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Category: Defence

  • Sarah Atherton – 2022 Speech on the Defence Accommodation Strategy

    Sarah Atherton – 2022 Speech on the Defence Accommodation Strategy

    The speech made by Sarah Atherton, the Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, in Windsor, London on 20 October 2022.

    I might not have been a defence minister for very long, but having been a soldier in the Army Intelligence Corps and an Army wife, I know how important decent accommodation is.

    It’s not just about making sure the shower works, the roof doesn’t leak, and the kitchen is mould-free, as important as those things are.

    It’s about having somewhere that you can look forward to returning to, somewhere you, your partner and your family can call home. In other words, somewhere that doesn’t make you want to ditch the military life in favour of a less exciting but more predictable civilian one.

    Your home should incentivise you to pursue a long, rewarding military career, alongside your family. Home is where the heart is – as cliché as it sounds – so we shouldn’t be surprised if people don’t want to live in below par accommodation.

    Thankfully the Defence Secretary, who (to be honest, quite a while ago) lived in these barracks, is determined to get this right. So we talked to service personnel and families. We listened to what they had to say and today I am delighted to launch Defence’s new Accommodation Strategy.

    Our plan focuses on three areas:

    Firstly, it’s about raising the bar: setting a new minimum standard for Single Living Accommodation across the entire Defence estate.

    As a bare minimum we will ensure every room is quiet, secure, dry, well ventilated and heated with access to hot water on demand. That is a minimum. And there’ll be a proactive approach to ongoing maintenance, regularly checking to make sure things don’t go wrong in the first place, with regular upgrades.

    I know things have moved on since I was a military wife, so we’ll also be ensuring stronger Wi-Fi connections for all. Which is great news for those who want to video call home or stream online.

    And in the coming months and years, we’ll keep talking to our personnel, and their families, to understand how their needs change, and what more can be done.

    Secondly, our plan is about fairness.

    In the past, subsidised accommodation was divvied-up according to rank. From now on we’re going to ensure it is allocated primarily based on need.

    The question we’ll be asking is not how many stripes or pips they have, or how many people they command, but do they have a family? How old are their children? Do they have any special requirements?

    Service families’ accommodation will be allocated on individual requirements, not rank. We’re also going to make sure our strategy better reflects the reality of today’s society. That means giving personnel in long-term relationships the same access to accommodation as their married colleagues.

    Finally, this plan is about value for money.

    We’re dealing with the rising cost of living, and a war in Europe, so we’ve got to get smarter about getting more for our money. This means reducing the current stock in places where beds are continually unused and going empty. It means making our homes more sustainable by increasing their energy efficiency, through better insulation and modern heating systems. And it means future-proofing renovated accommodation with things like electric car charging ports.

    It’s no coincidence that we chose these barracks to launch our new Accommodation Strategy today. When Queen Victoria visited, it was in such a state of disrepair, she ordered a complete renovation.

    Now we’re ensuring that in today’s Armed Forces, wherever our people live, they will have a place they are proud to call home. Ensuring they are incentivised to do their job to the best of their abilities.

    After all, we expect our brave men and women to protect our backs; and the least we can do is show them that we have theirs.

  • Luke Pollard – 2022 Speech on Nuclear Weapons and Vladimir Putin

    Luke Pollard – 2022 Speech on Nuclear Weapons and Vladimir Putin

    The speech made by Luke Pollard, the Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, in the House of Commons on 11 October 2022.

    I welcome the new Minister to his place. It is because Ukraine is winning that Putin’s behaviour is becoming so volatile. The sham referenda, the irresponsible nuclear sabre-rattling, the missile attacks on civilians—these are the hallmarks of a tyrant on the ropes and a tyrant who is losing.

    Labour stands with our friends in Ukraine. With our unshakeable commitment to NATO, the Minister knows that he has our full support for the actions the Government are taking to help Ukraine win. Yesterday’s missile attacks on civilians are a significant escalation. The NATO Secretary-General was right to describe the attacks as “horrific and indiscriminate”.

