'Britain and its people not safe'

BRITAIN and its people are not safe, a former Nato general secretary has warned, as he told Parliament describing the country as underprepared for war is an "understatement".

- PRESS ASSOCIATION REPORTERS

Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, who co-wrote the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), said the UK is lacking in ammunition, training, people, logistics, and medical capacity.

He told the upper chamber: "Bearing in mind the difficult world that we live in and have to survive in, this is what I firmly believe: we are underinsured, we are underprepared, we are not safe. This country and its people are not safe.

"The British people are faced with a world in turmoil, with great power competitions spilling over now into conflict, with constant grey zone attacks on our mainland, and with Russia - often with the cooperation of Iran, China and North Korea - challenging the existing world order. We simply in this country are not safe."

The Labour peer wrote the review alongside the former commander of the joint forces command, General Sir Richard Barrons, and defence adviser Dr Fiona Hill.