“Authoritarianism Is On The Rise”: Tobias reacts to Starmer raising defence spending to 2.5%

Jeremy Kyle is joined by former Defence Select Committee chair Tobias Ellwood, discussing Keir Starmer’s announcement of a rise in defence spending. The Prime Minister announced the extra funding in response to “tyrant” Russian President Vladimir Putin and ongoing uncertainty over the US’s commitment to European security, although it comes at the expense of cuts to the UK’s aid budget. Tobias welcomes the increase, citing a new era of complex and dangerous threats. He argues that well-targeted foreign aid prevents wars and improves security, but acknowledges the need for a balance between hard and soft power.