A former MI6 spy chief has accused Labour of putting national security at risk following its ‘deeply’ worrying cuts to defence spending.
Sir Richard Dearlove, who was head of MI6 between 1999 and 2004, has claimed the new government is showing no urgency in the face of international crises.
In words reported by the Daily Telegraph, Sir Richard said: ‘I’m deeply worried about aspects of this new Government, particularly when it comes to national security – and these are ultimately issues of national security.
‘We’re in a state of international crisis. We have a defence review, but there’s no urgency at all on the Government’s part.’
He has urged Labour to treat the defence budget as ‘important, perhaps more important’ than the NHS.
Sir Richard most recent intervention before yesterday’s came in 2019 when he said then-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was a danger to national security and unfit to lead the country.
He also took aim Home Secretary Yvette Cooper who the spy chief accused of not ‘having a clue’ on whether she would rule out arresting Mr Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant.
Last week, the ICC, based in The Hague, issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
As a member of the ICC, Britain is responsible for enforcing arrest warrants it issues.
Sir Richard’s intervention comes after yesterday the Mail revealed that almost a tenth of Labour’s £2.9billion defence budget boost will be wiped out by the Chancellor’s decision to hike employers’ National Insurance contributions (NICs).
Ministers admitted the 1.2p rise would impact the Ministry of Defence directly – costing the underfunded department £216million in 2025-26.
This is equal to 8.6 per cent of the cash boost hailed by the Chancellor as proof of the Government’s commitment to supporting Ukraine and national security.
The Prime Minister has previously said his Government is committed to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence, but Labour has been criticised for failing to clearly set out when this will happen, with total expenditure predicted to be £64.4billion – or 2.29 per cent of GDP – next year.
Responding to a written parliamentary question, minister for defence procurement Maria Eagle said: ‘The changes from April are expected to increase departmental costs by £216million.
‘The Chancellor has agreed to provide funding to the public sector to support with the cost of employer National Insurance contributions.’