Rachel Reeves announced the government is to increase spending on Security in a number of areas in the Spending Review 2025.

The key headlines around Security in the spending review include:

• Defence Spending will rise to 2.6% of GDP from 2027 and with an ambition to reach 3% in the next parliament.

• Intelligence Agencies budget will rise by £600million in real terms. They will invest in cutting edge technology and keep pace with rising threats from hostile states.

• £280million additional RDEL in 2028-29 for Border Security Command, allowing them to tackle the people smuggling gangs running small boats.

• Investing in Energy Security. Giving the green light to Sizewell C, a small modular reactor, and carbon capture, usage and storage programmes.

As we find ourselves in a troubling time internationally, with potential escalations to conflicts ahead, it is encouraging that the government has announced they will “Work with international partners, strengthening commitment to NATO, transatlantic alliance and security cooperation with EU”. It is also encouraging, and I know it’s a divisive subject, that the government has announced the continuation of the Triple Lock Guarantee to maintain and renew the nuclear deterrent. As much as we all want to live in a nuclear free world (and obviously never want to use them), we do need them as a deterrent.

The government has recently announced the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The government is preparing the country to move towards warfighting readiness and adopting a NATO first approach. As part of the governments aim of economic growth, they are pushing for defence as an engine for growth and promoting a whole of society approach to defence.

The Defence Investment plan will be announced later in the year. This includes:

• Nuclear – £15billion over parliament for a sovereign warhead programme, supporting over 9,000 jobs in the UK
• Directed energy weapons- nearly £1billion of new funding this Parliament to deliver the first European laser-directed energy weapon in service.
• Autonomous Systems – Over £4billion – includes £2billion of new investment into land drone swarms.
• Munitions – £6billion this parliament, including £1.5billion for an ‘always on’ pipeline and at least six new energetics and munitions factories in the UK, generating over 1,000 jobs.
• Infrastructure – at least £7billion in this parliament for a renewal of military accommodation, including over £1.5 billion new investment for rapid work to fix forces family housing.

Carrying on the plan and strategy announcements, the government will also put forward the following later on this year:

• Defence Industrial Strategy – one of the eight priority sectors under government’s modern industrial strategy.

• Defence reform and efficiency plan – further efficiency and productivity savings, civilian workforce changes and structural simplification.

The government will put £600 million into intelligence services. This funding will include to support National Cyber Security Centre and National Protective Security Authority.

Maintaining Integrated Security Fund – joined up response to threats. Support Homeland Security, cybersecurity, bio security and resilience.

Investment in common enables, single top secret cloud platform and investment in the UK’s high containment laboratory estate to bolster UK biosecurity.

Unfortunately due to having to find money to fund a lot these increases, the Official Development Assistance (ODA) will reduce by an equivalent of 0.3% in Gross National Income by 2027. Whilst this is bad and everyone should work to increasing this back, unfortunately security across the world is paramount at the moment and we need the money to fund it.

The other key areas in security that the government made announcements around:

• HOMELAND SECURITY

Real terms increase in Home Office’s national security spending and an increase in counter-terror policing budgets to maintain capabilities and protect officer numbers.

At least £100million per year by 2028-29 through Integrated Security Fund to support current National Security Priorities.

• ASYLUM AND BORDER SECURITY

Increasing funding for border security, providing up to £280million per year by 2028-29.

£200million to accelerate the transformation of asylum system and end use of asylum hotels by clearing asylum backlog, increasing appeals capacity and continuing to return those with no right to be here.

The target of the government is to reduce costs by at least £1billion per year by 2028-29 compared with 2024-25.

• ECONOMIC SECURITY AND RESILIENCE

Investments in critical technologies and supply chains

Expansion of National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF) , invest in companies addressing national security and defence capability requirements. Defence innovation reform, investments from UK research and innovation (UKRI), and increased access to finance measures.

Up to £27.8 billion capital through the National Wealth Fund (NWF)

£300million Great British Energy support over the SR for offshore wind supply chains.

MY OPINION:

Whilst it is very sad that we need to increase our defence spending, unfortunately it is a reality of the world right now. For far too long our armed forces have had to take a cut in spending whilst governments find money to cover other budgets.

We need our armed forces to make sure we stay free and can live how we want. We should never take freedom for granted. Freedom isn’t free, both by lives but also by the amount of money that needs to be spent.

We need to encourage a world without conflict, but whilst we strive towards that we need to protect ourselves.

Regarding the boat crossings. We need to get them down, and the biggest reason is the safety of those coming across. It’s very promising to see that the government want to go after the gangs smuggling people across. We do need a proper debate about immigration in this country as there are many misconceptions.

Something that can help reduce gangs is to cut off their business model. Make more legal channels for people to get to the country, so they don’t have to feel the pressure of going across the channel. We also need to cut the backlog of claims – this will get the number of people in hotels down. That is the governments aim. They aim to close hotels down, because there will be no people.

Overall this part of the spending review is very promising. Investing in the areas that we really do need at the moment and helping the build the economy.