UK vows defense spending boost by 2030 but dodges hard questions
John Healey committed to spending 3% of GDP on the nation's defences by 2030 but declined to say where he would find the money.
LONDON — Britain's Chancellor John Healey declared on Wednesday that the nation's defense spending would increase to 3% of GDP by 2030, in an effort to meet NATO's target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035. However, Healey did not clarify how this would be achieved. Healey's departure from the U.K. defense secretary role under Keir Starmer's government in a funding dispute preceded his first budget as chancellor under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
He pledged £4.7 billion to close gaps in the Defence Investment Plan, which will be sourced from "reprioritization of capital budgets" across the UK government, though specific cuts were not disclosed. The Chancellor and Prime Minister, both aiming to demonstrate commitment to the U.K.'s security obligations, pledged £10 billion in economic and military aid for Ukraine to Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte expressed welcome for the move, but the lack of detail raised concerns from the Conservative Party and manufacturers' body Make UK Defence.
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