The outgoing Prime Minister, Sir Kier Starmer, has announced more spending on defence, funded by scrapping some as-yet unidentified road and energy schemes.

In his first major speech since announcing his resignation, Sir Kier talked about defence spending but then said: “Some capital projects, for example, on roads and energy, which are important but not immediately vital, will no longer go ahead as planned.”

National Highways’ third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) agreed with the government includes projects such as the Lower Thames Crossing, A66 dualling between the M6 and A1(M) and the A12 widening between Chelmsford and the A120.

Sir Kier said that this is about “taking the necessary choices, the right choices, to protect our nation. It is because we have taken these hard-edged decisions that we are able to increase our spending on defence.”

(Picture – Highways News)