'They’ve got themselves in another mess': Journalist on concerns towards PM's pledge of financial military support
18 October 2022, 16:57 | Updated: 18 October 2022, 17:09
Dan Sabbagh tells Shelagh Fogarty Britain is in a 'political mess'.
Journalist Dan Sabbagh told Shelagh Fogarty that Britain is in a 'political mess' and military services need financial support as Eastern Europe countries call for help.
This comes as The UK defence secretary, Ben Wallace, and one of his deputies, James Heappey, have indicated they are prepared to quit their jobs if Liz Truss does not honour her campaign pledge to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030.
Dan Sabbagh said to Shelagh: “You’ve got to ask whether this commitment is going to last!”
Ben Wallace has said he "will hold the prime minister to the pledges made" as Liz Truss and the Chancellor are set to revise spending plans.
Mr Sabbagh stated: "Liz Truss has made a commitment, Ben Wallace wants to stick to it, Jeremy Hunt's not sure, somethings gotta give."
He later added: “They’ve got themselves in another mess."
Shelagh referred to to Tobias Ellwood's comments which stated the UK's approach to war is changing.
She then said: "Clearly sometimes it isn't."
Mr Sabbagh told Shelagh: "Well a lot of people said that war was changing and then Russia invaded Ukraine, things feel very different.
"Putin of course has not a direct party to the war in Ukraine, but for example we've had couple of thousand troops deployed in Estonia latterly which borders with Russia part of the Nato commitment.
"Half of that force looks like it's coming home at the end of the year, no force has been earmarked to go rotate and replace it.
Britains got a relatively small army of 72,000, Britain itself might not feel at direct threats from the land but there are allies in Eastern Europe that want our help and support."
He also said with countries in Eastern Europe wanting our support there is an argument for more financial support to military services.
