Fallon calls for increased spending on defence to counter ‘growing threats’

BRITAIN must increase spending on the Armed Forces in the face of growing threats from terrorism and states such as Russia and North Korea, the Defence Secretary has said.

In comments apparently aimed at putting pressure on the Treasury, Sir Michael Fallon said the Government should “aim to do better” than its target of spending 2 per cent of GDP on the military. He made the remarks as a former senior general said meagre defence spending meant Britain would be reliant on US protection against North Korean missiles.

Sir Michael’s admission that spending must rise follows months of complaints from military leaders that cuts have dangerously weakened Britain’s defences and funding levels are too low. It also comes in the run-up to a national security review that defence chiefs fear will be used by the Treasury to usher in more cuts. Sir Michael said the UK should spend more than the Nato 2 per cent target because “the threats to our country are intensifying”.

He told Sky News: “The 2 per cent is a minimum commitment by Nato members. We meet it at the moment. We have also committed to increasing the budget ahead of inflation each year.

“But we are reviewing now the threats to our country, which have intensified in the last couple of years. So we do need to be sure that we have the resources that we need and we should aim to do better.”

He added: “The Prime Minister is 100 per cent on my page, she understands very well the threats to our country.” Earlier this month the Government was embarrassed by suggestions from America that the UK was skimping on military spending.

The US ambassador to the UK said the country needed to assess “whether you have the capability you need to be a powerful nation going forward”.

He said: “You are going to have to determine your spending. You are spending the minimum (the 2 per cent of GDP target required by Nato), and you have to decide whether it is enough.”

Gen Sir Richard Barrons, one of Britain’s most senior generals until he retired last year, this week wrote an open letter to Theresa May saying Britain must turn the tide of defence cuts “and restore the military security of the UK if it is to keep us safe”.

Sir Richard last night highlighted Britain’s lack of defences against ballistic missiles as one gap. He said: “We do not have the ability to shoot down an intercontinental ballistic missile of the type being developed by the North Koreans,” Sir Richard said.

“Decades of cuts to the defence budget mean we do not have the ability to defend ourselves against this type of missile attack.” He said that in the event of conflict with North Korea, Britain would have to rely on American warships to defend the country.