Sir Keir will say that, alongside the UK’s nuclear-armed submarines, the new vessels would keep “Britain and Nato safe for decades”.<\/p>\n
The threat posed by Moscow has been a key part of the government’s pitch ahead of Monday’s review, led by ex-Labour defence secretary Lord Robertson, which was commissioned by Labour shortly after it took office last July.<\/p>\n
The report will make 62 recommendations, which the government is expected to accept in full.<\/p>\n
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme ahead of its publication, Sir Keir said the danger posed by Russia “cannot be ignored” and the “best way” to deter conflict was to prepare for it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The government has committed to increasing UK defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of national income by 2027, a move welcomed by opposition parties amid a growing consensus on boosting military expenditure.<\/p>\n
But the run-up to the review’s release has been dominated by a political row over when UK spending should hit the next milestone of 3%.<\/p>\n
The government says it has an “ambition” to hit the target by 2034 at the latest, after the next general election, but the Conservatives say the move – which would hike spending by around \u00a320bn a year – should be met by the end of the decade.<\/p>\n
Sir Keir said he would only commit the government to a timescale when he knew how it could be paid for, adding a date would otherwise be “performative”.<\/p>\n
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said Labour’s review should be “taken with a pinch of salt” unless the government showed there would be enough money to pay for it.<\/p>\n
The Liberal Democrats have said Labour’s 2034 timeline is “far too late” and have suggested an earlier date should be found in cross-party talks.<\/p>\n
The party’s defence spokesperson Helen Maguire called for a “concrete commitment” on funding to back up the submarines announcement, adding that Labour had left “serious questions” over how the project would be financed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
PA Media<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n
Other announcements in the review will include:<\/p>\n
\nCommitment to \u00a31.5bn to build six new factories to enable an “always on” munitions production capacity<\/li>\n Building up to 7,000 long-range weapons including missiles or drones in the UK, to be used by British forces<\/li>\n Pledge to set up a “cyber and electromagnetic command” to boost the military’s defensive and offensive capabilities in cyberspace<\/li>\n Extra \u00a31.5bn to 2029 to fund repairs to military housing<\/li>\n \u00a31bn on technology to speed up delivery of targeting information to soldiers <\/li>\n<\/ul>\nDefence Secretary John Healey has signalled he is not aiming to increase the overall size of the Army before the next general election.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, he said his “first job” was to reverse a decline in numbers with a target to return to a strength of 73,000 full-time soldiers “in the next Parliament”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n