Sir Keir Starmer has dropped plans to replace ageing Royal Navy warships, choosing instead to focus on drone technology under Labour’s expected Defence Investment Plan (DIP).
The replacement of 13 ageing naval vessels had been included in the plan, but funding for up to eight Type 83 destroyers and five Type 32 frigates is now reportedly off the table.
The Royal Navy’s current Type 45 destroyers were due to retire in the late 2030s, with the Type 83 class expected to replace them.
Type 32 frigates, which are still only at the concept stage, were designed to support mine-hunting and anti-submarine drone operations.
Under the revised strategy, funding will instead go toward drones and autonomous systems as ministers push to modernise Britain’s armed forces in response to growing threats from Russia.
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge criticised the move, telling the Daily Express: “This is all too little, too late from Labour on defence.”
He argued Labour’s repeatedly delayed defence strategy is unlikely to bring meaningful extra funding compared with previous plans.
“So it’s no surprise we’re hearing reports of key capabilities being cut just when we should be strengthening our Armed Forces,” Cartlidge added.
To help deal with the shortage of active vessels, ministers are setting up an “uncrewed systems taskforce” at a drone facility in Swindon, according to The Times.
Former Defence Secretary John Healey left the Cabinet earlier this month after learning the DIP would deliver only £13.5 billion in extra military spending, which he said fell “well short” of what was needed.
In his resignation letter, Healey warned the funding level would leave Britain “less safe.”
Reports suggest only around £1 billion has been added to the plan since his departure.
Cartlidge blamed Labour’s spending priorities, saying: “It’s now painfully clear the shortage of defence funding is because Labour chose welfare spending over properly backing our military.”
Despite the criticism, the outgoing Prime Minister still plans to publish the Defence Investment Plan before the NATO summit on July 7.
The move comes even as major policy and spending decisions across Whitehall have been paused ahead of a new prime minister taking office in the coming weeks.
That could create friction with Starmer’s likely successor, Andy Burnham, who may want to reshape defence spending with his own Cabinet.
The Government insists it is delivering a generational boost to defence, promising £270 billion in extra funding over this parliament.
Just yesterday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the DIP would be published “imminently” and promised more money for the armed forces following the resignations of Healey and former defence minister Al Carns.
