Image source, UK Parliament

Healey continues to say the UK needs "stronger deterrents" to avoid the huge costs, human and economic, that wars create.

He then lists some of the plans resulting from the review - including a new hybrid navy, and carriers with hybrid air wings.

He further touches on plans to reform recruitment.

For more on the results of the review, head to our earlier post.

Healey says the defence review is the "the first of its kind" as there have been thousands of submissions from experts, individual organisations and MPs.

He says 62 recommendations from the Strategic Defence Review will be implemented.

"We are in a new era of threat, which demands a new era for UK defence," he says.

He says the UK is committed to the largest increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War.

Image source, Getty Images

While Healey gets going on his statement - here's a recap of everything we've so far heard about the government's new defence spending plans.

• Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said there will be an expansion of the UK's submarine programme, including the creation of 12 attack submarines, in response to what the government says are "rapidly increasing threats"
• Such investment into submarines will create 30,000 new jobs, we're told, and Defence Secretary John Healey has said a new nuclear warhead programme will make the UK "secure at home and strong abroad"
• Starmer has said he hopes UK defence spending will rise to 3% of GDP by 2034, but has not committed to an exact timeframe for this to happen until he can be sure how it will be paid for
• At least £1.5bn will be spent to develop technology to speed up decisions on the battlefield, harnessing Artificial Intelligence and software
• Starmer has also said there will be a "transformation" of the UK's defence nuclear industry and the Royal Navy will become "hybrid", blending drones with warships, submarines, and aircraft

We'll bring you any new details we learn from Healey in our next few posts.

The defence secretary begins his statement by saying the world has changed and "we must respond".

He says the review has a plan to meet threats, step up European security and learn the lessons from the war in Ukraine.

Image source, UK Parliament

Defence Secretary John Healey has just started his statement to the House of Commons.

We'll have the key lines with you in our page - stay with us.

We're all set to hear from Defence Secretary John Healey, who'll be standing up in the House of Commons in the coming minutes.

He'll be giving a statement on today's update on defence spending, as well as taking questions from MPs.

You'll be able to follow along as Healey gives his statement by pushing watch live at the top of the page, and we'll also have all the key news lines here.

Ageing population, national debt, welfare state - defence plans come amid pressure on public financespublished at 16:29 British Summer Time 2 June

16:29 BST 2 June

Ros Atkins
Analysis editor

The government’s new defence spending plans give further detail on something we already knew - the UK’s defence budget is going up.

This, inevitably, will impact spending elsewhere. But it’s far from the only pressure on the UK’s public finances.

Today has come with lots of numbers - not least the government's ambition to reach 3% of GDP.

In making a Panorama documentary about the UK's public finances, I found lots of other figures too. In 1948, the percentage of people over the age of 65 was around 11%. Today, it is close to double that.

The UK's annual debt interest payments are now over £100bn - that’s roughly double the defence budget

And spending on health-related benefits for working-age people has increased by 47% from where it was before the pandemic.

Defence spending, an ageing population, the level of national debt and the changing nature of the welfare state are all exerting pressure on our public finances. This is part of the context in which the government is taking decisions about spending.

Ahead of a Commons statement from Defence Secretary John Healey, here's a quick recap of what we've heard today:

• Starmer spoke to the BBC before delivering a speech in Glasgow - he said the world is changing and the UK cannot ignore the threat from Russia
• He set out three goals he wants to achieve through his new defence plans: moving the UK to "war-fighting readiness", adopting a "Nato-first" approach, and step up defence innovation to a "wartime pace"
• A big focus has been on clarifying when the UK will increase defence spending to 3% of GDP - Healey told the Times he has "no doubt" it will happen by 2034, but Starmer has said he will not commit to a timeline until he can say how he will pay for it
• Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said "Labour can’t even hold a defence policy together", while the Lib Dems criticised what they described as a "concerning lack of urgency on reaching 3%"
• The government has already announced that in response to the strategic defence review (SDR) it will commit to delivering 12 new attack submarines, a £15bn investment in the nuclear deterrent, and building at least six new munitions factories in the UK

When Healey's statement begins, you'll be able to follow and watch it live right here on this page.

