The UK defence secretary, Wes Streeting, has revealed he began stockpiling food and water weeks ago in preparation for a national emergency, saying he wants to "lead by example" as his department ramps up spending.
Streeting told the Times that he has stocked up on baked beans, sweetcorn, red kidney beans, tuna, protein bars and nuts, as well as bottled water, a first aid kit and a battery-powered torch. He said his mother had asked how much she needed to buy, and he was "glad that people are beginning to think about their own household resilience".
The defence secretary, who recently urged all Britons to follow suit, said he wants the UK to be able to deter its adversaries and, "should deterrence fail, to be ready to defeat them". He also cautioned that "spending more money badly is not virtuous", calling for a balance between value for money and modernisation to ready the UK to "fight the wars ahead".
Chancellor John Healey had said he wanted defence spending to reach 3% of GDP by 2030 and 3.5% by 2035, having already asked Whitehall departments to find 1% cuts in their budgets for long-term investment to fund defence. In his first budget on Wednesday, Healey said he was fully funding the defence investment plan and reiterated the target of 3% of GDP. Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said the UK was on "a credible path towards meeting the commitment made by all Nato allies in The Hague". Healey was criticised, however, for leaving details of his plan to reach that target until next year's spending review.
In a separate matter, Streeting told the Times the courts were in the middle of an "active campaign" to "smear the reputation and integrity of our special forces". He also left the door open to scrutiny of special forces and the UK's nuclear weapons by MPs and peers on the intelligence and security committee, saying they could be trusted.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Streeting's advice represents an unusual direct appeal from a senior UK minister for citizens to prepare for a national emergency, signalling the government's assessment of elevated risks.
- The defence spending targets, 3% of GDP by 2030 and 3.5% by 2035, represent a significant increase that will require cuts in other departmental budgets, affecting public services.
- The debate over how quickly and transparently to reach those targets (Healey delayed details until the 2027 spending review) could become a political flashpoint.
Background
Streeting spoke after Chancellor John Healey delivered his first budget on 29 October 2026. Healey, who served as defence secretary under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, resigned in June 2026 over what he called inadequate funding for the defence investment plan. He now serves in Andy Burnham's government. The UK has faced rising global security threats, and Nato allies have urged increased defence spending.
Key Perspectives
Wes Streeting (Defence Secretary): Says he wants to "lead by example" and that households should stock bottled water, canned goods and torches as "commonsense things for the everyday challenges". He argues the UK must be ready to deter or defeat adversaries and that additional defence spending must be done carefully to ensure value for money.
John Healey (Chancellor): Has set targets of 3% of GDP by 2030 and 3.5% by 2035, and says he is now fully funding the defence investment plan. He has asked Whitehall departments to find 1% cuts for long-term defence investment.
Mark Rutte (Nato Secretary General): Says the UK is on "a credible path towards meeting the commitment made by all Nato allies in The Hague".
Critics of Healey's plan: Have criticised him for leaving details of how to reach the 3% target until next year's spending review.
What to Watch
- Next year's spending review, when Healey is expected to provide details of how the UK will reach 3% of GDP defence spending by 2030.
- The outcome of Healey's request for Whitehall departments to find 1% cuts, and which departments will face reductions.
- Whether Streeting's call for household resilience prompts wider government guidance or public debate on civil preparedness.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedStreeting began stockpiling food and water weeks ago for a national emergency, including the listed canned goods, protein bars, nuts and emergency supplies.World news | The Guardian: “Streeting says he started stockpiling food and water weeks ago in case of a national emergency”
- SupportedStreeting said he started setting aside supplies to “lead by example”.World news | The Guardian: “Streeting, who recently urged all Britons to follow suit, said he started setting aside the supplies because he wanted to “lead by example””
- SupportedStreeting said his mother asked how much she needed to buy and that he was glad people were thinking about household resilience.World news | The Guardian: “my mum got in touch and said ‘payday is coming up, how much do you think I need to buy because I’m just budgeting to the end of the month?’ I’m glad that people are beginning to think about their own household resilience”
- SupportedStreeting said the UK should deter its adversaries and, if deterrence failed, be ready to defeat them.World news | The Guardian: “he told the Times he was determined the UK should be able to deter its adversaries and “should deterrence fail, to be ready to defeat them”.”
- SupportedStreeting said spending more money badly was not virtuous and argued for balancing value for money with modernisation to prepare the UK to “fight the wars ahead”.World news | The Guardian: ““Spending more money badly is not virtuous,” he said. He also told the newspaper that value for money and modernisation needed to be balanced in order to ready the UK to “fight the wars ahead”.”
- Partly supportedHealey set defence-spending targets of 3% of GDP by 2030 and 3.5% by 2035.World news | The Guardian: “Streeting spoke after the chancellor, John Healey, said he wanted defence spending to reach 3% of GDP by 2030 and 3.5% by 2035”
- SupportedHealey had asked Whitehall departments to find 1% budget cuts for long-term investment to fund defence spending.World news | The Guardian: “having already asked Whitehall departments to find 1% cuts in their budgets for long-term investment to fund defence spending.”
- SupportedIn his first budget on Wednesday, Healey said he was fully funding the defence investment plan and reiterated the 3% of GDP target.World news | The Guardian: “Announcing his first budget on Wednesday, Healey said he was now fully funding the defence investment plan. He reiterated the target of defence spending reaching 3% of GDP”
- SupportedNato secretary general Mark Rutte said the UK was on “a credible path towards meeting the commitment made by all Nato allies in The Hague”.World news | The Guardian: “prompting the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, to say the UK was on “a credible path towards meeting the commitment made by all Nato allies in The Hague”.”
- SupportedHealey was criticised for leaving details of his plan to reach the target until next year’s spending review.World news | The Guardian: “But Healey was criticised for leaving details of his plan to reach that target until next year’s spending review.”
- SupportedStreeting told the Times that the courts were in the middle of an “active campaign” to “smear the reputation and integrity of our special forces”.World news | The Guardian: “telling the Times the courts were in the middle of an “active campaign” to “smear the reputation and integrity of our special forces”.”
- SupportedStreeting left open the possibility of MPs and peers on the intelligence and security committee scrutinising special forces and the UK’s nuclear weapons, saying they could be trusted.World news | The Guardian: “He also left the door open to scrutiny of special forces and the UK’s nuclear weapons by MPs and peers on the intelligence and security committee, saying they could be trusted.”