Woman feeding pigeons with bread arrested and handcuffed by police

A woman feeding pigeons in the street was arrested and handcuffed in a “ridiculous” incident caught on camera.

Video posted on social media shows the woman aged in her forties being detained by a group of at least six police officers and council enforcement workers in Harrow, London, on Wednesday.

In the footage captured by a passer-by, the woman looks visibly distressed as she is placed in handcuffs at around 2.30pm on the High Street in Wealdstone, before her pockets are searched. She is then marched by two officers and put in the back of a police van.

The man filming can be heard repeatedly expressing his outrage at the scene, and other passers-by are similarly heard questioning the incident, with one saying, “This is ridiculous.”

The local council said the woman was in “breach of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) relating to bird feeding” and issued her with a £100 fine. Anyone in breach of the PSPO must pay a £100 fixed penalty notice, otherwise they may face prosecution.

Police said the woman was arrested after she “repeatedly refused to provide her personal details” when asked by officers, which is an offence.

Once her details were obtained, the force said she was de-arrested, and the matter was passed over to council officers.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: “At around 2.30pm on Wednesday 7 January, officers were approached by local council enforcement officers dealing with an anti-social behaviour incident on Wealdstone High Street, Harrow.

“A woman, in her forties, was repeatedly asked to provide her name and address so that a fixed penalty notice could be issued. After speaking with officers for around 20 minutes, she repeatedly refused to provide her personal details.

“She was arrested on suspicion of breaching Section 50 of the Police Reform Act, which requires people to provide their name and address when requested to do so by the police.

“Her details were later obtained, and she was de-arrested and dealt with by council officers.”

A Harrow Council spokesperson said: “There was a breach of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) relating to bird feeding.

“The individual refused to provide their details, which is an offence, and also refused to stop feeding pigeons when asked to do so.

“Our PSPO is in place to help keep our streets clean and safe for everyone, and anyone found breaching these faces a £100 fixed penalty notice.”

Trump warned Greenland dispute threatens crucial US defence agreements

Donald Trump’s hostile approach to Greenland threatens to undermine the largely unfettered access the United States has with the Danish territory, America’s leading expert on the issue has warned.

Barack Obama’s former assistant secretary of state Frank Rose was the last U.S. official to negotiate a defence deal with Denmark and the Greenland Home Rule administration and spoke exclusively to The Independent about the international dispute threatening to break NATO.

“Like many things with the president, I don’t disagree with what he’s trying to do,” he said. “I disagree with the means he’s trying to get there.”

Rose described Greenland as “critical” to U.S. defence and in 2003/2004 was responsible for negotiating the agreement for satellite defence on the island as part of the early warning system for attacks on America.

He noted that thanks to another treaty in 1951 the U.S. can “do whatever it wants” militarily on Greenland with the consent of the Danish government “and they were never going to say no”.

But he warned that with President Trump’s bellicose language of forcibly taking Greenland from Denmark, that the consent needed might not be forthcoming if the U.S. wants to put 10,000 troops on the island again – the number it had there until the end of the Cold War.

On Friday, Trump reiterated his intentions to take to take the territory one way or another and showed no sign of backing down.

“We’re going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not,” he told reporters. “We’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor. I would like to make a deal, the easy way. But if we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way.

“I’m a big fan of Denmark, they’ve been very nice to me. But the fact they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn’t mean they own the land. I’m sure we had lots of boats go there also.”

The issue has shocked NATO allies with U.K. prime minister Sir Keir Starmer speaking twice to the president about it in a bid to persuade him to back off his demands.

When it was put to Rose that Denmark and Greenland are not going to be cooperative because of the international backlash to Trump’s threats, he replied: “That’s quite possible.”

He went on: “I’ve worked with Danes for 25 years of my career. They are wonderful allies. They have shed blood for the United States in Afghanistan. These people are good allies.

“You know, you really don’t want to upset your friends for no reason. Sometimes you need to upset your friends. Okay, that’s just, that’s life. This is not one of those situations where we need to upset our friends to get what we need.

“I say this, as someone who’s actually negotiated with the Danes and the Greenland Home Rule government back in 2003/ 2004 to enhance the security of the United States, I understand how important Greenland is.”

As a a junior staffer at the Pentagon working on missile defense, he was responsible for working with the Danish government and the Greenland Home Rule government to allow them to upgrade the radar as part of the homeland missile defense mission.

He said the radar “is really critical with regards to our ability to protect the East Coast of the United States from long range missile threats from North Korea and potentially Iran.”

It is also critical to track missiles in space or ones fired over the poles by Russia or China.

The United States occupied Greenland during the Second World War after Denmark fell to Nazi Germany and then the treaty of 1951 meant that they could station whatever military they wanted afterwards.

“So Trump absolutely right about the strategic importance of Greenland, but fundamentally, under the 1951 Defense of Greenland Treaty, we basically have wide latitude to deploy additional troops as needed,” Rose said.

“We have all the legal rights necessary to do what we need to do. This is Donald Trump. He gets many of these, the fundamental issues right, but it’s how he goes about it. And I wish somebody on the National Security Council or the State Department was telling him that we can do whatever we need to do there.”

New footage from ICE agent’s phone shows what woman said before being fatally shot

Protests have erupted across the country after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, identified as Jonathan Ross, fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.

Demonstrators in Minneapolis and other cities across the U.S., including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Raleigh and Washington, D.C., have turned out this weekend for nonviolent protests, being called “ICE Out For Good.” Photos showed demonstrators holding signs demanding ICE leave their cities or remembering Good’s legacy.

Large anti-ICE protests have been ongoing in Minneapolis, drawing hundreds of local and state law enforcement officers. A large crowd formed Saturday in the city’s Powderhorn Park, where protesters have chanted Good’s name and waved signs with slogans like “ICE will melt,” according to CNN.

While the Minneapolis protests have been largely peaceful, at least 29 individuals were arrested Friday evening after a hotel was vandalized.

Several activist groups have helped organize the protests, which call for the government to reduce ICE presence in cities and demand accountability.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security has released a new video showing the minutes that led up to the fatal shooting in Minneapolis. In a post on X, the agency asserted Good was “STALKING and IMPEDING a law enforcement operation.”

New site allows drivers to see how badly their council is on potholes

Motorists across England can now scrutinise their local council’s efforts in tackling potholes, following the introduction of a new traffic light rating system.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has unveiled a mapping tool assigning red, amber, or green ratings to 154 local highway authorities. These classifications are based on the state of local roads and how efficiently government road maintenance funding is being utilised.

The majority of authorities have received an amber rating. However, several areas have been flagged as red, indicating significant concerns.

These include Cumberland in Cumbria, Bolton in Greater Manchester, Leicestershire, Suffolk, and Kensington and Chelsea in west London.

The DfT said red authorities will receive “dedicated support to bring them into line with best practices” through a £300,000 programme.

Green authorities include Essex; Wiltshire; Coventry, West Midlands; Leeds, West Yorkshire; and Darlington, County Durham.

They demonstrated they are following “best practice” such as investing in long-term preventative measures rather than just patching up potholes, while also maintaining good road conditions, according to the DfT.

Total local road maintenance funding for England provided by the Government in the 2025/26 financial year was nearly £1.6 billion, representing a £500 million uplift compared with the previous 12 months.

A quarter of the extra money was withheld until the end of last year after authorities had set out their plans to spend it.

In November’s budget, the Government committed to providing a total of £7.3 billion for local road maintenance funding for the four years up to and including 2029/30.

Common vehicle problems caused by potholes include damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheels.

The RAC estimates a typical repair bill for a family car suffering pothole damage beyond a puncture is £590.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “For too long drivers have paid the price because our roads were left to deteriorate.

“I have heard time and again their frustration on footing the bill because they hit a pothole – money they should never have to spend in the first place.

“We’ve put our money where our mouth is, increasing the funding for local highway authorities with £7.3 billion to fix roads and given them the long-term certainty they have been asking for.

“Now it’s over to them to spend the money wisely, and for the first time we are making sure the public can see how well councils are doing in delivering the improvements they want to see in their local area.

“This Government’s record investment will save drivers money on repairs, make roads safer and help restore pride in our communities.”

Edmund King, president of the AA, said tackling potholes is the “top transport demand” for 96% of AA members, and the new ratings system should promote “more proactive and permanent repairs”.

Caroline Julian, brand and engagement director of British Cycling, said the new ratings system provides cyclists with “clear insight into how well their council is maintaining the routes they rely on every day”.

Tom Hunt, chairman of the Local Government Association’s inclusive growth committee, said: “Councils face a £17 billion backlog of road repairs.

