Labour lambasted over defence
4/17/202635 min
It’s not just the Trump administration attacking the UK’s defence capabilities. Now a Labour grandee and former head of Nato, Lord George Robertson, has accused Sir Keir Starmer of ‘corrosive complacency’ over delays to defence spending.
With the 10-year plan for defence stuck in deadlock, host Lucy Fisher discusses the choices faced by the PM with chief political commentator Robert Shrimsley, deputy political editor Jim Pickard and political columnist and writer of the Inside Politics newsletter, Stephen Bush.
Plus, they look ahead to country-wide elections in less than three weeks and hear about the developing story around the vetting of Lord Mandelson.
NOTE: This episode was recorded on Thursday April 16.
Follow Lucy: @LOS_Fisher and @lucyfisher.ft.com; Stephen: @stephenkb and @stephenkb.bsky.social; Jim: @PickardJE and @pickardje.bsky.social and Robert: @robertshrimsley and @robertshrimsley.bsky.social
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Political Fix is presented by Lucy Fisher and produced by Clare Williamson. The executive producers are Manuela Saragosa and Edwin Lane. Audio mix and original music by Breen Turner. The FT’s head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsLucy Fisher· Host0:01
Hi, Lucy here. Just to let you know that this episode was recorded on Thursday evening, just as the story about Peter Mandelson's vetting saga was unfolding and before the resignation of Ollie Robbins. And to remind you that on Monday, May the 11th, we'll have a Political Fix Q&A special. So do send in your questions to our panel at politicalfix@ft.com. Under pressure abroad, under fire at home, Labor's defense strategy is under attack from all sides. Welcome to Political Fix from the Financial Times with me, Lucy Fisher. This week, a former head of NATO, no less, Lord George Robertson, put the boot into Keir Starmer over what he complained was corrosive complacency regarding the Prime Minister's backing for defense. The long delayed ten-year plan on funding the British military is stuck in deadlock between Number Ten, the Ministry of Defence, and the Treasury, and all that as Scottish, Welsh, and English council elections loom around the corner. To discuss it all, I'm joined by my FT colleagues, Chief Political Commentator Robert Shrimsley. Hi, Robert.
Robert Shrimsley· Panelist1:09
Hello, Lucy.
Lucy Fisher· Host1:10
Deputy Political Editor Jim Pickard. Hi, Jim.
Jim Pickard· Panelist1:13
Hi, Lucy.
Lucy Fisher· Host1:14
And political columnist and writer of the Inside Politics newsletter, Stephen Bush. Hi, Stephen.
Stephen Bush· Panelist1:19
Hi, Lucy.
Lucy Fisher· Host1:20
So this week, Robertson has fired an Exocet missile at the government, to use a military analogy, over its failure to