Reform UK’s Richard Tice has praised Sir Keir Starmer on GB News, saying the prime minister is “copying Reform UK’s manifesto” with defence spending pledges.
The prime minister said defence spending will reach 2.5 per cent of GDP by April 2027, up from the current 2.3 per cent rate.
Starmer confirmed there will be cuts to foreign aid spending to ensure the target is met, something Nigel Farage’s party has been calling for.
Tice said on GB News: “I congratulated him [Starmer] in the chamber. He has done the right thing.
Richard Tice praised Keir Starmer's decision
GB NEWS / PA
“He has copied Reform UK’s manifesto with this and the cut to foreign aid in order to pay for it.
“He is listening and learning from Reform. That’s a good thing.”
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Richard Tice joined Camilla Tominey on GB News
GB NEWS
While Reform has welcomed Starmer’s new promises, it has not been well received by all within the Labour Party.
Anneliese Dodds resigned from the PM’s government over the decision, warning it would be “impossible” for the UK to maintain its commitments to Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine given the depth of the cuts.
Dodds delayed her resignation until after Starmer's visit to the White House on Thursday.
In her resignation letter, she wrote it was "imperative you had a united cabinet behind you as you set off for Washington."
Sir Keir Starmer delivering his defence announcementPAThe decision to cut foreign aid has sparked private discontent within the Labour party.
Dodds' resignation marks the first major public display of this internal tension.
In her letter, Dodds criticised the decision as "already being portrayed as following in President Trump's slipstream of cuts to USAID."
She expressed concern that the UK would struggle to maintain its international commitments.
"I know you have been clear that you are not ideologically opposed to international development," Dodds wrote to Starmer.
Across the pond, the Trump administration welcomed the news after calling for European nations to up their defence spend.
A senior Trump administration official said: "We're very pleased with Prime Minister Starmer's announcement to increase spending to 2.5 per cent of the UK is GDP."
