Keir Starmer has 'completely failed' on defence, ex-Tory MP tells GB News

Sir Keir Starmer has completely failed on Britain's defences, a former Conservative MP has told GB News.Speaking to the People's Channel, Sir Gerald Howarth argued that the country is still in a Cold War situation where we are planning for projects which will take 20 years to deliver.The Prime Minister is facing increasing pressure following the resignations from John Healey and Al Carns from their Government roles in Defence.Al Carns, ex-Armed Forces Minister, told GB News he had been considering his departure for a long time. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say He said: I know what the Armed Forces need, and I also know how to challenge the Armed Forces in some preconceived ideas of what they think they need, and I wasn't included in that, and I was pretty grumpy about it.Reacting to the state of the Labour Government following the resignations, Sir Gerald told GB News that it is not just about the funding of defence, but the structure of defence procurement.He said: Lord Robertson, former Secretary General of Nato, has already warned the nation we risk being at war with Russia within the next two or three years. These are very dramatic times and requires dramatic action. But at the end of the day, as the Prime Minister's made clear today, being in Government is a question of priorities, and by his own standard, I'm afraid Sir Keir Starmer has completely failed.Sir Gerald argued: He says defence of the realm is his number one priority, but as his very loyal, very honourable former Defence Secretary John Healey resigned yesterday, he made it clear that the Prime Minister is not allocating to defence the priority that it deserves.Criticising Labour's push for net zero, the former Tory MP called for the policy to be abandoned entirely and for a change in priorities.He told GB News: As Lord Robertson said, we cannot fund defence of the realm on an ever increasing welfare budget. There has got to be a change in priorities and it is absurd, saddling the nation with his absurd net zero policy, crucifying the United Kingdom and its industries.We just saw Denby Potteries, a company which has been producing pottery for all of us to put on our tables for 217 years, went out of business last week because of the cost of energy in this country.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSEx-Army Officer calls on generals to 'stand down' in protest against Keir Starmer'Your priorities are wrong!' Labour MP handed fiery GB News grilling in Defence Investment Plan rowJohn Healey and Al Carns praised by ex-Security Minister for 'showing backbone' against Keir StarmerNet Zero has got to be abandoned and the money that's been put into it has has got to be allocated to defence urgently.Taking aim at the Government further, Sir Gerald argued that Sir Keir is being controlled by his backbenchers.He said: It's just completely and utterly absurd. It's not just me as a Thatcherite Tory - when you've got people like Lord Robertson, a man who has produced not one but two defence reviews, very, very respected man.When he tells the nation that at the moment defence is underfunded, underprepared, under-insured, under attack and that we are not safe, the nation has got to wake up.And we have a Government controlled by backbenchers for whom this is not the priority. There's got to be a sudden and dramatic increase in the funding of defence.Noting the growing migration crisis in Britain, Sir Gerald concluded that on the global stage, the UK has become a laughing stock on defence.He concluded: We are the laughing stock in defence when General Sir Nick Carter says he's ashamed to be British when he goes to these conferences.We're no longer the the leading European nation in terms of defence expenditure, way down at the bottom. It is embarrassing and we are at risk from this migration. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter