TUC back calls for greater investment in public service wages over military spending

Trade union delegates have voted in favour of a motion calling for greater investment in public services and higher wages, rather than increasing military spending.

The motion, put forward by the University and Colleges Union (UCU) at the TUC Congress in Brighton, called on the conference to “campaign for sustained public investment in health, education, housing, social care, social security and climate resilience”, whilst opposing any attempt to introduce compulsory military service in the UK.

Delegates narrowly backed a motion in a card vote at last year’s Congress opposing the government’s increase in defence spending.

It comes around a month until Andy Burnham’s first Budget, which is expected to see a continued commitment to deliver on pledges to increase defence spending amid growing geopolitical tensions.

Polling for LabourList earlier this year, conducted by Survation, found that almost three-quarters of Labour members support an increase in defence spending to deal with international threats.

READ MORE: Labour Party Conference 2026: Full LabourList events programme, revealed

Jo Grady, general secretary of the UCU, was vocal in her criticism of the increase in military spending and said: “Every pound spent on bombs doesn’t get a homeless person off the street. It doesn’t build a new school. It doesn’t feed a hungry child. It doesn’t help a desperate NHS, a crumbling transport infrastructure or the crucial programme of insourcing we need.”

However Community member Andrew Gutteridge, who previously served in the armed forces, called on delegates to oppose the motion and: “We all want our world to be more peaceful, but that is not the reality of the world we’re living in. We instead live in a world where strong men want to dominate others – and while those men exist, it will be the armed forces that need to defend us.”

In a social media post shortly after the vote, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said: “In a dangerous and volatile world, our Labour government is investing in defence – with the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.

“I’ve seen first hand in Ukraine the consequences of war and it is vital we strengthen our deterrence to prevent another.

“As we do so, we’re reindustrialising Britain – fulfilling the PM’s commitment to growth in every postcode – and we’re buying British, delivering new jobs, skills, apprenticeships and opportunities for young people from a wide range of backgrounds.

“Those in any doubt about the value of that investment to our people should ask our reps in GMB, Unite, and Prospect. Labour values in action.

“I’m happy to sing the red flag, but this Labour government won’t wave the white flag.”

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