Keir Starmer to give major speech on UK nuclear warhead programme

BREAKING

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is set to spend £15bn on new warheads for the UK’s nuclear deterrent, which Starmer is revealing this morning in a speech.

On top of this, 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines are set to be built.

Defence secretary John Healey warned that ministers must act “decisively to face down Russian aggression” and ensure Britain is “secure at home and strong abroad."

It comes as part of plans to make the UK ready for war with increasing tensions in the East of Europe.

A summary of new measures include:

• A “landmark” shift to war readiness to deter growing threats
• Up to six new munitions factories that can be scaled up in response to a crisis
• A new stockpile of 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons
• A new cyber command to counter a “continual and intensifying” level of cyber warfare
• £1.5bn for military housing amid claims that years of neglect have led to troops quitting

Starmer set out the fundamental goals he intends to achieve in the new spending review.

These includes moving the UK to "war-fighting readiness".

Starmer added that this is the "most effective way" to deter aggressors, explaining that they will do this through pay rises and creating a stronger, fully trained reserve.

Furthermore, the defence policy will "always be Nato first", adding that the UK hopes to deliver the "biggest contribution to Nato since it was created"

Finally the government will "innovate and accelerate innovation at a war-time pace" to meet threats.