Can Keir Match the Tories on Defence?
VOTERS should absolutely be tiring of the infinite rows over the handful of points dominating the election.
Meanwhile considered one of the gravest challenges of all has been worryingly absent — the defence of the realm.
Of course, areas reminiscent of tax and spending, the NHS and immigration are key.
But as our Defence Editor Jerome Starkey makes clear, they will shrink into insignificance if we get dragged into World War Three. As international tensions spiral, this is a risk we can’t ignore.
The D-Day anniversary was a poignant reminder of the horrors of all-out battle. After years of underfunding, Britain should ramp up its dep-leted Armed Forces at once.
Rishi Sunak’s promise to hike army spending to 2.5 per cent of our GDP by 2030 was a daring dedication.
But it is vital to know if and when Labour will match the Tories. So far Sir Keir Starmer has solely stated the 2.5 per cent goal is an aspiration and he has tellingly refused to give a date for reaching it.
That is simply not adequate.
How protected will this nation be underneath a Labour regime when just some years in the past the social gathering’s deputy chief Angela Rayner voted towards the Trident nuclear deterrent, a cornerstone of our safety coverage?
Of course there will be a value to boosting defence spending. But the value of failing to achieve this is past comprehension.
Meanwhile Rishi Sunak in the present day warns Brits to be very cautious what they need for.
The PM tells this newspaper a Labour victory would open the floodgates to increased taxes, hovering migration and weakened defences.
Handing Sir Keir Starmer a “blank cheque” — by giving Labour the enormous majority predicted in the polls — would solely make all the things even worse, he says.
Mr Sunak claims that would give Labour a inexperienced mild to drive via disastrous, ideologically-driven insurance policies in spades with no scrutiny or opposition.
He warns it would give them free rein to appease the left by pushing up taxes, collapse to outrageous union pay calls for and dismantle Brexit.
The PM says: “This is not a by-election. This is not a time to protest.”
Voters will by no means have the opportunity to say they weren’t warned.
The Queen of Pop
THE pleasure of Prince William and his youngsters when they met their idol Taylor Swift was a delight to behold.
After all they’re going via with Kate’s most cancers, they deserve such moments of happiness.
And their superb selfie formally topped Taylor the queen of pop.
