UK Announces Higher Military Spending Since Cold War – Executive Digest

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson today announced the largest investment in the defense industry in 30 years, calling the international situation “more dangerous and intensely competitive” than ever since the Cold War.

The Conservative head of government will announce on Thursday an additional investment of £ 16.5 billion over four years (€ 18.5 billion) to his MPs in relation to his election program, which is expected to mean an additional £ 24.1 billion ( 27 billion euros) in four years compared to the 2019 budget (38 billion pounds, 42.5 billion euros), according to a statement released today.

Boris Johnson, who isolated himself after contact with a deputy who tested positive for the new coronavirus, should address parliament via videoconference, similar to what happened today during the weekly interrogation session.

In this way, the country should strengthen the position of the United Kingdom as a country in Europe with the most expenditure in the defense area, and the second among NATO member states, after the United States.

“I made this decision in the midst of a pandemic” again with a coronavirus “because Kingdom Defense has to be first and foremost,” said Boris Johnson, quoted in the statement.

“The international situation is more dangerous and intensely competitive than ever since the Cold War and the UK must be true to its history and stand by its allies,” he added, underlining the opportunity for the country “in the era of resignation. , “to” strengthen its influence in the world “,” to be a pioneer in new technologies and to defend our country and our way of life “.

According to Downing Street, this commitment will allow the UK to “invest in cutting-edge technology” and when the Prime Minister is also preparing to announce “a new agency dedicated to artificial intelligence”, the creation of a force against cyber attacks and a “new space command capable of launching our first rocket in 2022”.

The series of projects is expected to enable the creation of up to 10,000 jobs per year, Boris Johnson said.