UK’s Secretary of State Defence, Sir Michael Fallon has stated that the UK should increase its contribution to NATO above the minimum 2% of GDP.
Fallon’s argument:
- The Defence Secretary while Speaking exclusively on Sky News, said, “The threats to our country are intensifying”
- “The 2% is a minimum commitment by NATO members. We’ve committed to meeting it at the moment… But we are reviewing the threats to our country which have intensified over the last few years so we do need to be sure that we have the resources we need so we should aim to do better”, he stressed.
- “The PM is 100% on my page. She understands the threats very well to this country. She has been rock solid in helping us address them.”
The UK is one of only six countries from NATO’s twenty nine members to spend the requisite 2%.
Though, Fallon wouldn’t propose any estimated increase, but his assertion will be seen as an opening attempt to win over Downing Street ahead of the autumn budget.
The UK currently spends around £35 billion on defence – which is 2% of the country’s GDP.
Trump’s dissatisfaction with the requisite:
- Dissatisfied with the 2% requisite, President Trump has threatened to remove US support for European countries that don’t increase their defence spending – that European countries can’t rely on America to pick up the bill.
- Trump described the two percent of GDP as “a bare minimum” and the new US Ambassador to the UK, Woody Johnson, has echoed the US President’s argument during his first interview to say Britain must decide “whether it is enough”.
Increased fears of budgets:
- Amidst fears of budget cuts due to the UK Government’s current national security review after the summer terrorist attacks and an increasingly assertive Russia, Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach has dismissed talk of cuts, instead saying there will be “adjustments”.
- In a briefing with Defence Correspondents last week, he refused to be drawn on the size of the budget, instead saying “2% is what the Government has given us”.
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