Politics · 3 March 2026
Iran conflict drives Britain's biggest defence uplift since Cold War
Chris McAndrew via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Chancellor Rachel Reeves used her Spring Statement on 3 March 2026 to highlight what she described as the biggest uplift in defence spending since the Cold War. She cited £650 million committed in January to upgrade Typhoon fighter jets, a new Royal Navy frigate launched from Rosyth the previous week, and a £1 billion helicopter deal with Leonardo announced the day before her speech. Reeves told MPs the government must chart a course through uncertainty, pointing directly to the Iran conflict as a live threat to British households and the wider economy.
Reported by GOV.UK Spring Forecast 2026 Speech · How we write briefs