Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has reaffirmed the party's commitment to the UK's nuclear deterrent, stating he would be prepared to use nuclear weapons if necessary. In a speech on national security, Starmer emphasized that national security is the most important issue of our times and that the nuclear deterrent is the foundation of UK security. He announced a 'nuclear deterrent triple lock' policy, which includes constructing four new nuclear submarines, maintaining a continuous at-sea deterrent, and delivering all future upgrades needed for those submarines. Despite this unified stance, Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner has expressed reservations, stating she hasn't changed her mind on nuclear disarmament but supports the party's triple lock commitment. Starmer's speech comes ahead of the 80th Anniversary of D-Day and amid a backdrop of increased global insecurity, with references to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Starmer also highlighted that Labour frontbenchers who previously voted against nuclear plans now accept and fully support the nuclear deterrent. He further stressed that national security and economic security must go hand in hand.
Angela Rayner: 'I would press the nuclear button' https://t.co/6h7k40WvvS https://t.co/6h7k40WvvS
NEW: Angela Rayner tells @LBC she'd now vote to keep Trident, after voting against renewal in 2016 "I have never said I don't want nuclear weapons at all, the nuclear deterrent triple lock is really important, when you see what's happened with Putin invading Ukraine, it's veryโฆ
Labourโs stance on our nuclear deterrent๐ https://t.co/sblfz5vhFw
Angela Rayner has said that she wants to scrap nuclear weapons, hours after Keir Starmer said he would be prepared to use them. Former Labour spokesman James Matthewson: โItโs the duality that needs to be encapsulated by the party!โ @JuliaHB1 https://t.co/tBid7L3zMT
Angela Rayner: โI want a world without nuclear weaponsโ - Labour Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. This was in 2020 when Angela thought it was fashionable to oppose nuclear weapons. In 2024 she says she is fully behind Trident renewal! See how it works? https://t.co/1nr6Zg0N0c
๐ฌ๐ง Starmer In Trident 'Triple Lock' Vow โซLabour to press on with ยฃmulti-billion replacement of nuclear subs โซ@HMorrison97 โซhttps://t.co/lEZZXrbnaP ๐ #frontpagestoday #UK @ScotNational ๐ฌ๐ง https://t.co/dtVowSi3Er
๐ฌ๐ง Starm Wars โซLabour leader Sir Keir Starmer renews commitment to militarism and Britain's nuclear weapons โซAndrew Murray โซhttps://t.co/HfVuBg9lO0 ๐ #frontpagestoday #UK @M_Star_Online ๐ฌ๐ง https://t.co/4oemlRpsc3
Labour defence policy mired in confusion as Angela Rayner is still keen on nuclear disarmament - while Keir Starmer says party is united on 'triple lock' pledge https://t.co/J4bI4E736e https://t.co/3xTPR3G8Zt
'In the Labour Party there is a very, very strong view that actually we don't want to have a nuclear deterrent at all.' Former Editor of The Sun, Kelvin MacKenzie, on Angela Rayner's comment that she hasn't changed her mind on nuclear weapons, despite Keir Starmer backing them. https://t.co/4QaHeVyShj
Sir Keir Starmer has said he would be prepared to deploy nuclear weapons if needed to defend the UK Read more๐ https://t.co/FKBv7u8F2V
"The UK under Labour would have an unshakeable commitment to our nuclear deterrent..." Labour's Nick Thomas-Symonds tells @AndrewMarr9 his party will 'never take any economic risks with stability' as Keir Starmer announces his plan to increase defence spending. https://t.co/wgTZ1OTLnm
Sir Keir Starmer today laid out his plans for defence - saying he would push the nuclear button if needed. But a battle over constituency candidate selection rages on in his own party: https://t.co/SXWDmQPSb6 https://t.co/gtDrnNu40B
Important qualification: While Angela Rayner told the BBC she hadn't changed her mind and still supported multilateral disarmament, she said Labour had a "firm commitment for the triple lock for the nuclear deterrent" and would build the four subs in Barrow https://t.co/rPvLNABKvv
Keir Starmer confirms he'd be prepared to use nuclear weapons โ but it would depend on just how far Diane Abbott steps out of line https://t.co/G2EUo1c7uW
NEW: Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner says she hasnโt changed her mind on UKโs nuclear deterrent @bbc reports. This is despite Keir Starmer saying this morning the whole shadow cabinet were behind him.
Angela Rayner tells the BBC she hasn't changed her mind on the nuclear deterrent She said in 2020 that Labour should work towards a world without nuclear weapons via https://t.co/WjmHy4GphQ https://t.co/8mVty8wh1j
Just as it was going so smoothly... some Labour internal drama. Angela Rayner this eve has told the BBC she hasn't changed her mind on nuclear deterrents. But Keir Starmer v clearly this morning said his entire shadow cabinet is behind him on backing nukes...
