I’m able to push the nuclear button, says Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer said he was prepared to use Britain’s nuclear weapons as he today outlined his party’s ‘total commitment’ to the Trident deterrent.

The Labour leader gave a hardline speech on national security today as he tried to armour plate his party’s traditional Achilles heel.

He unveiled a ‘nuclear deterrent triple lock’ involving maintaining the continuous at-sea deterrent, building four missile submarines in Barrow-in-Furness and delivering upgrades needed for the submarines to patrol the waters.

However he faced questions over the commitment of members of his top team to nuclear weapons. His deputy, Angela Rayner, and shadow foreign secretary David  Lammy both voted against renewing Trident eight years ago. 

But speaking at the Fusiliers’ Museum in Manchester Sir Keir said:  ‘I lead this party. I’ve changed this party.

‘If we’re privileged to come in to serve, I will be the prime minister of the United Kingdom. And I’ve made my commitment to this absolutely clear. And I’ve got my whole shadow cabinet behind me.’

Asked about whether he was prepared to push the nuclear button, he added: ‘Nobody who aspires to be prime minister would set out the circumstances in which it would be used. That would be irresponsible, but it is there as part of a vital part of our defence, so of course we would have to be prepared to use it.’

However, the Tories pointed out to his refusal to say when a Labour government would commit to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence.  

The Labour leader gave a hardline speech on national security today as he tried to armour plate his party’s traditional Achilles heel.

He unveiled a ‘nuclear deterrent triple lock’ involving maintaining the continuous at-sea deterrent, building four missile submarines in Barrow-in-Furness and delivering upgrades needed for the submarines to patrol the waters.

However he faced questions over the commitment of members of his top team to nuclear weapons. His deputy, Angela Rayner, and shadow foreign secretary David Lammy both voted against renewing Trident eight years ago.

Rishi Sunak has committed to doing so by 2030, but Sir Keir today said Labour would do it ‘as soon as possible’.

Tory defence secretary Grant Shapps said: ‘This was another empty speech from Keir Starmer. By refusing to commit to 2.5 per cent defence spending by 2030 he has been unable to show the clear and bold leadership this country needs in uncertain times.

‘Starmer’s choice for Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has described the UK’s nuclear deterrent as ”senseless”. This rubbishes the claim that Labour have changed. It’s clear Starmer lacks the courage and conviction to stand up for Britain’s security.’

Sir Keir said he was ‘absolutely committed to peace’ but that ‘for peace, you have to be prepared to fight.’

The Labour leader said he believed that both Labour and the Tories were committed to peace and to protecting the nation.

He has been attempting to shift perceptions of Labour’s defence stance following the party’s time under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, a long-standing critic of Nato and Trident. 

He was joined today by shadow defence secretary John Healey and 10 of the 14 forces veterans who are standing as Labour candidates at the election on July 4. 

The Vanguard-class submarines are due to be replaced by the bigger Dreadnought-class submarines in the 2030s.

Between £31 billion and £41 billion has been set aside for the wider programme of replacing the Vanguard-class submarines, according to figures from the House of Commons Library.

Sir Keir said Britain would be ‘fit to fight’ under a Labour government.

The Labour leader said: ‘We have the smallest army since the time of Napoleon, at a time when other countries are firmly on a war footing. And so even as we work tirelessly for peace, we have to be fit to fight.

‘So let me be unequivocal: this Labour Party is totally committed to the security of our nation, to our armed forces and, importantly, to our nuclear deterrent.’

Sir Keir added: ‘The nuclear deterrent is the foundation of any plan to keep Britain safe, it is essential. That is why Labour has announced a new triple lock commitment to our nuclear deterrent. We’ll maintain Britain’s continuous at-sea deterrent – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – deliver all the needed upgrades, and we will build four new nuclear submarines.’

Sir Keir highlighted the importance of industrial capacity to security in Ukraine, adding: ‘With Labour Britain will be fit to fight.

‘Within the first year of a Labour government we will carry out a new strategic defence review, we are absolutely committed to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence as soon as possible because we know our security isn’t just vital to our safety today, it’s absolutely central to our success for the future. National security and economic security must go hand-in-hand.’