We've already heard today that part of the UK government's new defence plans will be a £15bn commitment to the UK's nuclear deterrent programme, although we haven't seen details of how that money will be spent.

That programme - the Trident missile system - is operated by four nuclear-powered subs that are capable of firing the weapons from sea.

There are currently four of these Vanguard class subs, and the government plans to start replacing them from the early 2030s.

Image source, BAE Systems

BAE Systems - where Keir Starmer gave a speech earlier - is the UK's biggest defence firm.

In 2023, it secured a £3.95bn contract to build a new generation of submarines as part of Aukus, the security pact between the US, UK and Australia.

BAE employs 39,600 people in the UK and more than 93,000 worldwide, according to its website.

The company is also building eight Type 26 frigates in Govan and Scotstoun, Scotland.

Just last month, the first of these ships, HMS Glasgow, was officially named in a ceremony on the River Clyde.

As we've been reporting, Keir Starmer has been in Govan, Glasgow today, visiting BAE Systems's shipbuilding facilities and meeting workers.

We'll bring you a bit more on BAE in our next post.

Here are some photos from his visit.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

The government has already shared some details of the strategic defence review, but we're still waiting for the full report and a statement from Defence Secretary John Healey in the House of Commons. That's expected at about 17:00.

Before that, at 15:30, Conservative MP Jesse Norman will ask an urgent question about whether the Leader of the House will make a statement on government announcements made outside the Commons.

Then, at 16:15, Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi will ask an urgent question on whether Healey will make a statement about the future of the UK's nuclear deterrent.

Stay with us for all the latest updates from Parliament this afternoon.

Image source, PA Media

Scotland’s first minister, John Swinney, has renewed his opposition to the UK’s nuclear weapons system based on the River Clyde near Glasgow.

The strategic defence review is expected to include a commitment to maintaining the UK’s nuclear-armed submarines and the warheads they carry.

Swinney told the BBC: “I don’t support the possession or use of nuclear weapons.”

He called for greater investment in conventional armaments, arguing that “nuclear weapons are not stopping the conflict in the international community just now”.

Swinney has also urged the UK government to abandon its fiscal rules so that increased defence spending does not squeeze the cash available for public services.

He said: “We cannot afford to make this a choice between the defence of the country and the public services because we want to live yes in a safe country but a fairer and civilised country and that balance has got to be struck in the public finances.”

Image source, Reuters

As Chris Mason just mentioned, some of the UK’s European neighbours think the country isn’t doing enough on defence.

Starmer has decided to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027-28. There’s also an ambition to reach 3% by 2034, but the government hasn't set out a definitive timeframe for when that may happen.

However, the latest Nato proposal is for countries to spend 5% of GDP on defence and security-related spending by 2032. That will be voted on later this month.

Earlier, we reported that Lithuania’s defence minister called the UK’s 2.5% commitment “old news” and told the BBC that 3.5% should be the bare minimum.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told local channel DR News that 5% is achievable, but it’s "too late", while also saying 3% isn’t enough.

Starmer's 'ambition' to increase defence spending to 3% won't be easypublished at 13:42 British Summer Time 2 June

13:42 BST 2 June

Chris Mason
Political editor

Image source, Reuters

There are high flying words today from the prime minister and others.

But on the days when the words are of high altitude, it is a good idea to have a good look at the numbers.

So it is worth pondering a couple of paragraphs from the authors of the Strategic Defence Review in today’s Daily Telegraph, external. Lord Robertson, General Richard Barrons and Dr Fiona Hill write:

"We were asked two important questions. First, what is required to ensure the UK has the military capability it needs to meet the threats we face? Second, how can that be met against a challenging economic backdrop?

"There was an inevitable gap between these answers, but the government’s important decision to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027/28 and, vitally, to 3% in the next Parliament made an enormous difference. The decision established the affordability of our recommendations across a 10-year programme."

In other words, delivering 3% is needed to deliver what the review suggests.

And yet, as Keir Starmer acknowledged to me and other reporters earlier, 3% remains an ambition rather than a commitment, and without a deadline.

