Angus was unvieled today (Image: Getty)
Russian warplanes straying into Nato airspace would be shot down, Reform UK’s new defence spokesman has said, as Nigel Farage unveiled his new wingman. Battle-hardened veteran Angus MacIntyre, who spent years at the heart of Britain’s efforts to help Ukraine, said the party would back such action as part of a Nato coalition.
The new defence spokesman said: “We would shoot down Russian aircraft that were inside NATO airspace.” He also urged Britain to “do more” for Kyiv, warning that years of poorly funded defence meant the country was running out of kit to send. His appointment is a major coup for Reform, as Mr Farage seeks to stuff his top team with experts from outside Westminster. Speaking at a rally in central London, Mr MacIntyre was challenged over Mr Farage’s past remarks on Russia.
Mr MacIntyre told reporters: “We have reached a point where we’re running out of things that we can give them. So the question is, well what else? That comes in this form of leadership, additional support, reinvigoration of NATO and working through coalitions of other nations”.
He said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was “protecting Europe”, adding “that’s something we should take seriously and we should join as much as we can and continue to support them and leadership the way forward.”
Mr MacIntyre began his military career in 1986, spending 13 years as an officer in the 1st Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, with tours alongside the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment.
In 1999 he joined the RAF Regiment, serving in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Iraq and Somalia, and later spent a year embedded inside the Pentagon.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, he helped coordinate Britain’s support and made regular trips to Kyiv. He was awarded a commendation from the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff for his work there.
Zelensky was “protecting Europe” say Reform (Image: Getty)
Mr MacIntyre accused both main parties of leaving “our armed forces under severe pressure”.
He said: “The cuts during the Brown and Blair years took chunks from the ranks of all three services.
“The Conservatives promised to fix it, but over their 14 years in government, they oversaw a further decline in our military power.”
Mr Farage said: “Angus has more experience than the entire government defence team combined.”
Speaking at the time of his announcement, Labour took aim at the length of time it had taken to make the appointment.
Luke Pollard MP said: “Reform has treated defence as an afterthought – but in this volatile world, there are no second chances. Nigel Farage simply can’t be trusted to keep Britain safe.”
Nigel Farage’s Tough New Defence Chief Issues Shocking Six-Word Warning to Vladimir Putin
Nigel Farage’s new defence chief has delivered an extraordinary warning to Vladimir Putin, declaring that Russian warplanes violating NATO airspace would be shot down.
The six-word statement — “We would shoot down Russian aircraft” — has immediately placed Reform UK’s newly appointed defence spokesman at the centre of an explosive debate about Britain’s military readiness, NATO’s response to Russian aggression and the future of European security.
Angus MacIntyre, a former RAF Wing Commander with four decades of military experience, made the remarks as he began his new political role alongside Farage.
His message was uncompromising.
At a time when Russia continues to pose a major security challenge to Europe, MacIntyre believes NATO must demonstrate that violations of its airspace will have serious consequences.
The comments are particularly significant because Farage has previously faced criticism over his remarks about Putin and Russia.
Now, with a senior military figure speaking for Reform on defence, the party is attempting to demonstrate that it can take national security seriously.
But the warning also raises an uncomfortable question: how far should Britain and its NATO allies be prepared to go if Russian military aircraft cross into allied territory?
A six-word warning that will attract Putin’s attention
MacIntyre’s statement was direct and left little room for interpretation.
Asked about Russian aircraft entering NATO airspace, he said: “We would shoot down Russian aircraft that were inside NATO airspace.”
The remark reflects a hard-line approach to defending allied territory.
For NATO countries situated close to Russia, airspace violations are not an abstract political concern.
They are a practical security challenge involving military aircraft, surveillance operations, interception procedures and the possibility of dangerous miscalculations.
Russian military aircraft have repeatedly been involved in incidents near NATO territory.
Allied aircraft regularly conduct interception missions when unidentified or potentially threatening aircraft approach protected airspace.
However, intercepting an aircraft is not the same as shooting it down.
Destroying a Russian military aircraft could trigger a serious international crisis, particularly if Moscow considered the action an act of aggression.
That is why MacIntyre’s remarks are attracting attention.
His position suggests that NATO should be prepared to move beyond warnings and interceptions if Russian aircraft violate allied airspace.
Nevertheless, any decision to use force would depend on the circumstances, the threat involved and the relevant military and political authorities.
