FORMER Defence Minister Al Carns has told Sir Keir Starmer to find billions of pounds more for the Armed Forces or Britain will face the hell of war on its own shores.
Mr Carns hopes , alongside that of Defence Secretary , is a wake-up call to fund our military.
Former Defence Minister Al Carns meets Royal Navy personnel in Gibraltar Credit: PA
Carns is a former colonel in the Royal Marines who served five tours in Afghanistan Credit: Al Carns
And he warned that Russia’s President would be “questioning our seriousness” about preparing for war in the wake of last week’s defence funding fiasco.
Mr Carns, a former colonel in the Royal Marines who served five tours in Afghanistan, warned No 10 that our enemies were watching what we do with our military.
He said: “The world is becoming a far more dangerous place — more dangerous than I’ve ever seen it.
“I’ve crawled through hell and back again in Afghanistan and other places.
Al Carns has warned No 10 that our enemies are watching what we do with our military Credit: PA
He says the UK could face war unless PM Sir Keir Starmer spends billions more on defence Credit: Getty
“We must avoid getting ourselves in an entanglement or conflict. But to avoid it you must prepare for it.
“That is the most difficult thing — to convince the population that we’ve got to pay for our defence because we don’t want war, not because we do.
“If we stop paying for it our adversaries are emboldened, and they take a risk, then we end up in a miscalculation or a mistake, and then we end up in a conflict.”
Mr Carns, who met personnel in last month, quit with Mr Healey over the Government’s lack of defence funding.
He described the Prime Minister as a “good man” but urged him to “be really bold”.
Mr Carns said of his and Mr Healey’s resignations: “I’ll be really interested to see whether it’s had an impact and whether it results in a revitalised Defence Investment Plan and a new funding settlement.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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