Brexit '˜could harm UK defensive capabilities'

The ability of the British armed forces to fulfil their role effectively could be limited by economic damage caused by Brexit, a parliamentary report has warned.

Budgets for defence could suffer says report. Picture: Getty

The 23 June vote to withdraw from the EU could inflict “significant” real-terms cuts on defence budgets, said the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (NSS).

Its report was critical of ministers’ failure to set out contingency plans for Brexit in the NSS published along with the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) last November, accusing them of putting political interests ahead of national security.

Planning for a new security review should begin “immediately” to take account of the UK’s changed circumstances, the committee said.