Britain must get ‘war ready’ and can no longer rely on the US, MPs say

Britain must prepare for war and face the reality it can no longer rely on the US, MPs and a former NATO adviser have warned.

Ministers have been urged to prepare for conflict without American support, days after President Trump sparked outrage with his false claim that British troops were avoiding the front line in Afghanistan.

Before his subsequent escalation, President Trump also claimed that he was not confident that European countries would come to America’s aid in times of need.

This continues despite the fact that the United States, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, was the only country to enforce the collective security provisions of NATO’s Article 5, which considers an attack on one member state as an attack on all member states.

Now a new report warns that in the event of a Russian invasion, the world can no longer rely on the United States to comply with Article 5 to come to the aid of other countries.

“We must prepare for the worst, that is, the fact that the United States may no longer be a reliable ally and may become a separate actor with a narrow understanding of its own national interests,” the report says.

The document, prepared by former senior NATO adviser Chris Donnelly and MPs Bernard Jenkin and Derek Twigg, warned that Western democracies were unprepared for war, partly because of 70 years of peace and prosperity.

Lord Robertson, the former NATO secretary-general and chairman of the Labor government’s last defense review, said in his foreword: “The UK is underprepared and under attack.”

The report, by think tank Civitas, also warns that UK universities should restrict high-earning fees charged to students from countries “who do not want our well-being”.

Those not in education, employment or training (Neets) say they should expect to find themselves ready to do war work in the event of a long war, while schools should step in to provide more welders and electricians for the war effort.

Although the Labor government has pledged to radically increase defense spending in the coming years, the Ministry of Defense is also reportedly facing a £28bn gap in its plans for the next four years.

Previously defense secretary John Healey said Strategic Defense (SDR) had not yet fully determined the cost of the review when it appeared before a powerful committee of MPs.

It follows reports earlier this month that the country’s top military chief, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, had warned Keir Starmer about the shortfall in the MOD budget.

Mr Healey told MPs: SDRWhen completed and published, it was fully affordable within the financial commitments we made.

“This was confirmed, including when the Prime Minister published it.”