Starmer must say what he will cut to fund £15bn defence rise, SNP says

The Prime Minister is yet to find nearly £5 billion of savings to fund a rise in defence spending (Andrew Matthews/PA) - (PA Archive)

Sir Keir Starmer must say what he will cut to fund a £15 billion increase in defence spending, the SNP has said.

Dave Doogan, the party’s Westminster leader, warned the Prime Minister’s “unfunded” plans could take “vital” money away from schools and hospitals.

In one of his final acts as Prime Minister, Sir Keir announced on Monday that he would raise military spending by £15 billion.

He said the budget increase would be funded by cutting investment budgets in other areas, including road and energy projects.

Sir Keir Starmer announced a defence spending increase as one of his last acts as Prime Minster (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire)

The Treasury has said only £10.3 billion of savings have been identified, which may leave Andy Burnham, the likely incoming prime minister, being forced to find the remaining £4.7 billion.

But the SNP said the current Labour leader, expected to step down this month, must say “where the axe will fall”.

Mr Doogan said: “Voters in Scotland have a right to know if the Labour Government is planning to make deep and damaging cuts to our public services and the money available for vital infrastructure projects.

“Families will be concerned to hear that the Labour Government’s long-delayed and unfunded defence plans could take vital money away from Scotland’s schools, hospitals, roads and the other frontline public services, which we all depend upon.

Dave Doogan urged the PM to set out which budgets he will cut to fund defence spending (Andrew Milligan/PA) (PA Wire)

“The Labour Party must come clean over where the axe will fall if it is planning to take £15 billion from public services across the UK.

“It is particularly concerning that Keir Starmer has been forced to admit that his plans include an additional £4.7 billion funding gap, which hasn’t been accounted for at all and could mean swingeing cuts at the Labour Government’s autumn budget.

“The fact that Andy Burnham’s team are claiming he wasn’t even briefed on the missing money shows the chaos and dysfunction at the centre of the Labour Government, and means a Burnham government will be responsible for piling an additional £4.7 billion of cuts on cuts.”

Mr Doogan said the “deep cuts” came after decades of austerity which has “hammered” Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

He added: “It isn’t right that the Scottish Government, and the governments of Wales and Northern Ireland, have been kept in the dark about the scale of the cuts coming down the line from Westminster. The Labour Party must be straight with voters.”

The Ministry of Defence has been approached for comment.