PMQs: Starmer and Badenoch clash over Ukraine
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Keir Starmer announces increase to defence spending
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Kemi Badenoch challenged Sir Keir Starmer over defence spending as the pair clashed at PMQs.
The Tory leader said she was pleased the Prime Minister followed her call to cut the foreign aid budget to boost spending on security.
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She said: "Turning to the details of the plan he set out yesterday: Over the weekend, I suggested to the Prime Minister that he cut the aid budget, and I am pleased that he accepted my advice."
As MPs laughed, she went on: "It's the fastest response I've ever had from the Prime Minister."
But Sir Keir also prompted laughter from MPs as he replied: "I'm going to have to let the leader of the Opposition down gently. She didn't feature in my thinking at all.
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"I was so busy over the weekend I didn't even see her proposal. I think she's appointed herself, I think saviour of the western civilisation. It's a desperate search for relevance."
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13 hours ago12:20 Katie Harris
Badenoch accuses Starmer of failing to answer her question
The Tory leader said the Prime Minister had failed to answer her question on whether the Chagos Islands agreement will be paid for with the extra cash for defence.
She said: "Yesterday the Prime Minister set an ambition for defence spending to reach 3% (of GDP) in the next parliament. We agree with him but this could be 2034, almost a decade away - that is too slow, we don't know how he will pay for it.
"We cannot raise taxes further. We already pay more on debt interest than defence, and everyone in this House will have heard him not answer the last question, so I will ask him again: Is he paying for the Chagos deal with this defence uplift or not?"
Sir Keir Starmer replied: "I've just dealt with that question. The money announced yesterday is going to our capability to put ourselves in a position to defend the security of our country, Europe and the UK."
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14 hours ago12:14 Katie Harris
Badenoch demands Chagos payments do not come from defence uplift
Kemi Badenoch pressed the Prime Minister over whether the Government's increase in defence spending includes funding being used for the Chagos Islands deal.
She said: "This morning the Defence Secretary could not say if the Chagos deal would come out of the defence budget. Can he confirm to the House that none of the defence uplift includes payments for his Chagos deal?"
Sir Keir Starmer replied: "The additional spend I announced yesterday is for our capability on defence and security in Europe, as I made absolutely clear yesterday.
"The Chagos deal is extremely important for our security, for US security. The US are rightly looking at it. When it's finalised I'll put it before the House with the costings.
"The figures being bandied around are absolutely wide of the mark, the deal is well over a century but the funding I announced yesterday is for our capability to put ourselves in a position to rise to a generational challenge, that is what that money is all about and I thought she supported it."
Kemi Badenoch grills the PM (Image: PA)
14 hours ago12:12 Katie Harris
Badenoch slams 'patronising' Starmer
The Leader of the Opposition said: "Someone needs to tell the Prime Minister that being patronising is not a substitute for answering questions."
She went on: "He hasn't answered. What he has said is different from what he said yesterday.
"We are still not clear where the money is coming from. We want to support him.
"He's also said that we should put British troops on the ground in Ukraine. We haven't seen the detail of any proposals. Would his new spending plans allow him to fund this commitment effectively?"
The Prime Minister replied: "I think it's the same question again - it's ￡13.4 billion, that's the difference between this year and 2027/28.
"She asks a serious question about the security guarantees in Ukraine, and that is extremely important because the worst of all outcomes - if there's to be a cessation of hostilities - is that it is a short break rather than sustained and lasting peace.
"And I think that that means there's got to be security guarantees. I've indicated that we will play our full part. There has to be US backing, because otherwise I don't think it will deter (Russian President Vladimir) Putin.
"We are working on that. I am having extensive discussions about it. I'm not in a position to put details before the House, as she well knows, today but I'll continue down that route because I want a lasting peace in Ukraine and Europe for the safety and security of Ukrainians, of Europeans and of course, for everybody in this country."
14 hours ago12:10 Katie Harris
Badenoch presses Starmer on figures
Kemi Badenoch asked: "How is it that the Defence Secretary (John Healey) says ￡6 billion and he says ￡13.4 billion?
