Britain will boost spending on defe-nce to combat the growing threat from Islamic milita-nts, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday, underlining the need for rapid reaction forces after the Pari
Britain will boost spending on defe-nce to combat the growing threat from Islamic milita-nts, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday, underlining the need for rapid reaction forces after the Paris attacks.
After visiting Paris where he pledged British support for France after the November 13 attacks which killed 130 people, Mr Cameron unveiled plans to increase spending by £12 billion to £178 billion over the next decade as part of his government’s five-year defence and security plan.
But the review, which detailed plans to buy eight BAE warships and nine Boeing maritime patrol aircraft, also said Britain would need to cut civilian staff at its defence ministry by 30 per cent to help keep the government’s budget in check.
“As the murders on the streets of Paris remind us so starkly ISIL (Islamic State) is not some remote problem thousands of miles away, it is a direct threat to our security at home and abroad,” Cameron told parliament.
Detailing a list of new purchases, more financing for intelligence agencies and the targeting of the aid budget to support broken states, he said: “Not one of these capabilities is an optional extra, these investments are an act of clear-eyed self interest to ensure our future prosperity and security.”
The review highlighted that passenger jets were a primary target for militant groups and that some, incl-uding ISIS and Al Qaeda, would try to acquire chemical, biological and radiological capabilities.
