Putin wird sich vor Freude die Hände darüber reiben, dass Großbritannien ein Kriegsschiff von Deutschland leiht

It was difficult not to feel at least some sympathy for [Defence Secretary John Healey](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/missed-opportunity-protect-uk-from-russian-missile-strike-4313804?ico=most-popular) touring the broadcast studios on Thursday morning.

The veteran Labour frontbencher was repeatedly pressed on the parlous state of the UK armed forces, which has been placed under even greater scrutiny in [the wake of the Middle East conflict](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/navy-to-rely-on-driverless-boats-to-protect-uk-from-attack-4296565?ico=in-line_link).

The country’s inability to defend itself and meet its international commitments was [brutally exposed by ](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/uk-runs-out-warships-leaving-germany-take-over-nato-mission-4316016?ico=most-popular)[*The i Paper*](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/uk-runs-out-warships-leaving-germany-take-over-nato-mission-4316016?ico=most-popular)[ this week ](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/uk-runs-out-warships-leaving-germany-take-over-nato-mission-4316016?ico=most-popular)when it revealed that the Royal Navy has so few vessels it has had to make use of a German frigate to carry out its command of a task force in the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea.

Facing a grilling by LBC’s resident rottweiler Nick Ferrari on how few warships the Royal Navy currently has at its disposal, Healey could barely muster a defence of his own, sighing that he “has to do the best with what we’ve got”.

Blame for the risible state of the UK’s defences cannot fall squarely on the shoulders of the Defence Secretary or even on those of Sir Keir Starmer.

They are right when they say it is a mess they have inherited, one that started under Sir John Major’s Conservative government, accelerated under the previous Labour administration and was then further “hollowed out” – to use former Tory defence secretary Ben Wallace’s phrase – during 14 years of the last Conservative leadership.

Part of the reason the UK has not got more of its Type 45 destroyers on hand to deploy is that when they were first built, they were fitted with engines which struggled in the Persian Gulf. Not much use in a war in the Middle East.

The vessels have had to undergo an expensive refit, including installing new engines. HMS Dragon has received the upgrade, which is why it was chosen to go to the eastern Mediterranean. HMS Duncan has not but remains operational, so it will be carrying out operations in the High North. The remaining four are either just returning from the repairs or still undergoing the work.

Where the current government is culpable, however, is failing to demonstrate the urgency that is so clearly needed to get our Armed Forces to a state where they can, at the very least, meet their regular international obligations at a time of heightened security elsewhere.

A good place to start would be for the Government to finally publish the Defence Investment Plan, which will set out what ministers will prioritise over the next 10 years of defence spending to deliver on the recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review.

It has already been delayed by six months, and the defence industry is crying out for clarity from ministers.

Starmer must then set out how he will ramp up defence spending beyond the 2.5 per cent of GDP he has already promised. Germany has committed to accelerating spending to 3.5 per cent, while the likes of Poland are already at 4 per cent and are currently digging anti-tank trenches and erecting barriers on its eastern border.

Maybe although the fact NATO can substitute in as easily as that means much more. – and it seems that it is now obvious for UK that they need more stuff. – If they actually get it, that will not please him one bit

to be fair, Germany is likely to use it.

I wouldn’t be surprised if all these UK ships are suddenly in need of service so Starmer has a legitimate excuse for not helping Trump in Iran.

„I’d really love to join your war in Iran but the bloody navy is broken. Yep, the whole navy is broken.“

> Russia has become battle-hardened from the four years of war it has waged with Ukraine. The UK currently looks like a soft target.

Not as soft as an empire that can’t even defeat a minor European country without a navy.