Overview

• At the G7 in Canada and NATO summit in The Hague, Starmer secured allied agreement to boost UK defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035 and unveiled a £1 billion deal for 12 F-35A jets.
• Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused him of evading two weeks of PMQs to burnish his international profile and dismissed his Commons statement as mere “noises off.”
• The prime minister labelled her criticism “unserious” and underscored Britain’s pivotal role in crafting the NATO outcome that President Trump endorsed.
• Tory backbencher Mark Pritchard challenged his own leader by urging cross-party unity on national security and warning against politicising summit decisions.
• Over 120 Labour MPs signed an amendment aimed at blocking the government’s £5 billion welfare reforms, revealing deep divisions within the party.