The statement should be understood as his position on deterrence, not an announcement of an agreed NATO policy.
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Who is Angus MacIntyre?
MacIntyre is not a conventional political appointment.
His military career began in 1986, when he entered the British Army.
He spent 13 years as an officer in the 1st Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and undertook attachments with the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment.
His early military experience included deployments in Arctic Norway, Northern Ireland and the jungles of Brunei.
In 1999, he transferred to the RAF Regiment, the specialist ground force responsible for protecting airfields and supporting air operations.
He subsequently served in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Iraq and Somalia.
His career also extended beyond operational deployments.
MacIntyre earned a master’s degree in applied security strategy at the University of Exeter and later worked in international affairs.
He spent a year in Mogadishu with United Nations headquarters, working on negotiations involving the UN and the Somali National Army.
He also spent 12 months at the Pentagon as a strategic planner.
His experience included work connected with American defence planning, infectious disease frameworks and the development of the US Space Force.
More recently, he worked on Britain’s support for Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
He was involved in coordinating support and made regular visits to Kyiv.
His work earned him a commendation from the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff.
For Farage, bringing someone with this background into Reform’s senior ranks provides an opportunity to challenge criticism that the party lacks the military expertise needed to develop a credible defence policy.
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Ukraine must receive more support, says Reform’s new defence chief
MacIntyre’s warning to Putin was accompanied by another important message: Britain must continue supporting Ukraine.
He described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as protecting Europe and argued that the UK should take that responsibility seriously.
His comments come as Western countries continue to debate the scale and sustainability of military assistance to Kyiv.
Ukraine has relied heavily on international support since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
That assistance has included weapons, ammunition, training, intelligence cooperation and financial support.
However, MacIntyre warned that Britain was reaching a point where it was running out of equipment that could be supplied to Ukraine.
His concern is that years of inadequate defence spending have left the British military with insufficient resources.
He argued that the solution requires more than simply sending additional equipment.
Britain needs stronger leadership, renewed investment and closer cooperation with NATO allies.
He also called for the alliance to be reinvigorated and for countries to work together through broader coalitions.
This is an important part of his position.
MacIntyre is not suggesting that Britain should act alone against Russia.
Instead, he has emphasised collective action through NATO and cooperation with other countries.
The challenge will be turning those statements into a realistic defence programme.
Supporting Ukraine while rebuilding Britain’s own military capabilities will require substantial resources, long-term planning and difficult decisions about spending priorities.
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Farage faces questions over his past comments on Putin
The appointment comes at a sensitive moment for Farage.
The Reform leader has previously faced criticism over comments he made about Vladimir Putin, particularly following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
In an earlier interview, Farage described Putin as a political operator he regarded as rational and said he understood aspects of the Russian president’s reasoning.
Those remarks have repeatedly been raised by political opponents seeking to question Farage’s approach to Moscow.
More recently, the issue has returned to the headlines as Reform attempts to establish itself as a serious contender for government.
The appointment of MacIntyre appears designed, in part, to demonstrate that the party has people with substantial defence experience who can challenge Russian aggression.
There is also an obvious contrast between the new spokesman’s position and some of Farage’s previous comments.
MacIntyre has openly described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as illegal and argued that Britain should continue helping Kyiv.
His warning about shooting down Russian aircraft is also considerably more confrontational than the cautious language often used in political discussions about relations with Moscow.
However, the appointment does not automatically resolve questions about Reform’s wider foreign policy.
Farage and MacIntyre will still need to explain how the party would approach NATO, military spending, Ukraine and Britain’s relationship with the United States.
A strong statement is one thing.
A consistent defence strategy is another.
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Labour attacks Reform over its defence record
The announcement has also created an opportunity for Labour to challenge Reform’s credibility.
Defence minister Luke Pollard criticised the party, arguing that it had treated defence as an afterthought.
Labour pointed to Reform’s limited participation in parliamentary debates and questions relating to defence since the 2024 general election.
According to analysis reported by The Independent, Reform MPs had taken part in fewer than a third of more than 200 relevant parliamentary debates and question sessions during the period examined.
Farage himself had participated in only a small number of those discussions.
The criticism raises an obvious question.
If Reform believes that Britain faces a serious national security challenge, why did it take so long to appoint a dedicated defence spokesman?
