Every day, the armed forces of Britain are actively deployed across the globe. Whether conducting air patrols in the Middle East, safeguarding shipping routes in the Red Sea, or maintaining peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo, they put themselves in dangerous situations to protect our values and interests, ensuring the safety of our people. In today's increasingly challenging international climate, we are witnessing a rise in instability occurring rapidly and in multiple regions. Technological advancements are reshaping the landscape of war, and the disturbing conflict in Ukraine continues to be fuelled by Russia's aggressive actions. Importantly, not only are threats to stability on the rise, but the connections between countries like Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China are also strengthening.
This week I met up with Secretary of State for Defence, Grant Shapps, to hear how about the largest enhancement of our national defence capabilities in decades. Our defence spending baseline will be raised to 2.5% by 2030. The increased investment will begin immediately and gradually rise each year until we achieve this goal. This initiative involves an additional £75 billion in expenditure over the next six years. The funding will be entirely self-sustained, without any rise in borrowing or debt, and will be supported by a well-defined strategy outlining how and when the funds will be allocated.
I absolutely welcome this huge step forward for our armed forces in capability and resilience— for our people, and for the industrial capacity that underpins them.
