FEARS are growing that the huge rise in military spending announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Monday is just the beginning of an escalating arms bill.

A Nato summit later this month is set to agree a target of 3.5 per cent of GDP being spent on arms by member states, with a 2035 deadline.  So far, Sir Keir has committed to an increase to 3 per cent by 2034.

However, he is likely to agree to the demand driven by US President Donald Trump, since he has given Nato a public blank cheque. 

This is despite mounting criticism in the Commons of the defence review launched this week.

MP Zarah Sultana, still suspended from the Labour whip, put her finger on the crisis, asking Defence Secretary John Healey: “While the government pledge to raise defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP, funnelling hundreds of billions in public money to arms companies, and continuing to arm Israel’s genocide in Gaza, they are at the same time slashing disability benefits, keeping millions of children in poverty through the two-child benefit cap, and cutting winter fuel support for pensioners. 

“How do the government justify finding billions for war, while claiming there is nothing for the poor?”

Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn told Mr Healey: “Surely we could be doing things in a way that brings about a more peaceful world, rather than just pouring more and more money into weapons.”

And left Labour MP Richard Burgon demanded to know how the expansion of the nuclear submarine fleet under the Aukus deal with Australia and the US could be squared with Britain’s non-proliferation obligations.