00:00Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has unveiled a £15 billion boost to defence spending
00:06as part of a long-term plan to strengthen the UK's armed forces.
00:10The package would increase annual defence spending to nearly £80 billion by 2029,
00:16with the government set to spend almost £300 billion on defence over the next four years.
00:24The strategy includes £5 billion to expand the use of drones and autonomous weapons.
00:29While backing a joint fighter jet programme with Italy and Japan to strengthen NATO's capabilities.
00:35To fund the plan, Starmer said the government will scale back some road and energy projects.
00:40Starmer said the wars in Ukraine and Iran underscored the need to modernise the armed forces to deter threats,
00:46particularly from Russia, adding that he was confident his likely successor would maintain the UK's commitment to defence.
00:52With the increase, Starmer said the plan would lift UK defence and national security spending to 4.2 per cent
00:59of GDP,
01:00moving the country closer to NATO's target of 5 per cent by 2035.
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