Defense plans/ UK

Lawmakers: British defense plans fail to meet new threats

Britain's defense plans are inadequate to address a dramatic rise in global security threats and a challenge from Russia on Europe's doorstep, a committee of lawmakers said on Tuesday, warning the country risked retreating into isolation.

Under plans set out by the Conservative-led coalition government shortly after it took office in 2010, Britain has cut defense spending by around 8 percent in real terms and shrunk the size of the armed forces by around one sixth.