Urgent Call to Address Defence Spending
The United Kingdom needs to be "woken up" to the threat of war, according to a former NATO secretary general, who urged the next prime minister to reconsider the level of defence spending.
Lord Robertson informed MPs that Britain's NATO allies were "disturbed" by the delay in the UK government's plan to invest in defence, describing the plan as "unconvincing."
Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced plans to increase military spending by £15 billion over the next four years, following a contentious debate over defence funding.
Sir Keir is anticipated to face pressure to accelerate defence spending at a NATO summit in Turkey this week, which is attended by US President Donald Trump.
The prime minister arrived in Ankara, Turkey, for the NATO summit on Tuesday.
Lord Robertson’s Assessment of Defence Investment Plan
Prior to the summit, Lord Robertson, the former Labour defence secretary who authored a strategic defence review for Sir Keir, presented his evaluation of the UK's defence funding plans before a committee of MPs.
He said the delay of the defence investment plan (DIP) had "caused a degree of confusion inside the Ministry of Defence and considerable disturbance in the industry as well."
Lord Robertson emphasized that the challenge of increasing military spending to meet the threats facing the UK "is now bigger, more serious, and earlier than we had anticipated, and yet the defence investment plan itself doesn't come up to it."
He stated, "There is a degree of complacency in the country as a whole, which I think is very very dangerous. People need to be woken up."
He also warned, "We need to alarm people because as the review said, we are under daily attack at the present moment and that will be ramped up."
Sir Keir has indicated that "there could be an attack by Russia on NATO as soon as 2030." The prime minister asserted that the DIP would ensure the UK is "more ready to fight and defend our nation and better prepared to win."
Defence Spending Priorities and Future Outlook
The plan prioritizes spending on the UK's nuclear deterrent and a transition towards greater use of drones and other unmanned systems within the armed forces.
Speaking to the Defence Committee on Tuesday, Lord Robertson said the UK "will have a force to fight with when the day comes," but suggested it might take a "crisis" to secure sufficient funds to engage in war.
"In this country, we need to get used to the fact we are no longer immune and we are being targeted," Lord Robertson said.
Sir Keir indicated that the DIP would be expanded upon by his successor, widely expected to be Makerfield MP Andy Burnham.
In an interview with LBC last week, Burnham affirmed his commitment to the DIP, stating he would "take my responsibilities fully to fund the defence investment plan."
He added, "If I'm in the position to do so, I will take those responsibilities extremely seriously - no compromise on the security of the nation."
The additional £15 billion in spending over four years surpasses the £13.5 billion secured by former Defence Secretary John Healey, who resigned in protest against the plans. However, it falls short of the £28 billion reportedly sought by defence chiefs.
The DIP aims to increase the military budget to 2.7% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2029, positioning the UK to meet NATO's core defence spending target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035.
Notably, the plan does not specify a target date to reach 3% of GDP in defence spending. Instead, it states that the plan to achieve the 3% target will be outlined in the next spending review, currently scheduled for the following year.
Political Perspectives and NATO Expectations
When questioned about whether Sir Keir's successor should devise a new plan to fund defence, Lord Robertson responded:
"Speaking as a politician, the new prime minister is going to have to look at the DIP again."
He added that the next prime minister will face scrutiny from NATO allies, particularly the American president, regarding the UK's plan to reach the 3% spending target.
"So the assumption by NATO and the Americans is we're going to have to plot our way towards that," Lord Robertson said. "And that is where the DIP is unconvincing."
The prime minister's spokesperson declined to speculate on the future of the DIP.
"I am not going to speak about the potential future prime minister, whoever that may be," Sir Keir's spokesperson told reporters.
"But the prime minister will make clear at the NATO summit that the UK's contribution to NATO will not waiver. Alongside NATO allies, we remain committed to reaching 3.5% of GDP on defence spending by 2035."
