UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to increase defence spending by billions of pounds by the end of the decade. The move comes after months of pressure from Conservative MPs, including the Defence Secretary, who want to counter growing threats to the country. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has pledged to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030, calling it the “biggest boost for defence in a generation” and a “major victory” for The Daily Mail campaign.
In addition to increasing spending, the government also plans to put the UK’s defence industry on a “war footing”. Sunak has announced a £10bn plan to ramp up domestic weapons production and turn the UK into the largest defence power in Europe. Johnson warns of the danger posed by “authoritarian states” such as China, Iran and Russia, and urges European nations to spend more on defence.
This announcement follows the tragic loss of life of migrants trying to cross the Channel from France to the UK, including a child. French authorities have been criticized for allowing the boat involved to continue its journey after the deaths. The Metro newspaper calls for an end to such tragedies, noting that the incident took place hours after the passage of Sunak’s Rwanda bill, designed to deter migration.
The Financial Times highlights the government’s promise to provide Ukraine with an additional £500m in military aid, as well as warnings that banks are “in the dark” about their exposure to private equity. Meanwhile, The Daily Mirror reports on the murder of Jilly Dando, with a key witness claiming that a Serbian assassin seen running minutes after the star’s death was involved. Finally, The Daily Star features gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh waging war on slugs, a story that apparently does not meet the paper’s approval
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