Transition Security Project

transitionsecurity.orgTransition Security Project

16 Oct 2025

While the US & Europe ramp up military spending, millions live in poverty. Today, we launch Transition Security Project, investigating how militarisation makes us poorer and less safe amid climate crisis — and what genuine security could look like. 🧵 transitionsecurity.org

lbc.co.ukSending jets to defend Saudi Arabia does nothing but drive up bills at home | LBCBacking Saudi Arabia again risks more fighting and higher energy prices. A government promising to tackle the cost of living should be working to contain the conflict through diplomacy and de-escalati...

Britain is sending fighter jets to support Saudi Arabia's war on Yemen, in a move that will only further escalate conflict in the region. The British public should not have to foot the bill for this brutal war, argues Kevin Cashman for @lbc.co.uk👇 www.lbc.co.uk/article/send...

Saudi Arabia's war on Yemen has plunged millions into a humanitarian crisis. Instead of ending its involvement, Britain is doubling down. Read the letter we organised on behalf of 10 trade unions calling on the UK to end military cooperation with the KSA: tribunemag.co.uk/2026/09/trad...

A group of the biggest public sector unions have warned the Budget should not make cuts to finance defence. Our analysis found the Defence Investment Plan could lead to a net loss of over 20,000 jobs 👇 transitionsecurity.org/buying-the-d...

One year ago, @cmmonwealth.bsky.social and @cplusc.bsky.social founded Transition Security Project to investigate the UK & US military industrial complexes — and understand how they threaten our economies, climate and global safety. Here’s what we’ve been up to since then 🧵

theguardian.comBurnham urged to tackle cost of living crisis by pressuring Trump to end Iran warTrade unions say UK prime minister must begin by revoking permission for US to use RAF bases for airstrikes in Gulf

We are also working closely with trade unions who have mobilised against militarisation. Read the letter we organised on behalf of ten unions calling on Andy Burnham to reject UK support for the US-Israeli war on Iran: www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Europe and North America need security policies capable of addressing the economic and climate threats of our time — not ones that waste billions on the outdated pursuit of global military dominance. Follow us to stay in the loop on how we get there.

the1a.orgThe environmental cost of the war in IranThe war has unleashed over 5 million tons of carbon in just two weeks.

We have also helped break down the catastrophic effects that militarisation and global interventions are having on lives around the globe. In March, TSP co-director Patrick Bigger broke down the environmental impacts of the US-Israeli war on Iran on NPR: the1a.org/segments/the...

Beyond media work, we are advising politicians on both sides of the Atlantic on how to counter militarisation, understand the tradeoffs created by soaring military budgets, and advocate for security policies that value economic/climate resilience over global projections of military force.

transitionsecurity.orgA Future Beyond Bases: Imagining Military Conversion in HawaiʻiThe potential for military base conversion in Hawaiʻi

Our work on alternatives to militarism has also included innovative new interactive projects, which have explored the possibility of repurposing military sites at Glasgow shipyards and US bases in Hawai'i to serve a just transition. transitionsecurity.org/a-future-bey...

One year on, these interventions are starting to change how we talk about militarism. Our work has featured in leading global media outlets >60 times, helping dispel the myths used to justify soaring military budgets in Europe/N America. bsky.app/profile/tran...

Transition Security Project@transitionsec.bsky.social

“Who should [the public] believe ... the current government or military chiefs?” “Actually, neither.” Our Co-Director Khem Rogaly on @lbc.co.uk 👇

In the US, we’ve researched the devastating climate impacts of Pentagon operations — from the war on Iran to mining projects. We’ve also investigated union and employment rates in the military industry, which have plummeted even as military spending soars: transitionsecurity.org/labor-of-the...

transitionsecurity.orgSunrise After the BlockadeCheap solar could help Cuba break free of US energy dominance — and the world should help pay for it

We have also published work that explores what a green, global response to American politics of coercion and energy dominance would look like. Read about our work on the US energy blockade of Cuba, which was covered by CNN 👇 transitionsecurity.org/sunrise-afte...

Across Europe and North America, governments have announced a rapid expansion of their military budgets. Since we launched, we've published sixteen research projects and a ten-part essay series examining the effects of militarisation.

