Britain 'not prepared for war', army chiefs warn - as they accuse Burnham's budget of 'kicking can down the road'

Former generals have blasted the Government's "lack of urgency" over defence spending, as they accused John Healey's budget of "kicking the can down the road". At the Budget on Wednesday, Chancellor John Healey filled a £4.7 billion black hole in the defence investment plan, a blueprint that takes Britain’s defence spending to 2.7% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2027. He also committed to spending 3% of GDP on defence by 2030 as a step towards meeting Britain’s commitment to Nato to spend 3.5% by 2035.

But the Chancellor said details of where this cash will come from will be left until the spending review, pencilled in for next autumn. Read more: 'Damned if you do, damned if you don't': Defence Secretary defends Healey over post-Budget pint Read more: Brits will be asked to make ‘sacrifices’ and help defend the nation as Army chief warns troops: ‘Our nation is going to need you’ It comes after Defence Secretary Wes Streeting insisted the Government is doing “as much as we can, as fast as we can” to increase defence funding.

Lord Dannatt, who was chief of the general staff between 2006 and 2009, told The Telegraph: “Once again the Government is using ‘creative accounting’ instead of finding real money. “Russia is serious, we are not. Deterring aggression by being prepared for war is the best way to keep this country safe. Find the money now, don’t kick the can down the track for another year.” General Sir Peter Wall, who was in the post from 2010 to 2014, warned that the armed forces are “hobbled by dismal resources” and said investment to rebuild them is “long overdue”.

“Three per cent by 2030 won’t deliver proper capability uplift much before 2035. We have no idea how or when that money will be spent. It’s an aspiration, not a commitment. “The lack of strategic urgency is shocking and will only embolden our opponents.” Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, had told MPs the wait for more detail is too long. He said key decisions on defence spending have “lamentably been delayed” until next year’s spending review and there is a “cost to inaction”.

Mr Streeting told BBC Breakfast: “I think we are doing as much as we can, as fast as we can. The biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War.” He also signalled that other areas of Government spending could face constraints as a means of filling defence coffers.