Britain has been branded 'incomplete' on defence spending by US Nato Ambassador Matthew Whitaker, a fresh warning that piles pressure on Sir Keir Starmer's government. In an interview with Sky News, Whitaker, an ally of Donald Trump, said Labour must 'do its homework' and produce a credible long-term plan to raise defence spending towards five per cent of GDP, warning the UK is not currently 'where it needs to be' to meet modern security threats.
Whitaker's Stark Assessment
'Incomplete is the grade I would give them right now – because I think there is great capacity in the UK to spend more on defence, to become more capable,' Whitaker said. 'And where Britain's history has always been to have a strong and capable and ready defence apparatus, obviously, that's not where we are today.'
He added: 'We're expecting them to do the things they need to do, long term to do their homework and to come up with a credible plan that by 2035 will get them to the five per cent. The UK is a serious ally. We want them to be more capable and more ready, and I think that they will be committed to that. But as of today, we're not quite there.'
Pressure Over Defence Investment Plan
The intervention follows criticism of Labour's defence investment plan, which failed to set a clear timetable for increasing spending to levels seen as necessary for future threats. Ministers have not confirmed when defence spending will rise to three per cent of GDP, widely regarded as a minimum benchmark for national security readiness.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said the policy had 'completely unravelled', with allies now openly questioning the government's approach. 'Despite it being months overdue, Labour still doesn't even know how to pay for it. Keir Starmer is not willing to take the tough decisions needed to keep the country safe,' Cartlidge said, according to the Daily Mail.
Funding Questions and Political Pressure
Labour faces questions over funding an estimated £15 billion increase in defence spending, with Downing Street acknowledging that savings have not yet been fully identified. Andy Burnham, expected to succeed Sir Keir Starmer in less than three weeks, is said to face immediate pressure to bridge the gap.
Whitaker said increasing economic growth was the 'simple solution' to funding defence commitments. 'The equation is quite simple: you can either grow your economy, which will create more room to spend money on defence, or you are going to have to make the difficult political choices,' he said.
Nato Leadership Question
Whitaker also emphasised US expectations for allied defence commitments under the Hague agreement, which calls for spending to reach five per cent of GDP. He said the US would continue to press all Nato allies, including Britain, to meet those targets.
Asked about Sir Keir Starmer's reported interest in a future Nato leadership role, Whitaker declined to offer support, saying there were 'a lot of great candidates' for the position. 'That position has always had a lot of interest and a lot of qualified folks and it's an abundance of riches, ultimately. So we'll just have to see how that plays out,' he said.
