Britain’s defence spending plans were plunged into chaos on Wednesday night after the Prime Minister reportedly blocked a major investment boost.
Sir Keir Starmer was said to have torn up wish lists submitted by military chiefs raising concerns about ‘affordability’.
Labour pledged to release the crucial Defence Investment Plan ‘this autumn’ – now it is not expected before January 2026 at the earliest.
On Wednesday night, Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge told the Mail the situation was ‘farcical’.
The postponement came despite defence chiefs and the head of MI6 warning this week that Britain must prepare for conflict with Russia.
The delay also coincided with a last damning indictment of the £6.4 billion Ajax armoured vehicle programme, which still is not ready to enter service and is injuring troops in trials.
Four separate reviews were ongoing last night into Ajax in a bid to fix the vehicle.
The Ministry of Defence also faces major spending decisions to accelerate the delivery of nuclear submarines and improves air defence.
Sir Keir Starmer, pictured on Tuesday, is said to have torn up wish lists submitted by military chiefs raising concerns about ‘affordability’
Mr Cartlidge said that the gap between the government’s preparations for war and its rhetoric was extraordinary.
He told the Mail: ‘This means yet another Labour broken promise on defence. This is the fourth major strategy to have been delayed.
‘This is why the Defence Select Committee concluded the government was moving a “glacial pace” to prepare the country for possible conflict.’
According to the Conservatives, the Strategic Defence Review, the Defence Housing Strategy and the Defence Industrial Strategy were also late.
Last night, tens of billions of pounds of vitally needed military equipment remained on hold.
Government sources confirmed how the Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary are meeting regularly to finalise work on the Defence Investment Plan.
They said the plan will deliver the best kit and technology into the hands of our frontline forces at speed.
The Defence Investment Plan is also considered vital to boost the UK economy with tens of thousands of industrial jobs hanging in the balance.
The delay comes after the Mail revealed how there is a shortfall of an estimated £2.6 billion in this year’s defence budgets.
This has led to training exercises overseas being scaled back and procurement programmes being cancelled.
On Wednesday, the Conservatives announced plans for a £50 billion sovereign defence fund – including £33 billion of private finance and £11 billion from the National Wealth Fund.
Additional funds will be provided by research and development budgets from other government departments being reverted to the Ministry of Defence.
The Conservatives have also pledged to increase defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP in this parliament.
To date, Labour has only said reaching the same target is an ‘ambition’ based on hitting targets for economic growth.
The MOD said: ‘As the Defence Secretary said this week, we are working intensely to finalise work on the Defence Investment Plan, which will deliver the best kit and technology into the hands of our frontline forces at speed, and, importantly, invest in and grow the UK economy.’
