Overview

• The government has committed to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 with an ambition to reach 3% in the next parliament
• Penny Mordaunt and Sir Liam Fox argue that without real Treasury backing, current plans amount to unfunded promises that will fail to deter adversaries
• Mordaunt cautioned that neglecting foundational military capabilities risks “paying with the blood of our own citizens” in future conflicts
• Lord Robertson’s Defence Review recommended steps toward “war-readiness,” including a £1.5 billion munitions pipeline, but the latest Spending Review allocated no new funds to meet NATO’s 3.5% GDP target
• Analysts highlight Russia’s reported one million casualties in Ukraine and recent missile exchanges between Israel and Iran as proof that urgent hard-power responses are needed