Defence of the realm must always be the Government’s first priority. Without the safety and security of our country, we have nothing. This is all too clear with the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the atrocities committed by Hamas in Israel on 7th October 2023. The world is becoming a more dangerous place and we must be prepared.
In 2006, members of NATO agreed to commit a minimum of 2% of their GDP to ensure military readiness. The UK has consistently met the NATO pledge, and based on figures in the 2024 Global Firepower review, the United Kingdom ranks 6th out of the top 10 military powers. Investment in our nuclear deterrent is also an incredibly important part of keeping us and our allies safe. It protects us every hour of every day.
The UK currently spends around 2.3% of GDP on defence each year, which is currently over £50 billion. But this has fallen substantially (as a % of GDP) from a high of 8% in the 1950s.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with the Secretary of State for defence, Grant Shapps MP, on the vital importance of defence. We both shared the same view that with recent global turbulence, it’s time to ramp up our spending in this critical area. His intention is to push defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, which I very much welcome. But ideally, I’d like to see us go even further and reach 3%. The security of our country is not something we should ever risk.
