Replies to my recent budget survey showed very clear local support for increasing defence spending. I discussed this with the Chancellor when I met with him a few weeks back, as well as when I met the Defence Secretary a few weeks later. It means defence spending will be boosted by £75 billion by 2030, the largest uplift enacted since the Cold War and a necessary response to an ever more dangerous world.
The increase starts from today and will confirm the UK’s place as the biggest defence power in Europe, second only to the US in NATO.
This new funding includes:
- Grow our domestic UK munitions production pipeline by investing £10 billion over the next 10 years in long term contracts, doubling our current spending.
- Invest in areas that have a proven advantage on the modern battlefield, like drones, air defence, electronic warfare, and long-range missiles.
- Support Ukraine in the long term, as well as immediate support of an additional £500 million today and the largest-ever single package of equipment.
- Develop a National Defence and Resilience Plan, bringing together a comprehensive cross-government plan for our security, preparedness, and resilience as a nation
