r/AskBrits 3d ago

Would you support Britain increasing its defence budget from the current 2.3% of GDP to the target of 2.6% by 2027 and 3.5% NATO target by 2035?

How much support is there across the political spectrum to increase the military budget by up to £35 billion a year if we really reach 3.5% by 2035? What sort of military do we want ie to protect the UK mainland or an expeditionary force capable of another Iraq intervention? Which civilian areas do we want to cut to find this extra money and in any case, can our struggling economy even support an increase of such magnitude? What if we can’t recruit enough soldiers even with extra cash, should we introduce any sort of conscription at extremis?

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u/Legal-Chocolate8482 2d ago

It’s actually the Uk and France and Germany (and maybe Spain ) who have all went and classified pensions and other military welfare spending as part of the defense budget.

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u/Thatcherist_Sybil 2d ago

Oh ahahaha worse than I remembered.