Downing Street fails to rule out any extra funding for defence investment plan
Downing Street could not rule out any increase in the long-awaited defense investment plan (Dip) following the resignation of John Healey over the issue earlier this month.
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer defended his decision to publish the document, a funding plan for the armed forces, in the final days of his premiership, despite expectations that his successor would make changes.
The Prime Minister will go ahead with publishing the long-delayed plan ahead of a NATO leaders’ summit on July 7, after a dispute over funding triggered the resignation of two defense ministers earlier this month.
The move has led to a dispute with his likely successor Andy Burnham, who may want to review spending on the military.
Asked whether the government would still rule out any increase to the £13.5bn extra investment proposed to Mr Healey, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The defense secretary said he has been working very closely with his government colleagues, the prime minister, the chancellor, and there have been good and constructive meetings between the chancellor and the defense secretary over the last few days.”
“The Minister of Defense has made clear that he is determined to secure the best possible deal as quickly as possible.”
Asked if there would be any uptick, the spokesman refused to rule out the possibility and said: “I will not be commenting before the DIP is published.”
He added: “The Defense Investment Plan remains an important part of our work to keep our country safe and ensure our armed forces face the threats of the future.”
Previously, Downing Street sources had ruled out any changes to the funding package offered in Dip.
Speaking during a visit to Milton Keynes on Thursday, Sir Keir was adamant that continuing to publish the plan was the right move.
He told broadcasters: “Everyone understands why it is important that we spend the money we need to spend on our armed forces and that is why I intend to publish this ahead of the NATO summit.
“This is the time to broadcast that as NATO countries, the most effective military alliance the world has ever seen, we will come together to share our capabilities and ensure that we emerge from this summit stronger as a military power.”
This comes after the armed forces chief said on Wednesday that the military must be given “enough money” to enable it to adapt and transform.
Chief of the Defense Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, said it was cheaper to build military capacity now to prevent conflict than to be forced into a costly war.
Speaking at a conference organized by the Royal United Services Institute think tank, Sir Richard said NATO needed a military that could meet its demands, blending “high-end capabilities” with lower-end “expendable and expendable systems” such as unmanned aerial vehicles.
The military’s “engine,” he said, must be “greased with sufficient money to drive the continued adaptation and transformation we need to maintain operational superiority.”
John Healey resigned as defense secretary earlier this month because the Dip would only provide £13.5 billion extra investment in defence; This was well below the £28bn over four years claimed by officials.
He argued that the UK was on track to spend just 2.68 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on core defense by 2030, casting doubt on the country’s ability to meet the NATO target of 3.5 per cent by 2035.
His successor, Dan Jarvis, said his priority was to get the Dip built “but at any cost”.
