With Sir Keir Starmer under pressure to accelerate plans to reverse the decline, two new episodes of Sky News and Tortoise's podcast series The Wargame uncover what happened behind the scenes as Britain switched funding away from warfare and into peacetime priorities such as health and welfare after the Soviet Union collapsed.

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This decades-long saga, spanning multiple Labour, Conservative and coalition governments, includes heated rows between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Treasury, threats to resign, and dire warnings of weakness.

It also exposes a failure by the military and civil service to spend Britain's still-significant defence budget effectively, further compounding the erosion of fighting power.

'Russia knew' about UK's weaknesses

Now, with the threat from Russia returning, there is a concern the UK has been left to bluff about its ability to respond, rather than pivot decisively back to a war footing.

"We've been living on a sort of mirage for so long," says Sir Ben Wallace, a Conservative defence secretary from 2019 until 2023.

"As long as Trooping the Colour was happening, and the Red Arrows flew, and prime ministers could pose at NATO, everything was fine.

"But it wasn't fine. And the people who knew it wasn't fine were actually the Americans, but also the Russians."

Not enough troops, medics, or ammo

Lord George Robertson, a Labour defence secretary from 1997 to 1999 and the lead author of a major defence review this year, says when he most recently "lifted the bonnet" to look at the state of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, he found "we were really unprepared".

"We don't have enough ammunition, we don't have enough logistics, we don't have enough trained soldiers, the training is not right, and we don't have enough medics to take the casualties that would be involved in a full-scale war."

Asked if the situation was worse than he had imagined, Lord Robertson says: "Much worse."

'I was shocked,' says ex-defence secretary

Sir Gavin Williamson, a former Conservative defence secretary, says he too had been "quite shocked as to how thin things were" when he was in charge at the MoD between 2017 and 2019.

"There was this sort of sense of: 'Oh, the MoD is always good for a billion [pounds] from Treasury - you can always take a billion out of the MoD and nothing will really change.'

"And maybe that had been the case in the past, but the cupboards were really bare.

"You were just taking the cupboards."

But Lord Philip Hammond, a Conservative defence secretary from 2011 to 2014 and chancellor from 2016 until 2019, appears less sympathetic to the cries for increased cash.

"Gavin Williamson came in [to the Ministry of Defence], the military polished up their bleeding stumps as best they could and convinced him that the UK's defence capability was about to collapse," he says.

"He came scuttling across the road to Downing Street to say, I need billions of pounds more money… To be honest, I didn't think that he had sufficiently interrogated the military begging bowls that had been presented to him."

What to expect from The Wargame's return

Episodes one to five of The Wargame simulate a Russian attack on the UK and imagine what might happen, with former politicians and military chiefs back in the hot seat.

The drama reveals how vulnerable the country has really become to an attack on the home front.

The two new episodes seek to find out why.

The story of the UK's hollowed-out defences starts in a different era when an Iron Curtain divided Europe, Ronald Reagan was president of the US, and an Iron Lady was in power in Britain.

Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who went on to serve as defence secretary between 1992 and 1995 under John Major, recalls his time as minister for state at the Foreign Office in 1984.

In December of that year, then prime minister Margaret Thatcher agreed to host a relatively unknown member of the Soviet Communist Party Politburo called Mikhail Gorbachev, who subsequently became the last leader of the Soviet Union.

Sir Malcolm remembers how Mrs Thatcher emerged from the meeting to say: "I think Mr Gorbachev is a man with whom we can do business."

It was an opinion she shared with her close ally, the US president.

Sir Malcolm says: "Reagan would have said, 'I'm not going to speak to some unknown communist in the Politburo'. But if the Iron Lady, who Reagan thought very highly of, says he's worth talking to, he must be worth it. We'd better get in touch with this guy. Which they did.

"And I'm oversimplifying it, but that led to the Cold War ending without a shot being fired."

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In the years that followed, the UK and  much of the rest of Europe reaped a so-called peace dividend, cutting defence budgets, shrinking militaries and reducing wider readiness for war.

Into this different era stepped Tony Blair as Labour's first post-Cold War prime minister, with Lord Robertson as his defence secretary.

Lord Robertson reveals the threat he and his ministerial team secretly made to protect their budget from then chancellor Gordon Brown amid a sweeping review of defence, which was meant to be shaped by foreign policy, not financial envelopes.

