End the 'sentimental' approach to the US 'special relationship' and boost defence spending to keep Britain safe, urges ex-Labour minister Starmer tasked with writing his defence review

By SAM MERRIMAN, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 00:01, 22 April 2026 | Updated: 00:11, 22 April 2026 The Government must end its 'sentimental' approach to the US special relationship and increase defence spending to keep Britain safe, a committee led by the author of the defence review has said. Labour should set a 'clear and costed' path to spending 5 per cent of GDP on defence in order to end the 'dependency culture' on Donald Trump's United States, according to its new report. The committee led by former Nato chief Lord Robertson also urges the Government to prioritise publishing its defence spending plan - which is now more than six months overdue. Defence Secretary John Healey said last year that Labour would publish the ten-year Defence Investment Plan by last autumn, but this is now not expected until the summer. The report comes after Labour peer Lord Robertson earlier this month accused his own Government of 'corrosive complacency' on defence spending in an unprecedented intervention. The former defence secretary, who wrote the Government's strategic defence review last year, added that we 'cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget'. Now a new report from a House of Lords committee that he chairs warns that the 'Government can no longer assume that the US will continue to guarantee European security'. It calls for Britain to adopt a more 'sober' approach to the special relationship with the US - although adds that the relationship extends 'well beyond the statements of any individual President or Prime Minister'. Keir Starmer and former Nato chief Lord Robertson pictured in 2024 at Downing Street Taking aim: Then-Labour defence secretary George Robertson on a Challenger tank in 1999 Urging a 'rebalancing' of the UK-US relationship, the Lords International Relations and Defence Committee report says that the Government should 'diversify its partnerships to reduce exposure to abrupt shifts in US policy'. Amid threats from President Trump to withdraw the US from NATO, it says that the UK should 'lead on a concentrated move towards greater European leadership in NATO'. And following political appointments by the Trump administration to key US intelligence roles, it urges the Government to ensure British intelligence agencies 'mitigate against a scenario in which political directives render the US a less reliable partner'. The report adds: 'Ultimately, a UK that is stronger, more strategically autonomous and resilient will be the surest foundation for a more balanced transatlantic partnership - one that consistently advances and protects the UK's national interest.' In order to achieve this, Lord Robertson said the UK 'must move beyond the sentimental notion of a 'special relationship' over the next decade as the US is 'becoming more transactional'. He said: 'What this means for the UK, is that it must reduce its over-reliance on the US and take the lead in cultivating other partnerships even while continuing to collaborate with the US where feasible and when interests align. 'Greater UK autonomy and resilience are essential if we are to protect our national interest in an increasingly volatile global environment where US support may not always be guaranteed.' The report suggests that 'part of the answer to this challenge lies in the UK accelerating its defence spending' - particularly by meeting the commitment to spend 5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2035. It concludes that in order to achieve this the Government 'must prioritise the publication and timely implementation of the Defence Investment Plan to deliver on the recommendations set out in the UK's Strategic Defence Review'. The Mail is urging increased spending through its Don't Leave Britain Defenceless campaign. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.