TEACHERS demanded welfare not warfare today as the National Education Union (NEU) urged ministers to oppose Donald Trump’s demands for Britain to spend 5 per cent of gross domestic product on the military.

The US president has said that Nato defence spending rising to 5 per cent of GDP — meaning £131 billion for Britain — would be a “big win” for the West.

Delegates passed a motion warning that ever-higher expenditure on arms would inevitably mean less money for public services and the green transition.

“British participation in the F-35 programme implicates it in Israel’s grave violations of international law in Gaza,” it points out.

Moving the motion, NEU executive delegate Debs Gwynn noted that while education spending has dropped by 10 per cent since 2010-11, military spending is due to rise from £62.2bn last year to £73.5bn by 2028-29.

“In the meantime we have more foodbanks than we’ve ever had,” she said. 

“We have schools that are feeding children on a daily basis. We are not just feeding children, we are washing their clothes for them because their families cannot afford their electricity and gas any more.

“This is disgusting in the sixth-biggest economy in the world.”

Delegates applauded as Ms Gwynn derided right-wing claims that wealth taxes would lead to an exodus of the super-rich, adding: “We have a Labour government which is prioritising violence over welfare.”

NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede said: “There is continued underinvestment in Britain’s public services, education, health, local government and the green transition.”

Proposals for military spending increases “should not be used as a reason to divert resources away from public services,” he added.