Third co-author of UK's SDR speaks out to criticise PM's leadership on defence
Within the last week, all three co-authors of the UK's Strategic Defence Review that was published last year summer, have now spoken out to criticise the Government's leadership on military policy.
Fiona Hill, a former adviser to the White House on Russia, who contributed to the report along with George Robertson and General Sir Richard Barrons, warned of a lack of urgency in defence planning.
Speaking to The Guardian, she said: "We don't have the sense of urgency, which is kind of bizarre really given everything that's happening. There is basically a lack of resolute leadership on this."
Ms Hill's comments follow those from former Labour defence secretary Lord Robertson who told an audience in Salisbury that the UK was "underprepared, underinsured and under attack".
He said it was the result of the "ever-expanding welfare budget", which had robbed defence of the money it needs to protect the nation.
Meanwhile, Gen Sir Richard wrote in The Sun that the UK is facing the biggest threats we have seen in decades, but the military is "woefully underfunded and under-prepared to deal with them".
The authors' public criticism comes as UK military chiefs were asked to find £3.5bn in "efficiencies" and other savings this year, according to Sky News.
It reported that the heads of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force were due to meet this week to discuss funding pressures.
This financial squeeze comes as the Government delays the sign-off of the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), setting out how the SDR will be paid for, which should have been released last autumn.
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