Boris Johnson asks Nato allies to step up spending, as Ben Wallace attacks ‘smoke and mirrors’ UK budget

PM wants ‘greater commitments’ from allies – but defence secretary wants greater commitment from No 10 and Treasury

Boris Johnson will call on Nato allies to step up their defence spending in the face of the Russia threat, despite a scathing attack from his own defence secretary Ben Wallace on the UK’s “smoke and mirrors” military budget.

The prime minister said he would “leverage” Britain’s military spending to “drive greater commitments from other people” ahead of crucial talks with fellow Nato leaders at a summit in Madrid.

But Mr Wallace said UK forces had for too long survived on “a diet of smoke and mirrors, hollowed-out formations and fantasy savings” – after calling for the PM to commit to a 20 per cent spending increase.