0:00
Talking to you about the defence review and the Prime Minister was very clear yesterday, wasn't he
0:04
that there's no greater necessity than protecting citizens, nothing greater than defending this great country
0:10
But yet no timeline, no guarantee and no commitment on 3% spending on GDP
0:16
which is what is essential in order to implement these changes. Why not? They seem to blunt the argument
0:24
No, what he said as well, the Prime Minister yesterday was, we are committed to spending what we need to deliver this review
0:29
The review is based on the government spending plans, not just the aim to hit 3% in the next parliament, but the confirmation that three years early, in two years' time, we'll hit 2.5% of GDP on defence
0:43
That's a level we've not spent in this country for 15 years, and it's part of a record uplift in defence spending, the largest since the end of the Cold War
0:54
and it starts this year with an extra billion It means that I can get on as Defence Secretary by putting into action some of the recommendations in the review yesterday
1:06
So part of the review suggested that we need to increase troop numbers to 100,000, currently
1:13
around 70,000, the lowest in 300 years. How are you going to boost those numbers? What's
1:18
your plan to achieve that? Well, first of all, you're right. This review is the first for a generation
1:24
that doesn't look to hollow out our armed forces further. Instead, it looks to build out the forces
1:32
grow the forces and grow jobs. On troop numbers, the review said
1:36
look, there's a case for a small uplift. And I was able to confirm yesterday that proud to say the first Defence Secretary
1:42
and this is the first government for decades that is not looking to cut numbers further
1:47
and that we will reverse the long-term decline and we will grow the strength of the British Army
1:57
to at least 76,000 into the next Parliament
