Big boost for military spending in the Spring Budget

Starmer: ‘We will look carefully at details of the military spending announcement, and we will support it.’

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has produced a budget for the few not the many. He has promised a £11 billion worth of military funding, while failing to address the cost of living or climate crisess.

What’s on offer for the MoD?
The Ministry of Defence gets a whopping £11 billion more over the next 5 years. It will reach 2.25% of GDP by 2025, with the intention to raise it to 2.5% when fiscal and economic circumstances allow. There’s £5bn extra in the next two years – £2bn this year and £3bn next. Of the £5bn, £3bn goes to nuclear ‘defence’ and the Aukus pact, with the remaining £1.9bn rebuilding Britain’s stockpile of munitions to replace those sent to Ukraine.

Labour’s response
Responding to Hunt, Keir Starmer had only one thing to say about the military budget hike: ‘We bill look carefully at the details of the military spending announcement, and we will suppport it.’ This response is simply not good enough from a Labour leader. None of the problems facing Britain can be resolved by nuclear weapons or war.

CND’s response
We stand with the workers and trade unions striking for better wages and a better future. Instead of spending unnecessary money on more nuclear warheads, CND calls on the government to guarantee fair wages and real pay rises for all. 

Let Labour’s front bench know we don’t support the Tories £16.5 bn increase in military spending

In November last year, Boris Johnson told parliament that the Ministry of Defence will get an extra £16.5 billion on their budget over the next 4 years. The government’s military spending plans include a Space Command, an Artifical Intelligence Agency, and other big ticket projects.

The MoD’s current budget is £41.5 billion, and the government has already promised a 0.5% above inflation increase for the next 4 years. This latest hike will mean a rise of between 10-15% a year in military spending for the rest of this parliament.

We think this is unacceptable. Labour’s front bench got it wrong when Keir Starmer backed Boris Johnson. If you agree, please join our online lobby today. Tell Labour leader Keir Starmer, Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey, and Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy what you think.

PS: thanks to everyone who responded to our call in December, and contacted your local Labour MP about this military spending spreee. Please follow through, and contact Labour’s front bench.

Join Labour CND’s online lobby here

Join Labour CND’s campaign against Johnson’s military spending spree

On 19 November, in a House of Commons update on the Integrated Review, Boris Johnson’s announced a huge military spendig hike. Reaffirmed by Chancellor Richi Sunak’s autumn statement, the government is committed to an increase of £24.1 billion over 4 years — that’s £16 bn in addition to the 0.5% above-inflation increase already promised. Responding for Labour, Keir Starmer welcomed the increase. Let Labour know their support for this Tories spending spree is misguided. Here’s what you can do:

Join Jeremy Corbyn and guests on Sunday, register here to attend our webinar co-hosted by our partners from Arise, A Festival of Labour’s Left Ideas
Download our model motion for your branch or constituency Labour Party
And please contact your Labour MP via our online lobby