Labour peer George Robertson – author of the landmark Strategic Defence Review- has today aimed all of his guns at Starmer and his government for “corrosive complacency” on defence. The Defence Investment Plan was meant to set out funding for the SDR’s proposals – it has been delayed by half a year so far…
Robertson was Defence Secretary from 1997 to 1999 and NATO Secretary General from then until 2003. He has trailed remarks from a speech to be given tonight in the FT:
“There is a corrosive complacency today in Britain’s political leadership. Lip service is paid to the risks, the threats, the bright red signals of danger — but even a promised national conversation about defence can’t be started.
We are underprepared. We are underinsured. We are under attack. We are not safe . . . Britain’s national security and safety is in peril.”
Robertson has it in for Rachel Reeves, who he points out used “a mere 40 words on defence in over an hour” in her Budget speech and in the Spring Statement “she used none.” In addition he accuses “non-military experts in the Treasury” of “vandalism”…
He adds: “We cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget.” Something that has been blindingly obvious to some of us for something approaching decades now – while main domestic plank of Starmer’s government has been increasing spending on benefits…
The day after Starmer U-turned and refused to blame Trump for the war Rachel Reeves told the Mirror:
“Obviously no sensible person is a supporter of the Iranian regime, but to start a conflict without being clear what the objectives are and not being clear about how you are going to get out of it, I do think that is a folly and it is one that is affecting families here in the UK but also families in the US and around the world.”