Tobias Ellwood on UK defence and naval spending levels

The threats to Britain are now "greater than in the Cold War" when the UK was spending twice on defence it does now, the defence select committee chairman has said.

Referencing an incident with Russian forces in disputed waters around Crimea on Wednesday, Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood praised the HMS Defender team for “ignoring the intimidation of the Russians”.

But he told MPs Britain would “need a bigger navy” to defend itself in international waters.