Former naval chief urges Starmer to increase UK defense spending to win Trump's support | defense policy

Keir Starmer is being urged to consider an emergency cash injection into defense and accelerate a review of Britain's planned military capabilities before Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Senior defense figures are now assessing how Trump's victory will shape the Strategic Defense Review (SDR) already underway in Whitehall, the results of which are due to be reported in the spring. The SDR comes with a critical review of public spending.

But Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves are already facing calls to rethink the immediate funding allocated to defence, amid concerns a clear plan for the future of the force may not be in place until next summer.

Starmer's promise to spend 2.5% of GDP on defense when economic conditions allow remains unfunded after the Budget. Meanwhile, the National Audit Service has already determined that the budget for new weapons and equipment over the next 10 years is $17 billion short.

Admiral Alan West. Photo: Jonathan Brady/PA

Admiral West, a former naval chief who served as Labor security secretary under Gordon Brown, told the Observer that Trump's election had created an opportunity to demonstrate Britain's commitment to strengthening its defenses amid the incoming US president's criticism of European countries. . Couldn't prioritize.

“I see it as an opportunity,” he said. Considering the political situation, it is understandable to conduct a strategic defense review. But meeting the security needs of this country will inevitably mean that more money will be needed. So why not bite the bullet and go down that path?

Historically, we have performed better than most European countries, and Trump knows it. We can lead by example. We can show that we will move straight towards 3%. [of GDP spent on defence] Because we want to show everyone the way. This will be a big checkbox, Trump will be on your side, and there will be many advantages.

West's intervention coincides with immediate concerns about Trump's support for NATO and Ukraine. One of the people involved in the strategic defense review is former White House Russia adviser Fiona Hill, whom Trump once described as a deep-state stiff with a fancy accent. Last week, the Prime Minister assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Britain's support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia was unwavering.

Professor Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director of the Royal United Services Institute and special adviser to former Labor foreign ministers Jack Straw and Margaret Beckett, said the case for a more immediate injection of cash into defense was clear. I said there is.

Assuming a reasonable increase in NHS spending after 2025-26, the Prime Minister has left little funding for other departments to deliver significant real increases, he said. Defense may be an exception to this rule, especially given the new circumstances created by Trump's election. But we have yet to see any signs of that change. Certainly, if we are talking about a defense budget that does not reach 2.5% by the end of the decade, the pressure on our defense capabilities will be significant.

Given Trump's election, there is an immediate case for Treasury to reopen the agreement this year and next. Current defense allocations are lower than Whitehall's average increase next year, which appears to be an unfavorable geopolitical reality.

West acknowledged there would be little public money to spend after a spending-boosting tax hike budget, but said painful cuts would have to be made elsewhere. He said protecting our country and its people is a top priority for any government. Therefore it needs to be cut. I'm afraid it will be unpleasant and terrible. But we can't keep talking about how important national defense and security are and not do anything about it.

A government spokesman said: As threats grow, the world becomes more unstable and technology changes the nature of warfare, this Government will always do whatever is necessary to defend this country. That's why the budget increases real defense spending by $2.9 billion next year and we're committed to setting defense spending at 2.5 percent of GDP. The Strategic Defense Review is progressing rapidly to look at the threats we face and the capabilities needed to meet the challenges, threats and opportunities of the 21st century.

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