UK still discussing how much to spend on defence

LONDON: Discussions on how much Britain can spend on defence are ongoing, with other government departments being pushed to free up more cash, a minister said on Sunday, following the resignation of the defence secretary in a dispute over spending.

Keir Starmer was dealt a heavy blow on Thursday when John Healey – widely respected in government and by the defence sector – quit, accusing the prime minister of failing to secure enough money to keep the country safe.

Starmer had for months been mulling how to fund a Defence Investment Plan (DIP) before ultimately settling on a figure that Healey said was unacceptable.

The new defence secretary, Dan Jarvis, told the Sunday Telegraph he was determined to get the armed forces the funding they need, saying the government must “meet the moment”. Culture minister Lisa Nandy said on Sunday that talks were ongoing.

“I’m having discussions with my own officials in my own department about the amount of funding that we make available,” Nandy told BBC Television on Sunday, adding that Jarvis was looking at the Defence Investment Plan in its current draft form and having talks with the finance minister and Starmer.

“These discussions are ongoing,” she said.

Starmer has said he will publish the defence spending plan before the Nato summit in Ankara next month.

Healey said the plan he had seen would increase defence spending to only 2.68% in 2030, when it will already reach 2.6% next year. That compares to Germany’s plans to spend 3.7% of its gross domestic product on defence by 2030.