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THE PRIME MINISTER WARNED THE 'THREAT OF RUSSIA CANNOT BE IGNORED' AND SAID THE UK MUST PREPARE FOR BATTLE AS HE ANNOUNCED £15BN SPENDING ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAMMES NADEEM

BADSHAHA 20:25, 02 Jun 2025 Sir Keir Starmer tried to channel his inner Lord Kitchener after insisting all UK citizens had a role to play in the defence of the nation from Mad Vlad’s Russia.

The PM warned the “threat of Russia cannot be ignored” and said the UK must prepare for battle as he announced £15bn spending on nuclear weapons programmes. He said the front line is “here”

and it is a “moment of danger and threat for our country”, echoing war minister Lord Kitchener’s “WANTS YOU” advert from 1914. Starmer said: “In these dangerous times, when it comes to

defence of the realm and the defence of everything that we hold dear, nothing works unless we all work together. “Every part of society, every citizen of this country, has a role to play.”

But the Labour leader refused to set a date for when UK defence spending will hit 3% of GDP - a measure of the country’s economic output - saying he doesn’t “believe in performative fantasy

politics”. Article continues below It comes amid questions over whether the Treasury had guaranteed to fund the plan. Starmer said he was “not going down that road” of a precise funding

commitment until he had a plan behind it. The PM announced Britain will build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines and plough billions into its warheads. Building the subs will

support 30,000 highly skilled jobs into the 2030s as well as 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles across the next decade. Meanwhile, the PM also vowed the UK is moving towards

“war-fighting readiness” from the new investment in defence. He said: “When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is

to be ready, and frankly, to show them that we’re ready to deliver peace through strength.” The government is to adopt a “Nato-first” stance towards defence so that everything it does adds

to the strength of the alliance. Sir Keir added: “We will innovate and accelerate innovation at a wartime pace, so we can meet the threats of today and of tomorrow, as the fastest innovator

in Nato.” Article continues below Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: “All of Labour’s strategic defence review promises will be taken with a pinch of salt unless they can show

there will actually be enough money to pay for them.” _FOR THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS AND STORIES FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE FROM THE DAILY STAR, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS._