Campaigners from the Global Campaign on Military Spending UK (GCOMS-UK) have expressed their dismay at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s announcement today (Tuesday 23 April) that UK military spending would reach 2.5% of GDP by 2030. Figures released yesterday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) showed that the UK is already the highest spending …
New data on global military spending – published today – shows that last year it grew by 6.8% above inflation to a massive $2.44 trillion – the highest level since the end of the Cold War. The UK’s percentage increase – 7.9% – was higher than some of the largest NATO states including the USA, …
This article by GCOMS-UK Steering Group member Colin Archer, was originally published on Labour Outlook. When the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt stands up in Parliament tomorrow he will deliver what could be the last set-piece financial announcement before the General Election. These events are not only great parliamentary theatre but also give a chance for politicians …
David Cullen wrote about the recent report from the National Audit Office into MoD spending plans. His blog first appeared on the Nuclear Information Service website. The Ministry of Defence’s plan for equipment acquisition over the next decade has once again been branded unaffordable, with overspending on its nuclear programme now clearly responsible for the …
The ‘refresh’ of the UK’s military strategy – published in mid-July – announced new spending of £2.5 billion, and provided more detail on earlier spending commitments. So, what has been revealed, and how does it compare with civilian public spending? The updated strategy says that the new £2.5bn will be spent on “munitions and stockpiles”, …
New data on global military spending – published today – shows that last year it grew by 3.7% above inflation to a massive $2.24 trillion. The UK’s percentage increase – 3.7% – was higher than its largest NATO allies – the USA, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Turkiye. The new spending data has been published …
This short briefing examines UK government spending presented by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, in his Spring Budget 2023 (SB-23).i Summary The detailed figures for SB-23 show that UK military spending over the period 2021-25 has been boosted by £7.1 billion when compared with budget figures announced in last autumn. This includes an …
The UK government is considering increasing its military budget in the wake of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia. It claims that the range of military threats now faced by Britain are greater than those it identified in a 2021 government review. Below are eight reasons why we think the UK’s military budget should …
We were pleased to be asked to discuss the work of GCOMS UK on the Warrior Nation Podcast, produced by ForcesWatch one of our newest UK supporting organisations. As the sentiment goes, there always seems to be money for warfare but never quite enough for welfare. So what’s the picture in the UK – that …
The UK government’s Spring Statement announced that its core budget for the military, for the four years 2021-25, has been slightly increased from that given its Autumn Budget to £190.9 billion. The increase is £0.4bn, which includes £0.1bn of military aid (to date) for Ukraine. This expenditure level follows the largest increase in military spending …
