For years, Britain’s politicians have shamefully run down the Armed Forces that they have been so ready to send into battle or on vital operations.
Driven too much by electoral imperatives and not enough by what is best for the country, successive governments’ military policy amounted to cut, cut and cut again.
The end of the Cold War encouraged prime ministers to cash in what became known as the ‘peace dividend’.
Much less was spent on defence and much more on voter-friendly programmes such as health and welfare.
This has left the Army, Royal Navy and RAF on their knees, with far fewer soldiers, ships and aircraft than they had in 1989.
Such neglect has inevitably jeopardised our security as a free nation. That’s why, a year ago, the Mail launched our Don’t Leave Britain Defenceless campaign, calling for a rise in defence spending – a case that seemed unarguable.
So Sir Keir Starmer is to be congratulated for agreeing to boost the MoD budget from 2.3 per cent of GDP to 2.5 per cent by 2027. This amounts to an extra £6billion a year.
Much less was spent on defence and much more on voter-friendly programmes such as health and welfare. This has left the Army, Royal Navy and RAF on their knees, with far fewer soldiers, ships and aircraft than they had in 1989
So Sir Keir Starmer is to be congratulated for agreeing to boost the MoD budget from 2.3 per cent of GDP to 2.5 per cent by 2027
To put that into context, in the last financial year the cost of defence was £54billion. The Prime Minister’s intention to hit 3 per cent in the next Parliament is also welcome.
Defence has historically been Labour’s weak spot.
But given the growing threats encircling us – particularly from Russia – Sir Keir is right to start rebuilding our desperately undermanned and underequipped armed forces.
As he said, peace can only be won through strength.
His decision to slash the bloated overseas aid budget to accelerate military spending was commendably brave, bringing a predictable outpouring of hysteria from the Left.
‘A moral mistake,’ moaned one Labour MP. To any reasonable person this is a welcome piece of realpolitik.
Much as the international development zealots wish otherwise, defence of the realm has to be the number one priority.
This is especially the case if Donald Trump is, as he suggests, serious about turning his back on Nato in such dangerous times.
With some justification, the President believes that penny-pinching European allies have been shirking their military obligations, leaving the US to pick up the tab.
The US siding with Russia in a UN vote over Ukraine has heightened concerns that Mr Trump will desert the 80-year-old transatlantic pact.
In just two weeks, his administration has demonstrated how alliances that seemed unshakeable can shift.
By pledging to boost military spending on the eve of his trip to Washington, Sir Keir hopes to persuade a sceptical President that Britain will play a greater part in the defence of the Continent – and convince other European nations to follow suit.
The US siding with Russia in a UN vote over Ukraine has heightened concerns that Mr Trump will desert the 80-year-old transatlantic pact
However, we must not be wide-eyed.
There is some doubt Sir Keir’s sums add up. While the £6 billion a year increase is positive, experts say that, given the deep cuts in recent years and a gaping hole in the MoD’s finances, the PM is simply papering over the cracks.
Indeed, have we enough troops to send as peacekeepers to Ukraine? So he must spend more.
Borrowing to boost defence would increase our already gargantuan debt repayments, while imposing even higher taxes would risk sending Britain into a slump.
There is an obvious answer. Slashing some of the billions hideously frittered on sickness benefits to shore up our crumbling defences.
But has Sir Keir the backbone to press ahead with something else his backbenches would find unpalatable? He has little option.
With Europe in greater peril than at any time since the Second World War, it is essential Britain starts to stand on its own two feet.
