Rachel Reeves will hand Britain’s Armed Forces a £3billion spending boost in today’s Budget – but set no timetable for meeting Labour’s pledge to up long-term spending.
Amid a drastic manpower crisis and questions over the UK’s ability to fight a war, the Chancellor is expected to pour cash into defence to assuage fears it would bear the brunt of cost-cutting measures.
Some £400 million is expected to be used to hand troops a six per cent pay rise, backdated to April. It comes as the forces hemorrhage experienced personnel and struggle to attract new recruits.
Last week Defence Secretary John Healey questioned whether Britain was currently able to fight a war, in the latest warning about the state of the military.
The funding will also be used to buy weapons, with the aim of replenishing stockpiles depleted by donations to Ukraine.
But a pathway to increasing defence spending to 2.5 per cent of national economic output, demanded by the Tories, will not be in the Budget.
Amid a drastic manpower crisis and questions over the UK’s ability to fight a war the Chancellor is expected to pour cash into defence to assuage fears it would bear the brunt of cost-cutting measures.
Some £400 million is expected to be used to hand troops a six per cent pay rise, backdated to April. It comes as the forces hemorrhage experienced personnel and struggle to attract new recruits.
The funding will also be used to buy weapons, with the aim of replenishing stockpiles depleted by donations to Ukraine .
Mr Healey told Politico’s Power Play podcast last week that ‘what we’ve not been ready to do is to fight’.
And he defended the comments in the Commons on Monday, telling MPs: ‘We know these are serious times: war in Europe, conflict in the Middle East, growing Russian aggression and increasing threats elsewhere. And as this world becomes more dangerous, we will rely more heavily on the professionalism and courage of our armed forces. And it is against this backdrop that the Government is committed to renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve.’
However his Tory shadow, James Cartlidge, a former defence minister, claimed he had been wrong to say that Britain was not ready to fight a war.
Mr Cartlidge said: ‘I believe that for politicians, we best honour the fallen by never forgetting the lessons of the wars in which they fought. That means never being complacent about the threats we face and doing everything possible to strengthen our deterrence so that this country is never again embroiled in the senseless slaughter of existential war.
‘But it must be obvious to all of us that the threat of such a war is looming larger over our continent than it has done for many years.
‘To that end, and I say this with respect for (Mr Healey), when deterrence is of paramount importance… in my view it was profoundly ill-judged of him to suggest that Britain is not ready to fight a war.
‘Let me reassure the British public, millions of whom will soon be wearing their poppies with pride, that they can be absolutely assured that our armed forces remain among the best in the world.’