The former NATO Secretary-General urges UK government to prioritize defense spending
George Robertson, the former NATO Secretary-General and a British national, has called on the UK government to prioritize defense spending over social welfare expenditures.
He stated: "The social welfare budget is five times our defense spending. Do we really believe this is the right priority? The government's primary responsibility is to protect people's safety, which must come first—every other budget item should take a back seat."
Robertson is currently the principal author of the government’s defense affairs report.
It was reported that UK Chief of Staff Richard Nelson warned the government in 2025 about a funding shortfall of £28 billion (approximately $38 billion) in its planned defense investment program. In February this year, foreign media cited informed sources and experts who analyzed that due to unclear funding sources, the UK may struggle to raise defense spending to 3% of GDP before 2029.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in February that the government plans to accelerate the growth rate of defense expenditure. Earlier reports from UK media indicated that the government is considering advancing the timeline for increasing defense spending as a share of GDP. Originally, the plan was to raise it to 2.5% by 2027 and reach 3% after the 2029 general election. Now, London aims to achieve the 3% target before the next general election.
Source: sputniknews
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863669094117380/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author