UK announces defence spending to rise to 2.5% by 2027

Starmer made statements in the British Parliament on security and defence spending ahead of his official visit to the US.

Prime Minister Starmer referred to the Russo-Ukrainian War in his speech, saying that these times required the mobilisation of all his country's resources to ensure a united Britain and security.

Starmer said Britain should be proud of its response to the war in Ukraine, adding that this response included the British people opening their doors to Ukrainians. Starmer also stressed that the British people were feeling the effects of the war through rising prices.

"Russia is a threat in our waters, in our airspace and on our streets," Starmer said, adding that the UK must face the new global era "together and strongly."

"It means £13.4 billion more spent on defence"

Starmer also made statements regarding his country's defense spending, saying, "We will fulfill our commitment to spend 2.5 percent of GDP on defense, but we will bring this forward and reach this level in 2027."

The British Prime Minister said this means spending £13.4 billion more on defence every year from 2027.

Pointing to the contribution of his country's intelligence services, Starmer added that when taken together, this contribution means that they will spend 2.6 percent on defense from 2027.

Starmer underlined that the West needs to go further in terms of defence spending and laid out plans to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP in the future, depending on economic and financial conditions.

Foreign aid will be cut to finance increased defense spending

British Prime Minister Starmer also announced that the foreign aid budget would be cut from 0.5 percent to 0.3 percent to finance the increase in defense spending.

"I want to make it clear to Parliament that this is not an announcement I am happy to make," Starmer said.

The former Prime Minister had announced that they would increase defense spending to 2.5 percent by 2030

Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in April 2024 that he would increase his country's defense spending to 2.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2030.

Sunak pointed out that this commitment meant an additional £75 billion in funding for defence spending over the next six years, and said: "We have a clear plan for what we will spend, when we will spend it and how we will pay for it. This is a plan that will make the UK by far the largest defence force in Europe and the second largest in NATO."

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