The United Kingdom does not possess a coherent plan to defend the nation in the event of a major war, the head of the armed forces has told a committee of MPs. The admission raises serious questions about the country's preparedness amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
Shocking Admission in Defence Committee Grilling
During a two-hour session with the defence select committee on Monday 12 January 2026, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, the Chief of the Defence Staff, confirmed the alarming gap in national planning. He stated that the UK has not revived a modern version of the Government War Book, a comprehensive set of plans last maintained until the end of the Cold War.
This historic document detailed how every sector – from the military and the NHS to the police and industry – would transition from peace to war. Its absence persists despite the ongoing war in Ukraine and repeated warnings about the threat from Russia.
No Strategy for NHS or Budget Certainty
In one of the most concerning revelations, Air Chief Marshal Knighton confirmed there is no holistic plan to mobilise the National Health Service to deal with mass casualties in the event of an all-out war in Europe. This includes no strategy for calling up civilian doctors and nurses or coordinating hospitals, which would be critical in a conflict.
On finances, the military chief was pressed on reports of a £28 billion hole in the defence budget over the next four years. While avoiding the word "cuts", he admitted the Ministry of Defence lacks the funding to deliver both its existing equipment programme and the additional ambitions set out in the government's Strategic Defence Review from June.
"If we wanted to do everything that's currently in the programme and do all the extra things in the SDR, could we do that with the budget that we've got? The answer is no," he told MPs.
A "Peace Dividend" Legacy and Future Promises
When questioned on why such a critical national defence plan is missing, Air Chief Marshal Knighton pointed to the "peace dividend" following the Cold War. He stated that successive governments "of many hues" had not prioritised comprehensive defence planning for decades.
He assured the committee that this is now changing. The military component of a new national plan, overseen by the Cabinet Office, is due to be finalised this year. More details on a plan for mobilising the NHS are expected within the next 12 to 18 months.
The admission confirms a Sky News report from almost two years prior and comes at a time when NATO allies are required to maintain robust national defence plans, even as the alliance remains the cornerstone of UK security policy.
