The United Kingdom will increase defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and will go 3% in the long run by cutting off its development budget abroad, Prime Minister Keir Stmerer said on Tuesday.
“This government will start the biggest sustained increase in defense spending since the end of the Cold War,” Stmerer told Parliament.
The change in the UK defense strategy occurs before Starmer fly to the United States to meet on Thursday with President Donald Trump, who repeatedly
European leaders were surprised earlier this month when Trump’s government made it clear that Europe would need to prepare to provide its own security, triggering a series of diplomatic activities.
Stmerer said difficult choices needed to be made in the interest of the country’s security and that he would finance the increase in expenses with the Armed Forces by cutting the 0.5% of GDP budget to 0.3% in 2027.
“We will also establish a clear ambition for defense spending to increase to 3% of GDP in the next parliament,” he added.
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Successive British governments have reduced defense spending since World War II and the Cold War, while increasing investments in health, well-being and education.
The last time the United Kingdom spent 3% of Defense GDP was in 1993/94.
