Starmer tells nation to face ‘grim reality’ of Putin threat as Britain arms itself with nuclear-capable F-35 fighters and prepares for ‘wartime scenario’
Britain must prepare for nuclear war and a direct attack on home soil, Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned yesterday in a stark assessment that sent shivers through Westminster.
In his most sobering message yet, the PM declared the nation faces threats “more serious, more immediate and more unpredictable than at any time since the Cold War” – and revealed Britain is buying a dozen American fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear bombs.
The dramatic announcement at this week’s NATO summit marks the biggest expansion of Britain’s nuclear arsenal in a generation. For the first time since 1998, RAF pilots will be able to drop atomic weapons from the skies.
‘We Cannot Ignore the Threat’
Speaking at a BAE Systems shipyard in Glasgow earlier this month, Starmer pulled no punches about the dangers facing Britain.
We cannot ignore the threat that Russia poses,” he told workers, with two newly commissioned Royal Navy frigates under construction behind him. The PM’s message was crystal clear: Britain must become “a battle-ready, armour-clad nation.”
His chilling words echoed warnings from the government’s new national security strategy, which states Britain must “actively prepare for the possibility of the UK homeland coming under direct threat, potentially in a wartime scenario” – language not used in official documents for decades.
The strategy highlighted Russian cyber attacks, sabotage operations, and Iranian hostile activity on British soil as immediate dangers. It warned that adversaries are already “laying the foundations for future conflict.”
Nuclear Jets Return to Britain
At the NATO summit in The Hague on Wednesday, Starmer confirmed Britain will purchase 12 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters from American manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The £80 million jets can carry the US B61 tactical nuclear bombs – weapons designed for battlefield use rather than long-range strikes.
It’s a seismic shift for Britain’s defence posture. Since scrapping the WE-177 free-fall bomb in 1998, the UK’s nuclear deterrent has relied solely on Trident missiles launched from submarines patrolling beneath the waves.
Now, according to Downing Street, the RAF will rejoin NATO’s “dual capable aircraft” mission alongside Germany, Italy and other allies – creating what officials call the “biggest strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture in a generation.
The new jets will be based at RAF Marham in Norfolk, supporting 20,000 British jobs according to government figures. Seven NATO members already operate similar nuclear-capable aircraft on European territory.
‘More Than Words Are Needed’
But it’s not just about fighter jets. Starmer’s defence review, published in June, outlined a massive military transformation designed to counter what it calls Russia’s “war economy.
The plans include:
- Building up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines
- Investing £15 billion in Britain’s nuclear arsenal
- Establishing six new munitions factories to produce 7,000 long-range weapons
- Creating a cyber command to counter “daily” Russian attacks
Defence Secretary John Healey promised the changes would make the British Army “10 times more lethal” – though he admitted troop numbers won’t rise until the early 2030s.
The government aims to boost defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with an “ambition” to reach 3% in the next parliamentary term. However, Starmer stopped short of guaranteeing the higher figure, saying he won’t make promises until he knows “precisely where the money is coming from.”
Putin’s Nuclear Sabre-Rattling
The announcements come against a backdrop of increasingly aggressive rhetoric from Moscow. When Starmer previously supported Ukraine firing British Storm Shadow missiles into Russian territory, Putin responded by lowering the threshold for nuclear weapon use.
Russian state television has openly mocked Britain’s defence plans, with prominent propagandist Vladimir Solovyov warning of “painful” radiation deaths if conflict escalates. He even encouraged Scottish and Welsh independence movements, suggesting they break away “before it’s too late.”
Yet Starmer remains defiant. When Putin revised Russia’s nuclear doctrine last November, the PM dismissed it as “irresponsible rhetoric” that wouldn’t deter British support for Ukraine.
I say again to Putin: end the war, get out of Ukraine,” Starmer declared at the G20 summit in Brazil.
Trump Factor Looms Large
The nuclear jet purchase also sends a message across the Atlantic. With Donald Trump demanding NATO members spend more on defence – and threatening to withdraw US protection from those who don’t pay up – Britain is keen to prove its commitment.
During their White House meeting in February, Trump and Starmer discussed Ukraine, with the PM urging continued support. While Trump has pushed for a quick peace deal, Starmer warned that any agreement “can’t be peace that rewards the aggressor.
The British leader even offered to put “boots on the ground” to support a future peace settlement – though he stressed this would be as peacekeepers, not combatants.
A Nation on Edge
For ordinary Britons, the implications are sobering. The defence review explicitly states that “every citizen of this country has a role to play” in national security. Starmer himself declared the “front line” is now on British streets.
Lord Robertson, who led the review, didn’t mince words about the stakes. The former NATO chief warned that without action, Britain risks becoming vulnerable to enemies who view democratic nations as weak and divided.
Critics question whether the government can afford its ambitious plans. Conservative defence spokesman James Cartlidge called the proposals “an empty wish list” without proper funding guarantees.
But with Russian warships prowling British waters, cyber attacks on the NHS, and the Salisbury chemical weapons attack still fresh in memory, ministers insist there’s no time to waste.
As one defence official put it: “The era of the peace dividend is over. We’re back to preparing for the worst while hoping for the best.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte welcomed Britain’s nuclear announcement as “yet another robust British contribution” to alliance security. With the organisation considering raising its spending target to 3.5% of GDP, pressure will only intensify on member states to match Britain’s commitment.
For now, as those F-35As prepare to arrive at RAF Marham, Britain is sending a clear message to Moscow: we’re ready for whatever comes next. The question is whether Putin is listening – or whether the world is sleepwalking towards a confrontation nobody wants but everyone fears.
Image credit: Photo by Jessica Taylor, © House of Commons, taken on 24 July 2024 during Prime Minister’s Questionsin the House of Commons. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)
Image page: View on Wikimedia Commons – “Prime Minister’s Questions, 24 July 2024”
