UK boosts defence budget as foreign aid takes a hit
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, announced on Tuesday that the defence budget will increase to 2.5% of GDP by 2027. In a speech in the House of Commons, he described this as the largest continuous increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War.
The Prime Minister emphasised that this means an increase in annual defence spending of £13.4 billion starting from 2027. He announced that in subsequent years, the defence budget would continue to grow to 3% of GDP in the following parliamentary term.
UK Prime Minister: more for the military, less for foreign aid
He added that increasing military spending would require reducing the foreign aid budget, which will decrease from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP in 2027. At times like this, the defence and security of the British people must always come first. That is the number one priority of this Government – he noted.
The media emphasises that Starmer's unexpected announcement came shortly before his planned visit to the White House and meeting with the US President, urging NATO allies to spend more on defence.
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