Lee Anderson has fumed at Sir Keir Starmer as reports have suggested that the UK will not increase its defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.
US President Donald Trump has said that he would like to see European members of NATO increase the amount of cash they provide for their armed forces to 5%.
Now, The Times has reported that Sir Keir is set to resist increasing the UK’s spending to half of that total because of concern over the country’s public finances.
In the 2023/24 financial year, the UK spent £53.9 billion on defence. Presently, the country is committed to spending 2% of GDP on defence expenditure that meets NATO’s definition.
Now, Reform UK MP Lee Anderson has told Express.co.uk that Sir Keir’s reported stance is another example of the Prime Minister running on “false pretences”.
Mr Anderson said: “In July, Keir Starmer pledged to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, calling it a ‘cast-iron commitment.’ It should come as no surprise, Labour has abandoned this promise with about zero explanation as to why.
“This is yet another example of Labour running on false pretenses to win votes, only to betray their promises once in power. By neglecting defense spending, they show a lack of respect for public trust, national security, and our relationship with key allies.”
The Reform Deputy MP goes on to say that Labour has squandered resources on everything from migrants to policies to revent climate change.
He said: “If Labour can’t prioritise defence because they’ve squandered resources on illegal immigration, foreign aid, and Net Zero fantasies, it’s time to question the legitimacy of a government that repeatedly betrays the British people.”
He added: “This Government is embarrassing our country on the world stage.”
It comes after Sir Keir and Mr Trump spoke for the first time since the President’s inauguration last night.
The 45-minute conversation has been characterised as “warm and personal”.
It came after Mr Trump praised the PM for doing “a very good job” and hinted that his first overseas trip as President could be to the UK.
In its 2024 manifesto, the Labour Party stated: “To ensure the UK is fully prepared to deal with these interconnected threats, Labour will conduct a Strategic Defence Review within our first year in government, and we will set out the path to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence.”
