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The government has been accused of “spinning and breaking” an announcement about an increase in defense spending that is much less than necessary, Sky News understands.
An entire fleet of military helicopters – the Puma airplane of the Royal Air Force – has been retired this week as part of a cost -saving plan to delete older kit announced in November.
The view of old but still air -worthy helicopters taken out before a substitute is ready – to create a gap capacity – contrast with statements by Rachel Reevesthe Chancellor, and John HealeyThe defense secretary, about raising the defense budget.
The last flight of the Puma aircraft. Photo: UK MOD
Sir Ben Wallacethe longest serving Conservative Defense Secretary, said he expected better because of the urgent need to regain in a time of increased threats and next Donald Trump’s Warnings to Europe to stop relying on the United States to bank sign.
“We are against the dawn of a new era of uncertainty all over the world,” Sir Ben said.
“The US has warned us for a decade not to take them for granted, and we all did nothing. In German, Polesand France The cent has dropped and they have adopted an essential cultural change and re -prioritization of government spending.
“In the UK, the government still thinks it’s about turning and snapping. It doesn’t make anyone crazy, and we run the risk of losing our credibility and leadership on defense among allies.”
Sir Ben Wallace. Photo: Reuters
In her Spring -Statement The Chancellor announced an extra £ 2.2bn for defense on Wednesday in the upcoming financial year.
Ms Reeves told MPs it is a further ‘deposit’ on a promise by the prime minister To increase expenses to defense to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027. Defense spending is currently about 2.3% of gross national income. The new money will help it up to 2.36%.
The Chancellor, Defense Secretary and Prime Minister repeatedly drafted their plan to inject cash into the armed forces over this parliament as “the largest sustained increase in defense spending since the end of the Cold War”.
But the insiders of the defense say, although any new money is welcome, this claim is more spinning than substance because the defense budget has had largely repeated cuts since the Soviet Union has collapsed.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced an extra £ 2.2bn to defensive spending in her spring statement. Photo: Dad
The focus on a slogan also does not answer the question of whether an extra £ 2 billion is enough over the next 12 months to transform British army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force at the necessary speed, they said.
When asked if it was sufficient, several military sources and a source of a defense industry jointly said “no”.
“This is just another plaster that overlooks the decades of under -investment and chronic financial mismanagement of our armed forces,” the source of the defensive industry said.
‘Increasing spending or a focus on’ new technologies’ ignores the fact that we make a broken system thrive.
‘We see time and time again about acquiring outdated solutions while their manufacturers get away with significant delays or overuse with seemingly few consequences.
“As we continue to turn and fight over small percentage spending, we allow our armed forces to be hollowed out in front of us in the hope that the government’s sound bites will provide the deterrence that our current equipment cannot do.”
Defense Secretary John Healey on a core sugar on March 17. Photo: Crown Copyright 2025
A military source said the additional £ 2.2bn for the year to March 2026 was a step in the right direction, but said it would simply keep the defense of ‘life support’.
The situation only starts to improve slightly in two years when the defense budget is eventually expected to be 2.5% of GDP, the source said.
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This is despite the fact that the UK is a leading member of the ‘Coalition of the Will’s’, with Sir Keir Starmer promising to deploy powers to ensure any ceasefire in Ukraine – a move that would put a great extra pressure on its already protracted army.
Sir Keir Starmer and Defense Secretary John Healey on a core submarine. Photo: Crown Copyright 2025
While the UK speaks about 2.5%for the defense budget, says Mark Rutte, the secretary general of NATO, allies should spend more than 3%, while Mr. Trump wants them to aim for 5%.
In 2020, Boris JohnsonLike the prime minister, a plan to increase the defense budget by £ 16bn over four years, above -the -time defense spending by 0.5% above inflation for each year of parliament – which was at the time a total of an extra £ 24 billion – has been the biggest boost for the expenses since the Cold War.
Sir Keir added the word ‘sustained’ when describing the size of his boost of defensive spending – although it depends on the accuracy of predictions that will expand GDP against the prediction predicted in the coming years.
Sir Ben said: “The UK faces some of the highest threats in a generation, but still John Healey thinks that spin is the appropriate response. He makes no one – not the men and women of the armed forces and not our enemies. I expected better from him.”
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