Good morning. During his appearances before the Commons liaison committee prior to the Easter recess and in his statement to Members of Parliament yesterday, Keir Starmer faced repeated inquiries regarding the timeline for the government’s defense investment plan (DIP). On both occasions, he was unable to provide a specific date, merely stating that it would be released when it was ready.<\/p>\n
Frustration is mounting among his opponents, as the DIP is a crucial ten-year strategy detailing how the government intends to meet its pledge of increasing defense spending to 3% of GDP by the end of the next parliamentary term, with overall national security expenditures reaching 5% of GDP by 2035. This plan was initially expected to be made public last autumn.<\/p>\n
Specifically, the DIP will outline how the government plans to achieve the objectives set in last year’s strategic defense review, which was overseen by Labour peer George Robertson, a former defense secretary and ex-NATO secretary general. Robertson appears to have reached his limit with the government’s inaction.<\/p>\n
Scheduled to deliver a speech in Salisbury tonight, excerpts shared by Lucy Fisher from the Financial Times indicate that Robertson will deliver harsh criticisms directed at the Treasury. His remarks will include accusations of “vandalism” against “non-military experts in the Treasury” and emphasize that “we cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget.”<\/p>\n
He will also take aim at Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who allocated merely 40 words to defense in her budget address last year and omitted the topic entirely from her recent spring statement. Robertson is expected to state, “There is a corrosive complacency today in Britain\u2019s political leadership. Lip service is paid to the risks, the threats, the bright red signals of danger \u2014 yet even a promised national conversation about defense cannot commence.”<\/p>\n
Additionally, he will assert that Britain\u2019s security is compromised: “We are underprepared. We are underinsured. We are under attack. We are not safe… Britain\u2019s national security and safety is in peril.”<\/p>\n
Robertson, known for his restrained approach throughout his career, rarely adopts a confrontational stance. His willingness to voice such strong concerns indicates the seriousness of the situation.<\/p>\n
This morning, General Sir Richard Barrons, one of the three experts who contributed to the defense review alongside Robertson and former White House advisor Fiona Hill, participated in an interview on the Today program. Barrons echoed Robertson’s sentiments, stating that the British armed forces have become so diminished that he could not dispute comments made by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who recently criticized the Royal Navy.<\/p>\n
Hegseth remarked, “Last time I checked, there was supposed to be a big, bad Royal Navy prepared to undertake operations such as clearing the Strait of Hormuz.” In response, Barrons expressed his dismay, saying, “Like many others, I hung my head in sorrow. However, I couldn\u2019t argue with him because, despite the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, and Army being outstanding institutions at their core, they are simply too small and under-resourced to address the current global landscape. The review clearly states this.”<\/p>\n
The agenda for today includes various events: In the morning, Keir Starmer will chair a cabinet meeting that will involve a political discussion in addition to the standard government meeting. At 10 AM, executives from South East Water will testify before the environment, food, and rural affairs committee, followed by Ofwat’s chief executive Chris Walters at 11 AM. Concurrently, education experts will provide evidence to the Commons education committee concerning proposed changes to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provisions. At 10:30 AM, representatives from TikTok, Meta, Sky TV, and Paramount TV will present to the culture committee regarding children’s television and video content.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Kemi Badenoch will be visiting south London in the morning. At 11 AM, Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, will hold a press conference focused on health matters, followed by Health Secretary Wes Streeting responding to questions in the Commons at 11:30 AM. At noon, Downing Street will conduct a lobby briefing. In the afternoon, Starmer is set to meet with his Dutch counterpart, Rob Jetten, at Downing Street.<\/p>\n
For those wishing to reach out, comments can be submitted below when the section is open (between 10 AM and 3 PM), or through social media. Although not all messages can be read, including “Andrew” in a direct message increases the likelihood of it being noticed. Urgent matters are best communicated via social media, where I can be found on Bluesky at @andrewsparrowgdn.bsky.social. The Guardian has ceased posting from its official X accounts, but individual reporters remain active, including myself at @AndrewSparrow.<\/p>\n
Readers are encouraged to point out any errors, however minor, as corrections are always welcome. Questions are also appreciated, though responses cannot be guaranteed for all inquiries, I will endeavor to reply to as many as possible, either in the comments section or on the blog.<\/p>\n
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced a funding allocation of nearly \u00a3130 million aimed at cultural venues, museums, and libraries across England. According to their press release: “Venues such as The Lowry Centre in Salford, The Hexagon in Reading, and the Royal Shakespeare Company in Warwickshire will receive essential financial support to enhance accessibility, complete important construction projects, and upgrade on-site technology.”<\/p>\n
This funding initiative marks the first round of projects benefitting from the government’s Arts Everywhere Fund.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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