Britain plans to raise its defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2027 and target three percent in the longer term by cutting its overseas development budget, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
💞“This government will begin the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War,” Starmer told parliament on February 25.
Britain𝔉's shift in defense strategy comes ahead of Sir Keir Starmer's trip to the United States on February 27, where he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has consistently urged NATO members like Britain to increase their defense spending. Earlier this month, European leaders were taken aback when Trump’s administration made it clear that Europe would need to take on a greater role in ensuring its own security, prompting a flurry of diplomatic activity.
꧃Starmer emphasized that difficult decisions must be made to prioritize the country's security. He proposed funding the increased military spending by reducing the aid budget from 0.5 percent of GDP to 0.3 percent by 2027.
﷽“We will also set a clear ambition for defense spending to rise to three per cent of GDP in the next parliament,” he added.
♏According to reports, successive British governments have reduced spending on defence since World War Two and the Cold War, as they stepped up investment in health, welfare and education instead.
