UK government says defence budget rose to £80 billion a year

A Labour minister told GB News the government will cover a multi-billion-pound gap in defence funding. The minister said the gap is not unusual and that officials will shift money between departments to meet the requirement.

Spending increase The minister stated that annual defence spending rose from £54 billion when the current government took office to £80 billion now. She said the Defence Investment Plan supplies most of the additional funds. The minister added that earlier budget decisions created fiscal headroom for further spending.

She said those decisions included moving capital funding from other departments and reducing overseas aid.

Threat assessment The minister said the United Kingdom is not at risk of attack.

She noted growing threats and said record increases in the defence budget address national security needs. Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis said the £15 billion commitment under the Defence Investment Plan is new money secured in recent weeks. He described the allocation process as routine ahead of the next budget or spending review.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the plan commits more resources to the armed forces.