BROMSGROVE MP Bradley Thomas has called on the government to cut welfare and fund warfare.
Mr Thomas voted to call on the Government to cut welfare and fund defence, supporting the Official Opposition’s motion in Parliament .
He believes Britain faces an unprecedented level of risk to national security with wars in Ukraine and Iran.
He said Labour has allowed defence to go underfunded while welfare spending has ballooned by £19.8 billion in the past year.
He has joined his Conservative colleagues to call on the next Labour administration to bring defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP this Parliament, rather than the Government’s target of the next Parliament.
Mr Thomas said: “People in Bromsgrove and across the country are alarmed by the growing threats Britain faces. And they are also alarmed by the growing welfare bill, which is absorbing public resources and stopping us from funding our defence.
“The threats we face are getting more and more serious. That’s why I voted to demand the Government cuts welfare and gives our Armed Forces the backing they need to keep us safe.”
James Cartlidge MP, Shadow Defence Secretary, added: “The first duty of every Government must be to protect our security. We cannot have our military inadequately funded at a time of growing threats. It is time to get serious.
“We need to put more money into defence, and that means increasing spending to 3 per cent of GDP this Parliament. Whoever is the next Prime Minister must make our security a priority.”
Former Secretary of State John Healey and ex-Armed Forces Minister Al Carns both cited the lack of defence funding as a reason for resigning from their roles.
The UK has vowed to increase defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP by 2035.
Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer said that under Labour, defence spending has increased from 2.3 per cent to 2.6 per cent.
Downing Street has confirmed its defence investment plan will be published ahead of next month’s Nato summit, despite Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership coming to an end.