    Ministers have Labour’s full support in countering Putin’s aggression. In that spirit, I ask the Minister when he will set out a long-term strategy of support for Ukraine, so that we can make sure that Putin’s war ends in failure. Can he confirm that the NLAW—next generation light anti-tank weapon—replacement orders have finally been placed? When does he expect to replenish our depleted weapons stockpiles? What assessment has he made of the worrying statements by Lukashenko and the continued presence of Russian troops and armour in Belarus?

    I would be grateful if the Minister addressed the concerning media reports of the withdrawal of almost 700 British troops currently deployed to our NATO ally Estonia, without any planned replacement. That risks sending the wrong message at the wrong time, and it has worried our international allies. We cannot walk away until the job is done. With that in mind, will he reassure the House that he will not withdraw any further UK troops from our allies, and that the UK will meet our NATO commitments?

    Finally, as more bodies are unearthed at the sites of war crimes, we remember them and we remember those killed yesterday in Putin’s criminal missile strikes. Does the Minister agree that the best justice for those killed is victory for Ukraine, a free and sovereign nation, and war crime tribunals for those responsible?

    Alec Shelbrooke

    I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his kind comments and I look forward to working across the Dispatch Boxes on these vital issues.

    On the hon. Gentleman’s comments about the horrific war crimes we have seen unfold every time there is a Russian retreat, I think that every decent human being is appalled. I am proud that the UK Government are funding the International Criminal Court, and we will do everything we can to support Ukraine in bringing the perpetrators of these horrific crimes to justice.

    I hope the hon. Gentleman will forgive me if I come back to him with a written answer on the postures from Lukashenko.

    On Estonia, the overall capability of our commitment there is far more important than the number of troops alone. We have committed to strengthening that capability over the forthcoming years. I was in Estonia, and indeed Latvia and Lithuania, in my previous role in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. I have seen at first hand the work that takes place there. All our NATO allies can be reassured that we are committed to making sure that the NATO frontline is secure. We work with colleagues and there will be variation in how that is done.

    With regard to support, the hon. Gentleman will have noticed that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has set up the international support fund. This country contributed £250 million to that, and I believe the total figure is now above €400 million. That is in place to help support Ukraine as this war moves forward and the conflict carries on, so that it can use that money not only in the conflict but to rebuild and, of course, ensure it has the ammunition supplies and things it needs.

    With regard to NLAW and our weapons supply, we are working with industrial supply chains and are confident that we will have the ability to defend ourselves and to give support, but we do not comment on operational capability beyond that.

  • Alec Shelbrooke – 2022 Statement on Nuclear Weapons and Vladimir Putin

    Alec Shelbrooke – 2022 Statement on Nuclear Weapons and Vladimir Putin

    The statement made by Alec Shelbrooke, the Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence, in the House of Commons on 11 October 2022.

    Russia’s continuing assault on Ukraine is an unprovoked and premeditated attack against a sovereign democratic state and it continues to threaten global security. This week, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence is meeting with Defence Ministers in Brussels to discuss further support for Ukraine, and later today my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will be speaking to members of the G7.

    I can assure the House that the UK and our allies remain steadfast and united in our support for Ukraine. As previously set out to the House, Defence is playing a central role in the UK’s response to the Russian invasion, providing £2.3 billion-worth of military support and leading in the international response.

    We were the first European country to provide lethal aid to Ukraine. To date, we have sent more than 10,000 anti-tank missiles, multiple-launch rocket systems, more than 200 armoured vehicles, more than 120 logistics vehicles, six Stormer vehicles fitted with Starstreak launchers and hundreds of missiles, as well as maritime Brimstone missiles. In addition, we have supplied almost 100,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, nearly 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition, 2,600 anti-structure munitions and 4.5 tonnes of plastic explosive.

    Defence is also providing basic training to Ukrainian soldiers in the UK. To date, we have trained over 6,000 Ukrainian recruits in the UK, and we continually review and adjust the course to meet their requirements. Defence will continue to respond decisively to Ukraine’s requests and the equipment is playing a crucial role in stalling the Russian advance and supporting our Ukrainian friends.

    President Putin’s comments on nuclear are irresponsible. No other country is talking about nuclear use. We do not see this as a nuclear crisis.

