Shadow defence secretary John Healey has said the nuclear deterrent is the “bedrock” of the UK’s national security, after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he would introduce a defence “triple lock”.
Speaking on the BBC’s Today programme, Healey said: “The nuclear deterrent is the bedrock of our national security. Unless you have a secure nation, you cannot have a secure economy . . . you cannot rebuild . . . public services for the future.”
On Sunday, Starmer said if elected Labour would give a “total commitment” to securing the UK’s nuclear deterrent with a “triple lock”.
This would involve the construction of four new nuclear submarines, the maintenance of Britain’s continuous at-sea deterrent, and the delivery of “all future upgrades” needed for those submarines.