Keir Starmer’s increase in defence spending: A decision for Trump or for ourselves?
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Keir Starmer has announced a cut in UK spending on overseas aid in order to fund an increase in defence spending, just days before his first meeting with President Donald Trump, in a move criticised as one to help the UK cosy up to the new US administration.
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Read time: 4 mins
In brief…
- Starmer has said his “number one priority” as Prime Minister is the security of the British people, as he announced an increase in defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of British GDP.
- Labour MP Josh Simons tells The News Agents that Europe is already “at war”, and has been since Russia first invaded Ukraine, prompting support from all corners of the continent.
- The News Agents say this decision was “Trump-forced”, and one made in the belief that if the UK follows US policy on spending policy, he will act more favourably towards Europe.
What’s the story?
In early February, Donald Trump cut billions in USAID, money which vital services in poverty-stricken countries around the world rely on to keep essential services running.
On Tuesday 25 February, Keir Starmer announced the UK would do likewise, as he revealed plans to increase the UK's defence spending – from 2.3% to 2.5% – in 2027. At the same time, it would decrease the amount the UK spends annually on overseas aid.
He described the aid cut, from 0.5% of GDP to 0.3% as a "painful choice" during a speech in the House of Commons.
“We will do everything we can to return to a world where that is not the case, and rebuild a capability on development, but at times like this the defence and security of the British people must always come first," Starmer said.
“That is the number one priority of this government.”
Labour promised in its 2024 manifesto to hit the 2.5% defence spending budget by 2030, but the developing situation with Russia and Ukraine has brought this spending change forward.
Starmer's actions have attracted criticism that he has implemented these changes ahead of a meeting with Donald Trump in The White House to appease the MAGA president and follow recent cuts in international aid made by the US.
'In a way, Europe is already at war'
Has Starmer put the UK on a ‘war footing’?
Josh Simons, Labour MP for Makerfield, tells The News Agents that Starmer's announcement is a "clear recognition of the insecurity of the world that we live in."
He adds it is not possible to disconnect the current state of the world with the upcoming meeting between the UK and US leaders' meeting.
"The world order is changing and the fact that the tectonic plates of geopolitics are moving in a way they haven't for half a century is inseparable from the question of how the British government makes sure that we have the capacity we need to defend freedom and democracy," Simons tells Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel.
Simons adds he's been involved in conversations about Labour raising the UK's defence spending since before Trump's election, and saying there is a direct influence between the two "vastly underestimates how much serious thinking has gone on before the election about what it actually takes now to keep Britain and British people safe."
But he denies that Starmer's change in spending priorities puts the UK on a "war footing".
"In a way, Europe is already at war, and on a war footing," he says.
"A sovereign territory in Europe was invaded by an autocratic foreign power. That is war, and Britain is involved in that war.
"The Prime Minister has already said that he is willing to put British troops on the ground, and that's not something that's coming 5-10 years down the track. We're there now."
What's The News Agents' take?
"There is an old saying in the Foreign Office that British foreign policy is, ‘find out what America thinks and do a little bit less’," says Jon Sopel.
"That was made flesh today in the House of Commons."
He describes it as a "seismic shift" from Labour's previous pledges to increase foreign aid to 0.7%.
Trump's recent actions have signified a significant shift away from America supporting Europe, and the world at large, and a suggestion that leaders across the world need to find ways to fund and support their own needs, without US support.
"This is a Trump-forced decision where Keir Starmer wants to preserve NATO and thinks the best way we can do that is to do what Donald Trump wants.”
Emily Maitlis says Starmer's announcement was influenced directly by his flight to the US on Wednesday 26 February.
"When we knew what an American Alliance looked like, where we thought of America as our allies, you'd understand the transaction of this," she says.
The change in priority from aid to defence, Emily adds, has been done in the belief that now the UK has moved towards what Trump wants, his next move will be towards what Europe wants.
"I don't think we're in that age anymore," she says.
"What we heard from Friedrich Merz, from the man who will be the new German chancellor, was a very clear indication that whatever Germany does, they've got to think of it without America in the background.
"Maybe Starmer has to recognise that actually 2.5% will not do anything to please America, but it will be something that we have to do for ourselves and for Europe if we're serious about keeping Putin at bay.
"Do we really think it's going to yield some kind of promise from the US under Trump, or do we actually think if America's leaving the stage, we better do this?"
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