Sir Keir Starmer risks fury as he refuses to say when he will hike spending on defence

SIR Keir Starmer has risked fury arsenic helium again refused to accidental erstwhile helium volition hike spending connected defence to 2.5 per cent of GDP.

The PM, who is successful Azerbaijan for the Cop29 clime summit, was coy connected erstwhile the predetermination manifesto pledge volition beryllium met.

Asked whether the money volition beryllium acceptable successful the adjacent 5 years, Sir Keir responded: “We’ll acceptable retired a way to 2.5 per cent.

“We’ve got a strategical defence reappraisal going connected astatine the moment, which reports successful the aboriginal portion of adjacent twelvemonth and we volition acceptable retired a way to 2.5 per cent.

“You’ll spot it erstwhile we acceptable it out.”

Pressure is mounting connected the PM to outline the timescale, with Donald Trump threatening to fto Russia bash “whatever the hellhole it wants” with European states that don’t bump up payments.

Amid uncertainty implicit however overmuch longer the US volition assistance money Kyiv’s warfare effort, subject chiefs person besides implored the PM to get moving connected his manifesto backing pledge.