Mr Shapps said the UK needs to 're-establish leadership in Europe' (Image: Getty)
Grant Shapps is insisting Defence spending be raised to 2.5 percent of GDP as international threats escalate.
The request was formally made in a letter from the Defence Secretary to the Chancellor, the Telegraph reported. He warned in the letter on January 24 that the UK needed to “re-establish our leadership in Europe”.
by Taboola by Taboola
Sponsored Link Sponsored Link
Promoted Links Promoted Links
Plaque Psoriasis Treatment | Search Ads
Plaque Psoriasis Is Silent But Deadly - Know the SignsPlaque Psoriasis Treatment | Search Ads
Undo
The increase would cost around ￡9billion, a security think tank estimated, and represents an increase of 0.3 percent on the current 2.2 percent of GDP earmarked for defence. In the letter, Mr Shapps called for "bold action" and said the increased spending would "re-establish our leadership in Europe."
READ MORE Russia dealt an embarrassing blow as ￡12M missile system overturns on quiet road
It said: "I recognise this may mean hard choices elsewhere, but we should seek to reap the benefits of your successful management of inflation and the economy."
Powered By
00:00/00:46
10
10
Grant Shapps
Share
Next
Stay
With Mr Shapps later adding: "The threats we are facing are growing and so defence spending is only going to go one way. We should seize the initiative for your Budget."
Sponsored
BrightLifeDaily.com
BrightLifeDaily.com Learn More
Brand New Subaru Forester 2024 Is Utter Perfection - See The Prices
Undo
by Taboola by Taboola
The letter suggests the Defence Secretary believes Britain's current military may not be sufficient to tackle threats. Mr Shapps said: "I have personally talked about 3% before I was defence secretary and I think, ultimately, countries will need to spend more.
Mr Hunt is also facing pressure to deliver mass tax cuts in his critical Spring Budget (Image: Getty)
"As you would expect, I’m a secretary of state who lobbies hard for the area that I represent and I happen to think that, in this case, the defence of our nation is our number one priority.
"The first thing a government has to do is make sure it secures its borders and is able to defend itself. I am pretty full throttle in my insistence that that is what we do."
As well as being lobbied by his colleagues for additional spending, Mr Hunt is under pressure to deliver tax cuts. The Spring Budget is likely to be the last fiscal statement from the Conservative Government before the next general election, which is widely expected in the autumn.
Treasury sources this week said Mr Hunt is considering a further squeeze on public spending as a way to deliver the tax cuts being demanded by some Tory MPs.
Don't miss...
Man offering a bounty for Putin's arrest says Ukraine is 'key' to end his regime [REVEAL]
Shapps admits UK discussing shock move in tackling Red Sea crisis [INSIGHT]
Western troops in Ukraine don't have to mean nuclear war, says expert [ANALYSIS]
SUBSCRIBE Invalid email
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Mr Shapps warned British forces may not be able to cope with international threats (Image: Getty)
Mr Hunt faced a backlash when it was earlier reported that he would not be increasing defence spending in his budget.
Former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: "We are already tumbling down the tables on defence spending and aid to Ukraine. Reversing 30 years of hollowing-out can't be done in four years. We need a sustainable and committed Budget uplift for defence or we will not be 'match-fit' for the conflicts to come."
Former Army commander Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon said: "This is absolute lunacy. Tragically, no political party in this country sees defence spending as a vote winner; alas, Vladimir Putin does."
