Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick says Labour’s plan to boost defence spending isn’t believable unless action is taken now. He welcomed the government’s pledge to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence, but said it must reach 3% by the end of this Parliament, not in 2034. Jenrick criticised Chancellor Rachel Reeves, saying she has already broken key promises and questioned how the extra funding would be found. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00We live in a dangerous world, so it's right that we invest more in our armed forces.
00:04We welcome the fact that the government are going to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence.
00:09We do think that needs to go further and want to see us reaching 3% by the end of this parliament, not in 2034.
00:15If the country is on a war footing, as the Prime Minister has said, waiting nine years is too long.
00:21And whilst I respect the Defence Secretary, I do feel that we should be sceptical of Rachel Reeves,
00:26the Chancellor, promising this money, because time and time again, she's broken promises,
00:32whether it's on winter fuel allowances, raising taxes, of working people.
00:36And so why are we to believe that having broken promise after promise in nine months,
00:40she's going to keep this one in nine years' time?