Guns or Butter: Rethinking the Balance Between Defence and Development

On Wednesday 25th June, to mark Armed Forces Day, the Coalition for Global Prosperity brought together leading voices from politics, defence, and international development for a timely panel discussion: Guns or Butter: The Future of UK Defence and Development.

As the UK navigates aid cuts alongside increased defence spending, the conversation explored how these two vital areas can — and must — work in tandem to build a safer and more secure world. Panellists agreed: the less we invest in tackling poverty, fragility, and insecurity upstream, the more we will spend responding to crises downstream. Or, as one speaker put it, “cutting aid means spending more on bullets.”

But this was no one-sided debate. The panel engaged seriously with the challenges of spending effectively — recognising the need for accountability, prioritisation, and strategic clarity as the UK government works within constrained budgets.

From post-conflict reconstruction in Afghanistan to the urgent recovery efforts in Ukraine, the discussion brought to life the real-world impact of smart defence-development cooperation. It was a powerful reminder that long-term security is built not just with military force, but with stability, opportunity, and hope.

We were honoured to be joined by The Rt Hon. Tobias Ellwood VR, Aliona Hlivco, Alex Ballinger MP, and David Reed MP. The discussion was expertly chaired by Lt Col Dean Canham OBE.