Tory Priorities Are Torn Between Defence Spending And Tax Cuts

A number of senior Conservative MPs are concerned that Government may not increase defence spending by enough ahead of the next election as a result of pressure from a significant wing of the party to prioritise further tax cuts in an attempt to win voters.

Against the backdrop of ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, Conservative MPs have been privately making the case that Government must set out a timetable for when the defence spending will be increased. But many MPs are desperate for tax cuts they feel they can easily sell to voters in a bid to stem significant losses at the next general election, which must be called before the end of this year.

The UK government currently commits 2 per cent of GDP to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to increase MoD investment to 2.5 per cent of GDP when the economic conditions are right. Former defence secretaries Gavin Williamson, Ben Wallace and Michael Fallon have publicly called for the party to go further and commit to spending 3 per cent of GDP. There is also pressure from MPs for ministers to set out a timetable for how the increase could be achieved. 

A cabinet minister told PoliticsHome they understood it may not be realistic to immediately boost funding for the MoD, but felt Downing Street was aware the department ultimately needed more money. 

“Most people realise we will need more, but there is a spending review next year, and there is no realistic room for more pre-election. It is a matter for the manifesto,” they said.

Some MPs were concerned there was no new announcement for the department in the Spring Budget earlier this month. Treasury aides had claimed it was not feasible to spend more money on defence due to the state