Labour must hike military spending by £17 BILLION to persuade Trump they are not 'freeloaders', ex-Armed Forces chief warns

The former RAF commander and independent crossbench peer said: “Setting out grand aspirations and developing effective mechanisms without providing the necessary resources would be hollow posturing, just so much hot air.

“It would certainly not persuade President Trump that we were shouldering our share of the security burden, nor would it do much to deter Putin from his programme of aggression.

“Given the scale, immediacy and seriousness of the challenge, European nations, including the UK will need to invest 3 per cent of GDP and upwards in defence if they are to meet the needs of such a changed and perilous international situation. I see no sign that many governments within Europe – and I include our own – are prepared to acknowledge this.

“Without the necessary expenditure, the strategic capabilities we need within Europe will not be developed. President Trump will continue to believe that the US defence budget is being used to permit greater European spending on social programmes and Nato’s capabilities and cohesion will both be threatened.

“It is well past time that political leaders in Europe face up to their responsibilities in this regard.”

Yesterday, the Defence Secretary John Healey announced that he will scrap several ageing military vessels and army drones as part of a broader effort to modernise the UK’s armed forces and also save £500million.

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Some 31 frontline helicopters and a pair of Commando assault ships were also given the axe.

He said the decision was brought about thanks to a “dire inheritance” left by the previous Government.

Sources said that the cuts sent the wrong message to Donald Trump, as well as its other allies.

One senior naval figure remarked: “Try telling Donald Trump these helicopters and ships were getting old and were costing more to repair, he'll only hear that Britain is making cuts.”

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge slammed the move as “cuts instead of a pathway to 2.5 per cent” and “a black day for the Royal Marines”.

Earlier this year, former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the UK intended to grow its defence budget to 2.5 per cent by 2030.

Labour have said that the route to hitting the figure will be unveiled in a strategic defence review (SDR) that will be released in Spring. However, the specific date for when they will hit the target has still not been given.

Healey has faced opposition from fellow MPs from the Labour Party, with Slough MP Tan Dhesi stating that ministers need to provide more “clarity” against a backdrop of war in Eastern Europe.

Dhesi told the Defence Secretary: “There are many of us who feel that we need clarity, we need a clear timetable to set things out, because that also provides clarity for our allies, for our defence community, for our defence industrial base.

“It is wonderful that we have got a defence industrial strategy, but I think without having that clarity - the Budget perhaps was a missed opportunity for that - some of us would like to understand certain aspects of defence reform which are being undertaken are so urgent that they cannot wait … but [the government] continues to delay on the 2.5 per cent of GDP. Why that anomaly?”