    Mr Ellwood

    Thanks to our support and that of allies, Ukrainian forces have done the unthinkable in pushing back Russian force. However, with Putin now on the back foot and the third largest military in the world humiliated, this conflict has entered a darker chapter and we cannot be bystanders. Putin cannot be seen to lose this war and, as his response to the Kerch bridge attack shows, he is stooping to ever more unconventional tactics. The threat of Putin’s turning to tactical low-yield nuclear weapons remains low, but it has increased, posing questions for Britain and the United States that must be addressed before, not after, that line is crossed.

    Russian military doctrine allows first use of nuclear weapons in response to conventional attacks on Russian soil. That is why the sham referendums took place in the Donbas region—so that Putin could claim it was part of the motherland. In response, as things stand, our formal position is so-called strategic ambiguity: the promise of a response, but no public clarity on what that might be.

    We gained a reputation for blinking when it came to Georgia, on chemical weapons use in Syria and when the Crimea was annexed. I believe we should state now what our conventional response would be to Putin’s either deploying nuclear weapons directly or targeting hazardous infrastructure such as chemical or indeed civil nuclear plants. Such clarity could be the very deterrent that helps to prevent such hostile actions from taking place, rather than the vague position we have now.

    Our adversaries—not just Russia—must know and fear the military consequences of daring to resort to using nuclear weapons, even if they are low yield. This is not an operational decision but a political call. We have a duty to do all we can to deter Putin from going nuclear. Let us not leave it to chance. Let us exhibit the robust statecraft and engagement that this unpredictable war now requires.

    Alec Shelbrooke

    I am grateful for my right hon. Friend’s comments. I reiterate what I said at the start: President Putin’s comments are irresponsible. No other country is talking about nuclear use, and we do not see this as a nuclear crisis. President Putin should be clear that, for the UK and our allies, any use of nuclear weapons at all would break the taboo on nuclear use that has held since 1945 and lead to severe consequences for Russia.

    President Putin has launched an illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. His forces continue to commit senseless atrocities. The people of Ukraine seek only to restore their sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we will continue to support Ukraine’s right to defend.

    My right hon. Friend speaks of tactical nuclear missiles, but nuclear is nuclear. I reiterate what the Secretary-General of NATO said:

    “President Putin’s nuclear rhetoric is dangerous. It is reckless. NATO is of course vigilant. We monitor closely what Russia does. Russia must understand that nuclear war can never be won and must never be fought. And it will have severe consequences for Russia if they use nuclear weapons. And this has been very clearly conveyed to Russia. So we will continue to support Ukraine. And we will continue to support them in their efforts to liberate even more territory, because they have the right to do so.”

    It is not and never has been tactically smart to outline exactly what the response would be to any potential situation. We will continue on the lines that this Government and, indeed, the Secretary-General have outlined.

  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2022 U-Turn on Free Rail Travel for Veterans on Remembrance Day

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2022 U-Turn on Free Rail Travel for Veterans on Remembrance Day

    The statement made by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Secretary of State for Transport, on 9 October 2022.

    I have ensured that the Rail Delivery Group has issued new guidance to confirm free travel for military and veterans for Remembrance Day.

    To travel, just present your MoD ID card or evidence that you are a veteran, such as Veterans Railcard, to railway staff.

  • Ben Wallace – 2022 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    Ben Wallace – 2022 Speech to Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defence, in Birmingham on 2 October 2022.

    Good evening Conference,

    I am delighted to be here today in Birmingham. It’s been great to come back here since 2018. It’s been even nicer to have a musical accompaniment from the people outside who think we should gather today with a theme tune. The amazing thing about Birmingham is it’s one of Britain’s great cities and an outstanding example of the rich fabric that makes up our country. You know too often, politicians and journalists think the world stops and starts in London.

    Andy Street and his excellent team here in Birmingham demonstrate quite the opposite. And as a Lancashire MP, I am truly grateful for the work started by Boris Johnson to level up this country. I know that our new Prime Minister is equally dedicated to continue that mission.

    But as we gather today for the start of our conference, I want to start by first of all paying tribute to the late Queen. The motto of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst is “Serve to Lead”.

