Soon-to-be-replaced Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves congratulate each other on defence plan despite falling well short of Army needs

Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves congratulated each other on the release of the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan despite it falling far short of Britain's military needs.

The Prime Minister, who is expected to depart Downing Street within weeks, outlined proposals to equip troops with attack drones alongside Apache helicopters, deploy new surveillance aircraft, and increase the use of low-cost one-way strike drones to boost the Army's lethality tenfold.

Prior to his announcement, the Chancellor lauded her "friend's" "moral clarity" when confronting international security threats, suggesting this would form his enduring legacy.

Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis added the outgoing leader had enabled Britain to "prove itself a reliable partner and a trusted ally".

However, the £15billion additional investment over four years remains £13billion short of the £28billion that military commanders had reportedly sought

The package encompasses £64billion for renewing the nuclear deterrent, including new submarines, a sovereign warhead, and F-35A fighters capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

More than £8billion has been allocated to the global combat air programme with Japan and Italy for developing next-generation RAF jets, while approximately £5billion will fund what officials describe as a "drone transformation" drawing lessons from Ukraine.

Some £11billion will go towards munitions and weapons stockpiles.

Sir Keir claimed the investment would prepare Britain to confront Russia should Vladimir Putin launch an attack by 2030.

"When the world is arming and aggression is rising, the best way to avoid war is to prepare for it," he stated.

Yet defence spending will only reach 2.7 per cent of GDP by 2027/28, falling short of NATO's 3.5 per cent target for 2035. The Treasury confirmed £4.7billion of the promised funding remains unidentified until the next budget.

John Healey, who resigned as defence secretary earlier this month after claiming he had only been offered £13.5billion for the plan, warned "Britain will still be spending just 2.7 per cent of GDP in 2030" and demanded a "clear, credible funding plan" to reach the 2035 target.

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge dismissed the announcement as "too little, too late".

General Sir Richard Barrons, who co-authored the Government's 2025 strategic defence review, offered a particularly stark assessment.

"We're not keeping up with our allies, we're certainly not keeping up with our enemies, and we know that the US is no longer going to come and save European security in the face of a Russian threat," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

He concluded the plan would not "crack the issue" of adequately funding the nation's military.

Tan Dhesi, Labour MP and Chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, called the absence of a clear pathway to 3.5 per cent "disappointing".

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch demanded Andy Burnham call a general election if he approves the defence investment plan in the likely circumstance he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.

"John Healey told us that the defence investment plan was not funded and that he was not able to keep our country safe with the money he was being given," she said.

"If Andy Burnham signs off on that defence investment plan, or if he does not find the money, then I do think he should call a general election, because we can't all pretend that John Healey didn't say what he said."

Mrs Badenoch added protecting the country "should be his first priority, not devolving to regional mayors".

Green Party Commons leader Ellie Chowns struck a different tone, stating Britain requires defence investment that is "responsible, ethical and fit for the future".

"Britain is safer when defence spending is responsible, ethical and rooted in tackling the real security challenges of our time," the North Herefordshire MP said.

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