UK announces biggest defence spend plans since Cold War

ODN

The prime minister says he will make the UK a “battle-ready nation”, whilst Defence Secretary John Healey has pledged to “create a British Army that is 10 times more lethal”, as the Strategic Defence Review is published. The government aims to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2034, although the Treasury has not yet guaranteed to fund it, and some of the UK’s Nato allies say it is not enough. Report by Jonesia. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Transcript

00:00Moving to war-fighting readiness in a moment of danger and threat for our country.

00:06That was the message the Prime Minister brought to Glasgow today, as he outlined the UK's

00:11largest defence spending plans since the Cold War.

00:14In the world of today, the front line, if you like, is here.

00:20We face war in Europe, new nuclear risks, daily cyber attacks, growing Russian aggression

00:28in our waters, menacing our skies, their reckless actions driving up the cost of living here

00:35at home.

00:36The government has committed to investing £15 billion in its nuclear warhead programme,

00:42as well as building up to 12 new attack submarines.

00:46£1.5 billion will be spent on at least six new munitions factories, creating more than

00:521,000 jobs.

00:53Britain will also procure up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons.

00:58And a new cyber command will be set up, investing £1 billion in digital capabilities.

01:04Our carriers will carry the first hybrid airwings in Europe.

01:11We will develop the next generation RAF with F-35s, upgraded Typhoons, 6th Gen GCAP and autonomous

01:19fighters to defend Britain's skies and to be able to strike anywhere in the world.

01:25And we will make the British army ten times more lethal by combining future technology

01:30of drones, autonomy and AI with the heavy metal of tanks and artillery.

01:37Having already committed to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence by 2027, the government aims

01:44to raise that to 3% by 2034, although the Treasury has not yet guaranteed to fund it.

01:51Keir Starmer's talk is tough, but the urgency is lacking according to Labour's political opponents,

01:57as well as a former army chief.

01:59What I would say to people at home who hear all this and think, you know, are we really

02:03under threat?

02:04The one way to deter war from happening is to be ready for it and to show your adversaries

02:08that you're strong.

02:09That's why we need to back defence, but we need clarity from the government on their spending

02:13plans.

02:14Unless it's fully funded, then frankly it will not be the success that the government

02:17wants it to be.

02:18It's a bit like in 1937 saying to Hitler, hold on, don't attack us until 1946 because

02:23we're not ready.

02:24The Prime Minister says he is 100% confident that cash will be available for the commitments

02:30made in the strategic review.

02:32Some of Britain's European NATO allies have already said the UK is not doing enough, as the

02:38alliance calls for member states to spend 5% of GDP on defence by 2032.

02:44But today's announcement setting out long-term defence objectives is unlikely to have any

02:49impact on the current conflict raging between Ukraine and Russia.

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