Starmer announces big cut to UK aid budget to boost defence spending

<p>PM confirms rise in military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 – three years earlier than planned</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/feb/25/yvette-cooper-labour-mike-amesbury-keir-starmer-conservatives-kemi-badenoch-uk-politics-live-news-updates">UK politics live – latest updates</a></li></ul><p>Keir Starmer has announced drastic cuts to Britain’s international aid budget to help pay for a major increase in defence spending, amid fears over Donald Trump’s commitment to European security.</p><p>The prime minister said the UK government would <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/feb/23/starmer-unlikely-to-unveil-plan-for-rise-in-defence-spending-this-week-says-minister">increase defence spending</a> to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 – three years earlier than planned – as he prepared for what is likely to be a diplomatically fraught visit to Washington DC this week.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/feb/25/starmer-planning-big-cuts-to-aid-budget-to-boost-defence-spending-say-sources">Continue reading...</a>