Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to boost defence spending by 5% to meet NATO targets (Image: Getty)
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Following the release of the National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) concerns have emerged over the UK’s readiness for a major military conflict, especially in light of escalating global tensions.
Speaking on The Division Bell podcast, The Express’ defence reporter Conor Wilson warned “the British public is not as worried as they should be about how close we are to war”.
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He went on to say: “It’s now feasible we’ll be in the range of a missile, and we don’t have the defences to counter that threat”.
Despite PM Sir Keir Starmer pledging to boost defence spending by 5% to meet NATO targets, Wilson described the plans as “smoke and mirrors”, pointing out that money alone wasn’t enough.
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“The British defence industry can’t magic drones and equipment overnight,” he said. “And the MoD has a terrible track record when it comes to delivering kit on time or within budget.”
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To highlight the issue, Wilson revealed that military contracts worth over ￡20 million take roughly six and a half years to deliver equipment into soldiers’ hands. And, even if Britain had top-tier weapons it’s not just equipment that we need but the infrastructure to transport it. We could have the best bullets, bombs and soldiers but, as Wilson pointed out if “you can’t move them over bridges that will only tolerate 18 tons” – then what?
While Britain wouldn’t be alone in being unprepared for a potential conflict, the reality of our position is “depressing”.
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When asked about troop numbers, Wilson quipped the British Army has “less than the crowd of a Taylor Swift concert – and probably about 10% of those are not medically deployable”.
He also pointed to a troubling recruitment crisis, citing research that found a military career is seen as only slightly less attractive than working at McDonald’s or KFC.
Still, there is some hope. Wilson agreed with hosts of The Division Bell, Lizzy Buchan and Christian Calgie, that in the event of war, our patriotic spirit would come back in full force.