Keir Starmer will pitch Labour as the ¡°party of national security¡± in a bid to squeeze Rishi Sunak¡¯s Conservatives on traditional Tory turf as the rivals prepare to face off in a U.K. election debate on Tuesday.

During a campaign meeting with veterans in northwest England on Monday, Starmer will reiterate Labour¡¯s commitment to defense via what he calls the ¡°nuclear deterrent triple lock.¡± In a statement, Labour said 14 ex-military personnel have been chosen to stand as candidates in the July 4 election.

¡°Keeping our country safe is the bedrock of stability that the British people rightly expect from their government,¡± Starmer, who has guided Labour to a commanding poll lead since taking over the party in 2020, said in the statement.