RISHI Sunak has been accused of blocking any significant hike to Britain’s defence spending.
The chairman of the Commons Defence Committee urged the PM to change course ahead of next month’s Budget.
Rishi Sunak has been accused of blocking any significant hike to Britain’s defence spending
Tobias Ellwood, the chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, urged the PM to change course ahead of next month’s Budget
Tory Tobias Ellwood said: “The Treasury’s pitch is being rolled to suggest no major changes in the peacetime defence budget.”
It comes amid concern in Whitehall that a promised review of Britain’s security threat level could now slip beyond March’s Budget.
Last autumn the Government promised to update national threat levels and reflect that in the MoD’s budget.
No10 insisted that remains the case and the Integrated Review would be published before March 15.
Treasury insiders say Mr Hunt is prepared to replenish stockpiles and could even provide funds to reverse troop cuts but Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is seeking a deeper funding settlement.
Meanwhile Labour have vowed to “rearm Britain” and double down on support for Ukraine if it wins the next election.
Shadow defence secretary John Healey said “things will get worse, not better for Russia” with Labour in No 10.
He demanded a halt to Army cuts and pledged to ramp up weapons production.
