UK PM Starmer refuses to rule out tax hikes to fund defence spending

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has refused to rule out tax hikes to fund defence spending.

He was pressed by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions on whether taxpayers should expect an increase, but declined to respond directly.

The government’s defence investment plan is due to be published ahead of the Nato summit in Turkey, which begins on July 7.

It was originally slated for publication last autumn but has been repeatedly delayed.

In the Commons, Badenoch said: ‘There is still no defence investment plan.

‘He is the prime minister now, at least I think he is – should I be calling Andy Burnham instead to ask these questions?

‘He is the prime minister, and the reason that he’s dithering is because he doesn’t know where the money is coming from.

‘The military is waiting, the bond markets are watching. He has only three options: cutting spending, more borrowing, or higher taxes. We know that the chancellor wants to put up tax to pay for it.

‘Will the prime minister rule out raising taxes?’

Starmer pointed to the Conservatives’ record in office, accusing them of causing ‘damage to the armed forces’.

He added: ‘When they left office, 47 out of 49 major defence contracts were delayed or over budget.

‘That is what we are fixing. You can’t just scrub away and forget.

‘I know they want to forget the last 14 years in power, so do the British public. That’s why they’re sitting over there.’

Starmer continued: ‘We’ve increased defence spending, we are going to publish the defence investment plan, and that will be done before the Nato summit coming up in just a few weeks’ time.’

Badenoch then said: ‘I asked him if he would rule out tax rises.

‘He did not rule out raising taxes, so tax rises are coming.’

This comes amid reports of a dispute at the heart of government over the plan, known as the Dip [defence investment plan].

The prime minister and chancellor are reportedly arguing for a £15 billion package, far short of the £28 billion over the next four years which defence officials have called for.

In the Commons on Wednesday, Badenoch said: ‘The reason the prime minister is in this mess is because he maxed out on spending in his first two budgets.

‘That’s why the benefits bill is set to rise to over £200 billion pounds by the end of the decade.

‘He has things the wrong way round. He has a benefits plan until 2031 but no defence investment plan. Why not just cut welfare?’

In his response, Starmer said: ‘We are not going to take lectures on defence from the party opposite after what they did to the armed forces, and nor are we going to take lectures on the economy, which they crashed and we had to pick up.’

He argued that the UK was leading on defence, referencing the so-called coalition of the willing.

Badenoch hit back, saying: ‘We all know why he won’t cut welfare, it’s because he is too weak.

‘Too weak to make a decision, too weak to face down his backbenchers and cut benefits, too weak to stand up for our national security.

‘As the sun sets on his premiership, he is scrabbling around for a legacy, but isn’t it the case that the real legacy will be a bloated welfare state and a weaker armed forces?’

Starmer said: ‘When they were in office, they didn’t reform welfare or invest in our armed services.

‘Defence spending went down, welfare spending went up £88 billion overall, on their watch, £33 billion under the shadow chancellor.’

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey raised concerns the hospital programme would be slashed to fund the shortfall in defence spending.

He said: ‘Surely in 21st century Britain, people can expect both a decent local hospital and armed forces that keep them safe. So, will the prime minister rule out any cuts to the NHS budget to fund defence?’

Starmer said: ‘We will take the necessary measures to defend our country, the first duty of any Prime Minister.

‘We will also take the measures, as we have done, to invest in our public services, and forgive me, I was running a public service when the government that his party were part of was stripping them bare under austerity, so we’re really not going to take lectures on austerity from the gentleman opposite.’

By Rhiannon James and Will Meakin-Durrant, Press Association Political Staff

Press Association: News

source: PA

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