New polling from Ipsos reveals that the Conservatives and Reform UK are the two most trusted parties on national defence, with Labour trailing significantly. Only 28% of Britons trust Labour on defence, compared to 33% who trust the Conservatives and 30% who trust Reform UK. The findings come amid heightened geopolitical tensions and a perceived need for increased defence spending.
Trust in Party Leaders
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is the most trusted leader on defence, with a trust rating of 32%. She is followed by Reform UK's Nigel Farage at 30%, Prime Minister Andy Burnham at 29%, and former Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer at 25%. The polling underscores a lack of confidence in Labour's handling of defence, a key issue as the threat of conflict with Russia has transformed public attitudes.
Public Opinion on Defence Spending
The Ipsos survey also shows a significant shift in public priorities. When asked which areas should be prioritised for public spending, 33% said defence and the armed forces – a 13 percentage point increase since May. Furthermore, 47% of Britons believe defence spending should increase even if it means extra government borrowing, higher taxes, or less spending on other public services – a 10 point jump since last month.
Overall, the share of the population saying they do not trust Labour very much or at all has increased from 48% in May 2024 to 60% this month, indicating a deepening crisis of confidence in the government's defence policies.
Political Reactions
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge said: “These are dangerous times. We are now confronted by an axis of authoritarian states on an aggressive quest to tear down the international order British security depends on. Despite this, Labour are not prepared to finance our armed forces, the Defence Investment Plan is 10 months late, and the Government has no plan for hitting 3 per cent of GDP on defence this Parliament. Only the Conservatives have a plan to cut welfare to fund defence. We would restore the two-child benefit cap to grow the size of the army, establish a Sovereign Defence Fund to accelerate Britain’s war readiness and spend £400million of the money Labour had planned to waste on the Chagos surrender deal to speed up the building of new frigates.”
A Reform UK spokesperson added: “It no surprise considering the public backs Reform UK on defence after the shabby way our armed forces have been under both Labour and the Conservatives. We’ve been clear we will increase the UK's defence spending to 2.5% of national GDP by year three of an administration, and to further boost it to 3% within six years. We will conduct an urgent pay review to significantly increase basic pay across the armed forces to improve recruitment and retention. What’s more we will never allow the prosecution of our brave veterans or serving personnel for actions taken in the line of duty.”
Government Response
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “We are in a new era of threat, which demands a new era of defence. This Government is delivering a generational increase in defence spending – hitting 2.6% of GDP in 2027 and investing over £270billion across this Parliament ensuring no return to the hollowed out armed forces of the past. The Strategic Defence Review sets out our path to warfighting readiness – creating a new hybrid Navy with world-class submarines and cutting-edge warships, investing in air and missile defence, munitions, and increasing the size of the Army. The Defence Investment Plan will be crucial to ensuring our personnel have the kit and technology they require. As the Prime Minister has said, we will publish before the NATO summit next month.”
