Sir Keir Starmer has been criticised by the UK’s official statistics watchdog after it concluded that a claim he made to MPs about defence spending was “incorrect and misleading”, reigniting political debate over Labour’s fiscal credibility.
The intervention follows an investigation by the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) into comments made by the former prime minister during parliamentary evidence in March, when he said Labour would spend “£270 billion more on defence than we would otherwise have done” over the course of the current Parliament.
According to the UKSA, the £270 billion figure referred to the government’s total planned defence expenditure during the parliamentary term rather than an additional increase in spending.
In a letter published on Tuesday, the authority’s interim chair, Penny Young, said the wording used by Sir Keir was “incorrect and misleading”. She added that statisticians within the Ministry of Defence had subsequently raised concerns with communications officials to ensure future public statements accurately reflected defence spending figures.
The ruling followed a complaint from Conservative shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge, who argued that the original statement overstated the scale of Labour’s spending plans.
Mr Cartlidge said the watchdog’s findings had exposed what he described as misleading claims over defence funding, accusing Labour of misrepresenting the government’s investment commitments.
The episode highlights the growing scrutiny surrounding the presentation of official statistics by ministers, particularly in politically sensitive areas such as defence and public spending.
Under the Ministerial Code, ministers are expected to provide accurate information to Parliament and to correct the record if they inadvertently mislead MPs.
The Ministry of Defence acknowledged the issue, saying it had already recognised the wording was problematic and had taken immediate steps to ensure it would not be repeated.
The controversy comes amid continued political debate over Britain’s defence budget and long-term military spending commitments, with both major parties seeking to demonstrate their credentials on national security while facing increasing pressure over the public finances.
The UKSA’s intervention is likely to reinforce calls for greater precision in the use of official figures as fiscal policy remains a central battleground in Westminster.
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