Reeves’ £2billion boost to defence as benefits suffer

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

The announcement comes as she delivers her 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 OBR watchdog is expected to follow the Bank’s example by halving economic forecasts for this year.