A former NATO secretary general has issued a stark warning that Britain's national security is "in peril" due to what he describes as "corrosive complacency" within the government's defense strategy.
Lord George Robertson, who also served as Labour's defense secretary and authored the government's Strategic Defence Review (SDR), will deliver a speech on Tuesday accusing "non-military experts in the Treasury" of "vandalism" through funding delays. While the SDR was published in June last year, the critical 10-year investment plan to implement its recommendations remains stalled.
"We cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget," Lord Robertson will state in his Salisbury address. "We are underprepared. We are underinsured. We are under attack. We are not safe... Britain's national security and safety is in peril."
He further criticizes political leadership for paying "lip service" to security threats while failing to initiate promised national conversations about defense.
The government has defended its position, with a spokesperson noting the SDR is "backed by the largest sustained increase in defense spending since the Cold War," with over £270 billion allocated across this Parliament. Current defense spending stands at 2.3% of GDP (approximately £66 billion), with targets to reach 3% by the end of the next Parliament and 3.5% on core defense by 2035.
In contrast, welfare spending is projected at 10.6% of GDP (£322.6 billion) for 2025-2026, highlighting the budgetary tensions Lord Robertson references.
The strategic review outlined ambitious goals including a NATO-first defense policy, enhanced war-fighting readiness, and creation of a "new hybrid Royal Navy" with an £11 billion annual budget for frontline equipment. However, implementation has been hampered by internal government disagreements over funding.
Political reactions have been mixed but concerned. Labour MP Tan Dhesi, chair of the House of Commons Defence Committee, called the warning "sobering," noting that "the government's rhetoric promising action does not yet align with reality." Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch expressed agreement, suggesting her party would "repurpose funds from net zero projects to invest in our military."
General Sir Richard Barrons, co-author of the SDR, echoed concerns about the "enormous gap" between current capabilities and what's needed for national security. He warned that European NATO members must prepare to do more as U.S. involvement decreases, stating bluntly: "The US cavalry is not coming to bail us out now."
The warnings come amid heightened global tensions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration secured a NATO agreement to increase defense spending to 5% of economic output by 2035. Despite this commitment, Trump has threatened to withdraw U.S. support from the alliance.
Chief of the Defence Staff Sir Richard Knighton recently described the current period as "probably the most dangerous time of the last 30 years," though he rejected claims that the UK was ill-prepared for Middle East conflicts. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has consistently ruled out direct UK military involvement in regional conflicts, including refusing to join U.S. military actions in the Strait of Hormuz.
As the defense investment plan remains delayed, Lord Robertson's intervention adds to growing pressure on the government to translate strategic ambitions into funded reality.