Bloomberg UK Politics Can The UK Regain Its Military Power? A Defense & Security Podcast Special
Jun 6, 2025
Ellen Milligan, a Political Correspondent at Bloomberg, and Dan Hanson, Chief UK Economist, dive into the UK's military revival. They discuss the urgent need to overcome years of underinvestment and recruitment struggles in the face of escalating global tensions. With European allies boosting their defense budgets, the UK is under pressure to enhance its military capabilities. Milligan and Hanson analyze the implications of increased defense spending, the challenges of fulfilling NATO commitments, and the public’s demand for a stronger military presence in turbulent times.
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Decades of Military Underinvestment
- Britain's military suffered decades of underinvestment, resulting in depleted stockpiles and training cuts.
- Rebuilding to warfighting readiness requires urgent, significant spending and industrial base expansion.
Urgent Defence Spending Increase Needed
- Increase defence spending promptly to counter rising threats and enable industrial scaling.
- Improve funding flow and pace, and bolster supply chain resilience post-COVID.
UK Lags in NATO Defence Ramp-Up
- Other NATO countries are ramping up defence spending faster than the UK.
- UK must prepare to defend the Baltic states against potential Russian aggression.