SIR KEIR STARMER’S militarism faces mass opposition after he announced today that the government is to buy 12 new fighter jets capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

The Prime Minister used the Nato summit in The Hague to break the news, which campaigners called a breach of Britain’s obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The new aeroplanes and nuclear weapons will be US-built but flown by RAF crews, based at RAF facilities in East Anglia and assigned to the Nato nuclear mission.

Under the plan, Britain will buy 12 F-35A jets, which are capable of carrying conventional munitions and also the B61-12 gravity bomb, which is three times more powerful than the weapon dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.

“In an era of radical uncertainty, we can no longer take peace for granted,” Sir Keir said. 

“These aircraft will strengthen our armed forces and support communities across the country through our defence industry.”

In the Commons, independent MP Jeremy Corbyn demanded that ministers explain how the decision complied with treaties “which require nuclear weapons states not to allow proliferation and take steps towards nuclear disarmament.”

The Stop the War Coalition asked: “On what planet does buying F-35s for around £80 million each from the US company Lockheed Martin equal job creation at home while cutting welfare?”

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament general secretary Sophie Bolt called the planned purchase a “disastrous decision by the Starmer government that makes the world more dangerous and puts the British population on the nuclear front line.” 

She pledged mass action against the deployments.

“The millions that will be spent on these jets, and the millions more that would be needed to upgrade RAF Marham, will be coming out of further cuts to public services, to our NHS and our social care system,” Ms Bolt said.

“This is in direct breach of international obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

“Starmer fails to understand how strong public opposition is to US nuclear weapons being stationed in Britain. 

“Campaigners from Greenham Common to Lakenheath have forced the US to withdraw their nuclear weapons before and we’ll do it again.”

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham criticised the plans for investing in the wrong aeroplanes — F-35s, rather than T5 Typhoons.

“Tens of thousands of highly skilled UK defence jobs as well as our national security are reliant on that decision. In contrast, the UK jobs benefit from new F 35 orders is negligible,” she said.

“If we fail to back our defence industry, then the UK will not have the skills or ability to build and develop the Tempest aircraft, which is essential for our long-term security.”