    In it, lies the key to understanding that to be a leader, you must put your soldiers’ needs before yourself. You must be selfless. Our late Queen was the very embodiment of that motto.

    She put her subjects before herself. She put her duty to them before her own needs. The men and women of the armed forces knew that and were inspired by that.

    To know that they had a Commander-in-Chief who was truly focused on their wellbeing and their interests, while expecting the highest of standards from them, was genuinely inspirational to all those who served.

    We will all miss her greatly. In these anxious and globally unstable times, fanned by the polarising flames of social media, we all need some constant reassurance in our lives. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second was that constant.

    Another constant, is the men and women of our Armed Forces. They have been with us through all our troubles. Most recently through Covid, through the evacuation from Afghanistan, through the invasion of Ukraine and again, just a few weeks ago, on parade to say goodbye to the Commander-in-Chief.

    They always display the finest qualities and dedication to duty. Day in, day out, they defend us and our allies.

    When I took the reins at the Ministry of Defence in 2019, I undertook to reform defence to ensure that our forces had what they needed, to do the tasks given to them by Government.

    But I also drew on my own experiences, to once and for all put a stop to the “hollowing out” of our forces. For decades, Prime Ministers had wanted more, but Chancellors had wanted less.

    The result of this, for as long as I can remember, was an Armed Forces that on the surface looked fine, but inside struggled with ammunition stocks, kit maintenance, ship availability, and low living standards.

    In short, I was determined that whatever funding we got, we spent it making sure that it could deliver a ready, deployable force – well equipped, well armed and well trained.

    And with any new funding, the priority would not be shiny new toys, but fixing what we had first. Only then could we embark on funding to invest for the new and modernisation.

    So I put the challenge of being a threat-lead and modern Armed Forces at the heart of the 2020 Defence Command Paper.

    Boris Johnson shared that view and handed us the biggest settlement since the Cold War. He recognised that we needed to invest in our Armed Forces and not to manage decline.

    And Liz Truss, our new Prime Minister, has gone even further and done what will be needed to finish the job. When she was Foreign Secretary, she knew what the threats were out there and she knew the influence that Britain’s Armed Forces delivered around the world.

    But she also knew that Defence can’t live on historical reputation alone. It needed real investment and for the first time a government that would move it up their priority list.

    The Prime Minister’s pledge to invest 3% of GDP by 2030 is what we needed to keep this country and our allies safe.

    Liz Truss knows this is not a “discretionary” choice, but a necessity. The instability and insecurity we see around the world will not go away by itself.

    On Friday, President Putin illegally annexed part of Ukraine. Another European state. To accompany this occasion, he delivered another tirade at the world.

    He did this at the very moment his own poorly equipped troops, appallingly led were being routed from the East of Ukraine.

    As countries around the world condemned his actions, he attended a concert, cheered on by bussed-in crowds. Ridiculous as his homophobic, anti-West rants were, what he didn’t say was just as interesting.

    He never addressed the tens of thousands of Russian widows and mothers, whose young men were sent to their deaths by incompetent generals and because of his illegal invasion.

    Or the more than fifty thousand injured personnel he is frightened to visit. He didn’t address the charges of war crimes his forces have been involved in.

    Because for President Putin, there is no going back. His intentions are clear. He will not stop in Ukraine. He will push west. His own essays say as much.

    He genuinely believes in some Tsarist, imperialist destiny to unite the supposedly ancient people of Rus. By all means at his disposal, he seeks to pursue “ethnic nationalism” in a way we haven’t seen since the 1940s.

    Be under no illusion – he is dangerous. Ukraine says they are fighting not just for themselves, but also for us. And they are right. It is why we must stand strong beside them. It is why we must not let brutality and disregard for human rights triumph over the values of all we hold dear.

    And our response matters, because the world is watching. The question some will be asking is “does the international community have the determination, the unity and the resilience to stand up for each other and for the rule of law?”.

    Well, to date, the answer is a clear and resounding “Yes”. In February this year, the day after Russia’s invasion, I held the first international donor conference on Ukraine to coordinate military aid.

    We had 25 countries in attendance from across Europe. That rapidly grew to 35. And the aid to Ukraine is not shrinking, it is growing.

