Ex-Nato chief behind defence review says Starmer’s military spending plan is too little, too late
Summary
The former NATO chief George Robertson criticized UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s military spending plan, saying it is too little and too late. He warned that the plan has lowered confidence in the defence industry and among NATO allies, as global threats have grown sooner than expected.Key Facts
- George Robertson led the UK government’s recent defence review and now says the new defence investment plan (Dip) is insufficient and delayed.
- The Dip was published after nearly a year’s delay and after the defence secretary John Healey resigned suddenly.
- Robertson explained that the security threat to the UK has increased and come faster than anticipated, but the plan does not match this reality.
- Defence companies may struggle financially because the government’s plan offers less certainty and support than expected.
- Starmer is attending a NATO summit in Ankara, where he may face criticism for the UK’s low defence spending compared to countries like Germany and Poland.
- Military leaders have requested £28 billion more funding beyond the initial plan; the Treasury agreed to £15 billion extra, but nearly £5 billion is still unallocated.
- Other NATO countries are explicitly setting targets to spend 3.5% or more of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence, while the UK plan lacks a clear deadline for this.
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged all members to present clear plans to meet spending goals, and President Trump expects urgent action to increase defence budgets.
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