UK lacks plan to defend itself from invasion, MPs warn

"The UK lacks a plan to defend itself and overseas territories from a military attack, a report by MPs has found. In a highly critical assessment, the defence committee said the UK is "nowhere near" where it needs to be to defend itself and allies, especially at a time when security threats to Europe are "significant". The report found that the UK is failing to meet its Nato obligations, and falling "far short of its claimed leadership position"."

"In June, Defence Secretary John Healey announced plans to move the UK to "war-fighting readiness," including 1.5bn to support the construction of new munitions factories, which will be built by private contractors. But after an 11-month inquiry, the defence committee warned the UK and its European Nato allies remained too reliant on the US and is not spending enough on its own defences."

"Committee chair Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi said: "Putin's brutal invasion of Ukraine, unrelenting disinformation campaigns, and repeated incursions into European airspace mean that we cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand." He said the committee had "repeatedly heard concerns about the UK's ability to defend itself from attack". The specific recommendations of the committee's report included a call for the government to accelerate the speed of industrial change, and make "readiness" a key objective."

The UK lacks a plan to defend itself and overseas territories from military attack. The defence committee judged the UK as "nowhere near" where it needs to be to defend itself and allies amid significant security threats to Europe. The UK is failing to meet Nato obligations and is falling "far short of its claimed leadership position". The Ministry of Defence has identified prospective sites for six munitions factories and announced funding to move to "war-fighting readiness". The committee warned that the UK and European Nato allies remain too reliant on the US, have limited integrated air and missile defences, and must prioritize industrial change and readiness.

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