Britain issued horror WW3 warning as NATO chief slams ‘complacency’ | World | News

Britain has been handed a stark warning over its readiness for potential large-scale conflict, with a former NATO chief accusing political leaders of “corrosive complacency”. And George Robertson, now Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, will use Tuesday’s speech in Salisbury on Tuesday to argue that the UK’s security is “in peril”.

According to advance extracts, ex-Secretary General Lord Robertson, also a former UK defence secretary will deliver a blunt assessment of Britain’s preparedness, arguing that years of political drift and funding disputes have left the country exposed amid rising global instability. He will say: “We are underprepared. We are underinsured. We are under attack. We are not safe… Britain’s national security and safety is in peril.”

He is also expected to warn: “There is a corrosive complacency today in Britain’s political leadership. Lip service is paid to the risks, the threats, the bright red signals of danger.”

The intervention comes as the Government continues to delay publication of a long-promised 10-year defence investment plan intended to deliver the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously said the plan is being finalised, but internal disagreements over funding have slowed progress.

Lord Robertson, who helped author the SDR, is also expected to criticise what he describes as Treasury interference in defence planning, accusing “non-military experts” of “vandalism” when it comes to shaping military priorities. He is likely to argue that Britain cannot maintain its security commitments while allowing welfare spending to continue unchecked.

The warnings reflect growing concern inside defence circles that Britain’s armed forces are not sized or funded for the scale of modern threats. General Richard Barrons, another SDR contributor, has said there is “an enormous gap” between current capability and what is needed to keep the country safe.

The backdrop is an increasingly volatile international environment, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, and uncertainty over future US commitment to NATO. Former US President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned America’s role in the alliance, fuelling concerns that European allies may have to take on far greater responsibility for their own defence.

Sir Richard Barrons has warned that “the US cavalry is not coming to bail us out now”, adding that Britain’s military is “too small and too undernourished” for the threats it faces.

Separately, Sky News has reported that the UK is preparing a modernised version of a Cold War-era “war book”, designed to put the nation on a war footing in the event of major conflict. The plan, outlined by Richard Knighton, would involve not just the armed forces but also government departments, infrastructure, industry and civilian resilience planning.

Mr Knighton has described the current security climate as “probably the most dangerous time of the last 30 years”, warning of both conventional and hybrid threats targeting critical national infrastructure.

Despite repeated warnings, the Government has yet to publish its detailed investment plan. Ministers have pledged to raise defence spending to 3% of GDP by the end of the next parliament, with a longer-term ambition of 3.5%, but critics argue the timeline is too slow given the urgency of the threat environment.

A Government spokesperson said the Strategic Defence Review is being delivered alongside “the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War”, totalling more than £270bn over the current parliament.

However, defence figures warn that without immediate clarity on funding and procurement, Britain risks leaving its armed forces and defence industry in prolonged uncertainty at a time of escalating global risk.

Lord Robertson’s expected intervention is likely to intensify pressure on ministers to accelerate decisions. His warning that Britain is “not safe” reflects a broader unease within defence and security circles that the UK is entering a more dangerous strategic era — and may not yet be prepared for what comes next.