The instability caused by the war in Iran has opened the debate on the lack of means and financing in the British Army. The pressures for the Labor Government to approve additional investments have been increasing this week after criticism from the former secretary general of the I’LL TAKE and former Labor minister George Robertsonwho has accused the prime minister, Keir Starmerof not promoting the necessary measures to stop the deterioration of the armed forces. Starmer has insisted on his plans to increase defense spending, but the bad economic forecasts They have left their Government with little room for maneuver.
The United Kingdom plans to increase military spending by up to 2.6% of GDP in 2027 and until the 3% in the next legislature. But senior military commanders warn that, despite the investment plans, there will continue to be a 28 billion hole of pounds sterling (about 32 billion euros) over the next four years. The Ministry of Defense is pushing for increase the game destined for military spending with the objective of strengthening armed forces that have lost about 20% of its staff in little more than a decade and that have, in many cases, a obsolete military material.
Starmer is trying to lead an international alliance to ensure security in both Ukraine as in the Strait of Hormuz once a ceasefire has been reached. But the doubts on the capacity of the United Kingdom to provide sufficient material and personnel have been increasing in recent months, as well as on the capacity of repel enemy attacks. The impact of Iranian drones on the British air force base in Akrotiri, in Cyprusand the slowness in the deployment of the ship HMS Dragon in the area, have been an example of the poor preparation for a war scenario.
Increase in spending
The prime minister has assured that he is carrying out the further increase in defense since the Cold War and has rejected accusations of “corrosive complacency” launched by Robertson. “My responsibility is to keep the British people safe and this is an obligation that I take very seriously, which is why I do not agree with his comments,” he said. Starmer this Wednesday in a heated debate in the House of Commons. “We have inherited plans that had no budget and were unviable. “We will not make the same mistakes.”he added in reference to previous Conservative Party governments.
The Executive is trying to find a way to reinforce the defense team in a very delicate moment for public finances. The latest forecasts of International Monetary Fund (IMF)published this Monday, have lowered the UK’s growth prospects from 1.3% to 0.8% this year, the steeper drop among the G7 countries. Something that has left very little room for maneuver for the Minister of Economy, Rachel Reeveswho plans to increase funding for the armed forces in less than An additional £10 billion in the next four years, according to the newspaper The Times.
Social cuts
The increase in military spending proposed by Reeves has not been enough to please the military high command or the opposition, which demands that the Government apply new cuts in social benefits to cover the hole. “We cannot defend Britain with an ever-growing welfare budget,” Robertson said this week.
The Government is opting for prudence for now and has avoided announcing new social cutsaware that a movement of this type can cause a new internal rebellion at a particularly delicate moment for Starmer. In just three weeks, the prime minister faces local and regional elections that are very difficult for Labor and any false move could accelerate attempts to end an already highly questioned leadership.
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