Britain ‘alone’ in slashing military power despite World War 3 fears | Politics | News

Britain is “alone” in cutting her combat power and must urgently set out a path to boosting defence spending, ministers were warned.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Defence Secretary John Healey were told Russia has the “largest and most battle-hardened forces in the World.”

But cuts to the Ministry of Defence are getting “worse under Labour”, making Britain an outliner amongst NATO allies, critics declared.

The Government is refusing to set out a path to 2.5% GDP until June at the earliest or the target date for the crucial spending boost.

Moscow, ministers were warned, has “quickly overhauled her industry and all her forces whilst garnering lessons from her battlefield failures”.

Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge said: “It’s extraordinary that Labour are announcing a Defence Industrial Strategy on the day they’re reportedly delaying their 2.5% timetable once again, from March to June.

“With every day that 2.5% is delayed, Labour undermines the ability of our armed forces to rearm at the pace and scale they need to meet today’s threats.”

Patrick Mercer, a former British Army colonel and MP, said: “As the war developed Boris Johnson bellowed jingoistically whilst, towards the end of Tory rule, the Chief of the General Staff told the Army to prepare for a war in Europe.

“Then came the real perfidy: ongoing defence cuts weren’t reversed, they were increased with a further 10,000 combat troops being scrapped!

“Starkly, this happened as NATO countries like Poland began to expand her forces threefold, doubled her defence spending and fully mobilised her population and industry.

“Worse was to follow under Labour.

“Earlier this month John Healey, the Defence Secretary, held his hands high and said that Britain’s forces are not ‘ready to fight.’

“Then, as if to guarantee that statement, a few days ago further, swingeing defence cuts were announced right in the middle of a major escalation in Ukraine.

“A thousand days’ warfare have given Russia the largest and most battle-hardened forces in the world. They must be taken seriously.

“Yet, alone in NATO, Britain is cutting her combat power and readiness for war.

“This must stop.

“There can be no dithering in turning the Defence Secretary’s words on their head, no lengthy defence reviews which serve only as a cloak for inaction and a sinecure for aging admirals and air marshals.

“Russia has quickly overhauled her industry and all her forces whilst garnering lessons from her battlefield failures. We must learn from her and learn quickly.”

Defence Secretary John Healey admitted in October that the Armed Forces were not “ready to fight” a war and said Britain had to be “more effective” in deterring Russian aggression.

His comments came after Gen Sir Roland Walker, the head of the Army, said Britain needs to be ready to fight a major war in three years and must double its ability to kill the enemy by 2027 and triple it by the end of the decade.

Asked if Britain is “war ready”, he said: “What I’m doing is recognising that our forces need to be better equipped.

“Behind them needs to be an industry that is better able to produce what they need and innovate at the pace of wartime pressures.”

Sir Richard Moore, the head of MI6, has condemned Vladimir Putin’s “dangerous and beyond irresponsible” nuclear sabre-rattling.

He admitted the knock-on effects of Russia winning the war in Ukraine “could hardly be more serious”, adding that the Kremlin “will not stop there”.

The Ministry of Defence conceded, as it outlined its defence industrial strategy: “As we need to resupply Ukraine, we also need to restock our own Armed Forces for today and for the future.

“This Government is totally committed to setting a path to 2.5% of GDP on Defence. But we must face up to the last 14 years of hollowing out and underfunding our Armed Forces.

“The last government ducked difficult decisions, left billion-pound blackholes in defence plans, and created serious gaps in capabilities and stockpiles.

“We must also embed the lessons learned from our partnership with Ukraine on mobilising the economy at pace to meet emerging threats, evolving technologies of war, and supporting our industries to form new strategic partnerships.

“Yet the UK has fallen behind our allies in terms of aligning industrial strategy with today’s security imperatives.

“Both the EU and US are determined to take “decisive action in strengthening and modernising our defence industrial base ecosystem”. The UK must do the same – seeking to be a global leader on priority defence capabilities of the future, as well as closer collaboration with allies.”

Decisions on spending are expected to be unveiled next spring after a strategic defence review has been completed by the MoD.

Mr Healey on Monday sent a warning to hostile states that the UK has a strong defence industry “that can innovate at a wartime pace”.

A first-of-its-kind wargame began with defence businesses to ensure troops can get everything they need in intense wartime scenarios.

Firms were asked if they can get kit such as weapons, ammunition, health supplies, drone replacements and other crucial units like armoured vehicles to wherever is needed.

Former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “Can’t wait to see the details of the “new” defence industrial strategy. Especially as it looks like Labour are happy to splash our cash on overseas eco aid, shaft Belfast and Harland and Wolf and suspiciously delay the medium lift helicopter competition.

“I made sure NMH had to be assembled in UK and have at least 25% manufactured parts here.

“Let’s hope GCAP and Aukus is safe from Rachel Reeves.

“The Treasury hated my Defence Industrial strategy and did everything it could to frustrate it.

“I want John Healy to succeed but without HMT changing their “value for money” rules and bias against UK made this strategy will flounder. We should ask HMT what specifically they will be changing.

“HMT tried to block my defence industrial strategy but Boris got it over the line.

“They then spent years ignoring it and trying to frustrate what had been agreed by collective agreement of Government.

“It is also odd to announce this BEFORE and SDSR and budget?”