Minister calls on Burnham to show path to 3.5% target on UK defence spending
Summary
Britain’s Defence Secretary, Dan Jarvis, has urged Prime Minister hopeful Andy Burnham to commit to raising UK defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035, aligning with NATO targets. This increase would mean spending about £25 billion more annually on the military by the middle of the decade, likely requiring cuts in other areas or new funding.Key Facts
- Dan Jarvis is the new UK Defence Secretary and a former paratrooper.
- He wants defence spending to reach 3.5% of GDP by 2035, matching a NATO target.
- Achieving this target would add approximately £25 billion more yearly to military budgets.
- The current defence investment plan (DIP) totals £298 billion over four years.
- The DIP was delayed but published recently, including £1.5 billion extra mainly for drones.
- Andy Burnham, the prime minister candidate, has little defence experience but says he will fully fund the defence plan.
- The defence budget increase may require cutting other government spending, raising taxes, or borrowing more.
- Jarvis will attend the NATO summit in Turkey and reassure allies, including the US, about the UK’s defence commitments.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
