Image source: topwar.ru
As a result of the events in Ukraine, the UK should abandon the planned reduction of the armed forces and military spending. This is stated by representatives of the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom, referring to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt.
Senior Tories are calling on the head of the finance department to abandon plans to reduce military spending and increase budget funding for the armed forces. In particular, Hunt is asked to keep the number of armed forces at the level of 76 thousand people, and not to reduce it to 73 thousand people by 2025, as previously planned.
Recall that back in 2021, the British authorities were going to reduce the size of the army. But a special military operation in Ukraine, according to British Tories, demonstrates the inconsistency of these plans. London also does not rely much on allies in continental Europe. Defense Minister Ben Wallace also agrees with the need to increase the military budget by up to 11 billion pounds in two years.
But plans to increase military spending may face a serious obstacle in the form of concerns of government representatives about inflation in the country. The standard of living of Britons has recently "sunk" significantly.
Public discontent is growing, and inevitably there will be those political forces that will exploit the "Ukrainian question", accusing the government of spending too much money to support the Kiev regime. Nevertheless, Conservative MPs are very concerned about the possible reduction in the number of personnel of the royal armed forces.
James Sutherland, who served as an army officer for 26 years and is now a member of parliament, argues that the reduction of the army in the current situation is unacceptable.
Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the defense committee of the House of Commons, says that it would be too naive to rely on certain cyber capabilities and therefore reduce the number of units designed to conduct ground warfare.