politics
I have a duty to stay on, says PM as he justifies defence spending
Key takeaways
- Speaking the day after two of his defence ministers quit in a row over funding, Sir Keir insisted he had made "hard-edged" choices, including getting every department to make cuts to pay for defence.
- In a veiled warning to potential leadership challengers in his own party, he said "whoever is prime minister is going to face the same prevailing winds as I am facing, none of that is going to change."
- Asked if he wanted to lead Labour into the next election, he said: "That's what I want to do" but acknowledged: "I need to turn things around."
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
Kate Whannel Political reporter Defence 'the number one priority' at spending review, says PMSir Keir Starmer has told the BBC he has a "duty" to stay on as prime minister as he sought to justify his decisions on defence spending.
Speaking the day after two of his defence ministers quit in a row over funding, Sir Keir insisted he had made "hard-edged" choices, including getting every department to make cuts to pay for defence.
In a veiled warning to potential leadership challengers in his own party, he said "whoever is prime minister is going to face the same prevailing winds as I am facing, none of that is going to change."
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