Defence growth boost as £15billion cuts loom

CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves will promise a £2.2billion boost to the defence budget today in a new attempt to kickstart economic growth.

- By Martyn Brown Political Editor

It comes as she delivers her highly-anticipated spring statement in which she warns that the UK has to "move quickly in a changing world".

The funding will be invested in advanced technologies including fitting Royal Navy ships with state-of the art directed energy weapons.

Ms Reeves is under intense pressure to get the economy growing amid a bleak backdrop of gloomy forecasts, including from the Bank of England.

The Treasury’s Office for Budget Responsibility watchdog is expected to follow the bank's example by halving economic forecasts for this year.