The UK government is preparing to publish a new Defence Investment Plan (DIP) ahead of the NATO summit scheduled for July 7, amid ongoing discussions concerning the country’s future defence spending commitments. The announcement comes as political leadership is poised for transition, with Keir Starmer set to step down as prime minister and Andy Burnham likely to succeed him.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper underscored the necessity for increased defence expenditure during an interview, emphasizing that the existing proposals would not be sufficient to address evolving global security challenges. “We are going to have to go further on defence spending,” Cooper said, noting the realities of global instability and conflict require stronger investment in the UK’s armed forces.

The controversy around defence funding intensified following the resignation of Defence Secretary Richard Healey, who stepped down over dissatisfaction with the DIP’s funding level. The plan was set to allocate an additional £13.5 billion over four years, falling significantly short of the £28 billion some officials had advocated. Healey expressed concern that under the current trajectory, the UK would allocate only 2.68% of GDP to core defence by 2030, raising doubts about meeting NATO’s target of 3.5% by 2035.

Despite the political handover, Keir Starmer confirmed his intention to publish the DIP before the NATO summit. Speaking during a visit to Milton Keynes, Starmer highlighted the summit as an opportune moment for the UK to demonstrate its commitment to strengthening military capabilities alongside its NATO allies. “Everybody understands why it’s important that we spend the money that we must spend on our armed forces,” he stated.

Cooper also pressed Burnham, who she said is “100 per cent behind our unwavering support for Ukraine,” to articulate his stance on defence spending as he prepares to take office. She indicated that the UK must aim to increase defence spending to at least 3% of GDP in the near term and eventually meet the 3.5% target, describing such increases as necessary and inevitable. Although Burnham is expected to form a new cabinet, Cooper’s experience may secure her ongoing role within the government.

Downing Street has neither confirmed nor ruled out the possibility of increasing the funding beyond the current £13.5 billion proposal following Healey’s resignation. A government spokesperson noted that Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis is actively engaged with other senior officials, including the prime minister and chancellor, to negotiate “the best possible deal” on defence investment. However, officials declined to provide further details ahead of the DIP’s formal release.

With the defence spending plan imminent, the UK’s strategic defence priorities and financial commitments will be closely scrutinized at the upcoming NATO summit, where member states seek to reaffirm their collective security objectives in an increasingly volatile international landscape.