Lord Harris of Haringey, chair of the National Preparedness Commission, warned on July 14, 2026 that the UK should prepare for food and medicine supplies to be 'shut off' in the event of conflict. The warning stems from the UK having the most open economy among G20 nations, making its food supplies, pharmaceuticals, and key industrial materials vulnerable to blockades and embargoes. The statement came during House of Lords discussions on the Defence Readiness Bill, which was recommended by the Strategic Defence Review over a year ago but excluded from the King's Speech in May.
Lord Harris Identifies UK Import Vulnerabilities to Conflict Disruption
Lord Harris stated in a letter read to the House of Lords that the UK needs to bolster its resilience and initiate a "national conversation" on the subject. "We have, after all, the most open economy amongst the G20. Our food supplies, our pharmaceuticals, plus key industrial materials are imported and vulnerable to blockades and embargoes," he noted. He added that the nation must "be ready for those imports to be disrupted or even shut off" and that "in the event of conflict, we will need to be able to divert the nation's resources to the support of our military and homeland defence."
The warning came in response to Andy Burnham's essay in The Times, where Burnham cautioned that the UK must "go much further than ever" in supporting British resilience as the nation confronts an "increasingly dangerous world with growing Russian aggression, conflict in the Middle East, climate and energy insecurity, and technology rapidly changing the nature of war abroad and our security at home."
Baroness Neville-Jones, a former Security Minister and ex-member of the National Security Council, warned that Britain could be "cutting it close" with its national resilience. She stated that "Nato's assessment is that, by 2030, Russia may decide to step up its existing level of aggression in Europe."
NATO Members Commit to 5% GDP Defence Spending by 2035
NATO member states have pledged to spend 5% of GDP on defence by 2035, with 3.5% allocated to core defence and 1.5% to national resilience. National resilience spending includes protecting ports, power grids, and enhancing transport infrastructure.
Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis confirmed on Monday that Britain meets the 1.5% target for national resilience but declined to comment on whether the UK would hit overall NATO targets.
Defence Readiness Bill Confirmed for Current Parliament
Defence Minister Lord Coaker confirmed the Defence Readiness Bill would be brought forward in this Parliament. He stated he would argue for it to be "funded properly." The bill was recommended by the Strategic Defence Review over a year ago but was not included in the King's Speech in May.
Lord Harris recommended that Government departments, public bodies, local authorities, and large businesses should strengthen their preparedness. He also suggested the national conversation on resilience should span a variety of national shocks, including pandemics and severe weather events.
FAQ
What did Lord Harris warn about UK supply chains on July 14, 2026?
Lord Harris of Haringey warned that the UK should prepare for food and medicine supplies to be "shut off" in the event of conflict. He stated that the UK's food supplies, pharmaceuticals, and key industrial materials are imported and vulnerable to blockades and embargoes due to the nation having the most open economy among G20 countries.
What are NATO's defence spending targets by 2035?
NATO member states have pledged to spend 5% of GDP on defence by 2035. This breaks down to 3.5% on core defence and 1.5% on national resilience, which includes protecting ports, power grids, and enhancing transport. Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis confirmed that Britain currently meets the 1.5% national resilience target.
When will the Defence Readiness Bill be introduced?
Defence Minister Lord Coaker confirmed the Defence Readiness Bill would be brought forward in the current Parliament. The bill was recommended by the Strategic Defence Review over a year ago but was excluded from the King's Speech in May.
