Starmer: Wave of investments will make British military an ‘integrated fighting machine'
Sir Keir Starmer has pledged a wave of new investments to turn the British armed forces into a 'formidable, integrated fighting machine' as part of the UK government's defence review.
The UK prime minister said he would invest in a military that is 'more integrated, more ready, more lethal than ever'.
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As part of the review, due to be published on Monday, the UK government has pledged £1.5 billion (€1.7 billion) to set up at least six factories, and will support the procurement of up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons.
The move is in response to the review's call for an 'always on' munitions production capacity that could be scaled up quickly.
The new funding will see UK munitions spend hit £6 billion (€7.2 billion) during this Parliament and support around 1,800 jobs throughout the country.
Mr Starmer called the review a 'radical blueprint' that would drive forward investments in shipbuilding, drone technology and cyber defences.
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Director of mechanical engineering Matt Beamont shows Defence Secretary John Healey a storm shadow missile (Dan Kitwood/PA)
Preparing for the threats of tomorrow means 'bringing together every capability we have, from drones, to artillery, to human instinct and intelligence, into one formidable, integrated fighting machine,' he wrote in The Sun.
'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.
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'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.'
UK defence secretary John Healey said the British government would embrace the recommendations in the review and make defence an 'engine for economic growth'.
It will urge the the UK Ministry of Defence to lay the industrial foundations to boost weapons stockpiles to meet the demand of 'high-tempo' warfare.
More than £1.5 billion in extra funding will go to military homes in response to the review.
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The 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.
The Conservatives criticised the investment in munitions factories as too slow.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said the UK chancellor has used the strategic defence review to put an 'effective freeze' on new orders for military kit.
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'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.'
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