Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has defended government spending plans after critics accused ministers of delaying key decisions on military funding. While Conservative MPs and Labour’s own defence committee chair slammed the Budget for omitting a pathway to a 3% target by 2030, Streeting insisted the administration is delivering the fastest spending increase since the Cold War.
Streeting Defends Budget Against Critics Demanding 3% Spending Target
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting rejected accusations that the government is dodging critical financial choices regarding the UK armed forces. The controversy erupted following Wednesday’s Budget. Chancellor John Healey did not establish a specific pathway to reach the target of spending 3 percent of gross domestic product on defence by 2030.
According to BBC News, Streeting pushed back against political pressure. He dismissed claims that decisions had been pushed aside as unfair
and unfounded
.
The debate exposed deep friction within the Labour Party itself. Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, the Labour chair of the cross-party Commons Defence Select Committee, argued that key choices had been lamentably delayed
until the government spending review expected next year.
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Dhesi warned that without building capabilities now, we risk leaving ourselves seriously vulnerable in the event of a major conflict.
Streeting responded directly to his fellow party member during the Commons debate. He stated he respects Dhesi as a friend but strongly disagrees with the charge that the government is kicking the can down the road.
'I strongly disagree with him'On #BBCBreakfast Defence Secretary Wes Streeting responded to criticism that the Government had 'kicked the can down the road' on increasing defence spending in the Budgethttps://t.co/whVCDTH4pu pic.twitter.com/E2PIzrCrYy
I think that is completely unfounded criticism, actually. I don’t care if he’s the chair of the Defence Select Committee, and I’d say it directly to the chair of the committee, and I’m sure I’ll get the chance to.
Wes Streeting, Defence Secretary
Ministers Impose New Rules for Foreign Contractors and Plug £4.7bn Funding Hole
Healey and Streeting announced a new investment strategy targeting foreign firms. Under rules taking effect from April 2027, international companies awarded defence contracts of more than £50m will be required to invest an equal value back into British factories, jobs, and training.
These rules are applied on a case-by-case basis by the Ministry of Defence.
Yahoo reported that countries such as Poland, Norway, and the Netherlands have implemented similar mandates to maximise the economic return from defence procurement.
Ministers also addressed immediate funding gaps within the department. Dhesi praised the administration for plugging a £4.7 billion hole in the Defence Investment Plan during the Budget by asking government departments to trim their capital budgets by 1 percent.
Streeting noted that current spending sits at an estimated 2.6 percent of GDP this year.
He acknowledged that the armed forces were under-invested in for more than a decade, even as the UK prepares to handle hostile threats.
Conservative Opposition and Defence Analysts Question Timelines
Opposition lawmakers piled on pressure during the Commons debate. They pointed to Healey’s past resignation as defence secretary under Sir Keir Starmer over funding levels.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch asserted that Healey had failed his own test
by omitting a concrete 3 percent plan.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge criticized government proposals. Ministers want to negotiate an international bank—the Multilateral Defence Mechanism—with Finland, Poland, and the Netherlands to boost joint procurement.
Cartlidge argued the move amounts to borrowing while national debt tops £3 trillion.
Shadow defence minister Mark Francois warned that the armed forces cannot plan effectively without knowing their future budgets, accusing ministers of leaving the nation exposed while adversaries watch.
Meanwhile, defence analysts have questioned whether the government can successfully hit both the 2030 target and the NATO-wide target of 3.5 percent by 2035, with estimates suggesting an extra £10 billion will be needed annually.
Streeting maintained that waiting for next year’s spending review—which could arrive in the second half of 2027—remains the correct path to evaluate government finances in the round.