Last week Boris Johnson announced an increase in defence spending of £16.5 billion over four years, this is in addition to the annual military budget of £ 47 billion. This was hailed as a great step forward. We are already the 4th largest military spender in the world.
At the same time The NHS and the care system struggle to find the funds needed to cope safely and effectively with the COVID crisis.
· The government is proposing further cuts to our overseas aid budget, reducing it to below 0.5% of income, it is currently 0.7%, the target set by the UN.
· The government is proposing pay restraints on public sector workers salaries.
Write to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, (Foreign Secretary,) Rishi Sunak (Chancellor) challenging the prioritising of military budgets over human needs.
Share with them a vision of security that puts human need and the common good at its centre. This includes the eradication of poverty, addressing climate change, secured health for all against threats like pandemics and investment in peacemaking and conflict prevention.
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Learn more https://rethinkingsecurity.org.uk/
Addresses: 10 Downing Street, London SW1A 2AA; Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AH; Treasury, 1 Horse Guards Road, London SW1A 2HQ.