"I don't think I've ever said this in public before, but John Reid, who was the minister for the Armed Forces, and John Speller, who was one of the junior ministers in the department, the three of us went to see Tony Blair late at night - he was wearing a tracksuit, we always remember - and we said that if the money was taken out of our budget, the budget that was based on the foreign policy baseline, then we would have to resign," Lord Robertson says.

"We obviously didn't resign - but we kept the money."

The podcast hears from three other Labour defence secretaries: Geoff Hoon, Lord John Hutton and the current incumbent, John Healey.

For the Conservatives, as well as Rifkind, Hammond, Williamson and Wallace, there are interviews with Sir Liam Fox, Sir Michael Fallon, Dame Penny Mordaunt and Sir Grant Shapps.

In addition, military commanders have their say, with recollections from Field Marshal Lord David Richards, who was chief of the defence staff from 2010 until 2013, General Sir Nick Carter, who led the armed forces from 2018 until 2021, and Vice Admiral Sir Nick Hine, who was second in charge of the navy from 2019 until 2022.

'We cut too far'

At one point, Sir Grant, who held a variety of cabinet roles, including defence secretary, is asked whether he regrets the decisions the Conservative government took when in power.

He says: "Yes, I think it did cut defence too far. I mean, I'll just be completely black and white about it."

Lord Robertson says Labour too shares some responsibility: "Everyone took the peace dividend right through."

Building on the success of the highly acclaimed podcast The Wargame, Sky News presents The Wargame: Decoded - a one-off live event that takes you deep inside the minds of the wargame’s participants. Discover how they tackled the toughest challenges, the decisions they made under intense pressure, and even experience key moments of the game for yourself.

Click here to get tickets.

Sky News’ Deborah Haynes will guide the conversation with Sir Ben Wallace, Robert Johnson, Jack Straw, Amber Rudd, Keir Giles and General Sir Richard Barrons - real-life military chiefs, former government officials and leading experts. Together, they will unpack their experiences inside The Wargame, revealing the uncertainty, moral dilemmas and real-world pressures faced by those who must make decisions when the nation is under threat.

Join us for this unique event exploring how the UK might respond in a moment of national crisis and get a rare, unfiltered glimpse into how prepared the country truly is for war.

There was a motorcade from the airport, lunch at a Michelin-starred restaurant, and even a stroll around Red Square.

It felt like Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were on more of a tourist trail than the path to peace.

They finally got down to business in the Kremlin more than six hours after arriving in Russia. And by that point, it was already clear that the one thing they had come to Moscow for wasn't on offer: Russia's agreement to their latest peace plan.

According to Vladimir Putin, it's all Europe's fault. While his guests were having lunch, he was busy accusing Ukraine's allies of blocking the peace process by imposing demands that are unacceptable to Russia.

The Europeans, of course, would say it's the other way round.

But where there was hostility to Europe, only hospitality to the Americans - part of Russia's strategy to distance the US from its NATO allies, and bring them back to Moscow's side.

Putin thinks he's winning…

Russia wants to return to the 28-point plan that caved in to its demands. And it believes it has the right to because of what's happening on the battlefield.

It's no coincidence that on the eve of the US delegation's visit to Moscow, Russia announced the apparent capture of Pokrovsk, a key strategic target in the Donetsk region.

It was a message designed to assert Russian dominance, and by extension, reinforce its demands rather than dilute them.

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…and believes US-Russian interests are aligned

The other reason I think Vladimir Putin doesn't feel the need to compromise is because he believes Moscow and Washington want the same thing: closer US-Russia relations, which can only come after the war is over.

It's easy to see why. Time and again in this process, the US has defaulted to a position that favours Moscow. The way these negotiations are being conducted is merely the latest example.

With Kyiv, the Americans force the Ukrainians to come to them - first in Geneva, then Florida.

As for Moscow, it's the other way around. Witkoff is happy to make the long overnight journey, and then endure the long wait ahead of any audience with Putin.

It all gives the impression that when it comes to Russia, the US prefers to placate rather than pressure.

According to the Kremlin, both Russia and the US have agreed not to disclose the details of yesterday's talks in Moscow.

I doubt Volodymyr Zelenskyy is filled with hope.

Vincent Chan, 45, of Finchley, worked at a nursery in north London between 2017 and 2024.

