The prime minister will not adhere to the pledge made by his predecessor to increase defense spending but insists ahead of the autumn statement that the United Kingdom has a “very strong position” on the subject.
Ahead of Thursday’s release of the autumn budget, Rishi Sunak has reneged on his predecessor’s promise to increase defense spending to 3% of GDP.
During her campaign for the number 10 position, Liz Truss predicted that the target would be met by the end of the decade.
However, when asked if he would uphold her pledge, the new prime minister did not provide a direct response, instead pointing to Boris Johnson’s previous 2,5% pledge and NATO’s 2% goal.
“We are the second largest spender on defense in NATO,” stated Mr. Sunak. “Therefore, no one can argue that our defensive position is not very robust.
“We have not only a current record, but also a historical record of being strong investors in defense and prioritizing NATO.
“That is what I did as chancellor with a substantial increase in defense spending.”
Before Thursday’s fiscal event, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt told that he would require all government departments to find more efficiencies than they had planned.
The 3% pledge was once a reason for Defence Secretary Ben Wallace to resign, with sources claiming he would hold Ms. Truss to the figure after years of advocating for a larger budget to address contemporary security threats.
Last week, he told European defense ministers that he was “taking it budget by budget” due to the need to fill a fiscal black hole in the government’s finances.
Other Tory MPs, however, are more concerned, with some claiming that abandoning the pledge would harm the party’s reputation on defense and make it appear weak to Russian President Vladimir Putin as he continues his invasion of Ukraine.
As he traveled to the G20 summit in Bali, Mr. Sunak listed financial and military assistance given to the country in recent weeks, including 1,000 missiles, and said, “I don’t think Putin or anyone else can look at that and claim that we’re weak in any way.
“As long as I serve as prime minister, we will continue to stand firm against him and provide the Ukrainians with all the assistance they require.”
In addition, he stated that he would use the summit to express his “unambiguous condemnation” of the Russian invasion.
The prime minister responded, “Our track record is clear.” Our international reputation for spending on defense and standing up to Russian aggression is incredibly solid.
“I have heard this from every leader with whom I have spoken. Every single person I’ve spoken with has praised the United Kingdom’s part in standing up to Putin.
“We recently announced further shipments this week. People can be certain that we are investing in our defenses and providing the Ukrainians with all the assistance they require.”
