UK must be prepared for conflict in Europe or Atlantic, defence review to conclude
The UK plans to build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines, it will be announced on Monday as the government unveils its strategic defence review.
The 130-page document will conclude UK must prepare for conflict in Europe or the Atlantic and move to “war-fighting readiness” as a countermeasure to Russian aggression.
But Sir Keir Starmer, who will announce the review on Monday, is facing backlash after failing to double down on a previous aim of spending three per cent of GDP on defence.
Defence secretary John Healey refused on Sunday to say whether Chancellor Rachel Reeves had guaranteed enough funding to meet the target by the next parliament.
Starmer is already facing flack as the document will not promise an immediate increase to the size of the British military, despite concerns over a “recruitment and retention crisis.”
Healey told the BBC on Sunday in an interview plans to initiate a recruitment drive will be deferred until at least after the next election.
He said the review would be a “message to Moscow” and was the UK’s response to a “world of growing threats.”
Starmer is expected to confirm around £15bn in investment into the UK’s nuclear warhead programme.
Other announcements on Monday will include building up to 7,000 long-range weapons including missiles or drones, and a £1.5bn commitment to build six new factories.
Government ‘foursquare’ behind military
The Prime Minister will say: “From the supply lines to the front lines, this government is foursquare behind the men and women upholding our nation’s freedom and security.
“This review will ensure the UK rises to the challenge and our armed forces have the equipment they need that keeps us safe at home while driving greater opportunity for our engineers, shipbuilders and technicians of the future.”
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) expects construction of the new submarines to support 30,000 jobs into the 2030s as well as 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles over the next 10 years.
“With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead programme on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad,” Healey said.
The review was led by the former Labour defence secretary Lord Robertson, and will make 62 recommendations in total.