“Only longer-term funding certainty will help councils more effectively plan for future maintenance schemes, focusing more on preventative measures – which will ultimately save the taxpayer money and reduce the need for repairs – and able to invest in innovation.”

Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said: “A map won’t stop tyres blowing or suspensions snapping.

“Motorists, already being squeezed tight by Labour, deserve real action to back them – only the Conservatives will deliver that.”

Britain’s former top judge tells Starmer: Make things right on IPP

A former lord chief justice has urged Sir Keir Starmer to end the scandal of cruel indefinite jail terms, accusing ministers of ignoring “the urgency of the situation”, as scores of prisoners languish in jail with no hope of release.

Comparing the cases of those locked up under imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences to the Post Office and infected blood scandals, Lord John Thomas argued it is “time for the state to recognise that a mistake has been made” and called for ministers to “bring justice at long last to those never released”.

IPP sentences – recognised as “psychological torture” by the UN – were scrapped in 2012, but not retrospectively, leaving almost 2,500 inmates who were already jailed incarcerated with no release date as the government continues to refuse to resentence them.

At least 94 people have taken their own lives in prison after losing hope of getting out.

Victims of the scandal, whose tragic cases have been highlighted by The Independent, include Leroy Douglas, who has served almost 20 years for stealing a mobile phone; Thomas White, 42, who set himself alight in his cell and has served 13 years for stealing a phone; and Abdullahi Suleman, 41, who is still inside 19 years after he was jailed for a laptop robbery.

Lord Thomas, a crossbench peer, last month tabled an amendment to the Sentencing Bill calling for IPP prisoners to be given a release date within two years of their next parole hearing, but it was voted down by the government this week.

It came alongside another defeated amendment tabled by Edward Garnier KC, a former solicitor general under the Conservative government, which called for a panel of judges to reconsider the plight of every prisoner on an indefinite jail term.

Writing for The Independent, Lord Thomas argued that IPP sentences have left some prisoners facing “extraordinary” sentences which are “wholly disproportionate to the crime” they committed.

“The IPP sentence is now accepted to have been wrong in principle by absolutely everyone. How, therefore, can we as a nation justly continue to imprison people under such a sentence?

“There is no answer to this question, save that the policy of the government is unjust,” he wrote.

Lord Thomas continued: “Psychiatric evidence is clear that if we lock someone up for an indefinite time for an offence that is not that serious, we are likely to do them damage.

“People on IPP sentences are being subjected to increased risk because their imprisonment is unjust and they lose all hope. It is time for the state to recognise that a mistake has been made.

“If we can do justice in the terrible cases of the Post Office and infected blood scandal, we can do it here.”

James Timpson, the prisons minister, has been at the forefront of trying to push reform in the new government, and is understood to have been arguing for many of the changes that Lord Thomas specifies in his mission for change.

Even though deputy prime minister David Lammy showed sympathy for change while in opposition, he has been reluctant to embrace the changes he once advocated.

The Independent understands there have been heated exchanges at the top of government, with the debate pivoting on the possible public disdain over the release of prisoners against the compassion of not locking people up and throwing away the key.

Lord Thomas’s remarks come just days after The Independent reported on the plight of 233 prisoners serving indefinite sentences who have been transferred to secure mental health units, in many cases because the hopeless nature of the jail term has left them profoundly damaged.

Meanwhile, a senior doctor who treats IPP prisoners warned that more will likely take their lives in custody unless the government moves to end the scandal.

Calling for ministers to take urgent action, Lord Thomas said: “2026 should be the year in which we at last remedy this longstanding injustice.

“It should not be a year when our government leaves the stain of IPP on our otherwise world-renowned system of justice and shows we, as a country, cannot pass the unfailing test of any civilisation.”

The Independent revealed in September that the United Nations will investigate whether Britain is breaching human rights law by arbitrarily detaining prisoners trapped on IPP sentences.

Campaigners and their legal team launched a landmark complaint on behalf of five men who have served a combined total of 84 years incarcerated under IPP jail terms, including for minor crimes.

The case, lodged with the UN’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in September 2025, includes a bombshell letter from Mr Lammy, which proves he agrees the jail term is a “grave injustice” which causes “simply horrendous” mental trauma.

