PM To Raise Defence Spending And Put Arms Industry On 'War Footing

Sunak makes 2.5% GDP pledge to take budget to 87bn a year by 2030

- Pippa Crerar

Britain will boost its defence spending to 2.5% of national output by the end of the decade after Rishi Sunak pledged to put the UK’s arms industry on a “war footing” in response to global threats.

The prime minister’s plan, which he said would help the UK deal with an “increasingly dangerous” world, would steadily increase defence spending to £87bn a year by 2030.

It comes after months of pressure from Tory MPs, including the defence secretary, Grant Shapps, to increase military spending to help counter increasing dangers .

Sunak also committed to provide at least £3bn a year to Ukraine “for a long as required” – a key request from Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to provide more certainty in the face of Russian aggression.

However, in a sign that the Conservatives will try to hold Labour’s feet to the fi re over defence in the runup to the general election, Sunak told reporters after his speech in Poland that there would be a “choice on this topic” for voters.

Labour has not said it will match Sunak’s pledge, although the shadow minister Steve Reed told Sky News that Labour “would want to match that”.

Keir Starmer has previously said Labour would raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP “as soon as resources allow” and has pledged to conduct a strategic defence and security review within 12 months of taking power.