Labour PM Sir Keir Starmer and Russian President Vladimir Putin (Image: GETTY)
Sir Keir Starmer, whose Government yesterday announced a wide-ranging defence review, is failing to recognise the urgency of the situation that the nation now faces with war raging in Eastern Europe, a former British Army officer has warned.
And Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Crawford warns any failure to prepare risks leaving the UK “woefully unprepared” in the event of all-out war.
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Meanwhile, Bryden Spurling, a defence expert with RAND Europe, said defence secretary John Healey and his colleagues face an enormous challenge in what is a rapidly evolving international situation.
Prime Minister Sir Keir reaffirmed his commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP (gross domestic product) at the NATO summit in Washington last week - although there are no specifics in terms of a time frame as yet.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Healey said the review into the UK's defence would balance the requirements for stronger national security with "sound public finances". The report is set to be published in the first half of 2025.
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READ MORE: Starmer stalls on review of nation’s defence – urgent fixes are needed now
Defence Secretary John Healey (Image: Getty)
Lt Col Crawford, who spent 20 years in the 4th Royal Tank Regiment, told Express.co.uk: “We're told we're in a "pre-war" situation but we still seem to be approaching all this with a peacetime mentality.
“In the end, you go to war with what you have, not what you'd like to have, and if the balloon goes up anytime soon we'll be woefully unprepared.
Acknowledging the war in Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East, and China’s increasing belligerence when it comes to Taiwan, he added: “Suffice to say that I think Starmer and Healey are buying time with this review to give them thinking room on whether they can deliver their manifesto commitment to defence spending being upped to 2.5 percent of GDP.”
Referring to the former Labour defence secretary who is heading up the review, Lt Col Crawford continued: “I think George Robertson and his helpers will be a good team to take this on, but it shouldn't take a year to complete it.
John Healey and George (now Lord) Robertson, who will be leading the review (Image: Getty)
“General Sir Richard Shirreff, former Deputy Commander of NATO Forces in Europe is on record as saying it should take no more than six weeks.
“Also some necessary reforms could start in parallel with the Review because everyone plus their auntie knows what they are; look after service personnel properly with a focus on upgrading service accommodation and after-service care (veterans) and sort out the defence equipment procurement processes, which are a byword for waste, inefficiency, and delay.”
Mr Spurling told Express.co.uk: “The new Labour Government has committed to a Strategic Defence Review within its first year in office.
“While there can be such a thing as too many strategic reviews, this one is important - and not just because it is a useful way for a new government to get a firm grip on the portfolio after 14 years in opposition.”
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From a planning perspective, the current era was “arguably one of the most complicated we’ve ever faced”, Mr Spurling pointed out.
He added: “We’ve seen a sharp rise in geopolitical competition, even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“And with Russia, Belarus, Iran, North Korea and China working together more actively to challenge the West, that competition is not likely to decrease any time soon.”
There were “several strategic trends all converging at once”, Mr Spurling explained.
He said: “It ideally requires a military that has the warfighting capability edge and the mass to deter and, if necessary, respond to threats by adversaries. It requires a military to be able to do that not just in the traditional sea, air and land domains but also in space and cyberspace and in emerging areas of technology like AI.
“It requires a military that has the spare capacity, and the right capability, to be able to respond to more disasters or assist government with other civil crises. And all that requires people and capability that are largely becoming more expensive.”
Good to speak with our outstanding personnel at Permanent Joint HQ & NATO’s Maritime Command.
The Strategic Defence Review - launched today - will have a ‘NATO first’ approach & place people at the heart of defence plans.
We will make Britain secure at home & strong abroad. pic.twitter.com/tbEZU8u5o7
— John Healey (@JohnHealey_MP) July 16, 2024
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Mr Healey said: "This is a defence review that will place Nato at the heart of Britain's defence policies in the future.
"We're a changed government. This is the moment of change for our defence policy and our defence strategy.
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"These external reviewers will work with the experts internally to produce what can be a fresh direction for British defence."
However, when asked whether he could commit to implementing the review's recommendations, he said he could not say in advance that he would "agree in full" with them.
He stressed: "Of course, there is no better than these three experts to lead this review for the new Government, but you can't say in advance that you're going to agree in full with all the recommendations that they may make.”
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