Mayor Claire writes to the Prime Minister on UK Defence spending

The Prime Minister’s pledge to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 is a sign of the serious times we are living in. Today, as the Mayor of the East Midlands – a region which has long since been at the heart of UK defence – I have written to the Prime Minister to ask him to draw on our region’s industrial strengths in protecting peace.

Ukraine might feel a long way away, but we are all part of Europe, and here in the East Midlands we share strong bonds with our Ukrainian community. I spent time with part of that community at the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Nottingham on Saturday, to mark with them the three years since Russia’s invasion. We watched Denys Khrystov’s 1% of War, a documentary from the frontline. As a room, we were immersed in the horror of war, but also the extraordinary strength and resilience shown by the Ukrainian people.

As Mayor, I want to make sure that their bravery is supported through real commitment and investment – but also, that war abroad doesn’t lead to constrained opportunities at home. National and economic security go hand in hand.

The East Midlands contains a skilled workforce with capabilities spanning submarines, aerospace, aviation, and space technology. The workforce around these industries will be critical to our security, and I will work with the government to ensure that we can invest and grow in the years ahead.