SIR KEIR STARMER committed Britain to a vast increase in arms spending today even as he tried to rally angry MPs behind his welfare cuts.

The Prime Minister flew to a Nato summit in The Hague ready to sign up to the war alliance’s demand that member states spend 5 per cent of their national income each year on the military over the next decade.

He will agree to a rise to 3.5 per cent for direct spending on arms, with another 1.5 per cent to go on “security and resilience” spending.  

Based on the present size of the economy, each 0.1 per cent of GDP amounts to about £3 billion a year.

Senior Cabinet Minister Pat McFadden told MPs that “the security situation is more in flux than at any time in a generation,” highlighting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the advance of cyber and technological warfare.

He said the government’s security strategy turned on three elements: defending our territory, controlling our borders; promoting strength abroad, including in dealings with China; and rebuilding military industries.

The increases are backed by both the Tories and the Liberal Democrats but were slammed by Stop the War Coalition convener Lindsey German.

She said: “Just a few weeks ago the government pledged a rapid increase in ‘defence’ spending to 2.6 per cent by 2027 and 3 per cent in the next parliament in order to appease [US President] Donald Trump, taking the money from the welfare and overseas development budgets, consigning some of the poorest people in society to be even poorer.

“As if that wasn’t grotesque enough, Starmer is now bowing down further to Nato’s demands by promising to deliver on its 5 per cent new estimate. Where does this end — or is the sky the limit?

“Contrary to Starmer’s claims, ever-increased defence spending does not make working people more secure at home. This isn’t about defending our borders. Security for working people is created by ensuring people have a roof over their heads, decent education and access to good healthcare, not by creating an ever more dangerous world through this drive to militarism.

“The only beneficiaries of this latest announcement will be the warmongers and the arms companies. We must oppose them.”