Former soldier Henry Bolton has issued a stark warning that Russia “sees itself as at war” with Britain, amid growing concerns over defence preparedness.
Speaking on GB News, the ex-soldier emphasised that Europe is experiencing its largest conflict since World War Two.
“We are sitting here thinking we’re not at war with Russia, but Russia sees itself as at war with us,” Bolton cautioned.
He warned that failing to prepare militarily would leave Britain “in a very, very difficult place indeed.”
Henry Bolton is demanding defence spend
GB NEWS
This warning comes as Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that any increase in defence spending would need to come from existing budgets, potentially affecting other vital services.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Reeves stressed there is “not some magic pot for any area of government spending”.
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Rachel Reeves has indicated no significant uplift in defence spend
GB News
The Labour Party has pledged to raise military spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP, which could cost an extra £20 billion annually by 2030.
However, Reeves warned that such increases would mean squeezing funding for schools, hospitals and police services.
Reeves revealed plans for the “biggest audit of government spending” in almost two decades, involving a line-by-line review of Whitehall expenditure.
The review, led by former NATO head George Robertson, will not be completed until June and will set out a timeline for reaching the 2.5 per cent defence spending target.
The matter was discussed on GB News
GB NEWS
The Chancellor defended her military commitment, citing a £3 billion defence spending increase in the Budget and £2.3 billion for Ukraine from frozen Russian assets.
She declined to confirm whether the 2.5 per cent target would be achieved by 2030.
Bolton highlighted specific Russian activities threatening UK security, including probing of undersea infrastructure and cyber attacks.
He pointed to Russia’s involvement in cutting communications links between Finland and Germany as evidence of ongoing hostile actions.
“There’s a whole lot going on,” Bolton said on GB News, drawing parallels between current events and Germany’s actions in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s.
He emphasised that the situation could escalate “into a more military domain,” calling failure to rearm and reequip “negligent to the point of stupidity.”
These warnings echo recent statements from Veterans Minister Al Carns, who cautioned that the British Army could be “expended” within “six months to a year” in a major war.
Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute, Carns highlighted that Russian forces are suffering around 1,500 casualties daily in Ukraine.
The minister, a former Royal Marine colonel, emphasised that Britain’s reserve forces are critical for generating military mass during crises.
However, he noted that reserves currently face underinvestment, lacking essential equipment and training.