Who pays for Britain’s defence?

Westminster has been shaken by the resignations of Defence Secretary John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns over claims the government has failed to properly fund the Defence Investment Plan, known as the DIP, intended to pay for the ambitions set out in the defence review. Both politicians  warned that underfunding the plan risks making Britain less safe.
In the latest episode of The Security Podcast, I discuss the DIP with Harry Fullerton, a defence consultant and strategist, who once commanded the Household Cavalry Regiment.
We ask: what is the Defence Investment Plan, why does it matter, and what happens if it is not properly funded?
We also examine a harder question: in an era of drones, missiles, cyber warfare and constrained budgets, are some legacy platforms, including tanks, attack helicopters and even warships, still essential, or are they becoming too expensive to justify?
At its heart, this is a debate about priorities. If Britain wants credible defence, someone has to pay for it. The question is who, and what should be sacrificed to make it possible?