"Increasingly fraught" meetings put pressure on MoD asking for "more money" to support Royal Navy and military
.jpg?width=96&crop=1:1,smart)
Defence chiefs are putting pressure on the government to provide them with more funding to bolster the armed forces, reports say.
As reported in The Spectator, top military brass believe they do not have adequate support to carry out major military reforms. The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) promised major change in the Royal Navy and armed forces, but there are concerns that it will not be financially supported enough.
A Ministry of Defence (MoD) meeting was held on Tuesday (November 25) where Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, and three heads of state discussed the Defence Investment Plan. The Spectator said civil servants and chief aids were thrown out of the meeting.
“These meetings have become increasingly fraught,” a source told The Spectator. “A letter will be sent to John Healey expressing the united, unanimous view of the chiefs they can deliver the SDR but need more money, more quickly.”
The publication said if greater funds are not secured, the reforms can only be achieved if its ambitions are curtailed. Cuts to capabilities and personnel are also possible without more support.
The government has agreed to raise defence spending to 2.6 per cent of GDP by April 2027, alongside an ambition for this to climb to three per cent by the next parliament. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has committed to meeting the Nato target of five per cent by 2035, with 3.5 per cent of this on core defence.
Rows over funding comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a budget which was accidently leaked early by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). She mentioned investment into HMNB Portsmouth and cited this as an example of Labour supporting the sector.
Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said the budget strengthens the economy, rejects borrowing, and makes fair and necessary choices on issues which concern residents. “We’re cutting the cost of living by with at least £150 off average energy bills, cutting NHS waiting lists and cutting government borrowing every year so interest rates, cut 5 times since the election, keep falling,” he added.
“This was a Labour Budget which prioritised Portsmouth, recognising our city is fizzing with potential and the national contribution we can make as an engine for growth. Following the commitment to regenerate HM Naval Base Portsmouth in the Spring Statement, I welcome the Chancellor specifically mentioning the role our great city will play in ensuring strong foundations and a secure future for Britain.”
Caroline Dinenage, Conservative MP for Gosport, slammed the budget as being chaotic and thwart with U-turns. “I want this country to be the best it possibly can, but I can’t believe anyone who wants the best for our country, wants this. Labour inherited the fastest growing economy in the G7, crippled businesses with tax rises, told us they wouldn’t come back for more, and then today u-turned again on their promises.
“It isn’t just the income tax thresholds that will hit people in Gosport, Lee on the Solent, Stubbington, and Hill Head. Additional labour costs to business will put extra pressure on the jobs market, where unemployment is already running at 5%, having hit an all-time low just a couple of years ago. And the smorgasbord of little tax rises, from EV mileage charges, to alcohol duty and milkshake tax and fuel duty freezes that only last 5 months, will all add to the sense that Labour isn’t making life any easier.”