Overview
- In a 26 February written parliamentary reply, Defence Readiness Minister Luke Pollard said the Defence Investment Plan will be published "this year," a shift from earlier assurances it would arrive as soon as possible.
- Unite escalated pressure with a Westminster rally and a petition of nearly 10,000 signatures, as Sharon Graham warned thousands of jobs are at risk and said the chancellor should go if the plan remains stalled.
- The Ministry of Defence says it is working flat out to finalise the plan and cites 1,100 major contracts signed since July 2024, with 84% of annual spending going to UK companies.
- The plan, first due in autumn 2025 and then before Christmas, is now reported for March or April, with industry sources citing paused decisions and closures of 10–15 small defence suppliers over two years.
- Capability and budgeting strains persist, including the Army’s pause of the Ajax vehicle programme and RAF calls to start a Hawk replacement competition, alongside doubts over meeting near‑term spending targets such as 2.5% of GDP by 2027.