Starmer Targets July 7 NATO Summit for 10-Year Defence Plan as Delay Fuels Jobs Fears
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 1
Starmer Targets July 7 NATO Summit for 10-Year Defence Plan as Delay Fuels Jobs Fears
7 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 1
John Healey told MPs Keir Starmer is determined to publish the delayed 10-year Defence Investment Plan before the NATO summit starting July 7, setting the clearest new timetable yet after months of slippage.
The plan, originally expected in autumn 2025, is meant to show how equipment and infrastructure will be funded over the next decade after the Strategic Defence Review set out a shift to warfighting readiness.
Unions and industry groups said the delay is already hitting the sector: Prospect warned every month costs jobs and training, while ADS said some smaller firms are struggling and may leave defence altogether.
Opposition MPs said the hold-up suggests ministers still have not settled funding with the Treasury, and Conservatives will try on Tuesday to force a legal deadline through an Armed Forces Bill amendment.
The dispute matters beyond Westminster because the review promised billions for ammunition, drones, fast jets and submarines, while companies warn uncertainty could weaken UK supply chains and sovereign capability.
With its defence plan stalled, is Britain's vital military industry being lost to European and US rivals?
Are 'war bonds' a genuine fix for UK defence funding or a tactic to delay tough economic choices?