Sir Keir Starmer is considering boosting defence spending sooner than previously thought as he prepares for talks with Donald Trump this week.

The Prime Minister is understood to be weighing up the possibility of increasing military spending from 2.3 to 2.5 per cent of GDP before 2030 – the Tories’ previous target.

One option, previously pushed by Sir Ben Wallace the former Conservative defence secretary, would be to bring forward a boost to 2028.

Every year the target is brought forward it is expected to add £6 billion to the defence Budget, economists say, putting greater pressure on the already-stretched public finances.

The Prime Minister is set to tell the US president on Thursday that Britain is ready to “step up” and play a greater role in ensuring Europe bankrolls its own security.

On Saturday, he held a flurry of phone calls with EU leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, to drum up continent-wide support for increasing military budgets.