Defence cuts 'would be ridiculous' says Hampshire MP

The New Forest East backbencher said it was “frankly staggering” that Britain was poised to fall below a NATO minimum of spending two per cent of GDP on defence.

And he urged ministers to recognise that security was more important than other departments – health, schools and international aid – where spending is protected.

Dr Lewis said: “The idea that we would fall below the minimum of two per cent when, in the Cold War, we spent between four and five per cent of GDP on defence is frankly staggering

“We even see Russia turning back, to some extent, to its old ways.

“So the idea we are living in a particularly peaceful environment is frankly ridiculous - the international situation is darkening.”

Dr Lewis said it was far better for Britain to deter potential aggressors, than to be forced to “spend money later when a crisis has arisen”.

And he added: “The Government should say it’s out of the question that we would ever fall below the NATO recommended minimum of two per cent.

“Bearing in mind that they have been quite happy to box themselves in by ring-fencing other departments whose work, frankly, is less important than defending our country.”

The New Forest East MP spoke out ahead of a second attempt to secure the key post of chairman of the defence select committee, in an election later this month.

A year ago, Dr Lewis fell just 14 votes short in a hotly-contested battle with fellow Tory Rory Stewart, a former diplomat in Iraq who has now been made a minister.

This week, the US defence secretary said he worried that the UK could become “disengaged” if it makes further cuts to defence spending.

Ashton Carter told the BBC that Britain had “always punched above its weight”, but that position was under threat from the Government’s failure to commit to the two per cent figure.

Reacting to US defence secretary’s comments, Dr Lewis said: “It’s a sign of how serious they believe the situation has become.