    Last week, I visited Ukraine again to see what more we can do. Despite the attacks, they are strong and they are winning.

    I am proud to say that British weapons, like the NLAWs, are helping to make a real difference. But as well as British hardware, we are helping with our training as well.

    We committed to training ten thousand Ukrainian troops this year and we are supported by Danes, Finns, Swedes, Norwegians, Dutch, Canadians, Estonians, Lithuanians and New Zealanders all here delivering for this challenge.

    I am pleased to say that we are committed to training, next year, a further twenty or thirty thousand troops, as required.

    President Putin must see the folly of his invasion. His army is broken, his international reputation is shattered, and Russia’s standing in the world is lesser than it was. His errors are strategic.

    Instead of discouraging NATO, he has pushed Sweden and Finland to join it. No one made them, but seeing Russia’s behaviour changed the long-standing positions of two countries who for decades were wedded to neutrality.

    I am delighted they are now joining NATO. But how unnecessary his invasion has been and at a cost of huge suffering to all in Ukraine and wider.

    But Putin’s reactions are wider than just Ukraine. His reach goes further. This week, we saw the “mysterious” damage inflicted to the Nordstream pipelines.

    And it should remind us all how fragile our economy and infrastructure is to such hybrid attacks. Our intent is to protect them. Our internet and energy are highly reliant on pipelines and cables. Russia makes no secret of its ability to target such infrastructure.

    So for that reason I can announce that we have recently committed to two specialist ships with the capability to keep our cables and pipelines safe.

    The first Multi Role Survey Ship for Seabed Warfare will be purchased by the end of this year, fitted out here in the UK, and in operation before the end of next year. The second ship will be built in the UK and we will plan to make sure it covers all our vulnerabilities.

    We have no time to lose. The Prime Minister is determined to invest in defence, stand up to Russia, stand by Ukraine, and prepare us to face the threats for tomorrow. The reality is that we can’t afford NOT to invest 3 per cent of GDP in defence and our Prime Minister understands that.

    To not do so would imperil our security and risk having Armed Forces out of step with their peers – and more worryingly out of step with our enemies.

    Conference, I know times are tough and up and down Britain, people are struggling with the effects of global inflation and rising interest rates. Sadly, we are not alone in this. Across Europe and the G7, the cost of living is going up and up and service personnel are no different.

    That is why this year I have rolled out free “wrap-around childcare” for all in the forces. It is why I have frozen the daily food charge for our personnel and capped rent increases at 1 per cent for service families. If we don’t look after the people in our Armed Forces, the most important equipment of all, then what is the point of having our Armed Forces?

    As well as helping with the cost of living, the Ministry of Defence is one of the key drivers of economic growth across the UK.

    We support 219,000 private sector jobs with more than £20bn of investment in equipment and support every year.

    Here in the Midlands, in Telford, we are making the new Challenger 3 turrets and Boxer armoured vehicles. In all, Defence spending contributes over 400,000 jobs in this country, right across the Union.

    We are building ships in Scotland, manufacturing armoured vehicles in Wales, and assembling the, now world-famous, NLAW anti-tank missiles in Northern Ireland – bringing new jobs, investment and opportunities to every part of the United Kingdom.

    There is more to do.

    Conference, for those who think that the solution is to turn to Labour however, I would say that now is not the time to deploy Captain Mainwaring and his platoon to help with our Nation’s defence.

    You can see the Labour Party now – Captain Keir Mainwaring, marching around his bunker in Islington, with Sergeant “Blair” Wilson whispering in his ear, and Private “Corbyn” Godfrey telling us how “DOOMED” we all are.

    But you know, Mr Starmer, investing in Defence and supporting our troops requires a lot more than waving a Union Jack. You have to actually fund them.

    You have to actually recognise that as the threat changes, so must the investment. In the world we live in today, there is no place for Labour’s “Home Guard” amateurs.

    So, Mr Starmer, when will you match the Prime Minister’s pledge of 3% of GDP by 2030? Will you put your money where your mouth is?