The letter, written in 2021 when he was shadow justice secretary, says the implementation of the jail term was “tragically flawed”, adding: “It is now painfully clear that the IPP sentence was far too broad, and many low-risk offenders are serving IPP sentences today for committing minor offences in the past.”

Meanwhile, senior judges who imposed the jail terms have revealed their regret for their part in the “injustice”.

Former High Court judge Sir John Saunders said he would apologise to offenders he handed IPP jail terms.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said:“It is right that IPP sentences were abolished and we have already acted. This includes tabling an amendment to ensure those serving IPP sentences in the community can be more swiftly considered for licence termination, supporting them to move on with their lives.

“Every IPP prisoner is entitled to a parole review at least every two years – and no one is kept in prison unless the independent Parole Board judges they still pose a serious risk.”

Your dream cruise formula: From Caribbean islands to European cities

If your ideal holiday is one that blends fuss-free adventure with great culinary choices and sumptuous relaxation, then book yourself onto a cruise immediately. From experiencing rich cultures, visiting breathtaking beauty spots, and dining on delicious delicacies – cruising has become one of the most luxurious ways to travel.

This dream-holiday formula is something that Virgin Voyages has perfected with its multi-award-winning, adult-only cruises, which sail across Europe, North America and the Caribbean. From entertaining onboard experiences and modern facilities to exciting escapades on land, these are the types of trips that are worth writing home about, and why Virgin Voyages has been named Travel + Leisure ® World’s Best #1 Mega Ship for an impressive three years in a row.

Here’s what would-be Sailors can expect from a Virgin Voyages cruise…

Whichever of the 150-plus destinations you choose to sail to, one thing remains guaranteed, you’ll get an unforgettable journey, and leave with happy stories to share with loved ones back home. Why not make those memories on Virgin Voyages’ impressive Lady Ships, with Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady and Brilliant Lady each offering a distinct personality which is encapsulated in everything from decor to destinations. Expect enough amenities and activities to entertain a small city: from tequila tasting to spa days and over 20 premium eateries serving menus curated by Michelin starred chefs. There’s a whole holiday’s worth of experiences before you’ve even docked at your first port.

Be gone any thoughts of pokey, old-fashioned interiors and get ready to embrace charming cabins with a super-yacht aesthetic. No matter which of the Virgin Voyages sleeping quarters you choose from, you’ll be met with super comfortable beds, a roomy rainshower, mood lighting, free Wi-Fi and a large flat-screen HDTV. Want to really push the boat out? Opt for luxury suites that promise five-star comfort and opulence, with champagne tables, sun loungers, handwoven terrace hammocks and in-room bars. Virgin Voyages ‘RockStar’ Sailors can also enjoy everything from VIP entrances to private access to rooftop terraces.

Whether your spirit is one of a dancing queen or a sophisticated theatre-goer, Virgin Voyages has nightlife and entertainment options to suit every taste – developed with the help of the world’s most-talked-about directors, choreographers, and artists. Choose from 80s parties, festival acts or classic stories like Romeo and Juliet – reinvented with a circus twist. Each ship offers something different, so if you’re a Virgin Voyages regular, you’ll never see the same thing twice. Save your vocal chords for the private karaoke rooms, while the casinos and gaming arcades could elevate an already winning mood even further.

Don’t want to leave your full-on fitness regime behind when you go on holiday? Or are you just curious to try a new healthy group class? Whatever your wellness wishes, there’s plenty to keep you busy onboard with workouts for every level. There’s yoga, HIIT, weight training, boxing, meditation and more, plus running or walking the signature 255-metre-ish Virgin red running track, which curves around the top of the ship in a halo shape. If relaxation is your main goal, head to the spa for everything from steam room and sauna to hot stone massage and seaweed wrap. The beauty salon offers a range of professional treatments, from manicures, pedicures and nail art to IV therapy, Botox and fillers.

While you’re free to enjoy port cities at your own leisure, Virgin Voyages also curates an array of land excursions or ‘Shore Things’ for those who want to immerse themselves in local culture. Why not enjoy a barefoot fish cookout on the Mexican island of Cozumel, a late night party on the Greek Island of Mykonos or visit the historic halls of Harvard University when sailing through Boston, Massachusetts. If you’re cruising the Caribbean, choose from a beach day in St Vincent and The Grenadines; explore the private island of Mustique or visit the colourful buildings of the capital Kingstown. Do as much or as little as you like – you’re always in charge!

