MPs warn the UK lacks a defence strategy against attack and demand public transparency
A report from the Commons defence committee has delivered a stark warning: the United Kingdom currently lacks a credible plan to defend itself from military attack. The committee raised deep concerns over the country’s readiness to face a serious threat, particularly in light of the security challenges posed by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, chair of the defence committee, said that Putin’s ongoing invasion and “unrelenting disinformation campaigns” exposed serious gaps in the UK’s planning. He told the government that it must not bury its head in the sand. Dhesi argued strongly that the country must prioritise its ability to defend the homeland and its overseas territories.
He emphasised the need for greater public engagement. Wars, he said, are not won by generals alone, but by the entire population getting behind the Armed Forces. He called for “a coordinated effort” to communicate the nature of the threat, what the government is doing to address it and what citizens should expect if conflict arises.
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The committee’s report argued that the UK is falling short of its Nato obligations. It pointed to the country’s overreliance on allies and criticised what it described as insufficient domestic capacity to supply munitions and deal with high-intensity conflict scenarios.
In response to some of these warnings, the government has promised to boost readiness through a new industrial plan. Defence Secretary John Healey said the Ministry of Defence is planning new munitions factories to revive high-volume production of energetics explosives, propellants, and related materials for the first time in almost two decades.
Thirteen potential sites have been identified for these “factories of the future,” including Grangemouth in Scotland, Teesside in north-east England, and Milford Haven in Wales. Healey expects the first plants to break ground next year. He called the plan not only a security measure, but a potential boost for industry and employment.
Healey argued that the “new era of threat” presents an economic opportunity. He said the plan could create at least a thousand jobs and revitalise industrial heartlands. He framed defence investment as a long-term national dividend, both for economic growth and for the country’s ability to deter future conflict.
In June, the Ministry of Defence committed an additional £1.5 billion to fund the creation of these munitions and energetics factories. Healey said this is the start of a broader strategy to make defence production a pillar of the UK economy.
In another sign of ambition, he announced the opening of two new drone factories in Plymouth and Swindon. He described this move as part of a shift in thinking: defence should deliver not just military capability, but also jobs, skills and economic resilience.
Healey insisted that this industrial push is about preparing the country for realistic threats: “We are making defence an engine for growth, unambiguously backing British jobs and British skills as we make the UK better ready to fight and better able to deter future conflicts,” he will say.
He added that the upcoming budget will reflect this commitment. He indicated that the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will allocate resources to ensure the Armed Forces are not left underfunded, restoring the capacity that has eroded over previous years.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Keir Starmer travelled to Berlin ahead of this speech for talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron. The trip came amid ongoing negotiations over the UK’s participation in a €150 billion European defence fund a possible cornerstone of the government’s strategy to address collective European security.
As the defence committee report lands at the same moment as the government’s announcement of a new industrial defence strategy, both the risks and the proposed response are now in full public view. The coming months will test whether words can translate into action and whether Britain can strengthen its resilience for a future where the threat landscape remains uncertain