The offences include five counts of sexual assault of a child by penetration, four counts of sexual assault of a child by touching, 11 counts of taking indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child, and six counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child.

The latter offences involved images across categories A, B, and C, with category A depicting the most severe abuse.

Metropolitan Police said this was one of its most harrowing and complex child sexual abuse investigations.

Chan was unmasked as a paedophile after a nursery staff member reported that he had callously filmed a child falling asleep in their food with a nursery-issued device and set it to music for "comedic purposes" before sharing the video with his colleagues, the force said in a statement.

Chan was subsequently arrested in June 2024 on suspicion of neglect and officers seized 25 digital devices from his home and three from the nursery. He was released on bail, but lost his job at the nursery, which has since closed.

Three months later, his devices were submitted for analysis by police, which was completed in July 2025.

Chan was arrested in September this year on suspicion of sexual offences.

Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who led the Metropolitan Police's investigation, said: "Child sexual abuse is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable, and Chan’s offending spanned years, revealing a calculated and predatory pattern of abuse.

"He infiltrated environments that should have been safe havens for children, exploiting the trust of families and the wider community to conceal his actions and prey on the most vulnerable."

DCI Basford added: "We recognise the member of staff who raised their concerns, as without that first report of child cruelty, Chan's abuse could have continued unchecked, putting countless more children at risk."

The nursery where the offending took place is no longer operating at this location.

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Sky News has spoken to parents and former child runners who say the long-term impact is devastating, as new figures show the problem shows no sign of abating.

In the last 12 months, police referred 3,200 vulnerable people, mostly children, to support services - in the latest crackdown on child exploitation within country lines gangs. Some 1,200 gang members were arrested in the same period.

"Lucy" was a drug runner featured in a Sky News film in 2018 on the exploitation of children used as drug runners.

Aged 13, she was set up to be robbed by her own gang during a trip from London to Southampton, then stabbed as punishment, and debt-bonded so she would run drugs for free. At the same age she was also made pregnant by one of the gang members.

Now in her early 20s she says the experience traumatised her, and she was sectioned with severe mental health problems.

She says: "My paranoia just overtook me. I was so paranoid all the time, like having to lock the doors, checking the windows, checking behind me walking in the street, not being able to breathe really, just constantly on edge.

"I was afraid of them finding me, or getting attacked again, or them making me work and feeling like a slave."

Lucy currently lives in a refuge, in hiding from a violent man.

'That's the cruelty of it all'

Amanda Stephens' son, Olly, had a similar experience to Lucy when he was 13. Olly was set up and robbed by his own gang on a trip to London from Reading.

Amanda says: "It wasn't until he spoke quite honestly with the social worker, he said, Olly, you were set up. Olly thought they were his friends and that's the cruelty of it all."

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Olly was autistic and vulnerable to influence. Amanda noticed his group of friends changed when he moved to secondary school and his locator on his phone sometimes placed him further away from home than he should be, but he refused to say what was going on.

"We lost control completely of him as our child."

Olly did warn his father that some children wanted to stab him - and tragically, despite his parents' efforts to keep him safe, in January 2021, Olly was lured to a field by a 14-year-old girl, where he was stabbed to death by two boys aged 13 and 14.

Vulnerable people 'exploited'

It was August 2015 when a report by the National Crime Agency said the Home Office had "identified a growing body of intelligence… that vulnerable young people are being exploited in order to facilitate the running of street level dealing".

It added: "'County Lines' is a national issue involving the use of mobile phone 'lines' by groups to extend their drug dealing business into new locations outside of their home areas."

This led to a wave of knife crime among young people, and a new law recognising the exploitation of children under the Modern Slavery Act in 2015.

Mother says her son was 'radicalised'

One parent, "Laura", told Sky News she felt like her son had been "radicalised" into drug dealing and acted like he was "on remote control", once jumping out of her car on the school run after one gang member sent him a text.

Like Lucy, Laura's son ended up being sectioned in his late teens and needing ongoing mental health support.

Every gift came at a price

Sarah, who doesn't want us to use her surname, says her son's involvement in county lines began when he was offered a McDonald's aged 12, in return for running an errand.

