LABOUR PLEDGE TO RECALIBRATE BRITAIN'S DEFENCES

Labour last night promised to recalibrate Britain's defences to thwart a 'deadly quartet' of threatening states as it launched a strategic defence review.

The party warned how Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are 'increasingly working together' against the UK's interests, so Britain must meet the challenge they pose.

But despite being pressed repeatedly, Defence Secretary John Healey refused to say when UK spending on its Armed Forces will reach the benchmark figure of 2.5 per cent of GDP.

The review will be led by former NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson, retired General Sir Richard Barrons and former US presidential advisor Dr Fiona Hill.

While Mr Healey said its findings would 'define defence for the next decade', he has already identified issues which must be tackled immediately.

The UK's Army, which is at its smallest since Napoleonic times, has been beset with recruitment and retention problems, which he said must be fixed immediately.

The review is expected to be completed by mid-2025. Mr Healey said there would then be a 'fiscal event', at which decisions on defence spending will be announced.

He said: 'At the start of a new era for Britain, we need a new era for defence. Hollowed-out armed forces, procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue.

'Meanwhile, we need to be clear eyed about the threats we face, with the world becoming more volatile and technology changing the nature of warfare.

'We will work properly but apace and have assembled the best possible combination of external experts.

'On the 2.5 per cent, which hasn't been delivered since the last Labour government, this will be settled through a fiscal event and give us a framework through which to operate.

'But let's not kid ourselves that 2.5 per cent is a magic wand that is going to solve all our problems. We face a very serious situation to be able to defend Britain better.'

Lord Robertson described the 'deadly quartet' - of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea - as 'increasingly working together' to undermine the rules based international order.

He said: 'So this country, and the NATO alliance, has got to be able to confront that particular quartet, as well as the other problems facing the world. We can bring fresh eyes and fresh thinking.'

The 'root and branch' review has been commissioned by the Prime Minister and will be overseen by Mr Healey. It will consult serving military, veterans, MPs, those in industry and analysts.

Submissions will be invited until the end of September. The review comes amid Vladimir Putin's illegal occupation of Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East and Chinese expansion in the Indo-Pacific.

Mr Healey dismissed concerns that the cohesion of NATO could be threatened by victory for Donald Trump in the November US Presidential election.

The former president, who is expected to return to the White House, has previously threatened to pull out of the defensive alliance.

The US's geo-political priorities are also expected to shift, according to many observers, from Europe to the Indo-Pacific to respond to the rise of China.

Mr Healey added: 'The UK strategy is NATO-first. The great thing about NATO, and the UK-US alliance, is that it has demonstrated the capacity to survive political ups and downs on both sides of the Atlantic.

'We will work with whatever president is elected.'

2024-07-16T00:21:37Z dg43tfdfdgfd