Hegseth right to mock Royal Navy, says ex-army chief as he backs claims over military underfunding – UK politics live

Richard Barrons backs George Robertson and says UK forces ‘too small and undernourished for the world that we now live in’

The government has defended its record on defence spending in response to the criticisms made by George Robertson. (See 8.58am.) In response to the FT story, a government spokesperson said:

We are delivering on the strategic defence review to meet the threats we face.

It is backed by the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, with a total of over £270bn being invested across this parliament.

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 — but even a promised national conversation about defence can’t be started.

We are underprepared. We are underinsured. We are under attack. We are not safe . . . Britain’s national security and safety is in peril.