UK Military Spending Risks Greater Waste Without Shift to Domestic Defence, Report Warns
The United Kingdom spends nearly a quarter of its entire defence budget on overseas commitments across five continents, making it the most overseas-committed military among European Nato members. According to an analysis by the Transition Security Project, this overseas focus costs just over £14 billion annually, with approximately £2.8 billion spent outside Europe on strategic hubs and bases in locations such as Cyprus, Kenya, and Oman.
Britain Ranks Highest in Europe for Overseas Military Spending
Comparative figures compiled by researchers show a sharp divide in how European nations distribute their military resources. While the United Kingdom allocates roughly 23 percent of its defence budget to overseas operations, France dedicates 15 percent, Italy spends 10 percent, and Germany directs only 8 percent to similar commitments abroad.
Since 2001, the United Kingdom has spent more than £51 billion in modern terms on military interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and elsewhere. Kevin Cashman, a researcher at the Transition Security Project and co-author of the report, noted that Britain should not pour more money into a bloated military sector geared towards alignment with the United States while Washington starts wars around the world that drive up our bills.
Planned Budget Increases Face Warnings Over Deepening Waste
The government has committed to lifting defence spending to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2035 under a defence investment plan unveiled in July during the final phase of Keir Starmer’s premiership. This trajectory involves doubling the nominal defence budget from £70 billion in 2026 to £151 billion in 2035. However, researchers warn that unless policy changes, this influx of capital will likely result in even greater waste.
Khem Rogaly, co-director of the Transition Security Project, argued that billions spent annually on global military deployments symbolise a destructive and outdated foreign policy. The thinktank contends that instead of supporting global policing, the government should redirect military resources toward domestic defence and public investments in health, housing, and the climate emergency.
Political Turmoil Shadows Defense Spending Targets
Political friction surrounds the funding roadmap. John Healey resigned as defence secretary after refusing to commit to an intermediate target of reaching 3 percent defence spending by 2030. Now serving as chancellor, Healey has shelved that 2030 target for the time being. Meanwhile, defence officials express growing awareness regarding the risk that an arbitrary focus on reaching a certain level of spending could exacerbate waste.
Current planning discussions emphasize preparing the UK for a possible war in Europe rather than projecting force globally. Yet, the published defence investment plan still accounts for ongoing commitments across a series of continents, leaving the future balance between home defence and overseas projection unresolved.