Cuts putting forces at risk

Britain will put its status as a “credible military power” at risk unless it increases its defence budget, the former commander of the UK’s Maritime Forces has said.

Rear Admiral Alex Burton’s comments come amid a black hole of at least £20 billion in the defence budget over the next decade.

Rear Admiral Burton told the BBC: “If you do not spend more on defence than we currently are as a percentage of GDP, then we put at risk the fact that we are currently a credible military power and from that, we put at risk our position on the global stage.”