    And before I end, I want to pay tribute to my team at Defence. I have been incredibly lucky as Secretary of State to have had such excellent Ministers.

    I want to thank Jeremy Quinn, Leo Docherty and Suzanne Webb for the work they have done.

    And I am sorry to see Johnny Mercer leave the Government.

    But I also want to welcome Sarah Atherton and Alec Shelbrooke to their posts. They will do an outstanding job.

    Our PPSs Ian Levy and Mark Eastwood are also key and are valued contributors to the team. For that is what it is… a team in Defence.

    So, Conference, whatever the world may throw at us in the next few years, and no one says it is going to be easy, you can be sure that this team, alongside the UK’s Armed Forces, will be working day and night, across the globe, to defend us and keep our allies safe.

    Thank you very much.

  • John Healey – 2022 Speech at Labour Party Conference

    John Healey – 2022 Speech at Labour Party Conference

    The speech made by John Healey, the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, on 27 September 2022.

    Conference, it’s always an honour to address you.

    Thank you for staying the full course today.

    Thank you for the massive welcome you gave the choir and speakers from Ukraine.

    Thank you for your contributions throughout this debate.

    You showed Labour’s total condemnation of Russia; and Labour’s total solidarity with Ukraine.

    You showed we share the same values – democracy, freedom, human rights, respect for international law.

    When Putin invaded Ukraine, Labour – like the British people – wanted faster, tougher sanctions. Faster, more compassionate treatment for Ukrainian refugees. Faster, stronger UK backing for war crimes investigators.

    But on Britain’s military help to Ukraine, and on reinforcing NATO allies, the Government has had – and will continue to have – our full Labour support.

    Conference, we will win a Labour Government.

    So, let’s make clear to President Putin, there will be a change to Labour but there will be no change in Britain’s resolve to confront Russia’s aggression and stand with Ukraine to confound Russia’s attempts to divide NATO, hold Europe hostage over energy and flood our society with disinformation.

    And I say this, conference: those who call ‘stop the war’ more loudly than ‘win the war’ are playing into Putin’s hands.

    A ceasefire cedes new territory to Russia. Risks Russia regrouping their forces; deepening their occupation; legitimising their regime of torture, rape and execution.

    We are not fighting. We don’t decide when it ends. Only Ukraine can make this call. Our duty will be to support Ukraine in negotiations, just as we are now in the fighting.

    Britain’s military have responded magnificently to support Ukraine. And we pay tribute to the serving men and women of our Armed Forces.

    We are the party of public service. Theirs is the ultimate public service.

    They defend the country, at home and abroad.

    Yet over 12 Tory years, they’ve seen their pay cut, numbers cut, family support cut.

    Satisfaction with Service life itself has plunged below half.

    We must renew the nation’s contract with those who serve. We will put the Armed Forces Covenant fully into law. We will make Britain the best country to be a veteran. The Tories won’t; Labour will.

    And over 12 years, the Tories leave Britain weaker in the world.

    They have weakened Britain’s global influence by breaking international law, antagonising our European allies, slashing development aid and failing to stand up for human rights.

    They have cut our full time Armed Forces by over 40 000, axed one in five of the Navy’s surface ships; and taken 200 planes out of RAF service in the last five years alone.

    They have got the big calls wrong. They failed to see and plan for a Taliban take-over in Afghanistan or a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Even as threats to Britain increase, they plan to cut the Army by a further 10 000 troops.

    And they’ve overseen a broken procurement system, wasting over £15 billion through bad MoD management.

    The NLAW anti-tank missiles have been vital to Ukraine. This is day 216 of Putin’s war. Yet there’s still no MoD contract signed, still no production to restock for Ukraine and for our own Army.

    The Tories are failing British troops, and British taxpayers.

    When a country is facing threats or forced to fight, its Armed Forces depend on the strength its industry and resilience of its people.

    Attlee and Bevin understood this in the late 1930s. And yes, so did Nye Bevan.

    As the Party of working people and trade unions, we know when done well spending on defence strengthens our UK economy and our UK sovereignty.

    So, in government, we will make it fundamental that British defence investment is directed first to British business, with a higher bar set for any decisions to buy abroad.

