The arms industry isn't getting enough tax payer money

John Healey resigned as Defence Secretary yesterday. He says the government isn’t spending enough tax-payer money on defence. The arms industry agrees.

Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS – the lobby group representing over 2,000 arms and aerospace businesses – called the resignation “something to lament” and that it shouldn’t take the ‘resignation of an honourable man’ for us to realise that we’re not spending enough on defence.  

The arms industry lobby is mourning a minister like a lost ally, and that tells you everything you need to know about the cosy relationship between our government and the arms industry.

CAAT’s Sam Perlo-Freeman documents that relationship in detail in his report ‘From Revolving Door to Open-Plan Office’ showing how the lines between the Ministry of Defence and the arms industry have been virtually erased.

Despite government subsidies and single-source contracts (where only one arms company is permitted to bid), it seems this relationship is still not close enough. The likes of Healey and the ADS would push us to spend more money on guns, tanks, missiles and planes, expanding global conflict rather than focusing on rebuilding international relationships and funding the diplomacy that prevents wars instead of equipping them

This is the system we’re up against – an industry that needs war to thrive, and a government that keeps the door open for it. They want to expand the arms trade and we exist to end it.

And more than just the arms, we’re challenging the entangled, self-reinforcing relationship between government and industry that makes endless military expansion feel inevitable. We’re currently in the process of raising funds to update Sam’s 2024 report with more recent findings and build stronger, more robust arguments against the malicious actors pushing us deeper into this trade.

We will keep exposing the corruption, keep doing the research, getting the word out, publishing the reports and campaigning on the streets. But we can only do that with your support. Support CAAT and help us continue to expose the arms trade and its nefarious dealings.

Warm Regards,
Hassan