UK Health Secretary Backs Welfare Cuts to Fund Defence Spending Increase

Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has called for cuts to the UK’s welfare benefits to boost the defence budget. Streeting stated, 'the money has to come from somewhere' while backing a proposal made earlier this week by George Robertson, Labour’s former defence secretary and ex-Nato secretary general. The UK benefits budget currently stands at £334 billion.

Streeting emphasized that while the government has been increasing defence spending, more funds are necessary to address global challenges. ' However, he made it clear that money cannot be diverted from health spending due to Labour’s manifesto commitment to increase it.

The Defence Improvement Plan remains stalled on Sir Keir Starmer’s desk after months of disagreements between the Treasury and the Ministry of Defence.

Lord Jock Stirrup, the former chief of the defence staff, stated that the UK needs a decade to rebuild its defence capabilities and urged Starmer to demonstrate leadership by initiating reinvestment now. Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, criticized the idea of funding defence through welfare cuts, stating that the government should consider a wealth tax instead.

She argued that defence workers should be treated as a strategic national asset and called for immediate action on contracts for new military equipment, including Typhoon fast jets and the A400M transport plane.