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UK must 'rapidly' increase defence spending, urges former official
Posted
February 17, 2025
Views
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February 17, 2025
7,764
95
71
2.14%
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8:09Now PlayingThe Labour government has vowed to spend 2.5% of national income on defence but has not yet said when it will hit the target.
The UK currently spends about 2.3%, but there have been calls to go higher towards 3%.
The former Foreign Office official Sir Simon Fraser tells Sky's Sophy Ridge: "We have to be able to stand up for ourselves collectively - that means more spending and better spending."
Fraser acknowledges "rivalries" between government departments who want more cash, but says the country needs to have an "honest debate" about the need to prioritise defence.
Not meeting promises on things like the NHS will cause problems for Labour, Fraser says, but "trade-offs" are required.
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