000 UK-built weapons – such as attack drones and precision missiles – are aimed at ‘deterring adversaries like Russia’.
The new weapons will include drones that can fly across borders and launch an attack on Russia from Britain’s base in Estonia, government sources said.
There will also be long-range missiles such as Storm Shadows, and potentially hypersonic missiles that travel faster than the speed of sound.
The review will urge the the Ministry of Defence to lay the industrial foundations to boost weapons stockpiles to meet the demand of ‘high-tempo’ warfare.
The accommodation cash will be spent on urgent repairs such as fixing boilers and roofs, and other issues including tackling damp.
‘Our forces make extraordinary sacrifices to keep us safe and to serve this country and yet for years, we’ve forced their families to live in substandard homes,’ Mr Healey said on a visit to military accommodation in Cambridgeshire.
However, the Conservatives criticised the investment in munitions factories as too slow.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said the Chancellor has used the strategic defence review to put an ‘effective freeze’ on new orders for military kit.
‘It’s a bit rich of Labour to talk about ‘always on’ munitions production when procurement has been largely switched off for the past year,’ he said.
He added: ‘Of course, we welcome investment in new munitions factories, but we don’t know when they will be ready, only that these orders should have been placed months ago.
‘Ultimately, we need to see greater ambition for the pace and scale of rearmament our armed forces require, given the threats we face and the need to replace inventory gifted to Ukraine.
‘That means 3 per cent of GDP by the end of this parliament, and Labour properly prioritising defence spending – instead of seeking to outspend Reform on welfare.’
