On November 19, 2025, a stark warning echoed through the halls of Westminster as the House of Commons Defence Select Committee released a report raising urgent alarms about the United Kingdom’s preparedness in a rapidly changing global security landscape. According to Anadolu Agency, the committee’s findings were blunt: the UK currently has “no plan for defending the homeland” and is failing to adequately prepare for rising threats from abroad. Despite its status as a leading European military power, the UK’s ability to maintain this position is, the report says, “under pressure.”
At the heart of the committee’s concerns is a growing sense that the UK’s defense strategy is too reliant on the United States. A cross-party group of lawmakers, as reported by multiple outlets including Anadolu Agency and POLITICO, cautioned that Britain has not invested sufficiently in a backup plan should America reduce its military commitment to Europe. The report urges the government to “identify where it could replace US capabilities in the event of them being withdrawn.” This is not just a hypothetical worry: the shifting priorities in Washington, especially in times of global crisis, could leave Britain in a precarious position.
NATO, described in the report as the “cornerstone of UK defense policy,” is itself under strain. The committee points to three major challenges: persistent Russian aggression, changing US priorities, and the “systemic threats posed by China, Iran, and North Korea.” The report calls on ministers to be “clear-eyed” about the stakes, particularly regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine, which it describes as “a war to defend Europe and protect civil society against Russian aggression.”
The report’s message is clear: Europe faces a “significant” security threat. The committee details a litany of dangers, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the collapse of arms control treaties, threats of nuclear proliferation and use, incursions into European airspace, and a wave of espionage, assassination, and sabotage across the continent—including within the UK itself. “The UK must act decisively to ensure it remains secure at home and a credible leader abroad,” the report concludes.
But what does “acting decisively” actually mean? The committee outlines several urgent recommendations. First and foremost, it says the government must “urgently strengthen both its conventional and nuclear forces.” In practical terms, this means investing in new equipment, modernizing existing capabilities, and ensuring that British forces are ready to respond to a range of threats, from conventional military attacks to cyber warfare and hybrid tactics.
Second, the report urges a boost to the UK’s defense industry capacity. This is not just about buying more tanks or planes; it’s about ensuring that the UK can design, build, and maintain its own cutting-edge military technology, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers and partners. The committee also emphasizes the need to defend not just the UK mainland, but also its overseas territories—some of which are in regions where global tensions are rising.
Perhaps most critically, the committee takes aim at the government’s recent strategic defense review and national security strategy. While acknowledging that these documents set “ambitious goals,” the report criticizes them for lacking “detail on prioritization and capability trade-offs.” In other words, the government has set out what it wants to achieve, but hasn’t explained how it will actually get there—or what it’s willing to sacrifice to do so. The forthcoming defense investment plan, the committee insists, must fill these gaps.
According to POLITICO, the lawmakers’ report also highlights a broader European challenge. Although many European nations increased their defense spending after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the committee notes that “both resourcing and capacity for European alternatives to US provision are still a challenge.” In plain English: while Europe is spending more on defense, it’s still heavily dependent on American military power, and that dependency could become a major vulnerability if US support wanes.
This dependency is not just theoretical. The US has long provided much of the heavy lifting for NATO’s collective defense, including intelligence, logistics, and advanced weaponry. If America’s focus shifts elsewhere—whether because of domestic politics, a crisis in another region, or a change in administration—Europe could be left scrambling to fill the gap. “Britain needs to see where it could replace U.S. capabilities in the event of them being withdrawn,” the committee warns.
Underlying all these recommendations is a sense of urgency. The report paints a picture of a world where old certainties are crumbling. The collapse of arms control treaties has made the threat of nuclear proliferation and even use more real than at any time since the Cold War. Russian incursions into European airspace, coupled with a surge in espionage and sabotage, have brought the threat closer to home. And as China, Iran, and North Korea flex their muscles on the world stage, the range of potential challenges facing the UK has never been broader—or more unpredictable.
Despite these challenges, the committee is clear-eyed about the stakes. The war in Ukraine is not just a regional conflict; it is, in the committee’s words, “a war to defend Europe and protect civil society against Russian aggression.” The report calls on ministers to recognize the gravity of the situation and to ensure that the UK is not just reacting to events, but actively shaping them. That means making hard choices about where to invest, what capabilities to prioritize, and how to work with allies—both within NATO and beyond.
As the government prepares its next defense investment plan, the committee’s message is unmistakable: the time for half-measures has passed. Britain must act now to shore up its defenses, reduce its reliance on the US, and ensure that it remains a credible force for security and stability in Europe and beyond. The world is changing fast, and the UK cannot afford to be caught flat-footed.
The Defence Select Committee’s report is a wake-up call—a reminder that in an era of rising global threats, security cannot be taken for granted. The choices made in the coming months will shape not just the UK’s place in the world, but the safety and security of its citizens for years to come.