The biggest threats to Western security in 2025 | Battle Lines

With no end in sight to conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar and many more places, 2025 promises to be at least as tumultuous as last year. So what is the biggest threat to security for Britain, and its Western allies?

From complacency and our underfunded army to China and Russia, we get the views of Alicia Kearns MP, former chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and now Shadow Minister for National Security; General Lord Richard Dannatt, former head of the British army; and John Bolton, former foreign security advisor to Donald Trump and ambassador to the UN.

Contact us with feedback or ideas:

@venetiarainey
@RolandOliphant

[AplusStrategy]

Biggest threat is weak leadership, slow decision-making and general unwillingness to inform western populations that the party is over and times are about to get hard if we are to prevail in this struggle.

[simonphelps]

If the inequality in our society keeps increasing people will not want to fight just to keep billionaires rich.

[ColinBoswell-wovm]

Totally agree we need to wake up to how some countries are exploiting our naivety and openness which will bite us in the future. We need to stop trading and cooperating with countries which try to do harm to ours and our allies interests.

[michaelk]

I agree wholeheartedly with the guest.

[jamescurious]

Why spend so much time with a 1997 Labour decision when the Conservatives have led the government for than half of the time since then?

[obriets]

If the aircraft carriers are sold, there would be ample funds available for Falkland Islanders’ Spanish lessons.

[ronshulman]

Brilliant edition... Canada. Multiply these issues * 10. how can I get Pierre Poilievre to listen to this?

[Joanna.B]

Stopped me already….quickest yet ❤Gaza❤

[jamespires]

" the will to win "

" the escalation ladder "

We are an island nation armed with thermonuclear warheads, your talking as if its 1556...

[mattwardman]

I was quite surprised by Richard Danatt's contribution, but on the other hand he has been a land-forces booster for 25 years.

There are 10s of countries in Europe which are primarily land-based powers. The UK is dominated by seas and coasts, as we havea lways been due to both gography and history. We have international trading links worldwide, again as we have had for centuries.

When we were attacked, it was a cutting off off trade - not a land invasion - which nearly brought us to our knees.

When expenditure increases to more like 2.75%, the cost of running a carrier - £100-200m for the carrier itself - is a fleabite.

I would generally take a view of keeping the army at 72k, with a significant boost to Reserves, Territorials, and also Cadets. Whilst sorting out their disastrous chasing after gold=plated systems, which cost 2 or 3 times as much as they need. Recently the RN and the RAF have ben far more effective at procurement / programme management AFAICS.

As an off-piste suggestion, I do wonder about an National Guard type Air Force setup with more cost effective aircraft such as Saab Gripens for home defence, alongside the higher end air forces to reduce the tasking load on F35 and Typhoon.

[evilaquaman]

I like this pod, I really respect Roland Oliphant but I can't stand Jon Bolton. He's possibly the biggest hypocrite, he had his hand on the tiller and decided to take notes then resign instead of influencing policy in a positive manner.
Can someone tell me if he's trying to promote another book??

[jamespires]

The reporter has used the word "the west" several times.

Define the West, beyond collective & inforced support of the nation of Israel.

[sycapitan]

The biggest threat to UK security is Keir Starmer.

[jamespires]

"The average person does not believe they play a role in keeping the country safe"

That responsibility is the States itself & functionally that role is exercised by the security & military appartus.

How does the average citizen keep the country safe? What a ludicrous thing to come out with...

[kevinleecaster]

Nice crop of anti-liberal trolls this podcast draws it seems

[Interglacial_optimist]

We should let netanyahu take whatever countries he wants and the same with china, russia and america.
Ok den.

[realme]

Kalo pemimpin maunya sendiri ( egois ) tanpa mendengar aspirasi dari masyarakat, masyarakat juga akan bertindak tidak peduli/masa bodoh dgn apa yg terjadi pada lingkungannya ... Itulah bila tidak ada sinergitas antara pimpinan dan masyarakat... 🙏🙏🙏

[mattwardman]

Every time I hear the name Oliphuant, I think he has escaped from Lord of the Rings - "An Oliphuant am I".

Grey as a mouse,
Big as a house,
Nose like a snake,
I make the earth shake,
As I tramp through the grass;
Trees crack as I pass.

[Interglacial_optimist]

The biggest threat in 2025 is the AMOC slowing further.
😮

[pollyskirt]

He is right about those big aiircraft carriers, they should have built 2 or possibly 3 "large invincible class carriers "to operate F35B .and more destroyers and frigates and amhib landing ships, a far more flexable R N . Whilst one carrier is in drydock there are 2 out and rotate them like that, and same type of rotation with the others .