Britain ‘needs to go faster’ on defence spending, Starmer says

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editorFebruary 16, 2026 at 03:06 PM

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Keir Starmer stated that Britain needs to increase defence spending more quickly due to the ongoing threat from Russia. This followed reports that the government was considering raising the defence budget to 3% of GDP by 2029. While Starmer's initial comments were interpreted as support for the 3% target, Downing Street sources clarified that such an increase is unlikely before the next election. A dispute between the Ministry of Defence and the Treasury over the defence investment plan has delayed key contracts, including a £1bn helicopter deal that could impact 3,000 jobs. Current forecasts estimate defence spending at 2.4% of GDP in 2025, rising to 3.5% by 2035, with most increases planned for the next parliamentary term.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Unite (trade union) 40% Leonardo Helicopters 50% Ukraine ×260% United Kingdom ×260% Russia ×270% Keir Starmer ×480%

Keywords

defence spending 100% military budgets 70% gdp 70% treasury 60% keir starmer 60% defence investment plan 60% defence contracts 50% nato targets 50% ukraine 40% russia 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: -0.10

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The Guardian - World News

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90%

Geographic Perspective

Russia

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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defence spending military budgets gdp treasury keir starmer defence investment plan defence contracts nato targets ukraine russia

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