LABOUR’s promise to hike defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP could be delayed until after the next election – possibly as late as 2032.
Boris Johnson vowed to hit the key spending target by 2028, with Rishi Sunak promising before last year’s election to do so by 2030.
AFPSir Keir Starmer’s promise to hike defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP could be delayed until after the next election[/caption]
AFPThe decision could upset Donald Trump, who has asked for NATO members to increase defence spending[/caption]
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted the pledge would be met “as soon as the economic circumstances allow”.
But multiple defence insiders have told The Sun they now expect the Government’s landmark defence review due to be published in the coming months to see that target slip into the next decade.
That risks a major row with Donald Trump who has demanded that European nations and NATO members dramatically hike their defence budgets to avoid the American taxpayer subsidising European security.
The new US President has suggested NATO rules should be changed so that members contribute five per cent of their domestic output to military spending.
Last night Treasury and Defence sources did not deny the 2032 claim but insisted that no final decision on the timetable had been made yet.
Last year UK defence spending was £57billion – around 2.3 per cent of GDP – with experts suggesting that would need to rise to £87billion a year to hit the 2.5 target.
It was recently revealed Britain now spends more on sickness than on defence.
Ministers have been warned that they must rein in the £65billion bill for health-related handouts — costing more than all the £57billion going to the military.
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