Previously, Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, suggested there must be a “trade-off” between economic growth and the amount the UK can spend on national security (see 8:43am post).

Is it true that sometimes you have to wait to develop military capabilities?

Dame Priti Patel says: “Of course not.

“These are political decisions that this government has decided to make.”

He adds that “the reality is that, even when it comes to defense spending, my party in government has a clear path to securing that 2.5% of GDP by 2030.”

“Today we are reading potential reports that this government… might not even attempt to reach that level until 2034.

“The world is in an unstable place. The landscape is changing dramatically now.”

He warns: “I think we need a stronger West right now, and it is imperative that the West in particular unite around defense spending.

“How we cooperate in NATO, the amount of resources we contribute.”

Dame Priti suggests that support for Ukraine has an impact on our own military spending.

“I will encourage this administration to maintain a constructive dialogue with our American counterparts on this issue,” he says.