Britain risks being unprepared for global conflict, former ConservativedefenceministerTobias Ellwoodhas warned, accusing ChancellorRachel Reevesof leaving the country dangerously exposed by resisting calls for higher defence spending. Mr Ellwood believes refusing to invest further in the armed forces reveals a Treasury “out of touch with reality” at a time when global threats are escalating.
Mr Ellwood told Express.co.uk: “There is a symbiotic relationship between our economy and our security.Land Rover Jaguaris a great example of just how grey-zone warfare is bypassing the battlefield and we are being struck directly.
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"Our society is vulnerable and it needs protecting; for the Treasury not to understand that refusing to invest further in our defence posture really just shows how out of touch it is with reality.”
The warning comes amid a standoff between the Treasury and the Ministry of Defence, with service chiefs highlighting a £28bn shortfall in funding needed to maintain NATO commitments and meet evolving Russian threats.
Mr Ellwood, a former British Army officer, said the UK cannot afford to follow a “Whitehall bubble” mentality, arguing that ministers must respond to real-world dangers rather than focus narrowly on fiscal constraints.
He added: “Our world is certainly getting more dangerous, and we need to prepare for it. It shouldn't be the Treasury that's guiding this. The Prime Minister made it very clear in Munich that it's time to invest more in defence; on top of that, every single other European country is doing the same. Why on earth would we think that we know better and then do differently?”
Mr Ellwood stressed the need for a national, non-partisan approach, urging Prime MinisterKeir Starmerto take the lead in coordinating support across political lines.
Mr Ellwood said: “If I were Keir Starmer, I'd be inviting the other leaders in to say, ‘Look, it is in British interests for us to get this right.’ There is no extra money and we are not growing, therefore we're going to have to find the funds from somewhere.”
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
