A MASSIVE expansion of arms factories across the country has been announced by the government as its militaristic turn deepens.

Defence Secretary John Healey pledged the new facilities as MPs claimed that Britain had no plan to defend itself from military attack.

However, only 1,000 new jobs are to be created at the 13 factories to be constructed, reflecting the high ratio of technology to labour in the sector.

The announcement forms part of the government’s strategy to present preparations for war as an economic opportunity for the manufacturing industry.

Mr Healey said: “For too long our proud industrial heartlands saw jobs go away and not come back. We are changing that. Bringing new hope. 

“This is a new era of threat but the opportunity of this new era is a defence dividend from our record investment, measured in good jobs, thriving businesses, new skills for the British people.”

But Stop the War’s Lindsey German said: “The government is cynically playing up the fear of war alongside people’s concerns about jobs and the economy to justify massively hiking military spending and building new arms factories. 

“We should be building things to create jobs, but those should be homes, hospitals and schools. 

“Security at home is created by ensuring people have a roof over their heads, decent education and access to good healthcare, not by creating an ever more dangerous world through this militaristic drive.”

Mr Healey said new factories would focus on producing explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics.

Potential sites include Grangemouth in Scotland, Teesside in north-east England and Milford Haven in Wales. And new drone factories are to open in Swindon and Plymouth.

While the defence secretary saw all this as “bringing new hope,” the Commons defence committee was more downbeat, casting doubt on Britain’s capacity to fight a war and meet its Nato obligations.

Committee chair Labour MP Tan Dhesi made clear that Russia is the target of the military build-up.

He said: “Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, unrelenting disinformation campaigns, and repeated incursions into European airspace mean that we cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand.

“We have repeatedly heard concerns about the UK’s ability to defend itself from attack. Government must be willing to grasp the nettle and prioritise homeland defence and resilience.”

Mr Dhesi also called for a government propaganda offensive to alarm the public into supporting the war drive.