[ad_1]
‘The era of retirement is over!’ Boris Johnson will announce the largest cash injection to our armed forces in three decades as he pledges to spend an additional £ 16.5bn on defense.
- Prime Minister promises to spend £ 16.5bn more on defense over four years
- To be spent on ‘space command’ that could launch Britain’s first rocket in 2022
- Billions will go to artificial intelligence and the creation of a National Cyber Force
Boris Johnson pledged last night to end the ‘retirement era’ of the military with the largest investment in the military in three decades.
In a speech before the House of Commons today, the Prime Minister pledges to spend an additional £ 16.5 billion on defense over four years.
The announcement is understood to come after Johnson overruled Chancellor Rishi Sunak, who wanted to give the defense a 12-month raise worth just £ 1.9bn. The biggest deal will be spent on a ‘space command’ that could launch Britain’s first rocket in 2022, research into ‘blue skies’ projects and investment in a new Tempest fighter.
Billions will also go towards artificial intelligence and the creation of a National Cyber Force of hackers trained to tackle online threats from Britain’s enemies.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson vows to spend an additional £ 16.5 billion on defense over four years. In the image: Illustration of a laser weapon destroying a satellite in outer space.
The promise of cash came a day after Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, the head of the RAF, warned that future wars can be lost or won in space.
Air Marshal Mike Wigston CBE, who warned that future wars can be lost or won in space.
The cash increase brings the total defense budget to £ 45bn this year, meaning Britain will remain Europe’s largest defense spender and NATO’s second largest.
Johnson’s spending announcement came when he warned that Britain faced a “more dangerous” situation than at any time since the Cold War.
Yesterday he added: ‘I have made this decision in the midst of the pandemic because the defense of the kingdom must come first.
“The international situation is more dangerous and more intensely competitive than at any time since the Cold War and Britain must be true to our history and stand alongside our allies. To achieve this, we need to improve our capabilities across the board.
“This is our opportunity to end the era of withdrawal, transform our military, strengthen our global influence, unite and level our country, pioneer new technologies and defend our people and way of life.”
Johnson on a big screen as he virtually participates in the Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQ) in the House of Commons in Parliament on Wednesday. Must speak on thursday
Issue 10 warned that threats to the nation would no longer be limited to distant battlefields. Instead, Britain’s enemies could reach people “via mobile phones in their pockets or computers in their homes.” He added: ‘Therefore, the UK defense must operate at all times with state-of-the-art technology. This reverses the systematic decline in this crucial area in the last 30 years ”.
Whitehall sources claimed that Johnson wanted to show US President-elect Joe Biden that the UK was a reliable ally, and No. 10 said the money would “show our allies that they can always count on the UK” .
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has devoted a year to an “integrated review” of the threats Britain faces and how the government plans to address them. Johnson had told Sunak that the military needed an additional £ 15 billion, but Wallace fought for more out of fear that the Defense Ministry might end up with just enough to cover its funding gap. Insiders claimed it needed £ 20bn to modernize.
In a victory for Wallace, the MoD will now receive £ 16.5 billion above the Conservatives’ manifesto commitment for four years.
The Government had promised to increase spending 0.5 percent above inflation for each year of this Parliament. The total comes to £ 24.1 billion more.
Wallace said, “This gives us the financial certainty we need to modernize, plan for the future, and adapt to the threats we face.” He said the deal would lead to investment “in our fantastic shipyards and the aerospace industry.”
No 10 estimates that it will help create 10,000 jobs a year.
But the news comes amid a dispute over the government’s plans for a temporary cut in the foreign aid budget to help repair the nation’s finances. Senior Conservative MPs, including former Prime Minister David Cameron, oppose plans to cut the spending target from 0.7 percent of GDP to 0.5 percent.
The Defense Ministry will now receive £ 16.5 billion over the four-year Tories manifesto commitment. In the picture: Boris Johnson participates in PMQ in the House of Commons with practically zoom
