Britain must be ready for war in 1,000 days, Streeting warns

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 25 Oct, 06:08 · Archive

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has warned Britain must be ready for conflict by 2030 as adversaries' military capacity grows.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has warned that Britain's adversaries could be ready to attack the UK by 2030, leaving just over 1,000 days to prepare. Writing in The Telegraph, he said: 'Our adversaries' willingness to harm us is not new. What has changed is their capacity.' He added that by 2030, their military strength and war economy could position them to strike, and referenced potential Russian aggression, stating: 'To prevent the worst, we have to prepare for it.'

Streeting said Britain should be ready for 'state-sponsored terrorism' from Russia. His 'defining priority' is ensuring the country is 'ready to fight and win a war', describing this as 'the only metric that counts'. He stated: 'In the first instance, that means expanding our capabilities so our adversaries think twice about attacking us. Should that fail, we must ensure that Britain is ready for war.'

The government's 'Be Ready' campaign urges all Britons to stockpile supplies. Households should keep three days' worth of tinned food, nine litres of bottled water, blankets, cash, a first-aid kit, a torch with batteries and a wind-up FM radio. The campaign aims to prepare for potential breakdowns in essential services from weather, cyber attacks or other critical emergencies.

GB News reports that Labour has faced criticism for not explaining how it will meet Defence Secretary John Healey's target of spending three per cent of GDP on defence by 2030, ahead of NATO's 3.5 per cent target by 2035. Streeting claimed he was '100 per cent' confident the Chancellor and others would help meet the 2035 NATO target.

How it is being reported

• Wes Streeting warns Britain must be ready for war in 1,000 days as Russia fears eruptWes Streeting has warned that Britain must be ready for war in 1,000 days amid fears of a conflict with Russia. The Defence Secretary said the UK's adversaries could strike the country by 2030. Earlier this week, Labour rolled out its 'Be Ready' preparedness campaign, urging Britons to begin stockpiling tinned food and bottled water . Now, writing in The Telegraph, Mr Streeting said his "defining priority" was to make sure the country was "ready to fight and win a war". TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say "That is the only metric that counts," he added. According to Mr Streeting, Britons should…GB News · 25 Oct, 05:48
• Britain must be ready for war in 1,000 days, Wes Streeting warnsWes Streeting has warned that Britain’s adversaries will be ready to attack UK by 2030The Independent · 24 Oct, 22:33

In this story: Wes Streeting · Britain · Russia · NATO

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