28 February 2025, 09:42

By David Buik

“Hindsight is the most successful trader on earth” and “it’s easy to be wise after the event” are two of the most ‘hackneyed phrases’ in the English language, ever to be trotted out.

However, when it comes to the defence of the realm, which has necessitated the UK Government finding itself forced to increase the defence budget from 2.3% of GDP to 2.5% of GDP in 2027, those phrases clearly endorse the gravity the UK and Europe finds itself in, especially as it appears President Trump could be less well disposed towards Europe (excluding the UK), than his predecessors were.

However, the US President is right in insisting that Europe should take more responsibility over defence and security, rather than rely on the US to underwrite its requirements

Despite the fact the increase in expenditure will provide another £13.4 billion on an annualised basis towards the defence budget, many like me, fear it’s too little too late and it will be some years before the country feels a little safer. The rate will increase to 3% of GDP in 2030.

How successive British Governments have allowed numbers in our army to drop from 110,000 in 2000 to 72.500 in 2025 in such precarious and dangerous political circumstances, I will never comprehend.

During this century alone, Russia, North Korea, Syria and China have provided a powerful vanguard to threaten world peace. Also, at the same time, the........

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