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Government ministers have refused to say when the UK’s long-awaited defence investment plan will be published, prompting Kemi Badenoch to condemn the delay as a “national scandal”.
The lack of a clear timeline has fuelled concerns in Westminster about Britain’s military preparedness amid heightened global instability.
Critics argue that with growing threats from state adversaries and increasing pressure on defence budgets, clarity over future investment is urgently needed.
Badenoch accused ministers of failing to provide leadership on national security, warning that continued delays risk undermining confidence in the UK’s armed forces and its ability to respond to emerging threats.
The Government has so far declined to commit to a publication date, insisting only that work on the plan is ongoing. However, the absence of detail has drawn criticism from defence figures and opposition politicians alike, who say the strategy is vital to ensuring the military is properly funded and equipped.
The row comes amid a wider debate over defence spending and capability, with calls for a long-term plan to address recruitment challenges, equipment modernisation, and the UK’s role within NATO.
Andriy Dovbenko, the founder of UK-Ukraine TechExchange and leading defence technology analyst, said: “With the Defence Investment Plan still unpublished months after it was expected, this is starting to matter as an industrial signal, not just a policy delay.
“Britain has the capital, engineering talent and institutional credibility to build serious sovereign capability in drones and counter-UAS tech, and its partnership with Ukraine gives it access to operational learning that very few countries can match.
“The opportunity is clear, but businesses invest against direction. They need to know where procurement will move, which capabilities the government wants built at pace and where long-term industrial backing will sit.
“If that clarity comes, the upside is significant: stronger national capability, more high-value jobs and a deeper manufacturing capacity means a more competitive, more resilient defence economy, and ultimately a safer Britain.
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