UK's defense spending plans inadequate to meet growing threats: Former defense secretary

Former UK Defense Secretary John Healey has warned that the government's defense spending plans are inadequate to meet growing security threats, arguing that Britain risks falling behind its allies at a critical moment for European security.

In his resignation speech in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Healey said the prime minister was making the right arguments on defense but insisted that funding commitments did not match the scale of the challenge, warning: "Our adversaries don't follow timetable set by the Treasury."

The speech echoed many of the themes contained in Healey's resignation letter to Keir Starmer last week.

Addressing MPs, he said: "At this dangerous time, I see the current defense investment plans falling well short of what is required, a rise of 0.08% [of GDP] from next year to 2030.

"No date for reaching 3% (of GDP spent on defense per year), no path to 3.5%. By 2030, well over half of NATO members will be spending 3% or more," he said.

"And when allies are looking for British leadership, we must not fall behind. When NATO needs European nations to step up, we must not fall short," he warned.

Healey argued that the UK needed to increase defense spending more quickly as security threats intensified.

He also sought to reassure colleagues concerned about the impact on other areas of government spending.

"I appreciate how hard this is for Cabinet colleagues, and I'm very grateful to those who support what's required," he said.

He also repeated warnings about the threat posed by Russia, saying: "We must prepare for war with Russia within the next five years."

While stressing that he approached defense on a cross-party basis, Healey criticized the Conservatives over the state of the armed forces, blaming them for the “hollowed-out legacy they left in our armed forces.”