Tue, 24 Jun 2025

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 UK vows to spend 5% of GDP on national security by 2035

The announcement comes ahead of a two-day Nato summit in the Netherlands.

* The 5% goal includes 3.5% on core defence and 1.5% on "resilience" areas such as border security and cyber attacks
* The target is aimed at placating US President Trump, who has urged Nato allies to spend more
* Downing Street argues measures like energy and tackling smuggling gangs can be classified as security spending
* Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel accuses ministers of announcing a target with "no new money" to fund it
* The UK currently expects to reach 4.1% of GDP on national security by 2027, with core defence spending reaching 2.6% by then
* Delivering the 3.5% pledge would cost an estimated extra £30bn a year in today's terms, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies
* The UK's National Security Strategy says investment in defence will create new jobs and boost economic growth
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