In a couple of weeks, the prime minister will join other leaders of the Nato defence alliance for its annual summit in The Hague in the Netherlands. There will be lots of talk there about defence budgets, with some European neighbours saying the UK’s commitment is not enough.

But, as ever, this is not easy - there are difficult trade-offs.

There are the rows about the winter fuel payment and benefits cuts. There is also the government’s wider spending review for the coming years, which will be published a week on Wednesday, with plenty of government budgets likely to be squeezed.

Image source, Ministry of Defence via Getty Images

The Royal Navy currently has nine active submarines.

Five are Astute class attack subs, which are nuclear-powered but conventionally armed. According to the Royal Navy, they are 97-metres long and can strike ground targets hundreds of miles inland and are also equipped for anti-sub warfare.

The other four are Vanguard class, which are nuclear-powered and also equipped to fire the UK's nuclear deterrent Trident missiles. The subs are about 150-metres long and crewed by around 130 officers.

What plans are there for more?

Two more Astute class submarines are already well into their development and are due to enter service by the end of 2026.

Four new Dreadnought class submarines are set to begin taking over from the Vanguard class subs as the new carriers of the UK's nuclear deterrent from the early 2030s.

The government is announcing today that in response to the defence review it will build 12 new attack submarines, which will be nuclear-powered but conventionally armed and will replace the seven Astute class subs "from the late 2030s".

The strategic defence review has been conducted by former Nato secretary general Lord Robertson, and was commissioned by Labour soon after they won power last summer.

It looks at threats facing the UK, what's needed to combat these, and the current condition of the armed forces.

So far, we know the review includes plans to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2034, a Nato-first approach, and building new submarines and munitions factories. Its full contents will be published later; there'll also be a statement from Defence Secretary John Healey.

Announcing the review last year, the PM said: "We live in a more dangerous and volatile world". The war in Ukraine is a clear motivator, as is tackling a "hollowed-out armed forces", Healey has said.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has criticised the amount Starmer's willing to spend on defence, while the Lib Dems insist Starmer should spend more, faster.

Image source, Reuters

Following on from our last post, we've also now had a brief comment from the head of Nato on the UK's defence review.

Secretary general Mark Rutte says: “I welcome the release of the UK's strategic defence review. At a time of growing threats to our peace and security, the UK is stepping up with a “Nato-first” strategy that prioritises war-fighting readiness.

"Let me also particularly welcome the focus on industrial capacity and increased production, which are vital enablers of our deterrence and defence.”

A little earlier we heard Starmer say a "Nato-first" approach was one of three goals he wants the defence review to achieve.

Image source, PA Media

We've some more political reaction to bring you now - this time from Ed Davey, leader of the Lib Dems.

• As a reminder, Starmer was pressed earlier on the Today programme to clarify when the UK will spend 3% of GDP on defence, with the PM saying he wouldn't commit to a precise date until he can say where the money will come from.

Responding to Starmer's comments, Davey says:

"Keir Starmer is showing a concerning lack of urgency on reaching 3%.

"With Putin waging war, Trump undermining Nato and conflicts raging, we must deliver for our armed forces and Britain's security in an increasingly unstable world. Anything less would be a dereliction of duty.

“I once again urge the prime minister to convene cross-party talks to allow us to get to 3% as soon as possible, and faster than 2034."

Keir Starmer's finished speaking to a packed room in Govan, Glasgow - here's what he said in a nutshell.

Goals: He laid out three main goals for his government's defence spending review - for the UK to become "war-fighting ready", to strengthen the UK's contribution to Nato, and to innovate and accelerate innovation at a "war-time pace".

Commitments: Some of the main ones include building a minimum of six new munitions factories, creating a hybrid Royal Navy, delivering up to 12 attack submarines, provide better housing for the armed forces and invest in nuclear weapons.

Ukraine: Responding to a question from a journalist, Starmer said the UK has been a key ally to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in 2022, and that the UK is aware of and prepared to deal with threats from Russia.

Delivery: Starmer told the BBC's Chris Mason that he is "100% confident" the defence plans being announced today will be delivered.