Alex Brummer urges Chancellor Healey to prioritize a major boost in UK defence spending

In a column, Alex Brummer calls on Chancellor John Healey to allocate a significant increase in national security funding in the forthcoming budget, warning that the UK has slipped in NATO's defence-spending rankings. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates an additional £36 billion, equivalent to about £500 per household, is required to hit the 3.5% of GDP target by 2035. Brummer points to pressing cyber-threats, the need to protect undersea cables and energy infrastructure, and the lack of an indigenous satellite capability, which leaves the UK dependent on SpaceX and vulnerable to actions like Elon Musk’s recent Starlink shutdown.

He also notes the strain on UK forces deployed to aid Saudi Arabia while US bomber presence at RAF bases wanes, urging the development of an “Iron Dome-style” system. Brummer criticises Andy Burnham’s claim that social security must not be sacrificed for security, arguing that robust defence spending is essential for national safety.