article_snippet: Former Army captain John Baron said claims that Britain boasts the world’s fifth largest defence budget ‘rings hollow’ when the Ministry of Defence is slashing manpower and capabilities.
article_snippet: Former Army captain John Baron, left, urged David Cameron to commit at least two per cent of the  budget to defence spending as US General Raymond Odierno warned over 'unthinkable' cuts to the British Army .
article_snippet: The Basildon and Billericay MP called on the Government to spend 3 to 4 per cent of national income on defence, saying it was ‘nonsense’ that on current projections Britain will be spending the same on defence as on foreign aid in 15 years.
article_snippet: A total of 37 MPs, the majority of whom are Tories, backed a motion in Parliament yesterday to set the defence budget at 2 per cent of national income in law, in a significant challenge to David Cameron just weeks ahead of the election.
article_snippet: A study by the impartial House of Commons library released this week revealed that current plans suggest defence spending will represent only 1.87 per cent of national income next year.
highlights_snippet: Tory MPs have warned Government about cuts in defence spending .
  
highlights_snippet: MPs said defence spending could come at the expense of foreign aid .