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Tan Dhesi MP @tandhesi.bsky.social
Jul 3, 09:02 PM

The raised #threats we face demand that the #government levels with the public to make them fully aware — via a national conversation, led by the #PrimeMinister. We obviously need to increase #investment in our #security, but the Ministry of #Defence must ensure value for money.

🎤 Whisper Transcript (en) ⏱ 132s

"Can I ask you about the relationship you have with the government and with the defence community, I suppose the Ministry of Defence. In your sixth report on the UK's contribution to European security you said the UK lacks a plan for defending the homeland, with little progress on a home defence programme, the Prime Minister's national conversation on defence and security is yet to start, the defence readiness bill has not yet been written. On top of those criticisms you are saying there is not enough money and it's not coming fast enough. It doesn't sound as if they are coming up to what you want to see at all. Well researched Johnny, in terms of what the defence committee has been asking for months and months now, given the increased threat level, that is why our recommendations were that the government needs to embark on that national conversation so that the British public is aware of the increased threat level. In fact just over two weeks ago during Prime Minister's questions I asked the Prime Minister this very question, pointing out that he himself had highlighted that we as NATO needed to be ready for an attack by Russia by 2030, that's something that he had himself highlighted, but there is also operational risk involved because certain parts of defence, there are actually cuts proposed, along with by the way where there are efficiency savings, so within the defence investment plan it was highlighted that more than £10 billion, that is a hell of a lot of money and we want to make sure that this government doesn't fall into the trap of the previous governments where lots of efficiency savings, lots of wonderful plans on procurement and there have been perennial procurement problems with regards to the Ministry of Defence and that's why I think there have been fractious discussions between number 11, number 10 and the Ministry of Defence, that it doesn't fall into those same plans, but the key for us is that at least we are now out of the cycle of previous decades where defence has been hollowed out, we are now on an upward trajectory but it still is not meeting the moment, so I hope that the government or the new Prime Minister, the new incoming administration will recognise the threat level and will move to reach that 3% GDP spend by 2030."

💬 Discussion

Tan Dhesi MP @tandhesi.bsky.social · Jul 3, 04:05 PM

The raised #threats we face demand that the #government levels with the public to make them fully aware — via a national conversation, led by the #PrimeMinister. We obviously need to increase #investment in our #security, but the Ministry of #Defence must ensure value for money.