Labour frontbencher Wes Streeting has issued a warning to party activists and hard-Left elements, urging them not to oppose plans to increase defense spending. His remarks come as some union leaders are reportedly advocating for the government to fund public sector pay rises instead of boosting military investment.
Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), has called for a 'mass movement' in Britain to prioritize 'the factory floor over the battlefield.' The UCU previously showcased a 'Wages not Weapons' campaign at the Trades Union Congress conference last month.
This debate unfolds as the UK's defense spending lags behind many of its allies, who have increased their investment since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Poland has reached over 4% of its GDP on defense, and Germany has committed to boosting its spending to 3.5% by 2030. In contrast, the UK currently stands at 2.7% and must reach 3.5% by 2035 to meet NATO's deadline. The government is expected to outline a pathway to achieve this target soon.
Streeting, addressing the Labour Party conference, stated, "We need to step up. We need to spend more. And friends, we are – with the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War."
He directly addressed critics on the Left, arguing, "You are not defending public services by attacking investment in our national defences." Streeting invoked former Labour Defence Secretary Denis Healey, who in 1969 stated, "Once we cut defence expenditure to the extent where our security is imperilled, we have no houses, we have no hospitals, we have no schools. We have a heap of cinders."
Meanwhile, UCU's Grady asserted, "We need to see the material lives of people fundamentally changed, and we need decent wages." She suggested that the sentiment has shifted in favor of welfare over defense, noting that even ministers who previously favored increased defense expenditure are now reconsidering.
Earlier this year, John Healey resigned as Defence Secretary due to Sir Keir Starmer's record on Armed Forces investment. However, former Labour candidate Faiza Shaheen has suggested that Britain would be 'proud' to abolish its Armed Forces, citing Costa Rica's example in 1949.