Three former Army chiefs have warned that Labour's defence spending plans are leaving Britain unprepared for war, urging the Government to accelerate its commitments. The warnings follow the Budget announcement in which Chancellor John Healey committed to spending 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, though details on funding were deferred to next year's spending review.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting backed the Government's record on defence on Friday, claiming "we are doing as much as we can, as fast as we can".
Former chiefs demand immediate action
General Lord Dannatt, who led the Army between 2006 and 2009, accused Labour of using what he described as "creative accounting" rather than "finding real money". He told the Telegraph: "Russia is serious, we are not. Deterring aggression by being prepared for war is the best way to keep this country safe. Find the money now, don't kick the can down the track for another year."
Field Marshal Lord Richards warned Britain doesn't have the "luxury of time", based on the Defence Secretary's own comments that the country must be ready for war in 1,000 days. Lord Richards, who was chief of the defence staff from 2010 to 2013, called on Labour to "ruthlessly prioritise".
General Sir Peter Wall, the Army chief between 2010 and 2014, also told the newspaper that the required investment to rebuild the Armed Forces is "long overdue". He warned: "Three per cent by 2030 won't deliver proper capability uplift much before 2035. We have no idea how or when that money will be spent. It's an aspiration, not a commitment. The lack of strategic urgency is shocking and will only embolden our opponents."
Budget commitments and criticism
In the Budget, Mr Healey said a £4.7billion black hole in the much-delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP) had been plugged. The funding will take Britain's spending on defence as a share of national income to 2.7% by 2027.
However, further details on the route to 3% and then the new NATO target of 3.5% by 2035 are not expected until next autumn.
Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, the Labour chair of the Defence Select Committee, criticised the Budget on Wednesday, saying the cross-party MPs had hoped for a "precise pathway" on hitting the figures. He said key decisions had been "lamentably delayed", adding "there is a cost to inaction". Mr Streeting pushed back against his comments a day later, calling the criticism "completely unfounded".
Labour claims it is bringing forward the "biggest sustained increase" in defence spending since the end of the Cold War. Mr Streeting has suggested other areas of Government could face constraints in an effort to funnel more money into defence.
