What's happened to UK defence spending?
In his resignation letter former Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK's defence investment plan (DIP) "falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time". The plan - which has yet to be published - will explain how new equipment and def
In his resignation letter former Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK's defence investment plan (DIP) "falls well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time".
The plan - which has yet to be published - will explain how new equipment and defence infrastructure will be funded over the coming decade and follows the wide-ranging Strategic Defence Review published on 2 June 2025.
But in his letter to the prime minister, Healey says Sir Keir Starmer is "unable and the Treasury has been unwilling, to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats".
The letter suggests the planned DIP intends to increase defence spending in 2030 to 2.68% of GDP.
That implies an 0.08% increase on the existing 2027 commitment of 2.6% of GDP - around £2.4bn in today's money.
Healey's letter says the government should aim to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030."
BBC Verify has been looking at the current size of the UK military.
In 1990 - at the end of the Cold War - the army had 153,000 regular soldiers in its ranks, this is now down to 73,790 .
