UK’s ability to defend itself questioned by MPs as new arms factories promised

The UK lacks a plan to defend itself from a military attack, MPs warned as the Government promised to boost readiness with new arms factories.

At least 13 sites across the UK have been identified for new factories to make munitions and military explosives, with Defence Secretary John Healey expecting the arms industry to break ground at the first plant next year.

In a speech in London he will say the “new era of threat” presents an economic opportunity with at least 1,000 new jobs to be created.

His speech comes as the Commons Defence Committee issued a stark warning about the UK’s ability to fight a war and meet its Nato obligations in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.

Mr Healey will confirm the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has funded a number of feasibility studies for new energetics factories – producing explosives, pyrotechnics and propellants – to kickstart high-volume production in the UK for the first time in nearly two decades.

Potential sites for the “factories of the future” include Grangemouth in Scotland, Teesside in north-east England and Milford Haven in Wales.

Mr Healey will say: “For too long our proud industrial heartlands saw jobs go away and not come back. We are changing that. Bringing new hope. This is a fundamental shift from the failed approach of the past.

“This is a new era of threat but the opportunity of this new era is a defence dividend from our record investment, measured in good jobs, thriving businesses, new skills for the British people.”

In June, the MoD committed £1.5 billion of additional defence investment for energetics and munitions.

The Government is committed to building at least six new munitions and energetics factories before the next election, creating at least 1,000 jobs.

Mr Healey will also announce the opening of two new drone factories this week in Plymouth and Swindon.

“We are making defence an engine for growth, unambiguously backing British jobs and British skills as we make the UK better ready to fight and better able to deter future conflicts,” the Defence Secretary will say.

“This is the path that delivers national and economic security.”

Mr Healey will say that, at next week’s Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves will ensure there will be no return to the “hollowed out and underfunded” armed forces of the past.

Ahead of the Defence Secretary’s speech, Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Berlin to discuss defence and security issues over dinner with German chancellor Friedrich Merz and French president Emmanuel Macron.

The dinner came as negotiations over Britain’s participation in a 150 billion euro (£132 billion) European defence fund continue, with The Times reporting that the Government was considering walking away from the talks over French demands that the UK pay £5 billion to the EU to take part.

The challenges facing the Government and defence industry were laid bare in the parliamentary committee’s report.

“The UK lacks a plan for defending the homeland and overseas territories,” the  MPs warned as they called for the public to be given more information about the scale of the threat and the response that is required.

The committee’s chairman, Labour’s Tan Dhesi, said: “Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, unrelenting disinformation campaigns, and repeated incursions into European airspace mean that we cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand.”

He added: “We have repeatedly heard concerns about the UK’s ability to defend itself from attack. Government must be willing to grasp the nettle and prioritise homeland defence and resilience.

“In achieving this, Government cannot shy away from direct engagement with the public.

“Wars aren’t won just by generals but by the whole of the population getting behind the armed forces and playing our part.

“There needs to be a co-ordinated effort to communicate with the public on the level of threat we face and what to expect in the event of conflict.”