Britain’s defence review has grand ambition. Now it needs the money

The British defence review was asked to make its recommendations within the budgetary constraints of spending 2.5% of GDP on defence.

But it is already clear that to meet its goals of transforming Britain’s armed forces, to make them ready for war, there’ll have to be more money.

The review welcomes the government’s “ambition” to spend 3% by 2034. But it also states that “as we live in more turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”. Several Nato allies have already committed to spending more than 5%.

But a defence source told the BBC that even the government’s commitment to build up to 12 new attack submarines, as outlined in the review, would require an increase in defence spending to at least 3% of GDP.

At a glance: Key points from government defence strategy

Ministers say…