Streeting denies 'kicking can down the road' in defence spending row
The government is under pressure to set out a path to greater defence spending, as ministers unveil plans to boost UK firms.
By BBC News
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has rejected claims that the government is delaying decisions on how to increase defence spending.
The government is under pressure to set out a clear route towards spending 3% of gross domestic product on defence by 2030. Critics say ministers failed to provide that detail in the latest Budget.
Tan Dhesi, Labour chair of the Commons Defence Select Committee, said key decisions had been “lamentably delayed” until next year’s spending review rather than being announced in the Budget.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also criticised the government, saying Mr Streeting’s colleague John Healey had failed to set out a plan for reaching the 3% target.
Mr Streeting told the BBC he strongly disagreed with Mr Dhesi’s assessment. He said the criticism that ministers were “kicking the can down the road” did not reflect the extra money already being committed to defence or the military capabilities currently being funded.
The Defence Secretary said the government had already made decisions leading to the fastest increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War.
Alongside the spending row, ministers announced new rules requiring foreign defence contractors to invest in the UK. The government said the measures were intended to ensure more defence spending benefited British businesses.
Mr Streeting said the policy would help deliver better value for the UK as defence spending increases. He also acknowledged that putting more money into defence would affect the funding available for other priorities.
The government is expected to set out further details at its next spending review, which does not yet have a fixed date and could take place in the second half of 2027.