Starmer commits to defence and security at his first press conference as PM

Sir Keir Starmer pledged to put defence and security high on his agenda at a news conference following the inaugural meeting of his new Labour cabinet.

On his first full day in Downing Street, the Prime Minister revealed he had spoken to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday.

Sir Keir said: "It is for me to be absolutely clear that the first duty of my government is security and defence, to make clear our unshakeable support of Nato."

• What we can expect from the new Labour government when it comes to defence
• John Healey: Who is the new Defence Secretary and how has he voted on military matters?
• Dozens of military veterans and reservists win seats in the General Election

He added: "And of course to reiterate, as I did to President Zelensky yesterday, the support that we will have in this country and with our allies towards Ukraine."

Sir Keir said the Government was committed to its defence spending on Nato and conducting a strategic review.

"The strategic review will start shortly of our capabilities and an assessment of what is needed where – that we can do straight away," he said.

"The commitment to 2.5% is real but it will be within our fiscal rules and we will not be tempted, as the last government was, to pretend that the money is there now, which isn't there."

Labour pledged in its manifesto to boost defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.

The Prime Minister heads to Washington DC next week to attend the Nato summit.