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EXPERT COMMENT

Procurement, security cooperation and international development policy require urgent attention.

Domestic issues have dominated debate so far in the UK election. But the campaign has also seen both Conservatives and Labour seeking to portray themselves as guarantors of security in a more troubled world. The Liberal Democrats have also used this theme, being highly critical of the government’s record on defence.

This similar framing reflects the UK’s difficult security situation – with war in Europe, the prospect of a second Donald Trump presidency in the US, and a more contested world shaped by the growth of authoritarian powers. 

Yet despite the seriousness of the threats the manifestos diagnose, their goals are in many cases limited and cautious.

This is likely a consequence of the fiscal bind the UK is in. Unless the next government raises taxes or makes cuts somewhere, it will be hard to get the UK’s debt-to-GDP ratio falling while meeting existing plans for public spending – let alone find additional resources for defence and foreign affairs. 

The parties and the manifestos acknowledged this to some extent. But on some big foreign affairs issues, they swerve strategic questions. 

Click here to continue reading the full version of this Expert Comment on the Chatham House website.