UK must boost defense budget to protect ‘homeland’ against Russian attack

Britain’s defence budget must be increased to ensure the UK’s armed forces can protect the “homeland” against potential attacks from China or Russia, a former military chief has warned.

Sir Richard Barrons delivered a stark warning to Philip Hammond ahead of the Chancellor’s Budget next month as he said that “the future will not replicate the comfortable recent past”.

The retired senior officer said Britain would be unable to “deal with” an attack by another major power and that it risked losing the ability to protect British citizens during times of “great jeopardy”.