Former NATO Chief Warns Starmer's Defence 'Complacency' Leaves UK 'In Peril' as Funding Plan Stalls

George Robertson, a former NATO secretary-general and senior adviser to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has warned that a 'corrosive complacency' on defence is putting the United Kingdom 'in peril.' Speaking to the Financial Times, Robertson said there is a clear gap between the government's rhetoric and the concrete investments required to keep the country secure.

Robertson led the strategic defence review commissioned after Labour returned to power following 14 years of Conservative rule. The report, co-authored by Gen. Richard Barrons and Fiona Hill, concluded that decades of cuts and underinvestment have left the UK dangerously underprepared for a major conflict.

Key Findings and Recommendations

The review's authors recommended urgent, wide-ranging measures: strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure; expanding the armed forces, reserves and civil defence; and boosting investments in health services, industry and the wider economy so the nation could more quickly transition to a war footing if necessary.

'There is a gap between rhetoric and action,' Robertson told the Financial Times, accusing the government of prioritising an 'ever expanding welfare budget' over essential defence investment.

The government publicly accepted the review's assessment and pledged to set out a detailed Defence Investment Plan. However, that funding proposal has been postponed repeatedly and has not yet been published.

Urgency and Timelines

Gen. Richard Barrons, a co-author of the review, has urged swift action. Speaking last autumn, he said that at the current pace it could take roughly 10 years for the UK to be ready for major conflict — while allied intelligence assessments suggest the window for urgent readiness could be closer to three to five years given concerns about Russia's posture in Europe.

A Downing Street spokesperson responded that the government 'has delivered the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War' and that Starmer is 'determined to ensure the Defence Investment Plan is fit for the threats that we face.' The spokesperson did not provide a date for when the plan will be published.

Robertson's public criticism is notable because he is a former Labour cabinet minister who, until now, had largely avoided openly rebuking the government. The Financial Times reported that in a planned speech he will accuse 'non-military experts in the Treasury' of committing 'vandalism' by undermining defence priorities.

Political Context

Robertson's intervention follows other high-profile criticisms of the prime minister's defence stance, including comments from former US president Donald Trump, who recently accused Starmer of failing to act like historic wartime leaders and suggested Britain was no longer 'the Rolls-Royce of allies.'

While the debate continues in Westminster and with international partners, the central issue remains the same: whether promises and rhetoric will be matched by a funded, timely plan to restore Britain's defence readiness.

CNN's James Frater contributed reporting. Sources: Financial Times, Downing Street statements, authors of the strategic defence review.