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PM urged to increase UK defence spending

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date11 April 2024
Publication titleEvening Chronicle
He has committed to boost spending to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product - a measure of the size of the economy - but only when the public finances allow, despite pressure from defence experts and his own MPs to go further and faster

During an LBC Radio phonein, Mr Sunak was questioned by an Army veteran who urged him to 'spend more than the minimum on defence'.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, and an increasingly assertive China have all added to pressure on the PM to boost the defence budget.

Mr Sunak said: "The world is sadly a less certain and a less safe place and it's important that we invest to keep the country safe. That's what we've been doing… We've seen the largest increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War. I authorised that as chancellor."

He said the UK is spending about 2.3 per cent of GDP on defence, with only the US in Nato spending more and many members not meeting the alliance's two per cent spending target. Eighteen members of the 32-strong alliance are expected to spend two per cent of GDP on defence in 2024 - a six-fold increase since 2014, when only three met the target.

Mr Sunak went on: "There are dozens of other members of Nato who are not even spending the two per cent - we have shown British leadership on this. Our job is always to set a lead and that's what we have done."

The issue of Nato allies sharing the financial burden for protecting Europe is likely to become more...

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