"The Institute for Fiscal Studies said today that the Government is playing 'silly games' with numbers. How does he find this difference in numbers?"
The PM said in response: "We went through this two weeks ago, of going through the same question over and over again.
"So let me say - if you take the financial year this year and then you take the financial year for 2027/28, the difference between the two is ￡13.4 billion.
"That's the same answer. If you ask again, I'll give the same answer again."
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14 hours ago12:08 Katie Harris
Badenoch turns to defence spending
Kemi Badenoch went on to ask Sir Keir Starmer about his announcement yesterday that he would slash foreign aid to boost defence spending to 2.5% of national income by 2027.
She said: "Turning to the details of the plan he set out yesterday: Over the weekend, I suggested to the Prime Minister that he cut the aid budget, and I am pleased that he accepted my advice.
"It's the fastest response I've ever had from the Prime Minister. However, he announced ￡13.4 billion in additional defence spending yesterday. This morning, his Defence Secretary said the uplift is only ￡6 billion. Which is the correct figure?"
The Prime Minister replied: "I'm going to have to let the leader of the Opposition down gently. She didn't feature in my thinking at all.
"I was so busy over the weekend I didn't even see her proposal. I think she's appointed herself, I think saviour of the western civilisation. It's a desperate search for relevance.
"But, if you take the numbers for this financial year and then the numbers for the financial year 27/28 that's ￡13.4 billion increase. That is the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, which will put us in a position to ensure the security and defence of our country and of Europe."
Sir Keir Starmer speaks during PMQs (Image: PA)
14 hours ago12:03 Katie Harris
Badenoch grills Starmer on Ukraine
Kemi Badenoch asked what the Prime Minister will do to make sure Ukraine is part of talks on ending the war when he meets US President Donald Trump tomorrow
The Conservative leader said: "I wish the Prime Minister every success on his trip to Washington. The visit to see President Trump must serve our national interest.
"The Prime Minister and I are completely united in our support for Ukraine as a proud and sovereign nation.
"What specific steps will he take to ensure Ukraine is at the negotiating table for any peace settlement?"
Sir Keir Starmer replied: "It is right that Ukraine must be at the table. There can be no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine, that has been my consistent position in all of the discussions that I've had, that will continue to be my position."
14 hours ago12:00 Katie Harris
PMQs gets underway
Sir Keir Starmer is at the despatch box in the House of Commons as PMQs kicks off.
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14 hours ago11:56 Katie Harris
Starmer leaves No 10
Sir Keir Starmer was pictured leaving 10 Downing Street as he headed to Parliament for PMQs.
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 26: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer departs from Downing Street for the Ho (Image: Getty Images)
14 hours ago11:45 Christian Calgie
Angela Rayner to confirm future of Grenfell Tower
Angela Rayner is set to announce her decision about whether to demolish Grenfell Tower following PMQs.
Sir Keir will remain in the chamber for the statement, as it's expected Ms Rayner will confirm the demolition will go ahead.
While many family members of those who died in the blaze have called on it to remain as a permanent monument, structural surveyors have warned it is dangerous and risks collapse.
14 hours ago11:42 Christian Calgie
Robert Jenrick's chagos explainer goes viral
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has published a video explainer setting out why he opposes the Chagos Island sell-out by Keir Starmer.
Walking around Westminster, the top Tory explains the history of the islands and why Mauritius has no rightful claim to them.
It's already setting Twitter ablaze, with Reformers and Tories sharing it approvingly.
Starmer's Chagos Deal is a betrayal of Britain.
Chagos has been British since 1814. Mauritius\u2019s most respected leader said their claim is "ridiculous."
We & \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 have a vital military base there. Why an earth give control to an ally of China?
This insanity must be stopped. pic.twitter.com/v6zrbmwj8t
\u2014 Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) February 26, 2025
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15 hours ago11:08 Jonathan Walker
Russia rejects Ukraine plan backed by Starmer
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has rejected plans for a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
Reuters news agency reports he said Russia does not consider this an option and that these talks are aimed at "further fuelling the conflict".
The UK and France are pushing for a European peacekeeping force backed by a US "backstop". US President Donald Trump has said he believes Russia will accept the plan.
