Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declared that the United Kingdom must be prepared for the possibility of war, yet there is scant evidence of the urgent, cross-government action required to translate that warning into reality, a Sky News analysis reveals.
The Missing National Defence Blueprint
The stark absence of a coherent national plan for defending the UK persists, a situation described as difficult to comprehend given the heightened risk of a wider European conflict. This threat was ignited by Russia's initial invasion of Ukraine over a decade ago. Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the head of the armed forces, told MPs that successive governments since 1991 have benefited from a 'peace dividend' following the Soviet Union's collapse, diverting funds to areas like welfare and health instead of defence.
While this assessment holds some truth, the analysis indicates a collective failure by Conservative administrations led by David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak. They did not return the nation to a Cold War-style footing, even after Vladimir Putin's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale 2022 attack on Ukraine.
Alarm Bells Ring, But Business Continues
Concerns finally began to surface in spring 2024 when Sky News first reported the lack of any national defence plan. However, the transition to Sir Keir Starmer's Labour government has not precipitated the necessary shift in priority. A sense of 'business as usual' is reported to dominate Whitehall, including within significant sections of the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Notably, the Prime Minister's published "plan for change" contained no mention of the critical need to rebuild national defence and resilience. Defence has risen on the agenda, but not sufficiently to trigger a mandated, singular focus across all government departments.
The Urgent Need for a Modern 'War Book'
The crucial step required, according to the analysis, is for Sir Keir to instruct the entire government, led by the Cabinet Office, to rapidly draft a modern version of the Government War Book. This blueprint would prepare every sector of society for a potential transition from peace to war. Despite the Prime Minister's public statements on readiness, there is little sign of the behind-the-scenes work needed to define what such a monumental shift would truly entail for the nation.
The conclusion is clear: while the language from the top has changed, meaningful action to systematically prepare the UK for an era of heightened threat remains elusive. The gap between rhetoric and tangible planning continues to leave the country exposed.
