Well, this is
very interesting:
Parties agree to meet NATO 2% defence budget target
The Ministry of Defence argues that the NATO figure includes spending outside of the main MOD budget such as war pensions and elements of intelligence spending, but the confusion supports those who accuse the Government of creative accounting and shows the UK is close to the line, whoever has their calculations right.
On Wednesday a group of former senior military personnel wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister to express concerns that the British armed forces are understaffed and under-equipped.
It read: "The armed services are having to seek further very damaging savings in manpower, support and training at a time when the likelihood of combat operations is increasing. These realities of the security situation must be faced."