Ex‑SAS commander Richard Williams says Labour’s £15bn defence boost ‘not even real’

Former SAS officer Lieutenant Colonel Richard Williams criticised the UK Labour Party’s Defence Investment Plan, arguing that the promised extra £15 billion for defence over the next four years is largely based on savings and efficiencies and therefore “not even real”. He said the funding falls far short of what is needed to maintain Britain’s armed forces, particularly its nuclear submarine capability, and warned it would not satisfy NATO allies.

Williams accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of being dishonest about the country’s security, suggesting the plan is an attempt to push defence off the political agenda ahead of the next election. He cited a recent review led by Lord Robertson and former MI6 chief Alex Younger, urging the government to increase spending to around £28 billion to address under‑investment.