Former NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson has launched a scathing attack on the Government, warning that Britain's national security is "in peril" due to inadequate defence funding and political complacency. The ex-Labour defence secretary, who oversaw the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), accuses ministers of failing to make necessary investments, leaving the UK underprepared for potential conflicts.
A Stark Warning on National Security
In a lecture scheduled for Tuesday evening, Lord Robertson will deliver a blunt assessment of Britain's defence capabilities. He plans to state: "We are underprepared. We are underinsured. We are under attack. We are not safe... Britain's national security and safety is in peril." The former NATO chief intends to use the recent Iran war as a "rude wake-up call" for ministers to take urgent action.
Funding Gap and Political Deadlock
The criticism comes as a crucial 10-year defence investment plan, meant to implement the SDR's recommendations and originally scheduled for publication last autumn, remains unpublished. According to Financial Times reports, there is a substantial funding gap of approximately £28 billion in existing defence plans. This has created a deadlock between the Ministry of Defence, the Treasury, and Downing Street regarding how to proceed with the new decade-long strategy.
Lord Robertson specifically targets what he calls "non-military experts in the Treasury" for engaging in "vandalism" through budget decisions that compromise defence capabilities. He argues: "We cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget." The former defence secretary highlights a significant disconnect between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's rhetoric on defence and the actual actions taken by his government.
Complacency and International Concerns
The former NATO leader warns of "corrosive complacency today in Britain's political leadership," noting that while "lip service is paid to the risks, the threats, the bright red signals of danger — even a promised national conversation about defence can't be started." He also addresses shifting international dynamics, particularly referencing Donald Trump's criticism of NATO, stating: "Recent days have shown that the role and priorities of the United States have shifted, and will never be the same again."
Government Response and Commitments
In response to these criticisms, the Government has reiterated its commitment to defence spending targets. Officials point to plans to increase defence expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, rising to 3% in the next parliament, with an eventual NATO-agreed target of 3.5% by 2035. Sir Keir Starmer told MPs on Monday that the Government is working to finalise the defence investment plan, emphasising caution to avoid repeating past mistakes: "We inherited plans that were unfunded and not deliverable."
A Government spokesman defended current efforts: "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."
Despite these assurances, Lord Robertson's intervention highlights growing concerns about whether current funding levels and political will match the scale of security challenges facing the United Kingdom in an increasingly volatile global landscape.
