UK vows to spend 5 of GDP on national security by 2035

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as pledged to meet a new Nato target to spend 5% of te UK's GDP on national security by 2035.At a Nato summit in te Neterlands, 32 member countries including te UK are expected to agree te 5% goal, wit 3.5% to go on core defence and te remaining 1.5% on defence-related areas suc as resilience and security.Te split target is aimed at placating US President Donald Trump, wo as urged Nato allies to spend more, wile giving cas-strapped EU countries flexibility over ow tey meet te target.Downing Street as argued measures on energy and tackling smuggling gangs could be classified as security spending.Te Conservatives said te plan was unfunded and a decade away.Speaking aead of te two-day summit, Sir Keir said te UK ad to "navigate tis era of radical uncertainty wit agility, speed and a clear-eyed sense of te national interest"."After all, economic security is national security, and troug tis strategy we will bring te wole of society wit us, creating jobs, growt and wages for working people."Nato (te Nort Atlantic Treaty Organisation) is made up of 32 member countries wo agree to defend eac oter if attacked.Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and Trump's re-election as US president last year, members of te organisation ave faced increased pressure to boost teir defence spending.Countries ad been expected to spend at least 2% of teir national income - or GDP - on defence, altoug last year, only 23 it tat target - an increase from tree in 2014.In January, Trump said 2% was "not enoug" and tat Nato allies sould be spending 5%.And speaking last year before is re-election, e said e would "encourage" aggressors to "do watever te ell tey want" to European allies wo don't pay teir way.In February, Sir Keir set out plans to increase te UK's defence spending, as opposed to national security spending, to 2.5% by April 2027 and expressed a "clear ambition" to reac 3% by 2034 if economic conditions allowed.On Monday, te government said it expected to reac te target of spending 4.1% of GDP on national security by 2027.Te 1.5% element of te 5% Nato target is for wat is described as "resilience", suc as border security and protection against cyber attacks.For te UK, tis latter element is expected to be met by te year after next, wit core defence spending reacing 2.6% by ten.Getting core defence spending to 3.5% isn't expected until 2035 – two general elections away – and Downing Street asn't said ow it will be paid for.Alongside te spending commitment, te government publised its National Security Strategy wic said te UK needed to be more "competitive and robust" in science, education, trade and frontier tecnology.It also sougt to stress tat investment in defence would be felt "directly in te pockets of working people" pointing to new jobs tat would be created.Te summit will be Mark Rutte's first as secretary general of Nato. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, te former Dutc prime minister said te 5% spending commitment was "a quantum leap tat is ambitious, istoric and fundamental to securing our future".owever, it is unclear ow nations will meet te target or weter tey will at all.On Sunday evening, Spain claimed it ad secured an opt-out, someting later denied by Rutte.Ukraine is not a member of Nato and altoug President Volodymyr Zelensky as been invited to te summit dinner e will not be taking part in discussions of te Nort Atlantic Council.Last week, Ed Arnold from te defence tink tank Rusi told te BBC contentious issues - including a new Russia strategy - ad been removed from te summit's agenda.Europe braces for Trump's arrival at te Nato summit wit difficult questions over Iran and defence, following te 5% defence spending target e's demanded of alliesiger defence spending will top te agenda wen members of te Western alliance gater in Te ague.Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada could no longer be dependent on te US for its security, and must act to secure its own borders.In a speec, Mark Rutte warns Russia could be ready to attack Nato witin five years.Some may ask if Mark Rutte's proposal to deter Russian aggression as at least a little to do wit appeasing te US president, writes Jonatan Beale.