Blair’s defence secretary calls on Starmer to back 2.5pc target for military spending

SIR KEIR STARMER has been urged by Tony Blair’s defence secretary to commit to increasing defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP.

Geoff Hoon said hitting the benchmark was “vitally important for this country and indeed for Nato and the European continent”.

He also said that increased spending on the military would inevitably mean that other departments would have to suffer funding cuts.

Mr Hoon remains the longest serving defence secretary since Denis Healey, holding the role for five-and-a-half years in a tenure that coincided with the UK’s involvement in the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Speaking at an event in central London, he was asked whether the Labour leader should match Rishi Sunak’s recent commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030 – something which Labour has so far declined to do.

Mr Hoon told The Telegraph: “Certainly I believe it is vitally important that the UK increases its defence spending. I have always argued that. I will argue that to both a Labour government and a Conservative administration.”

He said that he entirely understood why Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, and Sir Keir would want to look at the situation once they are elected to government before making a similar sort of commitment.

He added: “But frankly I hope they will make that commitment because it is vitally important for this country and indeed for Nato and the European continent.”

Sir Keir has said he wants the UK to “get to 2.5 per cent as soon as resources allow”, but has insisted that a decision on the timescale should be taken following a strategic defence and security review within the first year of a Labour government.

However, Mr Hoon also criticised the Prime Minister for not explaining how his pledge would be funded.

“I’m slightly disappointed that 2.5 per cent has emerged from the woodwork without any realistic funding for it – no one knows where that money is coming from,” he said. “This is a completely unfunded aspiration by the Government.”

Reflecting on his own time at the Ministry of Defence, Mr Hoon said he had “spent six years in hand-to-hand combat with the Treasury trying to get more money for defence”.

Mr Hoon was speaking at an event organised by Cambridge University’s Centre for Geopolitics and the Lithuanian Embassy to mark the 20th year anniversary of Lithuania joining Nato.