Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the recently retired head of the United Kingdom’s Armed Forces, delivered a sharply worded critique of Whitehall on Monday, saying the state "isn't working" and urging urgent reforms to the public sector to avoid squandering billions in planned defence investment.
Speaking in his first interview as a civilian and addressing the Institute for Government, Radakin said layers of management, excessive controls and a culture that favours saying "no" over taking risk are undermining the armed forces and broader government effectiveness. "We lack real accountability. We fail to take risk. We would rather waste money than risk money," he said.
Radakin argued that unless decision-making is sped up, hierarchies are flattened and frontline priorities are favoured over back-office processes, recently announced increases in defence spending could fail to deliver intended capabilities. "Reduce the power of anyone to say 'no' and impose the power of 'yes'. Reduce levels of control and reduce levels of hierarchy. Preference the frontline not the backroom," he told listeners.
The former Chief of the Defence Staff said his comments were drawn from his experiences dealing with the Ministry of Defence but added that the problem likely extends across government. Officials from other departments, he said, sometimes intervene to block or shape decisions outside their remit, further slowing change.
Radakin framed his critique as a national-security concern, saying that failure to reform would prevent the United Kingdom from "looking after our amazing people or unlock[ing] their potential, miss the technological opportunities and not keep the nation as safe as we could." He warned that the pace of change to embed reforms and modernise equipment and processes "is not happening as strongly and as quickly as it needs to."
The comments come amid ongoing debate in Westminster about public-sector efficiency, defence procurement and the implementation of higher spending commitments announced in recent budgets. Radakin did not set out a detailed policy plan but emphasised cultural and structural changes: fewer approval layers, clearer accountability and greater willingness to accept operational risk to accelerate outcomes.
Former military leaders and defence analysts have for years pointed to procurement delays, complex approval chains and interdepartmental friction as obstacles to rapid capability development. Radakin's public rebuke elevates the issue to the front of political discussion by tying reform directly to the success of the government's defence investment plans.
Radakin retired from the top military post earlier this year. His remarks are likely to intensify scrutiny of how the Ministry of Defence and other departments manage money, projects and personnel as ministers and senior officials prepare to implement spending commitments. He said the aim should be to unlock the potential of staff and to make organisations more responsive to operational needs, particularly in areas affected by technological change.
Ministry of Defence and government officials have not yet issued a response to the interview. Radakin's intervention adds to public pressure on Whitehall to demonstrate that increased funding will translate into improved capabilities and readiness in a changing global security environment.