In the UK, we’ve investigated the soaring military budget to show how much money is spent on an outdated global military posture and wasted on failed contracts. Our research has shown that funding this budget through cuts will cost thousands of jobs 👇 transitionsecurity.org/buying-the-d...

patreon.comPosturing to the World - Britain's 'defence' budget w/ Khem Rogaly | Politics Theory OtherIn the midst of an ever increasing drumbeat of commentary predicting a major European war, and demands that military spending be increased t

Listen to TSP co-director Khem Rogaly discuss our latest report on the costs of Britain's outdated interventionist military strategy on @poltheoryother.bsky.social:

Politics Theory Other@poltheoryother.bsky.social

📢 💥NEW EPISODE 📢 💥 - Khem Rogaly of @transitionsec.bsky.social joins PTO to talk about the doubling Britain's military budget amidst an ever increasing drumbeat of commentary predicting a major European war:

theguardian.comMinisters preparing to slash heat pump subsidies to fund defence spendingExclusive: Some of £2bn savings needed from energy budget expected to come from boiler upgrade scheme, sources say

The government should not cut vital climate programmes to fund further increases to the wasteful military budget. Our research shows that cuts used to fund military spending lead to job losses overall. Read more below. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

transitionsecurity.org/buying-the-d...

transitionsecurity.orgBuying the Dip: The Defence Investment Plan Will Lead to Domestic UnemploymentThe “defence dividend” promised by the UK Government will not materialise.

@poltheoryother.bsky.social

When we're told the UK has had a ‘peace dividend’, we must realise that our military budget is higher in real terms than it was during the Cold War. Khem Rogaly breaks down myths about Britain's soaring military spending on @novaramedia.com.

Transition Security Project reposted

Politics Theory Other

"the US, NATO and their global allies account for four fifths of the world’s military expenditure. Even excluding the US, the rest of NATO spends almost as much as all states not aligned with the US combined." - @transitionsec.bsky.social

"3.5% doesn't represent anything. There's no document you can find which says, 'this is why we need 3.5% of GDP for the military...' We're spending an extra £280 billion over the next decade just to meet this artificial target." TSP's Khem Rogaly spoke to @novaramedia.com about our new report.

transitionsecurity.orgPosturing to the World: The Costs of Britain’s Global Military and Expansive StrategyBritain’s military wastes billions each year on global deployments and procurement failures.

“Rather than being primarily structured around the literal defence of the country, our military is unusually equipped to fight thousands of miles from our shores.” @owenjones.bsky.social covers our new report for @zeteo.uk. Read the full report here 👇 transitionsecurity.org/posturing-to...

Zeteo UK@zeteo.uk

“Listening to politicians and generals, you would think that our armed forces were on their knees. In fact, Britain has the world’s sixth-largest military budget.” @owenjones.bsky.social asks why Britain is spending billions projecting military power overseas. Subscribe: zeteo.uk/p/theyre-lyi...

theguardian.comUK’s military needs to focus spending on domestic defence, not overseas missions – reportExclusive: Thinktank says Britain’s drive towards global commitments is symptom of ‘outdated foreign policy’

“The billions Britain wastes on global military deployments every year symbolise its destructive, outdated foreign policy... Britain should end its support for these attempts at global policing.” TSP's Khem Rogaly on our new report, featured in @theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Transition Security Project reposted

Anna Stavrianakis

@annastavrianakis.bsky.social

What is “defence” spending for? This is the sort of public intervention we desperately need, from the excellent @transitionsec.bsky.social

Transition Security Project@transitionsec.bsky.social

NEW: Keir Starmer declared last year that the “peace dividend” was over, promoting the myth that Britain’s military spending has declined since the end of the Cold War. Our latest report shows this simply isn’t true. 🧵

Transition Security Project reposted

David Wearing

@davidwearing.bsky.social

I'm a Fellow of @transitionsec.bsky.social and I strongly endorse this analysis. There's a lot of performative Seriousness from pundits and politicians on military spending. It's time we had a genuinely serious conversation around these issues, and I hope this new report can help to stimulate one.

Transition Security Project@transitionsec.bsky.social

Transition Security Project reposted

Louis Willis

@louiswillis.bsky.social

Important work. The UK faces real threats, but there’s also a real risk that in rushing to meet arbitrary targets we fail to apply the same level of scrutiny to defence that we do to the rest of government spending. With other capital budgets already being cut to fund the DIP, that can’t continue.

Transition Security Project@transitionsec.bsky.social

Our report presents new data on the costs of Britain’s global force projection, nuclear posture and wasteful procurement. Britain must end support for offensive military operations around the world and reject demands to increase military spending based on an arbitrary target.

Read the full report below: transitionsecurity.org/posturing-to...

Despite this, Britain has planned a vast increase in military spending. Over the next decade, Britain plans to add £279 billion to the military budget, seven times the value of the Affordable Homes Programme.

Britain’s military spending plan is not designed around specified defensive needs, but instead to increase spending to an arbitrary target: 3.5 per cent of GDP. This simply means increasing the military budget relative to the size of the national economy.

There is also the problem of mismanagement and waste. Since 2010, Britain’s MoD has wasted £14 billion on cancelled programmes — pouring billions into obsolete, unnecessary or faulty weapons.

It is a myth that Britain and its allies are being underfunded. The US, NATO and their allies account for four fifths of the world’s military expenditure.

Britain maintains a global military posture, with bases on five continents, retaining the capacity to intervene anywhere in the world. This policy of global force projection cost, conservatively, over £14 billion last year.

