Labour responds to the Chancellor’s failure to review defence spending in the Spring Statement

John Healey MP, Shadow Defence Secretary, responding to the Chancellor’s failure to review defence spending in the Spring Statement, said:

“There were warm words on Ukraine but a deafening silence on defence from the Chancellor today.  

“The first duty of every Government is to keep the country safe. Ministers must respond to new threats to UK and European security following Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Other European governments have already acted to reboot their plans and review defence spending.  

“The Spring Statement had no halt to army cuts, no review of defence spending, no reform of military procurement and no change to the real cut in day-to-day MoD spending which means less money for Forces recruitment, training, pay and families.”