The battle for defence

Michael Crick, who is in Dudley with Nigel Farage, notes that the Ukip leader is breaking with recent tradition by focusing his speech squarely on defence and spending on the armed forces.

David Cameron is under immense pressure from both his own MPs and former generals to guarantee that the Conservatives will continue to spend at least 2 per cent of Britain’s national income on defence in their manifesto.

Ukip meanwhile are attempting to brand itself as “the party of defence” with Mr Farage joining the party’s defence spokesman Mike Hookem MEP to say that they would “plough a cumulative £16bn extra intro defence during the course of the next parliament”, a pledge the Conservatives will be keen to dismiss.

Ukip also say they will create a “stand alone minister” for veterans and a create a medal – the NDM – for all those who have served their country.