She says every gift came at a price: "So, they would give him the trainers, give him a bike, the coat, and everything they gave him were actually in their benefit, because if he was warm, he wasn't coming home. If he could get around faster, he could drop more. They would act like it was a gift, but, actually, you had to pay it off in bits."

Sarah says, 10 years on, the long-term impact has been devastating.

"Currently, he's serving a custodial sentence for possession with intent to sell. Mentally I think he's traumatised. Physically, he has scars from knife injuries, fractures. A face that I will never recognise, because people have broken that a couple of times."

'The consequences are death, prison, or the loss of your sanity'

A Sky News report in 2018 called Behind County Lines, which included Lucy's story, was part of the inspiration for a play called CODE by Justice In Motion, which tours schools and town centres.

Both Amanda and Sarah believe every child and parent should watch the production, which tells a story similar to Lucy's of a child groomed into joining a county lines gang.

Lead actor and rapper Still Shadey, who grew up in south London, had friends exploited by county lines gangs. He says: "The outcomes are clear. The consequences are death, prison, or the loss of your sanity."

The problem has had less publicity recently but continues to be a major focus for police with 2,300 "deal lines" closed by operations in the 12 months since July 2024, the highest annual figures since the government's County Lines Programme began in 2019.

'Disgusting and cowardly'

Crime and policing minister Sarah Jones said: "The exploitation of children and vulnerable people in this way is disgusting and cowardly. County lines gangs are also driving knife crime in our communities, and I want criminals to know that we will not let them get away with it. We will be relentless in going after these gangs."

The government has already announced new offences as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, including "criminal exploitation of children", which seek to increase convictions against exploiters and deter gangs from enlisting children. It will carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

The missing remains of two hostages threaten to stall a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as it gets close to the completion of its first phase.

A specific time for the opening of the border has not been given, but it is hoped access will allow people to cross for medical and travel purposes - and will show Israel is still moving forward with the ceasefire agreement.

The coordination of government activities in the territories (COGAT) said the arrangement, which has Israeli security clearance, will be coordinated with Egypt under the supervision of the European Union mission, similar to the mechanism that operated in January 2025.

"In accordance with the ceasefire agreement and a directive of the political echelon, the Rafah Crossing will open in the coming days exclusively for the exit of residents from the Gaza Strip to Egypt," a COGAT statement said.

It did not say whether there would be restrictions on who was allowed to leave Gaza, although they would require "Israeli security approval".

Despite Wednesday's developments, Egyptian state-affiliated al Qahera News said Egypt had denied it was coordinating with Israel to reopen the crossing in the coming days, reported the Reuters news agency.

An Israeli official, who spoke anonymously, said all Palestinians will be able to exit through Rafah as long as Egypt agrees to receive them, reported the Associated Press.

The source said the European Union still had to make some adjustments to logistics before the crossing could open.

The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas called for the crossing to be opened for medical evacuations and for travel to and from Gaza.

More than 16,500 sick and wounded people need to leave Gaza for medical care, according to the World Health Organisation.

Gaza businessman Tamer al Burai, who needs treatment abroad for a respiratory condition, told Reuters: "We have been waiting for the Rafah opening for months.

"At last, I and thousands of other patients may have a chance to receive proper treatment."

The crossing was sealed off in May 2024 when Israel's military invaded the area.

It was briefly opened in February this year for the evacuation of sick and wounded Palestinians for treatment, as part of the previous ceasefire deal.

Israel has kept the Rafah crossing closed in both directions since the ceasefire in October, demanding Hamas must abide by the agreement to return all hostages still in Gaza, living and deceased.

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Rafah is Gaza's only gateway to the rest of the world which is not directly controlled by Israel.

It is under the control of Egypt as part of an agreement with Israel and the European Union.

Over the years, the crossing has been closed for long periods at a time.

When people are allowed through, there is the possibility that the crossing will suddenly close without any significant notice.

Hopes for the crossing's opening came as Israel said forensic tests showed that partial remains handed over on Tuesday do not match two of the hostages who remain in Gaza.

The remains were found in Gaza's northern town of Beit Lahiya, according to Palestinian media.

Hamas has not yet made any comment about the remains.

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Twenty living hostages and the remains of 26 others have been returned to Israel since the ceasefire began in early October.

Israel has been releasing 15 Palestinian bodies for the remains of each hostage as part of the agreement.

The health ministry in Gaza said the number of remains received so far is 330.