Unions call for defence cash to be given to workers
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has opened its annual conference by demanding that money earmarked for defence spending be redirected to workers instead, as part of a campaign called Wages Not Weapons. The motion argues that "real security" comes from strong public services and social protection rather than military spending, putting the union movement at odds with government plans to boost national security funding. This matters because it sets up a direct clash between unions and the Conservative government's fiscal priorities at a time when Britain says it faces heightened security threats.
The motion calls for sustained public investment in health, education, housing, social care, social security and climate resilience, rather than increased defence budgets. TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said ministers should reject the idea that they must choose between higher defence spending and welfare support. The intervention comes as the Conservatives have committed to raising defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030, a pledge they plan to fund partly through cuts to benefits.
In short
- TUC conference demands defence funding be redirected to workers and public services
- Campaign "Wages Not Weapons" rejects trade-off between defence and welfare spending
- Tories plan to raise defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030 via benefit cuts
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Unions can argue that lasting security depends on people having reliable healthcare, education, housing and social protection, alongside resilience to climate risks. Redirecting some planned defence spending towards these services could address immediate pressures on living standards and strengthen the social foundations on which national security also relies.
The case against
Supporters of higher defence spending can argue that Britain faces serious security threats and needs well-equipped forces and credible deterrence to protect its people and institutions. They may see the planned increase as necessary to meet those risks, while arguing that defence and strong public services should both be funded rather than treating one as a substitute for the other.
Explained simply
Union leaders from across the UK are meeting for the TUC's annual conference, the trade union movement's main yearly gathering, where members debate policy and put pressure on the government of the day. This year's meeting comes as the Conservative government has pledged to lift defence spending to 3% of national income by 2030, with part of that increase expected to be paid for by reducing welfare payments.
The TUC represents millions of workers through its member unions and regularly uses its conference to challenge government spending choices. Paul Nowak, the TUC's general secretary, is its senior spokesperson and typically sets the tone for how unions respond to government policy over the coming year.
This dispute matters because it touches on two big, competing pressures facing the UK: rising concern about national security in an unstable world, and long-running strain on public services and welfare budgets. How the government balances defence spending against domestic support has consequences for public finances, benefit levels and the services people rely on day to day.
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