Defence becomes a greater public spending priority for Britons as trust in Labour on defence declines

• 33% of British adults now think defence and the armed forces should be prioritised to receive more public spending, representing a 13-point increase since May 2026.
• Nearly half of the population (47%) believe government spending on defence should be increased, climbing 10 percentage points from last month.
• Only 28% of Britons trust the Labour Party to have the right policies on defence, down from 41% in May 2024. 

Sharp rise in support for military investment
Public appetites for expanding the defence budget have rebounded after a dip in the spring. 

• 47% of British adults say government spending on defence and the Armed Forces should be increased, even if this means extra borrowing, higher taxes, or cuts to other services—up from 37% in May 2026.
• Around 1 in 4 (24%) believe spending should stay about the same, dropping from 40% recorded just one month prior.
• 14% think military spending should be decreased, in line with the 15% seen in May.
• Defence has overtaken housing to become the third highest public service investment priority at 33% (+13 points from May), trailing only Border and immigration control at 34% (+7 points) and the NHS at 58% (-4 points). 

Erosion of trust in political leadership on defence
Trust in the Labour Party to lead on national security has declined over the course of its two years in power.

• Trust in the Labour Party's defence policies has declined from 41% in May 2024 down to just 28% today.
• 1 in 3 Britons (33%) trust the Conservative Party to have the right policies on defence, making them the most trusted party on the issue, followed closely by Reform UK at 30% and the Labour Party at 28%. The Liberal Democrats and The Green Party lag at 24% and 21%, respectively.
• At least half of Britons (51% or higher) state they do not trust any of the major political parties on this issue.
• Looking at individual political figures, Kemi Badenoch is the most trusted on defence policy at 32%, followed by Nigel Farage at 30% and Labour-leader frontrunner Andy Burnham at 29%. Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer stands at 25% trust, with 59% saying they do not trust his policies very much or at all. 

Commenting on the findings, Caroline Paskell, Research Director at Ipsos in the UK said: 

The British public’s focus on defence spending has intensified dramatically this month, reversing the softer stance we observed in May. With nearly half of the public now supportive of an increased defence budget, even when explicitly confronted with fiscal trade-offs like higher taxes or borrowing, national security has returned to the forefront of the political agenda. This shift presents a dual challenge for Westminster, as Labour has experienced a notable slide in public confidence on defence since 2024, and no single party commands clear majority support when it comes to safeguarding the nation. The government's immediate hurdle will be restoring lost public confidence in its defence strategy and investment plans; successfully balancing this rising demand for military spending against competing priorities will require them to engage more thoroughly with the public in the trade-offs and choices we detect when it comes to defence.

Notes:
•    Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,142 online British adults aged 18+. Polling was conducted online between 12–16 June 2026. 
•    Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.