Former Nato chief Lord Robertson: Britain’s national security and safety is in peril
The former Labour defence secretary, who led the Government’s Strategic Defence Review (SDW), accused ministers of being unwilling to make the necessary investment.
The UK is underprepared for war due to the “ever-expanding welfare budget” and “corrosive complacency” from Sir Keir Starmer’s government, former Nato chief Lord George Robertson has warned.
The former Labour defence secretary, who led the Government’s Strategic Defence Review (SDW), accused ministers of being unwilling to make the necessary investment.
The ex-Hamilton MP, who also served as shadow Scottish secretary for four years will use a lecture on Tuesday evening to say the Iran war must be a “rude wake-up call” to ministers to act.
In the speech, Lord Robertson, who is from Islay, will say: “We are underprepared. We are underinsured. We are under attack. We are not safe… Britain’s national security and safety is in peril.”
The 10-year defence investment plan which was meant to be published in autumn last year to deliver the SDR’s plans has still not been produced.
He told the Financial Times there was a gap between the Prime Minister’s rhetoric on defence and the action he had delivered, saying Sir Keir was “not willing to make the necessary investment”.
He will accuse “non-military experts in the Treasury” of “vandalism”, according to extracts of his speech published by the newspaper.
He will say: “We cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget.”
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Lord Robertson will warn of a “corrosive complacency today in Britain’s political leadership”.
“Lip service is paid to the risks, the threats, the bright red signals of danger — but even a promised national conversation about defence can’t be started.”
Referring to Donald Trump’s criticism of Nato, the former secretary general of the alliance will say: “Recent days have shown that the role and priorities of the United States have shifted, and will never be the same again.”
The Government has committed to spend 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product on defence by 2027, increasing to three per cent in the next parliament and a Nato-agreed target of 3.5 per cent by 2035.
Sir Keir told MPs on Monday that the government is working to finalise the defence investment plan but he did not want to repeat the mistakes of previous administrations because “we inherited plans that were unfunded and not deliverable”.
The Financial Times reported that there is a funding gap of around £28 billion in the existing plans, and the Ministry of Defence, Treasury and Downing Street are deadlocked over how to proceed with the new 10-year plan.
A government spokesman said: “We are delivering on the Strategic Defence Review to meet the threats we face.
“It is backed by the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, with a total of over £270 billion being invested across this Parliament.
“We are finalising our defence investment plan that we will publish as soon as possible, putting the best kit and technology into the hands of our forces, rebuilding British industry to make defence an engine for growth and doubling down on our own commitment to Nato.”
SNP Defence spokesperson Dave Doogan MP said: "The Labour Party is threatening the security of Scotland, and the UK, at the worst possible time by repeatedly delaying vital investment in our core defence capabilities while focusing investment on Trident nuclear weapons, which will not keep Scotland safe.
“The UK government spent years cutting defence spending - reducing the size of our armed forces to record lows, dismantling our navy, slashing Scottish regiments, and hollowing out investment in essential equipment and training.
"In an increasingly uncertain world, it is shocking that the Labour Party is putting our safety in jeopardy by failing to deliver the investment needed in conventional forces, while focussing on maintaining weapons of mass destruction on the Clyde.
"The fact that senior Labour Party figures, including Lord Robertson, feel the need to speak out against Keir Starmer's 'corrosive complacency' speaks volumes.
"Keir Starmer must drop the excuses, stop dithering and bring forward necessary investment without further delay."
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