A former Nato secretary general has warned that Britain’s military reliance on the US is “no longer tenable”, and the UK should not expect relations with Washington to return to their previous state – even after Donald Trump leaves office.
In his second attack on the government’s defence policy in less than two weeks, Lord George Robertson – a former Labour defence secretary who was appointed by the prime minister to write the government’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) – hit out at Britain’s “naive belief” that the US would “always be there” in times of crisis, saying such a mentality has diminished the UK’s capabilities.
Mr Trump’s term has already seen UK-US relations break down over the Iran war and Nato’s opposition to his demand to annexe Greenland.
Speaking at Chatham House on Wednesday, Lord Robertson said “long-term trends” such as an increasing focus on China and scepticism of globalisation mean the US would become “more transactional in its foreign policy”, regardless of who was in the White House, arguing instead that Britain must become a “more autonomous military actor”.
He said: “It’s clear that our high level of military dependence on the US is no longer tenable.”
The latest remarks from the Labour peer - who before his most recent interventions rarely spoke out against government policy - came just days after he criticised a lack of urgency in increasing defence spending, accusing senior politicians of “corrosive complacency” on the issue.
It also follows the publication of a report by a House of Lords committee, chaired by Lord Robertson, examining the state of the UK’s relationship with the US.
In the report, the Lords International Relations and Defence Committee urged ministers to “banish the sentimental illusion” of a “special relationship” that would endure forever.
Peers called for a “rebalancing” of relations with Washington and the deepening of ties with other nations, particularly in Europe, as a “hedge against a less dependable ally”.
It comes amid increasing concern over Britain’s ability to defend itself in the face of mounting global turbulence, with MPs on both sides of the Commons having already expressed concerns over the failure of the government to publish its Defence Investment Plan.
In-year savings were blamed for a delay in sending HMS Dragon to Cyprus weeks after the Iran crisis began and the UK’s base on the island came under attack from Tehran.
And there are ongoing question marks over the reduction of the size of the UK army which is down to around 70,000, and using poor and outdated heavy vehicles and tanks.
Wednesday’s report is not the first time a parliamentary committee has called for a re-evaluation of the UK-US relationship this year.
Last month, the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy said the government should “move away” from its reliance on the US for defence and security given “demonstrable areas of tension” between London and Washington.
But responding to Lord Robertson, US ambassador to London Warren Stephens insisted the UK remains his country’s “closest ally”.
He said: “The United States’ National Security Strategy makes it a top priority to ‘support our allies in preserving the freedom and security of Europe’.
“That is a commitment we fulfil every day through our work with the United Kingdom. The United States will continue working alongside our closest ally, the United Kingdom, to keep our countries and our citizens safe and prosperous.
“Our countries face a host of complex threats in the modern world and the only way to counter those threats is through preparedness, co-operation with likeminded allies, and sustained investment in our collective security.”
The Ministry of Defence has been contacted for comment.
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