Kemi Badenoch's plan to keep UK safe with £10bn defence increase
Kemi Badenoch is to promise the “biggest uplift in defence spending in a generation”, funded by dramatic cuts to welfare. The Conservative leader will today announce plans to ensure the UK spends 3% of GDP on defence by 2029-30. She will argue there is a stark contrast between her approach and Andy Burnham’s failure to explain how he will boost defence spending, with Tories accusing the Labour Prime Minister of “dither and delay”.
TL;DR
- Kemi Badenoch plans to increase UK defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2029-30.
- The funding will come from substantial cuts to welfare spending.
- Specific savings include £4 billion from Housing Benefit reforms and £3.1 billion from restoring the two-child benefit cap.
- Conservatives also plan to save £1 billion by ending VAT exemptions for Motability vehicles and £200 million by not returning the Chagos islands.
- Labour's Shadow Defence Secretary criticized the government's approach and accused Andy Burnham of lacking a defence funding plan.
- Andy Burnham stated his government will increase defence funding and set out plans to meet NATO commitments by 2035.