Britain has also spent more than £51 billion on wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and related operations since 2001. Last year, it spent nearly £3 billion sustaining its global military deployments.

Britain’s military budget is larger in real terms today than it was in the 1980s. Yet the government has used the idea that the military lacks resources to justify doubling its budget over the next decade. Our research presents new data asking: where is all this money going?

Our Co-Director @patrickmbigger on Israel’s ecocide in Gaza for @zeteouk 👇

Zeteo UK@zeteo.uk

“The assault has been not only on the people of Gaza, but on the environment that makes life possible.” Patrick Bigger examines Gaza’s destroyed farmland, polluted water and toxic air, making the case for ecocide. zeteo.uk/p/ecocide-in...

Transition Security Project reposted

Zeteo UK

@zeteo.uk

newint.orgMilitary budgets paint a target on social spendingThe US is pushing Europe to choose warfare over welfare. Now is the time to reassess NATO membership, argues Kevin Cashman.

TSP's Kevin Cashman in the New Internationalist:

New Internationalist@newint.bsky.social

If meeting obscene military spending targets means cutting hospitals and welfare, it’s time to reassess NATO membership, argues Kevin Cashman of the @transitionsec.bsky.social.

tribunemag.co.ukTrade Unionists to Burnham: End Military Collaboration With Saudi ArabiaTen of the country's leading unions tell the government to end support for the war on Yemen.

In a letter organised by Transition Security Project, 10 unions call for Andy Burnham to end Britain’s military support for Saudi Arabia, due to the war crimes it has committed in Yemen @tribunemagazine.bsky.social 👇 tribunemag.co.uk/2026/09/trad...

🚨NEW🚨: Ten unions call for Andy Burnham to end Britain’s military support for Saudi Arabia, due to the war crimes it has committed in Yemen. The unions also argue that, contrary to government claims, “Escalating this war will make our bills more expensive”.

politicshome.comTrade Unions Call On Burnham To End 'Military Collaboration' With Saudi ArabiaExclusive: Ten trade unions have signed an open letter to Andy Burnham calling on his government to end its 'military collaboration' with Saudi Ara...

Our Co-Director Khem Rogaly told @politicshome.bsky.social: “Saudi interventions in Yemen have relied on British military support for more than a decade, leaving a legacy of war crimes and humanitarian crisis that has killed hundreds of thousands of people”. www.politicshome.com/news/article...

transitionsecurity.orgBritain should end its military collaboration with Saudi ArabiaTen trade unions call on the British government to end its military support for Saudi Arabia.

Read the letter in full: transitionsecurity.org/update/brita...

Transition Security Project reposted

David Wearing

@davidwearing.bsky.social

17 Sept

New report out today co-authored by me and colleagues at @caatuk.bsky.social and @transitionsec.bsky.social We call for Britain to pay reparations to the Yemeni people for its complicity in Saudi war crimes and IHL violations during the 2015-22 intervention. caat.org.uk/publications...

caat.org.ukCAAT - Reparations for Yemen – a proposal for a windfall tax on British arms companies that enabled Saudi war crimesThis report, jointly published by CAAT and the Transition Security Project, argues that Britain should pay reparations to the people of Yemen for its role in crimes committed against them by Saudi Ara...

Transition Security Project reposted

simonegasperin.bsky.social

@simonegasperin.bsky.social

Finmeccanica used to make trains, electronics, energy technologies and machinery. Its privatisation and militarisation into Leonardo foreshadows the economic disaster awaiting Europe as it rearms its industry. More in the essay I wrote for @transitionsec.bsky.social /@cmmonwealth.bsky.social

Transition Security Project@transitionsec.bsky.social

NEW: European NATO members are set to raise military and security spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. Simone Gasperin tells the four-decade cautionary tale of Leonardo and explores the economic risks of European rearmament 🧵 transitionsecurity.org/leonardos-st...

Italy’s story is a warning. In the 1990s, Finmeccanica, a powerful instrument of technological development was transformed through privatisation and militarisation into Leonardo, a military contractor. Many of the benefits of a diverse civilian manufacturing sector were lost.

transitionsecurity.orgLeonardo’s Story: The Limitations of Military Industrial Policy and the Risks of European RearmamentThe privatisation and militarisation of Italian manufacturing is a warning to Europe today.

The transformation of Finmeccanica is a lesson for the present. Europe needs an industrial strategy that builds a diversified and resilient economy — not one that turns civilian capacity towards war production. Read the essay on our website. transitionsecurity.org/leonardos-st...

Germany and Italy have both recorded falling industrial output every year since 2023. One proposed solution is to redirect spare civilian industrial capacity towards military production — in Germany, France and Italy, legacy automotive sites are already being repurposed.

But this militarisation of industry won't solve the crisis in civilian manufacturing. Shifting public resources towards military procurement risks further weakening civilian industry — leaving Europe more dependent on foreign markets and technology, with lower living standards.