Downing Street insisted on Tuesday that Liz Truss will not renege on her pledge to boost defence spending to three per cent of GDP by 2030 after armed forces minister James Heappey threatened to resign if she did.
Mr Heappey said he and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace both believe the promise “must be delivered” and warned there is “no prosperity without security”.
Asked if he would quit in the face of a U-turn, Mr Heappey told LBC: “Yeah.
“But no-one has said that three per cent is not going to happen by 2030.”
Later, No10 insisted Ms Truss stands by her promise but hinted at possible initial slower rises in defence spending before bigger increases towards end of the decade.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We are obviously committed to maintaining the UK’s position at the forefront of Nato, that’s why the PM committed to raise defence spending to three per cent of GDP by 2030.
“The shape of that increase will be set out at future spending reviews in the normal way.”
Ms Truss met with the Tory right ERG on Tuesday evening.
