'A Message To Moscow': Labour Says Defence Spending Boost Will Deter Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference at the Kremlin in Moscow.Britain will send “a message to Moscow” by massively boosting military spending in the years ahead, according to defence secretary John Healey.The government will build at least six new munitions factories and thousands more long-range weapons under plans to be unveiled in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) on Monday.It follows Keir Starmer’s decision to slash the international aid budget to boost defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP).The SDR is expected to say that the UK faces an “immediate and pressing” danger from Russia and other countries, including China.Healey said: “The hard-fought lessons from 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.”In an interview with the BBC, Healey said: “This is a message to Moscow as well. This is Britain standing behind making our Armed Forces stronger but making our industrial base stronger, and this is part of our readiness to fight if required, but the strength in which to deter those fights in the future.”The government is expected to spend £1.5bn on the six new munitions factories, which will support around 1,000 jobs across the UK.A further 800 defence jobs will be supported by building 7,000 long-range missiles.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.”But shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said Reeves had 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,” he said.“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.”Related...Russia Appears To Praise Kemi Badenoch For Her Latest Comments About The War In UkraineUK Says Russian Troops Are 'Inept' At Handling Their Own Weapons After Latest 'Explosive' IncidentRussia Tries To Downplay Trump's Claim Putin Has Gone 'Absolutely Crazy'

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