Senior British military figures want another £28bn for war. Their demands were publicised at a time when many people are concerned about global instability.

British military wants more money

It was reported by the Independent that senior British military officials held a meeting with PM Keir Starmer to ask for more money before Christmas:

The UK’s top military chief, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, is said to have told Sir Keir in a meeting before Christmas – also attended by the chancellor and defence secretary – that an MoD assessment showed a £28bn funding gap between now and 2030.

Yet the details have only emerged weeks later after a chaotic round of US bombings, acts of piracy and the kidnapping of the president of Venezuela.

It is being claimed that a major shortfall in military spending plans has caught Starmer out.

The Times reported:

Starmer was said to be deeply unhappy because he believed the recent strategic defence review (SDR) had been “fully costed”.

He ordered officials to rework the defence investment plan (DIP), which will set out how the SDR will be delivered. It had meant to be published before Christmas put it was quietly pushed back to this year.

Arms firms are worried about their profits

The matter has come at a critical moment. Donald Trump has been increasingly belligerent. Under directives he issued, the US kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on 3 January. And Trump is now threatening Mexico and Colombia — and Greenland, a NATO ally.

The UK also helped the US in an act of piracy: capturing a Russian-flagged tanker in the North Atlantic on 8 January. An act critics say risks escalating to a major war.

On top of that, the UK has pledged to send British military troops to Ukraine as peacekeepers if a peace deal is struck with Russia.

The Times claimed it had left UK businesses worried. By which they presumably mean arms firm CEO’s and shareholders are anxious about their bottom line:

Sources said it could now be delayed until March, leaving months of uncertainty for UK businesses waiting to see how defence money will be spent.

US behaviour is making the world more dangerous by the minute. Trump insists he can act however he likes on the world stage. The UK, ever the lackey, seems incapable of challenging him. And they seem determined to pour more money into the British military and war, rather than taking any sort of stand for peace.

Featured image via the Canary

By Joe Glenton

This post was originally published on Canary.