Lord Stirrup called for the government to “row back” on the “ever-increasing social provision at the expense of defence”.
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LBC
The Former Chief of the Defence Staff has warned that “we need to get our act together very quickly or we’re going to be standing into serious danger”.
Lord Stirrup, who held Britain’s most senior military role between 2006 and 2010, criticised the government for not sufficiently investing in the country’s defence.
He echoed comments made by former Nato chief Lord George Robertson, who said the UK is underprepared for war due to the “ever-expanding welfare budget” and “corrosive complacency” from Sir Keir Starmer’s government.
Speaking to LBC’s Andrew Marr, the ex-Armed forces chief said: “This government is the one which says, rightly, that the security of the nation and its people is their first priority. Well, it’s all very well to say that, but you need to back that up with deeds, and so far they’re not doing it.”
Read more: Starmer accused of ‘corrosive complacency’ on defence by former Nato chief
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Alamy
Lord Stirrup said that “we need 2.5% immediately”, referring to the percentage of GDP spent on defence.
The government has committed to this increase by 2027/28, with additional accounting changes for intelligence spending projected to bring total national security expenditure to 2.6% of GDP.
Lord Stirrup added: “There is clearly a big gap between the cost of the current programme and the available resources. People have been talking about a £28 billion gap that needs to be closed. That’s the first thing.”
“We then need to get to, I would suggest, 3% of GDP by the end of this Parliament, with a clear commitment to get to 3.5% of GDP by the middle of the next Parliament,” he added.
To find the public money to fund the increase in defence spending, Lord Stirrup pointed towards social welfare spending.
He said: “For decades now we have funded ever-increasing social provision at the expense of defence. And I’m afraid there has to be some rowing back on that now.
“There’d be no good providing all the social services that people would like if we’re not secure, if we’re not safe.”
Asked whether this should include looking at the pension triple lock, Lord Stirrup said: “I think we should be looking at everything.”
He also called on the government “to lead” and communicate the need for increased defence spending to the public.
He said: “The government keeps saying we need to have a serious and hard conversation with the British people about the need for defence. And of course, I entirely agree with them.
“Unfortunately, the government says these sorts of things in places like Munich and Bahrain. It doesn’t say it back here.”
He added: “We have a particular challenge with the younger generation, which is, I think, where the support for increased defence expenditure is probably lowest and there is a real job to be done here, governments are there to make difficult decisions, to lead.”
