British Defense Minister Promises to Continue to Increase Military Spending

LONDON - The newly appointed British Defense Minister, Dan Jarvis, promised a continued increase in military spending and a massive modernization effort, while warning that years of "accumulated neglect" had put the military under pressure.

Speaking at the RUSI Land Warfare Conference 2026 in London on Tuesday (23/6), Jarvis said the government inherited almost every major program that was delayed, delayed nuclear deterrent capability improvements, and an army with the smallest number of personnel in centuries.

"There is no solution that can be done overnight. There is not a single defense review or funding agreement that can erase the legacy of neglect that has accumulated," he said, quoted by ANTARA from Anadolu, Wednesday, June 24.

Jarvis sought to brush off criticism of the level of defense funding by insisting that under this administration, defense spending continues to increase. In fact, the increase is greater than anyone has ever seen while still serving in the military.

He said the UK's defence budget now includes an extra £11 billion in annual defence spending compared to when we took office, highlighting the government's long-term commitment.

"We will review spending again next year where I hope defense will be a top priority," he said.

Regarding the commitment to NATO, he reiterated the UK's promise to increase defense spending to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2035.

"I told the Secretary-General of NATO last week that the promise would be fulfilled, and a credible plan would be drawn up to ensure that it was realized," he said.

The Defence Investment Plan (DIP), which Jarvis is accelerating ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, will add funding on top of the existing parliamentary commitment of £270 billion.

Jarvis also highlighted lessons from modern warfare. According to him, drones now dominate the battlefield, and stressed the need for greater investment in artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous systems, and unmanned platforms.

However, he warned against relying too much on one type of military capability alone.

"As long as we are members of NATO, we will not fight alone," he said.