During a parliamentary session, Helen Maguire, Liberal Democrat MP for Epsom and Ewell, raised concerns over the UK’s preparedness to address certain challenges, including gaps in anti-ballistic-missile systems and threats to critical infrastructure.
Maguire highlighted vulnerabilities in the UK’s defences, stating, “We face serious national defence vulnerabilities, with no land-based anti-ballistic-missile systems to protect critical infrastructure, military bases or population centres. Recent suspected sabotage of undersea cables in the Baltics highlights the hybrid threats for which we must also prepare.”
She pressed the Ministry of Defence (MOD) on its actions to address these issues, asking, “What steps is the Ministry of Defence taking to address the UK’s deficiencies in anti-ballistic-missile defences, and how are we preparing for potential hybrid attacks on our critical infrastructure?”
MPs warn of ‘urgent gaps’ in British air and missile defence
Responding, Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard pushed the importance of the ongoing Strategic Defence Review (SDR). “It is important that the strategic defence review is able to report its recommendations,” Pollard said, adding that the review will address capability gaps.
The Minister also criticised the state of the armed forces inherited by the current government, pointing to “capability gaps, falling morale and a recruitment and personnel crisis.”
He assured Parliament that the government is committed to defence, stating, “This Government back defence and will continue to do so, ensuring that those capability gaps are filled.”