Hilary Benn said the ‘number one responsibility’ of the British Government was ‘protecting the nation’ and that was why defence spending was being ratcheted up under Labour.

The British Secretary of State made the remarks during a recent visit to Derry when he was asked if ‘weapons’ were being prioritised over ‘welfare’.

“The first priority, the first responsibility of any Government is to protect the nation and as you all know we are living in a more dangerous and uncertain world and in those circumstances it is right and proper for the Government to increase defence expenditure, which we've done.

"We've taken a difficult decision as to how to fund that. It is the right thing to do to protect the nation,” he said.

Hilary Benn said the ‘number one responsibility’ of the British Government was ‘protecting the nation’ and that was why defence spending was being ratcheted up under Labour.

placeholder image — Hilary Benn said the ‘number one responsibility’ of the British Government was ‘protecting the nation’ and that was why defence spending was being ratcheted up under Labour.

He was speaking after the British Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed the Government intended putting an extra £6.4billion into defence spending by 2027, while taking £4.8 billion out of the welfare budget through cuts by 2029-30.

During his visit to Derry last Thursday, Mr. Benn pointed out that the Thales missile manufacturing plant in East Belfast has been among the beneficiaries of increased defence spending.

"Some of that investment, of course, in respect of Ukraine, has come to Thales in Belfast. It's going to create an additional 200 jobs in recognition of the skill of that factory there and what they make and that's part of our commitment to support Ukraine in the face of the Russian aggression when they invaded just over three years ago.

"At the same time we are passionate about economic growth because in the end that is how we are going to see the lives of all of us improve and the Government having more money to spend on the things that we want,” he said.

Mr. Benn pointed to the 6.7 per cent (77p) increase in the National Living Wage to £12.21 that will take effect on Tuesday, April 1, for people aged over 21.

He observed: “160,000 in Northern Ireland are going to see their wages going up when the National Living Wage rises by 6.8 per cent and that is going to make a real difference.”

The Secretary of State insisted that spending on defence will continue to increase under this Labour Government.

"We've made a decision about defence expenditure, to increase it by 2027, with an ambition to get up to 3 per cent in the next parliament if economic conditions allow, for the reasons the Prime Minister [Keir Starmer] set out very, very clearly when he made the statement in the House of Commons.

"But don’t forget the huge investment in the public sector that came from the Budget last year, a huge increase, both for capital investment and also for public services.

“Why, in England, did we see waiting lists fall five months in a row? The answer is because of the investment the new Government put in. So it is not right and it is not correct to say it is a prioritisation of one over the other.

"Government is about making choices and balancing competing priorities but this is a Government that is committed to investing in public services. It is also committed to ensuring the nation is protected because that is our number one responsibility as a Government,” he declared.