Russian President Vladimir Putin has put the Russian economy on a war footing (Image: Getty)
The Government’s much-vaunted ‘Strategic Defence Review’ is underway. Respondees were set a deadline of this Monday. In fact, our response has been ready all summer: increase defence spending to 2.5%. Yet another review is irrelevant without extra funding.
We must deliver the resources and reform that ensures our brilliant service personnel can get on with the job of keeping us safe, secure and free. That is what I have made clear. That is what the country needs now, more than any time most of us could remember.
In Government, we set out a funded plan to increase defence spending, which Labour has quietly shelved in favour of saving 66,000 civil service jobs – prioritising public sector inefficiency over military security.
Concern is intensifying over the state of the British Army (Image: PA)
I want to work with the Government on defence where it is in the national interest, not least on support for . But I am clear that without a clear plan to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, our country will be left vulnerable to the growing threats we face around the world. Without it, Defence cuts will inevitably follow and would come at the worst possible time. Countries around the world are trying to boost their defence capabilities, and it’s vital we do too.
My response outlines to the Government where they should focus beyond increasing resources.
This ranges from replenishing our munitions, which need to be replaced after our generous donations to , to research and development – driving our advantage in technological competition.
Both of these received funding boosts under the . Both are now in danger because of this Government’s failure to back its promises with hard cash.
But taxpayers’ money must be well spent. That means building on the comprehensive procurement reforms I introduced in Government, so that we get more bang for our buck.
It’s no longer acceptable to wait decades for new capabilities to come forward. As Defence Procurement Minister, I saw the threat our warships faced in the Red Sea from Houthi drones, and ensured that we will deliver anti-drone DragonFire laser capability to our fleet in rapid time – by removing as many bureaucratic barriers as possible.
This is why the second part of our SDR response, alongside the urgency of more spending, is the need for reform of the MOD itself. We want to see a less risk averse department, capable of really driving pace into procurement, and boosting the lethality of our current armed forces over the near term.
Reviews are not enough – the MOD can produce those till the cows come home. If the threat is as serious as many believe, the Ministry of Defence will need to give greater weight to military risk, and less to those peacetime procedures and processes which bog down even the best of programmes.
The foundations for reform are there. We set out a fully funded plan to reach 2.5%. If the Government drives forward on both fronts, it will not only deliver a safer Britain but a more prosperous one. Thousands of well paid jobs are linked to Defence up and down the UK – uncertainty over spending will damage investment; pressing on with pace and urgency will help to fire up our industrial base.
It’s about time the Government put our country’s security higher up its list of priorities. They shouldn’t need a review to tell them that – but we’re happy to respond and remind them.