The party has argued that it wanted to bring in someone with genuine military experience rather than simply appointing another career politician.
MacIntyre’s 40-year service record gives Reform a stronger answer than it previously had.
But Labour’s criticism is unlikely to disappear.
Pollard has argued that the country cannot afford political parties that treat defence as an issue to be addressed only when it becomes convenient.
The debate is likely to intensify as Reform attempts to present itself as a government-in-waiting.
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Britain’s military faces a serious funding challenge
MacIntyre has also been highly critical of successive governments.
He accused Labour and the Conservatives of leaving the armed forces under severe pressure.
He argued that cuts under the Blair and Brown governments reduced the capabilities of the Army, Navy and RAF.
He then criticised the Conservatives for failing to reverse the decline during their 14 years in government.
His central argument is that Britain cannot claim to be a major military power while allowing its armed forces to operate with inadequate resources.
The issue is particularly important because modern warfare increasingly depends on advanced technology.
Drones, cyber capabilities, air defence systems, satellites, precision weapons and electronic warfare are transforming military operations.
A country that fails to invest in these areas risks falling behind potential adversaries.
MacIntyre has suggested that Britain must rebuild its military strength and restore confidence among service personnel.
Reform has pledged to raise defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP by 2035.
That is an ambitious target, but the party will need to explain how it intends to fund the increase and which capabilities would receive priority.
More money alone will not solve every problem.
Britain also needs to address recruitment, retention, equipment procurement, ammunition production and the condition of military infrastructure.
The armed forces require a long-term strategy that survives changes of government.
A major promise to Britain’s veterans
MacIntyre has also made a controversial pledge concerning former service personnel who face legal proceedings over their actions during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
He has promised that a Reform government would introduce legislation within its first 100 days to end what he describes as the unjust prosecution of veterans.
His proposed approach would restrict current and future proceedings relating to historical conduct during sanctioned military operations.
He has also proposed a ten-year time limit for bringing proceedings.
MacIntyre argues that former soldiers should not spend decades fearing prosecution for decisions made while carrying out their duties.
However, the proposal raises difficult questions about accountability, victims’ rights and the legal obligations surrounding historical cases.
Any legislation would face serious legal and political scrutiny.
The issue is particularly sensitive because the Troubles involved deaths and serious violence affecting civilians, security personnel and armed groups.
Reform will therefore need to explain how its proposals would protect veterans while respecting the rights of victims and the principles of justice.
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Can Reform become a credible party on defence?
MacIntyre’s appointment is an important moment for Reform UK.
For a party that has frequently concentrated on immigration, Brexit and economic frustration, defence offers an opportunity to broaden its political appeal.
The security situation in Europe has made military policy increasingly important.
Russia’s war against Ukraine, tensions involving NATO and concerns about Britain’s military readiness have placed defence firmly on the national agenda.
MacIntyre brings experience that few political figures can match.
But he now faces the challenge of translating that experience into policy.
He must explain how Britain should respond to Russian aggression, how much money should be spent on defence, what support Ukraine should receive and how the armed forces can rebuild their capabilities.
He must also demonstrate that Reform can scrutinise the government consistently rather than relying on dramatic statements.
His warning to Putin has certainly attracted attention.
But the real test will be whether the party can turn its tough language into a coherent and credible national security strategy.
Putin warning puts Reform’s defence policy under the spotlight
The six-word warning has given Farage’s new defence chief a dramatic introduction.
MacIntyre has made clear that he believes NATO must defend its airspace and that Russian aircraft should face the possibility of being shot down if they enter allied territory.
He has also called for stronger support for Ukraine and warned that Britain’s military capabilities have been weakened by years of inadequate investment.
These are serious arguments at a time when European security is facing enormous challenges.
But the consequences of military confrontation with Russia cannot be treated lightly.
Any decision to shoot down a Russian aircraft would carry significant risks and would require careful assessment by military commanders and political leaders.
For Britain, the priority must be maintaining credible deterrence while avoiding an escalation that could threaten the security of the entire continent.
MacIntyre’s arrival gives Reform a more experienced voice on defence.
Whether that is enough to convince voters that Farage’s party is ready to protect Britain remains to be seen.
One thing is certain: with Russia, Ukraine and NATO dominating Europe’s security debate, the new defence chief has chosen a remarkably uncompromising way to announce himself.