Starmer Declines to Give Timeline on 2.5 Percent Defence Spending

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer declined to commit to a timeline for when the UK will reach his government’s “cast iron” pledge to raise defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP. Sir Keir is in Washington for a NATO summit where he will be pushing his counterparts to reaffirm their commitment to the alliance by increasing their defence spending. Asked on Tuesday whether the new government would achieve its goal within this Parliament, the prime minister said that he remains committed to his campaign pledge, but that it was subject to “our fiscal rules.” “We are committed to the 2.5 percent, as I have said before the election and I say again after the election. That is obviously subject to our fiscal rules, but the commitment is there,” he said....