Arms spending 4 - Public service workers Nil
Ambulance drivers’, nurses, and other public service workers pay demands are described as “unaffordable”. Yet spending on arms has consistently gone above inflation and even this has been added to. Biggest increase in defence spending for 30 years, way above commitments in the rest of Europe.
● 2019 Conservative Manifesto commitment to increase defence spending every year by ½ percent ABOVE INFLATION.
● 19 November 2020: Government announced £16.5 billion increase in defence spending ABOVE MANIFESTO COMMITMENT.
● Total increase in arms spending £24.1 billion over four years compared to 2019
● Further huge increase in defence spending promised in next 7 years.
Liz Truss planned to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030. To do this the government would need to increase defence spending by about 60% in real terms. This is equivalent to about £157 billion in additional spending.
This spending target for arms spending by 2030 remains the government’s aim.
