The threat from Putin’s Russia can no longer be ignored, Britain must bolster its defence
The past few months have been dominated by the debate around Britain’s defence capabilities. In fact, the final nail in Sir Keir Starmer’s political coffin came as a result of the resignations of Defence Secretary John Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns.
Healey, who was seen as a Starmer loyalist, was withering in his assessment of the PM and Chancellor’s approach to the defence investment plan (Dip).
Writing to the PM that “You have been unable and the Treasury has been unwilling to commit the resources that the nation needs to defend the country at this time of rising threats”.
If that was not enough to jolt the Government out of the coma of complacency that Britain has fallen into over the past few decades when it comes to defence, then events last week should end any illusions that the country can continue to do the bare minimum.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said a Russian patrol aircraft “repeatedly approached” the UK’s Carrier Strike Group as it operated in the Arctic and was intercepted by two F-35 fighter jets.
Russia’s Bear-F plane dropped a series of buoys into the water near to the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier. The MoD condemned the move as “unsafe and unprofessional”. Given the Putin regime’s provocations in recent years, it can’t be dismissed as just a chance encounter or even a mistake by the Russians.
The new Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis says “We should be clear-eyed about the fact that the threat from Russia exists in every domain” and insisted that Andy Burnham “understands the importance of defending our nation”.
If Burnham is to show that he really understands the importance of defence then he needs to be ready to take difficult decisions.