The decision to surrender the Chagos Islands is just one example of the new Government’s defence negligence
In judging Labour’s first 100 days, we have to remember that the first duty of any Government is defence of the realm. And yet, when it comes to our national security, Labour’s singular standout achievement has been surrendering sovereignty of the Chagos Islands – with ministers unwilling to confirm the financial cost of this folly, seemingly oblivious to the strategic implications.
Of course, we have continued to back the Government on defence where it’s in our national interest – not least on provision of weapons to Ukraine, and the freedom to use those weapons as they see fit.
But when it comes to the defence of this country, and the urgent need to respond to growing threats on multiple fronts, Labour have been nothing short of negligent.
When Putin invaded Ukraine inflation surged and the world sought to rearm. Inevitably, this forced up the cost of defence programmes. That’s one of the reasons that in April we set out a plan to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent.
Without that clear pathway to 2.5 per cent, cuts will inevitably follow. This will weaken our ability to defend ourselves just as threats are growing.
Threats such as ballistic missiles, used by Iran against Israel, and a clear and present danger to our armed forces and those of our allies – particularly if they were to fall into the hands of the Houthis. Yet, with confidence about funding instead of cuts on the table, the Ministry of Defence could accelerate plans to counter such threats.
This is why the top priority for our extra funding from 2.5 per cent was replenishment of munitions, boosting the lethality of our forces, and restocking ordnance gifted to Ukraine. And that’s why, as Defence Procurement Minister under Rishi Sunak, I introduced major reforms to ensure new capabilities were procured at pace.
Seeing the potential for DragonFire laser to resist the rapidly evolving drone threat, I pushed for a far faster timetable and new Minimum Deployable Capability of 2027 – enabled by scrapping red tape.
We now need to see this across the full spectrum of capabilities, prioritising military risk over “civil” and legalistic risks, acting with the urgency our nation needs. This may mean reducing certification and testing processes, but we cannot find ourselves at war in a few years with the kit we need tied up in bureaucracy.
So in its next 100 days the Government needs to make up for the damaging missteps of its first phase. It needs to set a clear, funded timetable to 2.5 per cent in this month’s Budget. The MoD also needs to build on the procurement reforms I put in place to drive pace and real urgency into its departmental disposition.
And the Government needs to support our brilliant service personnel. Just as we had started to see a real uptick in interest from those seeking to join the forces earlier this year, thousands of military families today face a crippling 20 per cent tax on their school fees that could force experienced personnel to quit, without support to cover this new levy. Retention is as vital as recruitment.
Crucially, our plan to fund 2.5 per cent was drawn from the whole of Government, reducing the civil service to its pre-pandemic size. That’s because we see Defence as the state’s top priority. Labour have rejected our plan, prioritising a bigger civil service over stronger armed forces.
Starmer’s failure to prioritise defence will be noticed by our adversaries. In the Budget this month his Government needs to deliver our national interest and focus on what really matters by increasing Defence spending.
Anything less will undermine our Armed Forces at the worst possible time.
Published by The Telegraph.