    The first test is the Navy’s new fleet support ships. The Tories want to build them abroad, in cut-price shipyards with non-union labour.

    Conference, I say to you today:

    Under Labour, these ships will be built in Britain by British workers.

    Under Labour, trade unions will be industrial partners.

    Under Labour, defence spending will help lead our mission to buy, make and sell more in Britain.

    Conference, let us draw one more lesson from Ukraine.

    Ukraine is winning because its people – people of diverse faith, age, ethnicity and language – have a national story of hope to unify them.

    To be a democratic country at peace with its neighbours, free to determine its own future. A people with security, prosperity and respect.

    These are Labour’s hopes for the British people.

    Our surest defence for Britain is to build a country where security, prosperity and respect are guaranteed to all.

    A country worth defending and determined to defend itself.

    A country whose citizens can say proudly: in the face of the most severe threats, we stood with Ukraine, we stood with our allies, we stood with each other.

  • James Heappey – 2022 Comments on Death of Sapper Connor Liam Morrison

    James Heappey – 2022 Comments on Death of Sapper Connor Liam Morrison

    The comments made by James Heappey, the Minister for the Armed Forces, on 26 September 2022.

    It is with deep sadness that I heard of the death of Sapper Connor Liam Morrison of 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment. It’s clear from his colleagues that he had a passion for the British Army, made an instant positive impact on all those he served with, and always put the needs of his fellow soldiers above his own; a role model to all. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones at this terrible time.

  • Alec Shelbrooke – 2022 Speech at the Defence Vehicle Display

    Alec Shelbrooke – 2022 Speech at the Defence Vehicle Display

    The speech made by Alec Shelbrooke, the Defence Procurement Minister, at Millbrook Proving Ground on 21 September 2022.

    It’s my pleasure to welcome you all to this year’s Defence Vehicle Display.

    Especially as this is not just my first DVD but my first official engagement as a defence minister.

    It is an excellent venue to showcase our finest vehicles and equipment.

    I’m not entirely new to Defence, having spent six years as the UK representative to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and latterly Chairman of the Defence and Security Committee on the assembly.

    So, I am well aware of your many successes as well as some of the challenges you face.

    But the truth is, for all of us here today, this event comes at a time of great change.

    The passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has brought with it not merely a sense of deep loss for the wonderful monarch that led by example for more than 70 years.

    But also, a sense of uncertainty, as the values she came to embody – kindness, tolerance, and a belief in democracy – now seem at risk across the world.

    Indeed, even as we speak, Ukrainians are bravely pushing back the invading Russian force, and as we discover the atrocious war crimes committed by the Russians, our resolve must remain resolute.

    If we are to protect our values and safeguard the international order in this new era, we need to strengthen Defence.

    That’s why last year our Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper began transforming our forces to make them more resilient, more persistent and more agile.

    Our Armed Forces are now being instilled with a campaigning mindset, that enables them to be ever present wherever we are needed around the world.

    A mindset epitomised by our new self-sufficient Brigade Combat teams and Ranger Regiments.

    But those documents were also clear that we couldn’t achieve our aims without the very best capability.

    You only need to look to Ukraine and the incredible gains they’ve made in recent weeks to see the difference the most advanced kit can make on the ground.

    I am proud that the UK has played a key role, foremost among European nations, in supporting those efforts, whether it’s our armoured Wolfhounds or Stormer vehicles fitted with anti-air missile launchers.

    And that kind of cutting-edge capability is what we’re all here for today.

    Take a stroll around the exhibition and you will see some of the finest examples of equipment in the land domain on display.

    Not least our Boxers – the cornerstone of our Armoured Brigade Combat Teams – able to swiftly cover long distances no matter the environment nor the weather. And I am pleased to see so many of our partner nations on the Boxer programme here today.

    As well as Boxer, you will find everything from our Challenger 3 main battle tanks in the Off-Road Area, to the latest drones and four-legged robots from our Future Capability Group, and much more besides.

    Whilst we are still learning the lessons from Ukraine, it is clear that we cannot take anything for granted.

    In the coming years, it is vital we continue to build on these successes in order to stay ahead of the curve.