Labour's support for the nuclear deterrent is total. Our 'triple-lock' commitment to the nuclear deterrent will see: โ Four new nuclear submarines built in Barrow-in-Furness โ Britain maintaining its continuous at-sea deterrence โ The delivery of all future upgrades needed https://t.co/9OyzVLm5DV
Starmer says he is prepared to use nuclear weapons https://t.co/NQ8riaUkA2
Sir Keir Starmer will put defence and national security at the heart of Labour's election pitch to voters during a visit to the North West on Monday Read more๐ https://t.co/CvurxErAR5
Sir Keir Starmer promises to maintain post Brexit Britain's all at sea Nationial Security/nuclear deterrent And as ๐คกM is prepared to push the nuclear button safe in his nuclear bunker after Vladimir Putin pushes his safe with Donald Trump Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg in theirs https://t.co/VEXfYykgnE
Inside UK's chilling nuclear deterrent as Keir Starmer makes national security vow https://t.co/HeyhP3hvYk
''Labour is trying to draw a line and suggests that they will commit to everything the Tories have committed to.'' Labour's nuclear deterrent triple lock is "key" to convincing the public that the party is "credible", says @KateEMcCann @AasmahMir ๐ปhttps://t.co/ylWpI8zTrr https://t.co/MRJVgKg4RY
Keir Starmer backed a man who wanted to remove our nuclear deterrent. Actions speak louder than words.
National security will always come first in @Keir_Starmer's @UKLabour party. We will keep Britain safe. https://t.co/jNL0l81yIT
๐จBREAKING NEWS๐จ Starmer, speaking about defence and national security, has said that โthe postwar era is overโ and a โnew age of insecurity has begunโ. He said he had never expected in his lifetime to see the โrumble of warโ in Europe as 'Russian tanks rolled into a Europeanโฆ https://t.co/lgLA3PvgJX
'Nuclear deterrents are fundamental and a vital part of our defence, of course, that means we have to be prepared to use it' Keir Starmer is asked twice about Labour front benchers voting against the UK having nuclear weapons eight years ago https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3 https://t.co/iLn22V8C7r
"The nuclear deterrent is the foundation of any plan to keep Britain safe. It is essential." Labour leader @Keir_Starmer adds that, "national security and economic security must go hand in hand" https://t.co/Ox9dqAF9Ms ๐บ Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube https://t.co/d9MrYJPNiu
๐จ NEW: Keir Starmer says โa new age of insecurity has begunโ and reaffirms Labourโs commitment to the UKโs nuclear deterrent
"Has the Labour leopard really changed its spots on defence?" @ChrisMasonBBC asks Keir Starmer The Labour leader responds that he leads a "changed" party and his "commitment to the nuclear deterrent is absolute" Follow live: https://t.co/Dm5hnQ7Hpu https://t.co/rnnKrBhHav
Starmer 'will make a commitment to a so-called "nuclear deterrent triple lock" - constructing four new nuclear submarines, maintaining a continuous at-sea deterrent and the delivery of all future upgrades needed for those submarines.' https://t.co/Hu6HXH5pdD
'After 14 years of the Tories we are less safe and less secure' Sir Keir Starmer says Labour are โtotally committed to the security of our nation, to our armed forces, and importantly, to our nuclear deterrentโ. https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3 ๐บ Sky 501 and YouTube https://t.co/zcixfFRz6Q
General election: Keir Starmer says โnew age of insecurity has begunโ in speech on defence and security โ UK politics live https://t.co/pbde4cWT8k
Keir Starmer says he would fire nuclear weapons if needed. โOf course we would have to be prepared to use it.โ Says otherwise the deterrent doesn't work.
BREAKING: Starmer confirms that he would fire a nuclear missile. Declines to name date.
Starmer defence speech - says national security will come first for his govt, the most important issue of our times - says relatives fought in WWII + his uncle served on HMS Antelope when it was bombed during the Falklands - says nuclear deterrent is foundation of UK security
"Sadly the world we live in today is perhaps more dangerous and volatile.โ Sir Keir Starmer is pitching Labour as the โparty of national securityโ as he meets veterans ahead of the 80th Anniversary of D-Day. Watch the speech liveโฌ๏ธ https://t.co/LkoDoqRBCC
Starmer would press nuclear button, say Labour https://t.co/KRCCcmvOuJ
โThe worldโs changed, the Labour Partyโs changed.โ Shadow defence secretary @JohnHealey_MP says Labour frontbenchers who previously votedย against nuclear plans now "accept and fully support" the nuclear deterrent triple lock. ๐ป https://t.co/03cFzeHveu https://t.co/ffaX1TYn3T