- Starmer unveils long-term defence strategy amid rising global threats.
- Spending set to rise to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with no firm 3% deadline.
- Ex-army chief warns delay could leave UK dangerously underprepared.
Sir Keir Starmer’s newly announced Strategic Defence Review lays out a transformative vision for Britain’s armed forces, promising nuclear submarine expansion, renewed warhead investment, and strengthened global alliances.
However, critics argue the lack of urgency undermines the credibility of the plan. Former army chief Lord Dannatt likened the delay to Britain’s failure to rearm in time before World War II.
Defence Delay Could Cost Us, Warns Ex-Army Chief
The UK’s defence ambitions under Labour have been unveiled with bold language but cautious budgeting. Sir Keir Starmer’s government is promising sweeping reform in military readiness and deterrence, but with a timeline that some say lags behind global realities. The 2.5% spending target by 2027 lacks immediate impact, and the longer-term 3% goal is not legally binding.
Starmer insists that everything outlined in the Strategic Defence Review is deliverable within the current fiscal framework. He argues that building submarines, upgrading nuclear capabilities, and reinforcing NATO commitments will gradually restore the UK’s strategic position. Still, financial vagueness casts doubt on whether such plans can be sustained without future cuts elsewhere.
Lord Dannatt’s rebuke has amplified broader concerns across defence circles. He suggested that delaying rearmament could repeat the strategic errors of the late 1930s, making Britain vulnerable to adversaries like Russia. In his view, ambition without immediate execution risks inviting aggression rather than deterring it.
Meanwhile, allies within NATO may also question the UK’s reliability if firm financial commitments aren’t made soon. As other European nations ramp up spending in response to Ukraine, Britain’s slow path may erode its influence in multilateral defence arrangements.
Without a firm spending timeline, Starmer’s defence strategy risks becoming a bold blueprint with no immediate armour — impressive on paper but vulnerable in practice.
“It’s a little bit like saying in 1938 to Adolf Hitler ‘please don’t attack us until 1946 because we are not going to be ready’.” – Lord Dannatt
