Labour aims to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP

Starmer's comments come before visit to Barrow, where he is to promise nuclear deterrent is bedrock' of security plan

Labour will aim to raise the UK's defence spending to 2.5% of GDP as soon as resources allow", Keir Starmer has said.

The party leader told the i newspaper that defence was the number one issue for any government" in a world where international threats had risen and the situation was more volatile" than it had been for many years.