Royal Navy: Former First Sea Lord lambasts government 'sleeping-walking into disaster' over spending cutbacks

Former First Sea Lord Admiral Lord Alan West of Spithead was among a number of ex-top brass at Westminster to argue the pressing need for a hike in defence spending. This comes against the backdrop of cutbacks and the war between Russia and Ukraine.

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The calls for additional cash were made as the House of Lords debated the resilience of the UK’s armed forces. Assurances were also sought that British military stockpiles were being replenished given the level of support being provided to the Kyiv government, fighting to repel invading Russian forces.

Lord West, who headed the Royal Navy from 2002 to 2006, said: ‘I find it extraordinary that as almost every other country has raised defence spending, some by huge amounts as the war in Ukraine has progressed, that the UK has not. How much risk are we willing to take?

‘It’s all very well providing Ukraine with equipment and it’s absolutely right we should do and if necessary provide even more, but I think we must make sure our forces are ready and fully equipped for a possible war.

‘By doing that, we are much more likely to prevent a world war. Because people like (Vladimir) Putin look at our armed forces, he’s looked over the past few years at how we and Europe seem to have had no interest in their defence forces and he’s taken that as a green light.’

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The Labour former security minister added: ‘I believe the Government are sleep-walking into disaster unless they rapidly grip the initiative and there is an increase in defence spending.’

Former chief of the defence staff and independent crossbencher Lord Stirrup said a ‘larger’ armed forces is needed. He argued the current level of defence spending – 2 per cent of GDP – was ‘simply inadequate’ in an increasingly dangerous world.

‘It is well past time that the Government faced up to their responsibilities in this regard. Fine words butter no parsnips – particularly when we cannot afford the parsnips in the first place,’ he added.

Defence minister Baroness Goldie said the government is doing everything they can to support Ukraine and ‘build up more robust resilience’.