Proving that there really is a cruise for everyone, Virgin Voyages’ child-free cruises visit almost endless destinations that span Europe, North America and the Caribbean. Choose a five-night cruise from New York to Bermuda, taking in the paradise pink-sand beaches, maritime history and cafe culture of the island, or maybe a seven-night voyage starting in Los Angeles and sailing to Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlan in Mexico. For a trip closer to home, soak in the Mediterranean sunshine while visiting Europe’s most famous cities and islands starting in the homeports of Greece and Spain. Tick off an array of bucket list destinations with the Idyllic Ibiza cruise aboard the Valiant Lady; set sail from Rome to Barcelona with stop offs at the superluxe Amalfi Coast, Cannes and Ibiza – now, that’s what you call an A-list adventure.

With so many incredible destinations to visit and on-board luxury to explore, a cruise with Virgin Voyages is a holiday you’ll never stop talking about.

Discover Virgin Voyages luxury range of cruises and plan your next adventure today

JD Vance backs UK over ‘unacceptable’ sexualised AI images on X

JD Vance considers the sexualised manipulation of images of women and children by the Grok artificial intelligence chatbot to be “entirely unacceptable,” David Lammy said following talks with the vice president.

Elon Musk, whose company xAI developed Grok and who owns the social media platform X, where the images were shared, has accused the UK government of being “fascist” and attempting to suppress free speech after ministers escalated threats that could effectively block the site.

Allies of Donald Trump have also criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s Government after ministers signalled support for regulator Ofcom to take whatever action is necessary against X.

Ofcom said it has been in contact with X and xAI over Grok’s generation of sexualised images, including of children, and is conducting an “expedited assessment” of the companies’ response.

But Deputy Prime Minister Mr Lammy said Mr Vance was sympathetic to the UK’s position on the issue.

Mr Lammy, who met Mr Vance in the U.S. earlier this week, told The Guardian he raised the issue of Grok “and the horrendous, horrific situation in which this new technology is allowing deepfakes and the manipulation of images of women and children, which is just absolutely abhorrent”.

“He agreed with me that it was entirely unacceptable,” Mr Lammy said.

“I think he recognised the very seriousness with which images of women and children could be manipulated in this way, and he recognised how despicable, unacceptable, that is and I found him sympathetic to that position.”

The tech tycoon claimed the Government “want any excuse for censorship” and “just want to suppress free speech”.

Responding to a chart showing arrest figures for online posts with the UK at the top, Mr Musk said:  “Why is the UK Government so fascist?”

Criticism of X has focused on Grok’s production of images of child abuse and manipulation of photographs of real women and girls to remove their clothes.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said she would back regulator Ofcom if it decided to effectively block X if it failed to comply with UK laws, saying: “Sexually manipulating images of women and children is despicable and abhorrent.”

She added: “I would remind xAI that the Online Safety Act Includes the power to block services from being accessed in the UK, if they refuse to comply with UK law. If Ofcom decide to use those powers they will have our full support.”

Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna has threatened to put forward legislation to sanction both Sir Keir Starmer and the UK if X was blocked in the country.

And the US State Department’s under secretary for public diplomacy, Sarah Rogers, posted a series of messages criticising the UK on X.

On Friday, X appeared to have changed Grok’s settings, with the chatbot telling users that only paid subscribers could ask it to manipulate images.

However, reports suggested this only applied to those making requests in reply to other posts, and other ways of editing or creating images, including on a separate Grok website, remained open.

Ms Kendall said it was “totally unacceptable for Grok to allow this if you’re willing to pay for it”, and added she expected an update on Ofcom’s next steps “in days, not weeks”.

Ofcom has powers under the Online Safety Act to fine businesses up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue, as well as to take criminal action.

It can also order payment providers, advertisers and internet service providers to stop working with a site, effectively banning them, though this would require agreement from the courts.

Ms Kendall also pointed to plans to ban nudification apps as part of the Crime and Policing Bill going through Parliament and said powers to criminalise the creation of intimate images without consent would come into force in the coming weeks.

The UK Government’s criticism of X was backed by Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese.

Speaking in Canberra, he said: “The use of generative artificial intelligence to exploit or sexualise people without their consent, is abhorrent.”

Extra defence spending is lost on MoD overdraft, warns ex RAF chief

The former head of the RAF has warned that increased defence spending in the UK is being “eaten up by the Ministry of Defence (MoD)’s overdraft” with the UK’s military footprint shrinking at a critical moment.

