Peace Pledge : Why the UK should not increase military spending
Posted: 17th March 2025
Why the UK should not increase military spendingMilitary spending is on the rise. Keir Starmer has pledged to increase the UK’s military budget to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with a target of 3% in the next parliament. Meanwhile the EU has unveiled an €800bn plan to boost military spending across the continent.
Starmer’s decision has signalled a new wave of militaristic policies and a heightened climate of fear and confrontation. UK politicians and European leaders are now openly preparing for all-out war with Russia and talking up the threat of nuclear retaliation.
None of this makes us more secure. On the contrary, it pushes Europe and the world towards more military escalation, while posing staggering risks to humanity. Read on to find out ten reasons why increasing military spending is a very bad idea.
Abuse in the British Armed Forces
The inquest into the tragic suicide of 19-year-old soldier Jaysley Beck last month revealed a harrowing culture of abuse and cover-up within the armed forces.
The inquest found that her death was caused by the sexual assault and harassment she suffered at the hands of senior colleagues, as well as the Army’s failure to investigate her allegations or report them to the police.
Sadly, there are many similar stories of abuse going back many years. A recent report by Child Rights International Network has detailed numerous allegations since 2014 of sexual offences and violent behaviour by staff at the Army Foundation College, where most 16- and 17-year-old army recruits are trained.
Upcoming EventsThere are a number of events coming up, with full details on our events page:
- Save the date – May 15th is International Conscientious Objectors’ Day. There will be events around the UK, as well as the annual National Ceremony in London. All welcome!
- The next national demonstration for Palestine will take place this Saturday, 15th March, in London.
- Lakenheath Peace Camp, Suffolk, resisting the return of US nuclear weapons to British soil, will be held 14-26th April.
- CND is organising a protest in Barrow, Cumbria, where British nuclear-armed submarines are built, on 22nd March.
Please get in touch at [email protected] if you are planning on attending these events, or anything similar, and would like PPU leaflets to hand out.
DSEI 2025The PPU is currently organising its contribution to resistance against DSEI, one of the world’s largest arms fairs, which is once again coming to London from the 9th to 12th September 2025.
Arms dealers, military delegations and government officials will be welcomed by the UK government – at the tax payer’s expense – to profit off death, destruction and repression around the world.
We have been forming an organising group to ensure our contribution is impactful and communicates our pacifist principles effectively.
Please get in touch at [email protected] if you would like to join the organising group. We’ll be organising our first meeting later in March.
Sign the Peace Pledge – Join the PPU Today!Will you challenge militarism and promote nonviolence with us by becoming a PPU member?
“War is a crime against humanity. I renounce war, and am therefore determined not to support any kind of war. I am also determined to work for the removal of all causes of war.”
Thousands of people have signed the Peace Pledge above, committing themselves not only to rejecting war but to working for peace and tackling the causes of war. Members receive a welcome pack, monthly email newsletters, and the ability to participate in the PPU’s decision-making through our AGM.
We also facilitate connections between PPU members locally, provide opportunities for getting active in the PPU, promote members’ campaigns and events, and advise on taking action wherever we can. As a PPU member, you’ll be part of an active UK-wide network of pacifists, as well as a member of War Resisters’ International, the global movement for peace.
Please donate to support our workThe PPU’s work is made possible only with the support of people like you.Apart from occasional grants, the PPU is funded entirely by our members and supporters. Donations help sustain our work and enable us to challenge war and militarism and to promote peace and active nonviolence.
You can donate via the link below or by cheque, payable to ‘Peace Pledge Union’, sent to us at 1 Peace Passage, Brecknock Road, London N7 0BT.
