Britain\u2019s new Defence Secretary has arrived at Nato headquarters facing an immediate test of credibility, with allies demanding detailed plans for a major increase in defence spending while the UK remains without a published investment strategy.<\/p>\n
Dan Jarvis met Nato defence chiefs in Brussels on Thursday, just a day after alliance secretary-general Mark Rutte urged member states to set out \u201cclear, concrete and credible plans\u201d to meet a commitment to spend 5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2035.<\/p>\n
The meeting comes after a turbulent week for the Government, which saw John Healey resign as Defence Secretary amid a dispute over the scale of future military investment.<\/p>\n
Healey\u2019s departure centred on the unpublished Defence Investment Plan (DIP), with the former minister arguing that the proposals would deliver only around \u00a313 billion of additional funding \u2014 well below the \u00a328 billion increase he said was required over four years.<\/p>\n
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Defence Chief warns pay up or \u2018we will have to dial back our activities and our exercise\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n NATO Warning for UK as US loses patience over defence spending<\/a><\/p>\n Arriving in Brussels, Jarvis acknowledged the pressure facing<\/a> the alliance, describing the current moment as one of \u201cchallenge\u201d as security threats increase globally.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very clear to me, as the new Defence Secretary for the United Kingdom, that this is a moment of challenge,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe international security<\/a> is incredibly challenging, and that\u2019s why this gathering here today is so particularly important.\u201d<\/p>\n Jarvis said Britain would continue supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia and work with European allies to strengthen Nato\u2019s collective deterrence.<\/p>\n The 5 per cent Nato target agreed by allies is divided between 3.5 per cent of GDP for core defence spending and a further 1.5 per cent for wider security and resilience measures.<\/p>\n However, Healey\u2019s resignation letter warned that current plans would leave Britain spending only 2.68 per cent of GDP on core defence by 2030.<\/p>\n The Government has insisted the Defence Investment Plan will be published before the Nato leaders\u2019 summit in Ankara, Turkey, beginning on July 7.<\/p>\n Rutte\u2019s intervention has increased pressure on countries including the UK to demonstrate how they will reach the alliance\u2019s ambitious spending goal.<\/p>\n \u201cInvesting 5 per cent of GDP in defence by 2035. That\u2019s what we agreed,\u201d he said. \u201cSo, I expect nations to present clear, concrete and credible plans to reach that goal.\u201d<\/p>\n Labour minister Louise Sandher-Jones said Britain would demonstrate its commitment to Nato by pointing to what she described as the \u201cbiggest increase in defence spending in a very long time\u201d.<\/p>\n But Healey\u2019s resignation letter painted a far more serious picture of divisions inside Government<\/a>, accusing the Treasury of being unwilling to provide the resources needed to respond to growing threats.<\/p>\n