Bridget Phillipson calls 2.5% target ‘ambitious’ days before PM meets with Donald Trump in Washington

Keir Starmer is unlikely to set out a plan for when the UK will increase its defence spending to 2.5% of GDP this week, a cabinet minister has indicated.

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, said the 2.5% target was “ambitious”, despite Labour previously claiming it would set out a path to meeting this spending goal after the strategic defence review in the spring.