The Defence Secretary said the £6 billion of investment would ‘equip our forces for the future’, as ITV News’ Political Correspondent Tom Sheldrick reports
The Defence Secretary John Healey has called plans to boost the UK’s military might a “message to Moscow” but said he does not expect to raise the number of soldiers until the next parliament.
The government has pledged £1.5 billion to set up at least six factories, and will support the procurement of up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons in response to the strategic defence review (SDR) to be published on Monday.
The new funding will see UK munitions spend hit £6 billion during this parliament and support around 1,800 jobs throughout the country.
Sir Keir Starmer has called the review a “radical blueprint” and pledged a “wave of investments” in shipbuilding, drone technology and cyber defences.
Healey said the £6 billion of investment would “equip our forces for the future” and “create the jobs in every part of the UK”.
Healey said: “The hard-fought lessons from (Russian president Vladimir) Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine show a military is only as strong as the industry that stands behind them.
“We are strengthening the UK’s industrial base to better deter our adversaries and make the UK secure at home and strong abroad.
“We will embrace the strategic defence review, making defence an engine for economic growth and boosting skilled jobs in every nation and region as part of our Government’s plan for change.”
According to the Ministry of Defence, the new funding will see UK munitions spending hit £6 billion during this Parliament.
It will support around 1,800 jobs throughout the country.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “A strong economy needs a strong national defence, and investing in weaponry and munitions and backing nearly 2,000 jobs across Britain in doing so is proof the two go hand-in-hand.
“We are delivering both security for working people in an uncertain world and good jobs, putting more money in people’s pockets as part of our plan for change.”
Starmer launched the SDR last year, with its recommendations due to be published in the coming days.
In addition to its call for an “always on” munitions production capacity, the Ministry of Defence will be urged to lay the industrial foundations for an uplift in munitions stockpiles to meet the demand of “high-tempo” warfare.
Also, as part of its response to the SDR, the government has unveiled more than £1.5 billion in extra funding for military homes.
The cash will be spent on urgent repairs such as fixing boilers and roofs, and other issues including tackling damp.
“Our forces make extraordinary sacrifices to keep us safe and to serve this country and yet for years, we’ve forced their families to live in substandard homes,” Healey said on a visit to military accommodation in Cambridgeshire.
The Conservatives criticised the investment in munitions factories as too slow.
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Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: “It’s a bit rich of Labour to talk about ‘always on’ munitions production when procurement has been largely switched off for the past year.
“Rachel Reeves has deliberately used the SDR to put an effective freeze on new orders for the kit our military needs.
“Of course, we welcome investment in new munitions factories, but we don’t know when they will be ready, only that these orders should have been placed months ago.
“Ultimately, we need to see greater ambition for the pace and scale of rearmament our armed forces require, given the threats we face and the need to replace inventory gifted to Ukraine.
“That means 3% of GDP by the end of this parliament, and Labour properly prioritising defence spending – instead of seeking to outspend Reform on welfare.”
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