    That’s why we launched the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy, which provided the foundations for a step-change in relations between government, industry and academia.

    What’s crucial about DSIS is the way it finally recognised industry as a strategic capability in its own right.

    The purpose of the Land Industrial Strategy, which was published earlier this year, was to take those partnerships to the next level.

    We’ve seen the success already of our Defence BattleLab in Dorset, which is uniting industry and academia with the facilities they need to test-drive innovative kit.

    And today you will hear about how the Army are taking a major step forward in shaping investment over the next three years in new integrated protection systems for our land forces.

    This funding marks an exciting opportunity for industry to work with our Defence Science and Technology Laboratory to make our vehicles so much stronger and more resilient.

    Whether it’s improved sensors and compact energy storage or new counter munition systems and directed energy weapons.

    This isn’t just a great chance to transform our Army but to drive growth in the economy at the same time.

    The land industrial base already supports around 20,000 jobs across the UK, while our ground combat system exports comprise 7% of total defence exports – which is almost £6 billion over the past 10 years.

    But as more and more nations increase their investment in Defence, there will be more and more opportunities arising to sell kit to trusted allies and increase our share of that £45 billion-plus ground combat systems market.

    This will bring investment back so that we can then reinvest in the continued strengthening of our forces.

    I began by talking about the end of an era. But I firmly believe that if we work together we can not only preserve the mighty values that were the hallmarks of Queen Elizabeth II, but seize the moment to turn this age of challenges into an age of opportunity.

    Speaking of new eras, I’m delighted to hand over to Lieutenant General Sharon Nesmith, newly appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

    Sharon’s appointment comes at a crucial time for Defence and I’m looking forward to hearing her thoughts as someone else who is adjusting to a new role.

    I’m also looking forward to hearing the Director General for Land plans for how DE&S will equip and support our armed forces now and in the future.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you.

  • James Heappey – 2022 Comments on Death of Navin Thapa Magar

    James Heappey – 2022 Comments on Death of Navin Thapa Magar

    The comments made by James Heappey, the Defence Minister, on 14 September 2022. There is also a press release from the Ministry of Defence.

    It is with deep sadness that I heard of the death of Corporal Navin Thapa Magar of the First Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles, in Brunei. It’s clear from his colleagues that he was a dedicated, professional soldier held in the highest regard and a shining example of what the British Armed Forces stand for. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones at this terrible time.

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2022 Speech on Ukraine (September 2022)

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2022 Speech on Ukraine (September 2022)

    The speech made by Stewart Malcolm McDonald, the SNP spokesperson on defence, in the House of Commons on 5 September 2022.

    I thank the Secretary of State for the update that he has given the House. Like many, we have been watching over the summer period as Ukrainian forces take back their territory. In one sense, although we would rather none of this were happening, it is heartening to see that weapons being supplied by this country are being used so successfully on the battlefield. Let us be clear about what that represents and what arming Ukraine’s armed forces represents: it is, by definition, an act against fascism and war to support those who are the victims of a campaign of genocide.

    It is also heartening to hear of the training by UK armed forces and partnered armed forces that is taking place. I think my office is in the process of organising an opportunity for me and the leader of the SNP here, my right hon. Friend the Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber (Ian Blackford), to witness it at first hand.

    One thing that definitely worries me—we are starting to see it happen across Europe—is that the unity that we have all maintained over the past six months or so is starting to crack as winter arrives. We saw that in the massive demonstrations at the weekend in Prague and, I think I am right in saying, in Cologne. That is something that we must—absolutely must—stand against.

    The single best way to end this war is for the Kremlin to recall every single Russian troop on Ukrainian soil. All the calls to end the sanctions now, as though that would somehow help to end the conflict in Ukraine, are a falsehood, but that takes us to another important aspect of the war, which is the information war. As winter bites, as bills go up, as the effects of the conflict start to appear in people’s bank accounts, and as an obvious information war from Russia takes place in that respect, can the Secretary of State assure the House, or outline to the House—this is similar to what the shadow Secretary of State asked—how he will ensure that we are fully equipped to withstand that information war? Standing with Ukrainians is the right thing to do, and that is something we need to communicate well.