Keir Starmer will unveil the blueprint to prepare the UK for war at next month’s Nato summit to reassure allies including Donald Trump, despite pressure from Andy Burnham to delay it, The i Paper understands.
The Prime Minister is determined to get the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) over the line before he flies to the summit in Ankara, Turkey, on 7 July – as one of his last major acts in office.
Burnham is expected to take over from Starmer around 10 days later, unless another MP stands for leader and triggering a contest.
It is understood the former Mayor of Greater Manchester was pushing for a delay so he could go through the details of the plans himself as prime minister and amend them if necessary.
Starmer met Burnham for private talks on Tuesday but both camps declined to discuss details. It is however likely that they talked about the defence plan which has reportedly been the subject of a dispute between them.
Starmer refusing to delay publication
But despite months of delays to the DIP, Starmer is refusing to postpone publication of the plan, which will detail what military kit is needed to equip Britain for possible war with Russia.
It has been delayed by months of wrangling between the Treasury and the Ministry of Defence over funding, with John Healey quitting his role as defence secretary earlier this month over failing to secure more than £13.5bn against an estimated £18bn gap.
The resignaiton of Healey, a Starmer loyalist, proved to be fatally undermining to the Prime Minister, who resigned on Monday.
An insider said it was important that the blueprint was presented to Nato allies at the Turkey summit to reassure them that the UK has a plan for war.
New Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis is working on finalising the plan as a priority and it will not be delayed, they said.
Jarvis has been in close talks with Chancellor Rachel Reeves about more money for the DIP, in addition to the £13.5bn already on the table.
A source characterised the talks as “productive” and “good conversations”.
“We are confident it is the right and sensible thing to do to get the DIP out before the Nato summit,” a Whitehall source said.
UK needs to demonstrate leadership to allies, source said
The UK had made very clear commitments that it needed to demonstrate leadership to its allies, who were waiting for the announcement of the DIP at the Nato summit, a source said, and it needed to “land” before Starmer and Jarvis go to Ankara, a source said.
And Starmer’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has been clear that national security is the first duty of any government.
“The Defence Investment Plan remains an important part of our work to keep our country safe and ensure our armed forces can face the threats of the future, and that’s why we’re working to finalise and publish the plan before the Nato summit.”
The spokesman added: “There is no change in the urgent need to produce the Defence Investment Plan, and whilst the Prime Minister is in office.
“The core business of government will continue as normal as you’d expect, and the Defence Investment Plan remains an important part of that work to keep the country safe.”
Jarvis has said he wants to get the “best deal” for defence, but a source said “we are not quite there yet” – in a sign that negotiations on whether Reeves will give more money are ongoing.
“We are feeling confident we will have a good DIP before the Nato summit,” an insider said.
More money for war preparation
A Treasury source did not deny that there might be more cash for the DIP but said they were not going to pre-empt the announcement.
Whitehall insiders suggested that if Burnham was unhappy with the DIP being published before he arrives in Downing Street there were plenty of other opportunities to increase defence spending when he becomes prime minister.
The UK has a target for defence spending to reach 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2035, and the new prime minister and chancellor could use this autumn’s Budget as well as next year’s Whitehall spending review to boost funding for the military.
The DIP is not the end of defence spending but a “milestone” on the route to the 2035 target, a source said.
A Whitehall source said: “The idea that we are going to stop talking about defence spending the day after the DIP is bonkers.
“We know there is much more to do. Every fiscal event that comes up will be an opportunity to take another step forward on defence spending.”
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