'We intend to keep that commitment!' Keir Starmer assures GB News viewers that taxes will NOT go up

Ahead of the annual Nato summit in The Hague, Starmer pledged to meet the new target of five per cent of UK GDP spending on defence by 2035.

The Prime Minister also said that the pledge enables the UK to "navigate this era of radical uncertainty with agility, speed and a clear-eyed sense of the national interest".

Pressed by Katherine on whether Labour would raise taxes in order to fund the boost, Starmer said: "We had a commitment to reassure your viewers in our manifesto that we wouldn't raise taxes on working people and we intend to keep to that commitment."

"Let me first reassure your viewers that the first duty of the UK Prime Minister is the safety and security of our citizens, and that's a duty I take extremely seriously."

He explained: "We've already increased our defence spend to 2.5 per cent in 2027, and I've been absolutely clear where the money for that comes from.

"We've cut the overseas development aid budget and we will now make commitments, Nato commitments to 5 per cent."

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Highlighting the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Starmer also told GB News: "It includes a resilience element that we're already spending, but it is important that we make that commitment for the long term security of our country."

The Prime Minister defended his Government's welfare reform plans, despite facing opposition from more than 100 Labour MPs.

When asked about his message to dissenting colleagues, the Prime Minister told the People's Channel: "The principles I brought to this are that those that need protection must have protection and support.

"Those that can work should work and should be helped into work, but we must have a welfare system fit for the future and the current model doesn't work."

The Prime Minister maintained that welfare reform will proceed as planned, emphasising the Government's commitment to helping people transition from benefits into employment.

Starmer concluded: "It desperately needs reform. It leaves people trapped and not able to get into work and so we need to reform it, and that's what we will do."

Delivering her verdict on the increase in defence spending, former Defence Secretary Dame Penny Mordaunt stated that although she would "love" Britain to reach that target, the plan is nothing but "smoke and mirrors".

Mordaunt added: "I would love it, but as you know, it's not funded. If Puff the Magic Dragon held a cigar party in the Palace of Versailles, you couldn't have any more smoke and mirrors than the Treasury has deployed today."