UK and NATO allies agree to boost spending on defence and related areas to 5% of GDP by 2035

Might as well we have so much spare cash to splash clearly

Madness. We have creaking public services that are starved of funding, and instead of prioritising that, we’re being roped into fighting wars for a mad US President and a genocidal Israeli Govt. If our govt had half a spine it would challenge this narrative, but defense spending is Good Headlines so it’s not in their interest. What a horror show.

Good. Too many people ignorant to what we are hurtling towards will complain about this still.

How many disabled people’s livelihoods do we need to sacrifice to pay for it? Or maybe we can regulate and tax weed and target the less vulnerable instead? No? Too sensible?

Snark aside, this is a rise to 3.5% in defence spending + 1.5% in other related areas which we probably already meet.

Look at that date. I don’t see 3.5% GDP in defence happening; some countries in NATO are not even at 2%. The reason why it’s 2035 is that Trump won’t be in office then.

Reading about the cycles of war-peace-complacency-catastrophe that have occurred over and over again throughout history, it seems like anything else would be naive or even reckless.

I feel like the states that potentially have the power to militarily defeat a complacent NATO aren’t the kinds of powers we want having the final say in world affairs.

Maybe it would be cheaper not to bomb nuclear facilities in foreign countries?

We’ll probably need to add another percent to cover the immigration costs that out our destabilisation of countries through conflict will inevitably cause

Id like to see other sectors budgets being ringfencesd exactly like this – NHS, pensions, education, you name it.

If GDP rises then departments get more. If GDP drops then departments need to cut their cloth accordingly.

In other news [Spain got a deal to be excluded from the 5% target](https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/world/spain-reaches-deal-with-nato-ahead-of-summit-to-be-excluded-from-5-defense-spending/article_2c9a370c-4dcf-5ddb-a0b6-765116f29bb2.html) – it currently spends less than 1.3%.

USA doesn’t even spend 5%, yet asking everyone to put in this much

A lot of people here don’t seem to know that a huge boost in defence spending over a long period of time (10 years) is actually great news for the country. It will grow the economy, create a lot of jobs and increase productivity. We could also see more outside investment. Though we’re already second to the us and probably won’t surpass them.

Of course it is important that the money is used to build and buy in Britain, not abroad.

On another level if we make the military more attractive to young people(which we will with such a big budget) we can reduce massively the unemployment problem among young people in some areas. Train them in a specific trade and when they leave they can rejoin civilian life as a mechanic or electrician etc.

All in all it’s actually good news. Though people who do not think much will stop at the number and use the old “We should first pay for the health service” argument. Which not only doesn’t work because it disregards the dangerous world we live in but it also doesn’t take into account just how revitalizing such an investment can be.

As a side note, the health and social care budget is 1/5th of government total expenditure. So, no need to worry about it as it won’t be cut anytime soon.

As long as its actual defence of our allies and not “supporting a genocidal regime in the middle east” spending

Hello from Ireland, we went from 0.34% to spending 1.8% in 2025 and are looking to get jets and air defence systems and now you make it 5%!!!!

Stop moving the fucking goal posts!!!!!

/s

The m4 in Newport needs a relief road. Tanks aren’t getting anywhere fast through there

Also zero carbon use by then.

And a balanced budget.

And a funding for education.

And flying pig based transportation…