Trump is ‘absolutely right’ the UK must spend more on defence, says Wes Streeting
Wes Streeting said Donald Trump is “absolutely right” that the UK and other European allies should spend more on defence, arguing that higher investment is needed to deter Russia and prepare for a failure of deterrence. His remarks underline the debate within Labour over how to strengthen military capability while managing pressure on public finances and protecting social spending.
The Ministry of Defence’s immediate Defence Investment Plan is expected to receive funding in the Budget, but a detailed route to spending 3 per cent of national output on defence by 2030 has been put off until the 2027 spending review. The plan has a £4.7 billion gap against its £15 billion investment needs; officials are also examining a Canadian-led bank intended to attract government-backed private capital for defence technology. Streeting said procurement reform would be needed to show taxpayers that extra spending offered value.
- Streeting backs Trump’s call for higher UK defence spending.
- A plan to reach 3 per cent by 2030 is delayed.
- The MoD investment plan faces a £4.7 billion shortfall.
New here? Start with this
Nato is an alliance in which the UK, the US and many European countries agree to support one another if attacked. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has renewed concern about the security of Europe and whether Nato members have enough military equipment and personnel to deter further conflict.
The UK’s defence budget pays for the armed forces and equipment, as well as research and military technology. Raising it means finding more public money, so ministers face choices about how to balance defence with services such as health and education.
Wes Streeting is a senior Labour politician, and Donald Trump is the US president. Their comments sit within a wider debate about how quickly the UK should increase defence spending, how to fund it and how to ensure military purchases provide value for taxpayers.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The case for raising defence spending is that credible military capability helps deter Russian aggression and prepares the UK and its allies if deterrence fails. A clear, funded plan could address the Defence Investment Plan’s shortfall, while procurement reform and private investment may help ensure additional public money delivers value.
The case against
The case for caution is that defence budgets compete with other demands on public finances, including social spending, and a target to spend 3 per cent of national output by 2030 could require difficult trade-offs. Given the existing investment gap and concerns about procurement value, setting a spending ambition before a detailed, costed route is agreed risks committing taxpayers to more without showing how the money will be used effectively.