Keir Starmer Reaffirms Labour's Commitment to Costly Nuclear Deterrence Amid Election Lead
June 4, 2024![Keir Starmer Reaffirms Labour's Commitment to Costly Nuclear Deterrence Amid Election Lead](https://cdn.brief.news/images/stories/f8d6a535569d364c4d87f1ad2cd653b07f5112b52b1b767be14d158a668fab8604b92739a54d3682565ce950cf204cdf76205a598647fd8ae0892555d45c87fb.png)
Labour leader Keir Starmer, ahead in the polls for the upcoming general election on July 4, has reaffirmed his party's support for the UK's nuclear weapons programme.
Starmer supports building new submarines and upgrading existing ones for continuous at-sea deterrence.
Concerns exist about the high cost of the programme and potential affordability issues.
Both Labour and the Conservatives have pledged to allocate 2.5% of GDP to defense, but fiscal rules may present challenges.
Critics argue that the nuclear budget could be better spent on public services.
Starmer asserts the importance of national security despite the criticisms.
The long-term sustainability of the programme hinges on potential cost overruns in the Ministry of Defence's plans.
Summary based on 7 sources
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Sources
![Reality check: is Keir Starmer’s triple lock on nuclear weapons anything new?](https://cdn.brief.news/images/links/f8d6a535569d364c4d87f1ad2cd653b07f5112b52b1b767be14d158a668fab8604b92739a54d3682565ce950cf204cdf76205a598647fd8ae0892555d45c87fb.png)
The Guardian • Jun 3, 2024
Reality check: is Keir Starmer’s triple lock on nuclear weapons anything new?![Watch live: Starmer delivers defence speech ahead of campaign visit to veterans](https://cdn.brief.news/images/links/adabe21deca7d4a124e1336ba4c149c166c4e117630cdcb02dfa985319966c6ac7509cf1d83d1ae042918ced0f0473b512b842d377caa16a2490452f898f9c1d.png)
The Independent • Jun 3, 2024
Watch live: Starmer delivers defence speech ahead of campaign visit to veterans![Labour leader Keir Starmer says he'll keep the UK's nuclear weapons in 'age of insecurity'](https://cdn.brief.news/images/links/c0895bdcb46966dbac59eff6ef45cee85179d511a73e55da378aeda77feeb1b2115502971fce206f366669c00335fcf9dee897d53432f9364902a0ef7f16bce3.png)
The Independent • Jun 3, 2024
Labour leader Keir Starmer says he'll keep the UK's nuclear weapons in 'age of insecurity'