15 hours ago10:53 Steph Spyro
Healey: Trump will 'welcome' UK's hikes in defence spending
Sir Keir Starmer will travel to Washington on Wednesday for talks with the US president.
Asked on Sky News whether he thinks Mr Trump will be welcoming the Prime Minister given this announcement, Defence Secretary John Healey said “I do” and suggested that Mr Trump has indicated as such.
“The new defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, said publicly look, ‘Keir Starmer’s step was a strong step from an enduring partner and the US-UK relationship’.
“They are our closest security ally, we are strong partners on trade, on economic growth, on technology.
“And Keir Starmer will be saying to President Trump, look, we have a special depth to our relationship that goes back decades, not just on security and defence, but that’s at its heart.
“And Keir Starmer will say we want to see that relationship go from strength to strength.”
15 hours ago10:48 Steph Spyro
Cartlidge: Defence spending figures 'don’t seem to be completely right'
New figures shared on the rise in defence spending by the Government “don’t seem to be completely right”, the Shadow Defence Secretary said.
James Cartlidge told Times Radio: “It’s in the national interest that we increase defence spending, so I do support that in principle.
“Obviously, we’ve got some questions to follow up on some of what was said in terms of the figures because they don’t seem to be completely right in the cold light of day, it’s fair to say.
“But we obviously need to look at that, understand what it means, because there was this ￡13.4 billion extra – that is the entire aid budget and the aid budget is being cut by, we understand about 40%, so we’re looking at where the difference arises.”
You can read the full story here.
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15 hours ago10:43 Steph Spyro
Defence Secretary refuses to comment on Chagos Island deal
Defence Secretary John Healey has declined to say whether the increase in defence spending includes funding being used for the Chagos Islands deal.
The UK is in talks with Mauritius about handing over sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory, but leasing back the strategically important Diego Garcia military base which is used by the US.
A figure for the value of the deal has not been disclosed, but it has been reported at a cost of ￡90 million per year.
Asked on Times Radio if the agreement being negotiated with Mauritius was being accounted for in the funding increase, John Healey said: “This is about our defence spending. It’s about our mainstream defence budget.
“It meets an election commitment to meet 2.5% (of GDP spent on defence) at least three years earlier than anyone expected.
“And as far as the Chagos Islands go, that’s a deal that’s in the pipeline. It’s not yet signed and not yet ratified in any treaty that will be necessary before Parliament.”
John Healey arrives at Downing Street (Image: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publis)
15 hours ago10:39 Steph Spyro
Starmer heads to Washington to meet Donald Trump
The commitment to increase spending comes ahead of the Prime Minister flying to Washington to meet President Donald Trump. Mr Trump has repeatedly called for European nations to increase the amount they are putting into defence budgets.
Mr Healey told Sky News he thinks the US president will welcome the move and said the PM will be saying to his counterpart: “We have a special depth to our relationship that goes back decades, not just on security and defence, but that’s at its heart.
“Keir Starmer will say we want to see that relationship go from strength to strength.”
Sir Keir will follow French President Emmanuel Macron in visiting Mr Trump in Washington DC, and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit on Friday.
(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on February 25, 2025 shows US President Donald Trump (L (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
15 hours ago10:39 Steph Spyro
Defence at top of agenda
The Defence Secretary has suggested the real-terms increase in defence spending year-on-year will be only around half the ￡13.4 billion figure cited by the Prime Minister.
John Healey said in real terms, the figure “would be something over ￡6 billion” and claimed the “definition of defence numbers can be done in different ways”.
Ministers have been accused of playing “silly games with numbers” over their assertion on Tuesday that the increase in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 would mean ￡13.4 billion more would be spent on defence every year.
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15 hours ago10:37 Steph Spyro
Badenoch and Starmer to clash at midday PMQs
Keir Starmer will face a barrage of questions over his “iron clad” plans to hike defence spending at Prime Minister's Questions today. The Tories insist “numbers don’t add up” on his commitments and Defence Secretary John Healey declined to say whether the increase includes funding being used for the Chagos Islands deal.
The Express's political team will bring you the latest from the Commons at midday.
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