UKIP Manifesto Pledges Increase In Number Of Serving Personnel

UKIP has officially released its manifesto for the upcoming general election.

The Party pledges to spend a 'genuine' 2% on defence and to increase defence spending by £1 billion per year by the end of the parliament.

UKIP's key points on defence are:

The Party also pledges to retain Britain's independent nuclear deterrent and to improve social and health care for veterans.

UKIP remains committed to upholding the right to self-determination of the people of the Falkland Islands and plans to offer the citizens of Gibraltar a referendum on becoming fully British.

Paul Nuttall, the Party leader, says they "value the special relationship between the UK and the US" and want to work constructively with President Trump.

The launch comes three days after the bomb attack in Manchester which killed 22 people.

In a statement on their website, Party Leader Paul Nuttall wrote that "the democratic process must continue":

"We are all horrified by the horrific events that took place in Manchester. (...) But we cannot be cowed or allow our way of life to be undermined by those who wish to do us harm. These people hate the way we live, hate our freedom and hate our democracy.

"It is by prolonging the disruption to normality that we allow the terrorists to win. Politics has never been more important, politicians must deal with these issues."

The Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru have already launched their manifestos.