Sir Keir Starmer visits nuclear subs shipyard in Cumbria as he backs deterrent and makes vow on defence spending

SIR Keir Starmer visits a nuclear subs shipyard as he backed the deterrent and made a vow on defence spending yesterday.

The Labour leader used his trip to Barrow in Cumbria to announce nukes are the “bedrock” of his plan to keep Britain safe.

He told ITV he would be willing to push the nuclear button if the country was under attack.

And, in another huge shift from the Jeremy Corbyn years, he matched the Tory aim to boost defence spending to 2.5 per cent of national income “as soon as resources allow”.

Rishi Sunak told ex-army captain and Sun Cabinet Defence Secretary Hugh Andree: “I welcome the fact that in an insecure world, Sir Keir Starmer has realised that defence is important and indeed so is our nuclear deterrent.

“We didn’t need any convincing of that.”

The PM is under huge pressure to increase cash for our armed forces, with even Defence Secretary Grant Shapps saying Britain should spend 3 per cent of GDP on defence.

Amid threats from Russia and China, Mr Shapps said: “It is a more dangerous world now. Defence is the best way to protect ourselves.

“You have to show your adversaries, so I am clearly in favour.”

He said the cost of beating Russia was “cheap at half the price”.

Shapps said the world was now more dangerous which made them money more urgent.

He said: “I have spoken in the past about the need for 3 per cent, before I was Defence Secretary.

“I do believe it is a more dangerous world.

“We have to be much more prepared. Defence is the best way to protect ourselves against a military conflict, you have to show your adversaries, so I am clearly in favour.”