Streeting says he began stockpiling food weeks ago amid rising threat to UK

Wes Streeting, the UK Defence Secretary, has begun stockpiling food and water in preparation for a potential national emergency, amid growing concerns about the threats facing the country. Speaking to the Times, Streeting revealed that he started accumulating supplies weeks ago, emphasizing the need for the UK to deter adversaries and, if deterrence fails, be prepared to defeat them.

Healey, the Chancellor, has set a goal for defence spending to reach 3% of GDP by 2030 and 3.5% by 2035. He has already requested Whitehall departments to find 1% cuts in their budgets to fund the defence spending. Streeting expressed satisfaction that people are starting to think about their household resilience, such as having sufficient supplies of bottled water, canned goods, battery-powered torches, and other essential items.

The defence secretary mentioned he was stockpiling various food items like baked beans, sweetcorn, red kidney beans, tuna, protein bars, and nuts. He noted that he was setting aside these supplies to lead by example and stressed the importance of value for money and modernisation to be ready for future wars. Streeting also touched upon the oversight of service personnel, stating that the courts were involved in a campaign to smear the reputation and integrity of special forces.

He left the possibility open for MPs and peers to scrutinize special forces and the UK's nuclear weapons through the Intelligence and Security Committee.