Across the Red Line: Rising Defence Costs

The Government has announced an £8 billion increase in the military budget over two years, the largest in a generation. Defence is now set to become one of the fastest-growing areas of public spending, rivaling core services and outpacing inflation. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has framed the move as essential for national resilience, economic growth, and global stability. Anne McElvoy and guests contemplate whether this surge in spending a necessary response to global threats, or a dangerous prioritisation of militarism over social investment