The last Prime Minister to resign over national security was Neville Chamberlain in 1940. Eighty six years later, Sir Keir Starmer’s defence secretary and armed forces minister have resigned because they believe the current PM and Chancellor of the Exchequer are endangering national security through their refusal to fund the armed services properly. The UK is ranked 31st out of 32 on a database comparing how Nato members are meeting their rearmament promises. The only country below us is Iceland, which has no armed forces.

Chamberlain is rightly reviled over appeasement. But when the history comes to be written, Starmer’s record may be viewed as even worse

Chamberlain is rightly reviled over appeasement. But when the history comes to be written, Starmer’s record may be viewed as even worse

There could be no worse an accusation by a (now former) Defence Secretary. This should be climactic for Starmer. And yet there is zero possibility of him resigning in shame or, as with Chamberlain, having lost the confidence of his own MPs.

Chamberlain’s name is infamous for appeasement: for sending the message to Hitler that Britain was weak and would not protect our allies. In 2014, Putin learned a similar lesson about the West from........

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