Rishi Sunak Pledges £11.3 Billion to Defence Spending and Warns of ‘Dangerous World’

Rishi Sunak has confirmed plans to increase defence spending and said in the wake of various international threats the UK must ’shape our response accordingly.’

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty with members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as they observe a minute's silence to mark the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, outside 10 Downing Street, London, on Feb. 24, 2023. Jordan Pettitt/PA Media

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has committed to spending £11.3 billion on defence over the next five years, after warning in the King’s Speech on Tuesday of a “more dangerous world.”

In his introduction to the King’s Speech, Mr. Sunak said: “We’re going beyond our baseline commitment to spend 2 percent of GDP on defence with a new ambition of 2.5 percent.”