Trending
DON'T MISS
Powered by
We need to spend much more on defence and spend it more wisely, writes Stuart Crawford
4 Comments
Jeremy Hunt stole Labour's clothes and left Keir Starmer exposed
3 Comments
Spring Budget 2024: 10 major announcements from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt today
211 Comments
Jeremy Hunt: I've done an enormous amount to help pensioners
166 Comments
Rural communities have been ignored for too long - it is time for action, says Kerry Booth
1 Comments
'I worked in the Treasury - Jeremy Hunt has dropped a secret tax bombshell in his Budget'
200 Comments
Outrage as Budget small print reveals no new cash for defence spending next year
269 Comments
Labour drafts in Remoaner ex-Bank of England chief Mark Carney as a new adviser
111 Comments
Jeremy Hunt will cut national insurance by 2p in his Budget
433 Comments
Jacob Rees-Mogg blasts 'useless' OBR economists and laments Hunt's ‘tinkering Budget'
570 Comments
Woke madness with 'astonishing' ￡50m ‘wasted' on six-figure diversity roles in three years
203 Comments
Jeremy Hunt charted in his Budget the Tories' only route to survival, says Leo McKinstry
43 Comments
Household Support Fund extended in Budget 'battle against inflation'
2 Comments
Bankrupt Labour council passes 'worst budget ever' as it attempts to claw back ￡300m
54 Comments
DateMyAge
Dating Site Where Women Message FirstDateMyAge Try Now
Undo
by Taboola by Taboola
Sponsored Links Sponsored Links
Promoted Links Promoted Links
Jeremy Hunt faces Budget revolt as ministers rage over UK defence spending
241 Comments
Rishi Sunak vows to 'turbocharge' economy by slashing ballooning benefits bill
501 Comments
Tom Tugendhat piles pressure on Jeremy Hunt to boost defence spending after Budget fury
29 Comments
Jeremy Hunt gives hint on abolishing National Insurance - but it could hammer pensioners
141 Comments
Jeremy Hunt and 39 Tory MPs could lose their seats due to Budget ‘pensioner stealth tax'
488 Comments
Penniless pensioners ‘forced to sit in the dark and eat dog food' fear Budget ‘clobbering'
2017 Comments
We need to spend much more on defence and spend it more wisely, writes Stuart Crawford
4 Comments
Jeremy Hunt stole Labour's clothes and left Keir Starmer exposed
3 Comments
Spring Budget 2024: 10 major announcements from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt today
211 Comments
Jeremy Hunt: I've done an enormous amount to help pensioners
166 Comments
Rural communities have been ignored for too long - it is time for action, says Kerry Booth
1 Comments
'I worked in the Treasury - Jeremy Hunt has dropped a secret tax bombshell in his Budget'
200 Comments
Outrage as Budget small print reveals no new cash for defence spending next year
269 Comments
Labour drafts in Remoaner ex-Bank of England chief Mark Carney as a new adviser
111 Comments
Jeremy Hunt will cut national insurance by 2p in his Budget
433 Comments
Jacob Rees-Mogg blasts 'useless' OBR economists and laments Hunt's ‘tinkering Budget'
570 Comments
Woke madness with 'astonishing' ￡50m ‘wasted' on six-figure diversity roles in three years
203 Comments
Jeremy Hunt charted in his Budget the Tories' only route to survival, says Leo McKinstry
43 Comments
Household Support Fund extended in Budget 'battle against inflation'
2 Comments
Bankrupt Labour council passes 'worst budget ever' as it attempts to claw back ￡300m
54 Comments
Jeremy Hunt faces Budget revolt as ministers rage over UK defence spending
241 Comments
Rishi Sunak vows to 'turbocharge' economy by slashing ballooning benefits bill
501 Comments
Tom Tugendhat piles pressure on Jeremy Hunt to boost defence spending after Budget fury
29 Comments
Jeremy Hunt gives hint on abolishing National Insurance - but it could hammer pensioners
141 Comments
Jeremy Hunt and 39 Tory MPs could lose their seats due to Budget ‘pensioner stealth tax'
488 Comments
Penniless pensioners ‘forced to sit in the dark and eat dog food' fear Budget ‘clobbering'
2017 Comments
We need to spend much more on defence and spend it more wisely, writes Stuart Crawford
4 Comments
Jeremy Hunt stole Labour's clothes and left Keir Starmer exposed
3 Comments
Spring Budget 2024: 10 major announcements from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt today
211 Comments
Jeremy Hunt: I've done an enormous amount to help pensioners
166 Comments
Rural communities have been ignored for too long - it is time for action, says Kerry Booth
1 Comments
'I worked in the Treasury - Jeremy Hunt has dropped a secret tax bombshell in his Budget'
200 Comments
Outrage as Budget small print reveals no new cash for defence spending next year
269 Comments
A Treasury spokesman said: “We have provided the Ministry of Defence the largest sustained spending increase since the end of the Cold War, with a ￡24 billion uplift in cash terms over the spending review 2020 period.
“At the spring Budget last year we also provided an extra ￡11 billion over the next five years.
“Our aspiration over the longer term is to invest 2.5% of GDP on defence as soon as the fiscal and economic circumstances allow.”
Related articles MoD 'won't get funding boost' in Budget despite dire warnings about Armed Forces UK asking for trouble if defence budget is frozen, warns ex-officer Vladimir Putin's week of hell as ￡690m of military equipment destroyed Penny Mordaunt fires warning at Jeremy Hunt over reports of no new cash for army Labour 'baulks at defending our country', Grant Shapps says, 'and it always w...