Strategic Defence Review: UK committed to military presence in Gibraltar

In his foreword to the Strategic Defence Review, the Prime Minister announces the "largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War" - rising to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2027.

Sir Keir Starmer says this will "enable the UK to step up, to lead in NATO, and take greater responsibility for our collective self-defence".

The review cites threats such as "war in Europe, growing Russian aggression, new nuclear risks, and daily cyber-attacks at home".

The UK promises to reform, invest, and act - including by increasing its attack submarine fleet to up to 12, and providing up to £1 billion of new funding to enhance the UK's air and missile defence.

It will also make a a £1.5 billion investment in munition and energetics factories to boost Euro-Atlantic security, and create up to 7,000 long-range weapons.

So what role does Gibraltar play?

The Strategic Defence Review says "The UK’s Overseas Bases remain a critical element of the IGDN [Integrated Global Defence Network] in defending UK sovereign territory, shaping UK interests, supporting global crisis response, and enabling enduring relationships and cooperation between the UK and partner nations".

It says the "Sovereignty over the Territories must be protected against all challenges so that, for those who live in the Territories as British nationals, their right of self-determination is upheld".

This includes, "Maintaining the UK military presence in Gibraltar, including for maritime force protection operations, upholding the sovereignty of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, as well as providing a base at a strategic location at the western entrance to the Mediterranean to provide critical support to UK—and allied— military objectives".

The Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard, says "Gibraltar remains a vital forward base" - the UK's "gateway between the Mediterranean and Atlantic - and a cornerstone of NATO's southern flank".