Ukip brands Cameron 'dishonourable' as party commits to 2% defence spending target

THE UK Independence Party has launched a furious attack on David Cameron for swingeing cuts to Britain's Armed Forces.

A photo of a soldier in the British armyGETTY

The announcement makes Ukip the first major party to commit to the Nato target of 2% spending of GDP

Ukip economics spokesman Patrick O'Flynn accused the Prime Minister of neglecting the country's defences while pouring taxpayers' cash into overseas aid.

He has unveiled Ukip manifesto plans for an extra £3billion of defence spending every year.

And he has committed the anti-Brussels party to supporting Britain keeping defence spending at the level demanded by Nato, amid accusations that the Government has abandoned the target.

The announcement makes Ukip the first major party to commit to the defence spending pledge.

Senior military chiefs have expressed concern that annual defence spending in the UK is on course to hit 1.4% of national output, well below the official Nato target of 2%

Ukip economics spokesman Patrick O'FlynnEXPRESS

Ukip's economics spokesman said the party believed in 'Great Britain, not Little England'

Mr O'Flynn will outline the detail of Ukip's plans for defence in a keynote speech on public spending in the North West today.

But speaking this morning, he said: “We’ve had David Cameron lecturing other Nato members about the need to spend 2% of GDP on defence.

We’ve had David Cameron lecturing other Nato members about the need to spend 2% of GDP on defence...to actually preside over a plan not to meet that himself, I think, is pretty dishonourable

Patrick O'Flynn, Ukip economics spokesman

“To actually preside over a plan not to meet that himself, I think, is pretty dishonourable,” he told BBC Radio 4.

His criticism follows growing disquiet among senior Tories about the defence budget, with a former Cabinet minister expected to speak out on the issue later this week.

Former Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson will use a speech at the Margaret Thatcher Centre for Freedom in Washington to warn that the Government is "succumbing to the temptation" to outsource national defence to the EU.

In his speech today, Mr O'Flynn will say that Ukip wants to restore Britain "to the status of an independent nation state."

"Independence does not mean isolationism; we believe in Great Britain, not Little England," he will say.

"It is astonishing to think that Ukip goes into this election as the only party offering the British people a policy of meeting the Nato requirement of two per cent of GDP being spent on defence.

"It is equally astonishing to behold three other so-called mainstream parties, and in particular the Conservative Party, eagerly chaining themselves to a GDP target for foreign aid giveaways while grievously neglecting the first duty of government; defence of the realm."

Mr O'Flynn's speech today will set out how Ukip want to raise at least an extra £20billion a year by scrapping the country's annual contribution to Brussels coffers and cancelling overseas aid.

The savings would be used for cutting tax, reducing Britain's deficit while increasing spending on health and defence.

"Over the course of the next Parliament, our public spending plans will allow for cumulative extra spending on defence of more than £16billion compared to government spending plans," he will say.

"That is an annual average of more than £3bn of extra spending on our armed forces.

"Assuming that David Cameron is not planning to unveil a huge round of further defence cuts when he finally comes clean on departmental spending plans beyond 2015-16, this extra spending guarantee will mean that Ukip alone of the main political parties will meet the two per cent commitment.

"And if Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne really are lining up more swingeing defence cuts, then when they make their plans clear we will seek further savings in lower-priority budgets in order to make good any shortfall on two per cent.

"So we will make sure that our great country holds true to its magnificent armed services personnel and to the defensive alliance that has helped guarantee its liberty and peace across most of Europe since the Second World War."

Mr Cameron has claimed that the Tories will not make further cuts in Armed Forces funding if he returns to Downing Street after the next election.

But he has declined to public commit to the 2% of GDP spending target set as a condition of Nato membership.

The issue has provoked disquiet among senior Tory MPs.

In his speech in Washington on Wednesday Mr Paterson, a standard bearer for the Tory Right, will say that only by leaving the EU will Britain again become America’s most valued and reliable ally.

“The UK, leaving the EU, would regain our independence to devise our own foreign policy. Working with like-minded allies, we would forge our own defence policy and the practical requirements that should follow on from that.

“It is the first duty of a government to defend its citizens.

"I believe we should provide the necessary funds required by an appropriate foreign policy."

He will add: “America needs Britain as an ally on many fronts. It needs us to reassert ourselves as a nation to take our place once again in the counsels of the Earth.”

Nigel Farage - The Facts

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