We need to spend more on defense, admits Hunt

Jeremy Hunt said Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security in the face of threats from Russia and Iran. Photo: Christopher Goodney/Bloomberg

Jeremy Hunt said the UK will have to spend more on defense as he faces growing calls from Conservative MPs to increase the defense budget.

The Chancellor said Britain and its European allies must take greater responsibility for their own security. amid increased threats from Russia and Iran.

During a trip to the United States on Wednesday, he added that Donald Trump was right to demand that Europe increase defense spending.

G- Mr Hunt, who has said he will increase defense spending to 2.5 percent of GDP as soon as possible, acknowledged that the military will need more money.

«It's important that European countries realize that when it comes to America's role in the world, we are actors, not observers,» he said in remarks published by Politico.

«At the end of the day, , we must be prepared to spend more on defense. It is a reasonable request from the United States that Europe contribute more to its own defense.»

He said Mr Trump, a former US president running for a second term, was right to «be very vocal about this», but added that the argument that Europe should shoulder more of the burden «has been made by everyone American.» President while I am engaged in public life.»

It comes after Mr Hunt said last month that Britain needed to return to economic growth in order to spend more on its military.

The Chancellor has been questioned over the fact that he was able to find money for tax cuts in last month's spring budget but failed to find new money for defense, infuriating Tory MPs.

He told the BBC: «If We are going to spend more money on defense and I think we will need to do that in the future and we need a healthy, growing economy.»

Mr Hunt is under pressure from Tory MPs. including several other cabinet ministers to speed up the injection of money into the army, with some senior Conservatives calling for an «Iron Dome» to protect Britain from missile attacks.

Grant Shapps, the tipped defense secretary future He said the defense budget should eventually rise to three percent of GDP, a figure also advocated by Liz Truss, the former prime minister. Penny Mordaunt, another potential contender, has also signaled she wants to see more money invested in the Navy in particular.

Downing Street said the UK is the biggest funder of defense spending in Europe and the second largest. in NATO, second only to the United States.