Tories urge Rishi Sunak to 'go further' with global threats WORSE than the 1930s after PM says spending will hit 2.5% of GDP by end of decade - while Labour dodges on whether it would match the sums
Tories hailed Rishi Sunak's vow to pile billions more into defence spending today - but warned he needs to 'go further'.
The PM committed to spending hitting 2.5 per cent of GDP by the end of the decade as he visited Poland for talks with NATO allies yesterday.
Mr Sunak insisted the move put the country on a 'war footing' to respond to threats such as Russia and instability in the Middle East.
It has also opened a clear dividing line with Keir Starmer, as Labour resists matching the pledge - which will be partly funded by cutting 70,000 civil service jobs - instead saying the level would only be reached 'when resources allow'.
But while welcoming the announcement, Conservatives have been pushing for Mr Sunak to set an even higher target of 3 per cent of GDP. Former defence secretary James Heappey said he wanted see that happen.
Boris Johnson - who originally laid out the 2.5 per cent target in 2022 - has also endorsed a 3 per cent goal.
Rishi Sunak committed to spending hitting 2.5 per cent of GDP by the end of the decade as he visited Poland for talks with NATO allies yesterday. He is in Germany (pictured) for more meetings today
Mr Sunak chatted to troops at a military base near Berlin this morning
Grant Shapps (left) insisted the defence boost will put the UK in a strong position to deal with threats. But James Heappey (right) suggested the government needs to 'go further'
The IFS think-tank has questioned where the funding for the defence boost will come from
Ex-Defence Secretary Ben Wallace praised the new commitment saying 'you can't reverse these things overnight', while stressing that more progress will have to be made.
Asked what historical period he would compared the current situation to, he told SKy News: 'You could definitely say you are in the 1930s, but with an added challenge of terrorism, an added challenge of unconventional warfare, so disinformation campaigns, the enemies in this country using cyber to divide us... and to produce frictions in our society.
'So I think we are in a world where the peace we took for granted... is coming to an end.'
Mr Wallace said the government is now 'on a journey' to making defence a 'core' part of budgeting rather than 'discretionary'.
In a round of interviews this morning, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps told GB News the commitment was possible due to falling inflation.
'The conditions are right now, but not only that, the situation in the world. You've seen what's been happening in Ukraine, with (Vladimir) Putin continuing to prosecute his illegal war,' he said.
'You've seen what's happening in the Middle East with Iran firing on Israel with 100s of projectiles. I think it's very important for Britain to play its leadership part.'
Mr Shapps said the funding will go towards a lot of 'different things' including munitions, accommodation and new technology.
'Most of all I hope it leverages the countries to come forward and spend their money properly. It's really important that we show dictators everywhere, people like Putin, that we will not be walked over.
Mr Shapps said the Government will be 'cutting the bureaucracy' in defence to help fund the package.
'We have about 60,000 people in MoD, but we're saying by 2028 we think we can manage with 50,000 people.
'We want people on the front line, not in the offices.'
Mr Shapps said it was 'reasonable' to cut 72,000 civil service jobs to fund Rishi Sunak's pledge.
He told Times Radio: 'That actually will take the civil service back to where it was before Covid, so I think that is a very reasonable thing to do.
'And we're simply saying that defence of the realm is the absolute number one priority, it comes before everything else and if we don't defend the nation, then everything else becomes slightly less of an issue.'
Mr Shapps added he was 'very disappointed' by Labour's response.
Ex-Defence Secretary Ben Wallace praised the new commitment saying 'you can't reverse these things overnight', while stressing that more progress will have to be made
Mr Sunak met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin today
The Defence Secretary said he wanted spending 2.5 per cent of GDP to be the new target for all NATO countries.
He told Sky News: 'We're now saying we think that should be 2.5 per cent. We think in a more dangerous world that would make sense.'
He added: 'I will be arguing that, and I know that the Prime Minister feels strongly about it, when we go to the Nato 75th anniversary summit which is in Washington DC.
'We will say that 2 per cent 10 years ago, when we didn't have the significant rise of China, North Korea now nuclear-armed, Iran attacking and using its proxies to attack and a very much less stable world given Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine.'
