London, United Kingdom. The British government is considering bringing forward its target date for spending 3% of economic output on defence, the BBC reported on Monday. The BBC said aides to Prime Minister Keir Starmer were examining proposals to reach the goal by 2029.
Plans under review
Britain said in February 2025 that it would increase annual defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and target 3% in the next parliament, expected to begin after an election due in 2029.
The BBC reported that no decision had been taken, but that the government recognised current plans would not cover rising defence costs.
Comments at Munich conference
Starmer told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that Europe had come together to support Ukraine with the supply of weapons and munitions, adding that “it is clear that we are going to have to spend more faster”.
NATO estimates and US pressure
The latest NATO estimates show that Britain spent 2.3% of GDP on defence in 2024, above the 2% NATO guideline. Britain, like other European countries, has come under pressure from the United States to spend more to protect the continent.
Budget constraints and industry concerns
Struggling with high debt and spending commitments, the government last year cut its international aid budget to fund the increase in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP. It has yet to publish an investment plan with spending priorities, which has frustrated the defence industry.
Britain’s budget watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility, said last year that increasing spending to 3% of GDP would cost an additional 17.3 billion pounds a year ($24 billion) in 2029-30.
Finance ministry caution and government response
Finance minister Rachel Reeves has struggled to remain on course to meet her targets for repairing the public finances. The BBC reported that the finance ministry was believed to be cautious about the new defence spending proposals.
A government spokesperson declined to comment on any revised plans. “The government is focused on delivering for defence,” the spokesperson said. “We are delivering the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, with an extra 5 billion pounds for defence this financial year alone.”
What do you think would be the main impact of bringing forward the 3% defence spending target to 2029?