# Spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030

> “We need to increase our defence spending every year so we can get to 3% of GDP by 2030.”
>
> — Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the Opposition, Conservative Party; Speech on defence and welfare, 3 September 2026

- **Status:** Promised
- **Status ladder:** Promised → In plan → Legislated → Funded → Delivering → Delivered
- **Policy area:** [Defence](https://ledgergov.uk/promises/area/defence)
- **Speaker:** [Kemi Badenoch](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/kemi-badenoch), Leader of the Opposition
- **Party:** [Conservative Party](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/conservatives)
- **Made on:** 3 September 2026
- **Where:** Speech on defence and welfare
- **Deadline:** 31 December 2030
- **Cost a year:** No costing published
- **Who it affects:** The armed forces; defence spending would rise every year until it reaches 3% of GDP
- **When:** By 2030
- **Paid for by:** Welfare cuts the party names (housing benefit reform, £4 billion a year; reinstating the two-child benefit cap, £3.1 billion; ending the VAT exemption for Motability vehicles, £1 billion), savings from the Chagos deal and money moved from the British Business Bank
- **Quote source:** https://www.kemibadenoch.org.uk/news/kemi-sets-out-major-plan-defend-our-country (checked word for word at its source on 20 October 2026; Quoted for reporting; rights stay with the publisher)
- **Last updated:** 20 October 2026
- **Card:** https://ledgergov.uk/promise/uk-con-defence-3pc-2030

## Where it stands

The Conservatives are not in government, so the card stays at Promised. In the same speech she says the party has found an extra £10 billion a year for the armed forces from welfare cuts, savings from the Chagos deal and money moved from the British Business Bank; her news release of 24 September lists the welfare savings. "By 2030" is recorded as a deadline of 31 December 2030.

## Timeline

- 3 September 2026, Promised: Kemi Badenoch says defence spending must rise every year to reach 3% of GDP by 2030, and sets out how the party would pay for it
- 31 December 2030, Deadline (to come): 3% of GDP on defence due by 2030 (editorial date)

## About the cost

The party's own figure is an extra £10 billion a year for the armed forces. No official or independent costing has been published.

## Sources

- [Kemi Badenoch: Kemi sets out major plan to defend our country (speech, 3 Sep 2026)](https://www.kemibadenoch.org.uk/news/kemi-sets-out-major-plan-defend-our-country)
- [Kemi Badenoch: Local MP: We must cut welfare to fund our defence (24 Sep 2026)](https://www.kemibadenoch.org.uk/news/local-mp-we-must-cut-welfare-fund-our-defence)

## Checks

- Checked automatically by AI Journalist, not yet verified by an editor.
- Checked by AI Journalist (automated) on 20 October 2026.

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