Shapps pushing Rishi for fast rise in defence budget

DEFENCE Secretary Grant Shapps is piling pressure on Rishi Sunak to beef up Britain's military spending in the Conservative election manifesto.

- Martyn Brown

Mr Shapps wants the Prime Minister to commit to spending 2.5% of gross domestic product the market value of goods and services we produce - "as quickly as possible".

Mr Sunak is under intense pressure to boost defence spending in the face of the growing threat posed by nations such as Russia, China and Iran.

Demands to meet the 2.5% defence spending level were ignored by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in his spring Budget.

Mr Shapps told the House of Commons defence committee: "The Government is committed to 2.5%.

It is my view that we are living in a more dangerous world.

"I am in complete agreement that you have to pay for that defence.