The intervention by retired Air Marshall Edward Stringer comes just days after Sir Keir Starmer committed sending UK troops to Ukraine as part of the coalition of the willing to protect any peace agreement from Russian aggression.

But it represents the third warning by a former member of the UK’s military top brass in less than a week over how the UK’s commitments to Ukraine and elsewhere are not matched by resources in the armed forces and manpower.

In his report for Policy Exchange Air Marshall Stringer warned that the UK gets much less “bang for its buck” than its competitors – so despite headline budget increases to 3 per cent of GDP with an aim of 3.5 per cent, the front line continues to shrink.

The report, entitled The Say Do Gaps in Defence, notes that the British Army now has just 14 howitzers in total; the Royal Navy has been unable to put more than one attack submarine to sea for a while; and the RAF had to send training unit pilots to sea to guarantee certification of the F35 Force on the carrier.

Warning that not a single formation in the British military is currently sustainable in combat as a sovereign entity with the full Order of Battle, Air Marshal Stringer wrote: “Our national defences have been revealed to be a flimsy facade. The tide has gone out and we can now see that the UK military was not wearing any trunks.”

It comes as a debate is set to be held next week in the Commons on the beleaguered Ajax heavy army project with the government likely to come under pressure to ditch it after continued failures after around £6bn spent on its development.

Meanwhile, another Policy Exchange report earlier in the week from another retired air marshall, Lord Stirrup, outlined how the UK had become too reliant on possessing nuclear weapons for deterrence which he warned was not scaring Vladimir Putin.

The former chief of the defence staff warned the UK has been hamstrung by an “outdated nuclear doctrine” and needs to recognise that deterrence relies “on a spectrum of capabilities, not just nuclear weapons themselves”.

It came as Sir Richard Shirreff, who served as Nato’s deputy supreme allied commander in Europe between 2011 and 2014, said allied forces would need at least 50,000 troops in Ukraine to deter an attack from Russia while the army currently has less than 75,000 personnel.

Meanwhile, former defence secretary Gavin Williamson warned that a token number would not be enough and said that the UK would need an equivalent of “the army of the Rhine” of more than 40,000 stationed in West Germany after the Second World War as a Cold War deterrent.

With Donald Trump looking to pull out of European defence and even threatening a NATO ally Denmark over Greenland, Air Marshal Stringer warned the UK had become too reliant on America and not its own sovereign capabilities.

He said: “During the period of American-policed ‘Rules-Based International Order’, we increasingly relied on borrowing off the Americans while making cuts to vital capabilities. The optics of occasional tactical excellence obscured the increasingly hollow nature of our sovereign capacity.

“But now the USA is signalling strongly that it is putting ‘America First’ and the rest of NATO will have to look after its own defences. This fundamentally challenges the model that we had semi-accidentally slipped into: our national defences have been revealed to be a flimsy facade. The tide has gone out and we can now see that the UK military was not wearing any trunks.”

Warning of a huge gap between what politicians claim on defence spending and the reality of the UK’s relative military weakness, he went on: “The Say-Do gap between the image of ourselves we have come to believe – and the reality of the hard power we can project in practice, is stark. The first necessary step is to recognise that, and recognise that the methods that got us into this mess have to be discarded ruthlessly.”

“The paper argues that whilst the government has been voluble in resetting the narrative of decline in our defence capacity, the reality is that neither spending nor front-line capabilities have kept pace with the rhetoric. Target dates in the 2030s are far too late, and such assurance are neither reassuring our allies our impressing our adversaries.

“The government’s procurement agencies have not absorbed the Government’s message on the seriousness of the times and the threats we now face, and the ‘business as usual’ ticks along, promising to be better by the 2030s while troubled programmes such as Ajax absorb billions for equipment that simply doesn’t work.”

An MoD spokesperson said: “This government is delivering the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War – with a £5bn boost this year and hitting 2.6 per cent of GDP by 2027, a level not seen since 2010. This will see over £270 billion invested into defence across this parliament, meaning no return to the hollowed out and underfunded armed forces of the past.

“The government is also bolstering the UK’s readiness and resilience, signing over 1,000 major contracts since the election, building at least six state-of-the art munitions and energetics factories this parliament, and implementing at pace the recommendations in the Strategic Defence Review.”