Rishi Sunak today refused to say when Britain’s defence spending will hit 2.5 per cent of GDP despite admitting NATO allies need to ‘up our game’.
The Prime Minister is under intense pressure to boost military spending amid the growing security threat posed by nations such as Russia, China and Iran.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps saw his demands for the 2.5 per cent level to be met ignored by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt at the recent Budget.
But the pressure has been kept up by outgoing Armed Forces minister James Heappey, who yesterday told MPs the UK ‘should urgently achieve 2.5 per cent’.
Appearing before a House of Commons committee of senior MPs this afternoon, Mr Sunak declined to give a date for when the 2.5 per cent goal would be hit.
Rishi Sunak refused to say when Britain’s defence spending will hit 2.5 per cent of GDP despite admitting NATO allies need to ‘up our game’
The outgoing Armed Forces minister James Heappey yesterday told MPs the UK ‘should urgently achieve 2.5 per cent’
The PM told the Liaison Committee: ‘We’ve said we will do that when the conditions allow.
‘But it’s worth saying that defence spending is already on an upward trajectory and we’re already due to hit 2.3 per cent of GDP on defence spending.’
Mr Sunak urged European and NATO allies to ‘step up’ defence industrial production.
‘What the last year or so shows that we need to collectively up our game when it comes to defence industrial production,’ he added.
‘We’re making the investments, we’re signing the contracts and I think we can look forward to a very significant increase over the coming months and years.’
Mr Heappey, who recently announced he will quit Government, issued a public demand for Britain to reach 2.5 per cent from the Commons despatch box yesterday.
The former Army officer and Afghanistan veteran told MPs: ‘We should urgently achieve 2.5 per cent of GDP.
‘The fiscal situation is improving, and the Conservative Party has made that commitment.’
Mr Heappey wrote a resignation letter earlier this month amid reports he was frustrated over Mr Sunak’s refusal to give a significant cash boost to the military.
He has also said he will not stand at the next general election, as he joins a growing Tory exodus from the Commons.
Before leaving politics, Mr Heappey is expected to become increasingly vocal on the need for defence investment to match the current threats faced by the West.
