Starmer dithering over defence spending, says Badenoch

Kemi Badenoch has accused the prime minister of "dithering" over defence spending, amid a battle within government over how new kit will be paid for.

The Conservative leader said Sir Keir Starmer had been "paralysed" over the issue due to Labour MPs' unwillingness to cut back "bloated" spending on welfare.

She pressed him to rule out further tax rises to pay for a funding boost to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which is seeking extra cash to fund a much-delayed investment plan originally due last autumn.

Sir Keir Starmer said the plan would be published before a Nato summit next month, and accused the Tories of failing the armed forces in their 14 years in power.

The defence investment plan is due to set out how new equipment and defence infrastructure will be funded over the coming decade, following a review of Britain's capabilities in June last year.

But publication of the blueprint has been delayed after the MoD reportedly asked for an extra £28bn over the next four years, following an internal assessment last year.

Reports have suggested the prime minister is preparing to unveil an additional £13.5bn after negotiations with the department, possibly in the coming days.

Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle warned ministers against publishing the plan when MPs are not in Westminster, saying it would be a "disgrace" for MPs not to be able to question ministers immediately.