Is Labour backsliding on pledge of more cash for defence? Ministers tight-lipped amid reports it will be 2032 before UK hits 2.5% of GDP target despite Trump demands for escalation_Nhy
Labour today raised fears of a delay to defence spending increases needed to rebuild Britain’s military, as the economy falters.
No10 and defence ministers refused to repeat the party’s election manifesto pledge that funding would increase to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2029, amid reports the Treasury wants to push it back until 2032.
Bean-counters have reportedly warned that meeting the pledge would mean taking money from other department as the Chancellor struggled to lift the economic fog stifling the nation.
A senior Government source told The Times that meeting the target in five years would mean ‘deeper cuts in the run-up to the election’ and ‘feels like a non-starter’.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman today told reporters that a strategic defence review would set a ‘pathway’ to spending 2.5 per cent in the spring.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard also later said the same thing to MPs in the Commons. But neither would confirm that the pre-election timeline was still being followed.
The looser schedule would also risk derailing Keir Starmer‘s hopes of forging close ties with Donald Trump – who has demanded Nato countries move towards a 5 per cent threshold.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge highlighted the threats from Russia to the UK as a reason to ‘urgently’ increase defence spending, telling MPs: ‘The rest of us were listening but the Chancellor of the Exchequer was not.
The looser schedule would risk derailing Keir Starmer ‘s hopes of forging close ties with Donald Trump – who has demanded Nato countries move towards a 5 per cent threshold
The Prime Minister’s spokesman today told reporters that a strategic defence review would set a ‘pathway’ to spending 2.5 per cent in the spring. Defence Minister Luke Pollard also later said the same thing to MPs in the Commons.
Mr Trump has suggested spending should rise to 5 per cent – far beyond the current US figure of around 3.4 per cent
‘Despite all of the evidence before our eyes of the growing threat, we learned this weekend from multiple sources that spending 2.5 per cent will be delayed beyond 2030. Can the minister first disown such talk, but specifically confirm we will hit 2.5 per cent this Parliament?’
Mr Pollard, responding, told the Commons: ‘The Government’s plan for change says, ‘We will set out a path to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence in the spring’.’
He said he would reiterate the words of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary John Healey as he stated: ‘This Government has a cast-iron commitment to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence and this Government is already delivering for defence by increasing defence spending.
‘At our first budget we announced an extra £3 billion on spending on defence in the next financial year.’
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a huge tax and borrowing package in the Budget, but it has since been blamed for crushing growth.
Meanwhile, the costs of servicing the UK’s debt mountain have risen, putting huge pressure on the government’s spending plans.
A senior Government source told The Times that meeting the target in five years would mean ‘deeper cuts in the run-up to the election’ and ‘feels like a non-starter’.
A senior government source told The Times: ‘If we try to hit the target by 2030 it will mean deeper cuts to public services in the run-up to the election.
‘It feels like a non-starter.’ The next general election would be due by mid-2029.
Downing Street insisted the timetable would not be set until after the Strategic Defence Review is complete in the summer.
Labour’s pledge on the 2.5 per cent level did not have a specific date attached to it, but there has been increasing alarm about the UK’s capacity to respond to threats from Russia and other hostile states.
The current Nato commitment is for members to spend 2 per cent of GDP on defence.
Mr Trump has suggested that should rise to 5 per cent – far beyond the current US figure of around 3.4 per cent.
Sir Keir and the US president committed to ‘close’ ties in a 45-minute conversation last night.
The positive tone will be a relief for Sir Keir as he desperately tries to get off to a good start with Mr Trump – who was previously branded a ‘neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath’ by Cabinet ministers.
It came hours after the Republican praised the PM doing ‘a very good job thus far’, and suggested his first foreign visit might be to the UK.
However, the leaders seem to have been at pains to skirt potential flashpoints during their chat, such as sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, US threats of tariffs on imports, and defence spending.
Sir Keir is hoping to go to Washington DC within weeks, although dates have yet to be finalised.
The current Nato commitment is for members to spend 2 per cent of GDP on defence – with the UK among a small group that has consistently hit the level
Chancellor Rachel Reeves (pictured with Defence Secretary John Healey, right) announced a huge tax and borrowing package in the Budget, but it has since been blamed for crushing growth
