A deeply uncomfortable truth - but one we must not shy away from - is that the world is becoming increasingly unstable and unsafe. The old geopolitical order which emerged from the aftermath of the end of the Cold War is breaking down in front of our eyes.
In Russia, talk in military and political circles is already moving beyond Ukraine and onto a possible attack against our NATO allies in the Baltic. On the other side of the world China continues its unprecedented military build-up for what Beijing sees as the inevitable confrontation with the western democracies over Taiwan. Meanwhile the Middle East has erupted into a series of interconnected conflicts many of which can only culminate in a regional war between Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
When former Conservative Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps observed in January 2024 that we are moving from a post war to a pre war world, he was strikingly prescient.
In such uncertain times, the need for the UK to have a properly funded Armed Forces with full spectrum capacity to defend our interests at home and overseas has never been more vital. On Wednesday 11th December Rebecca challenged the Prime Minister on the crucial issue of defence spending and asked him why, in the context of the wider geopolitical situation, his government would not commit to spending at least 2.5% of GDP on defence without delay.
We know that military capacity can take years to stand up after a funding decision has been made, and so time is something we have precious little of. It was therefore somewhat disappointing that the Prime Minister was not able to commit to 2.5%. Indeed, we now know that NATO member states are contemplating raising the spending target from 2.5% to 3% - so there is a real risk that the UK will fall behind its allies if the PM cannot even find a rapid pathway to 2.5%!
Rebecca has noted the growing number of constituents getting in contact to raise concerns over defence and international affairs - and she shares some of the concerns which have been raised over the UK's readiness to respond to potential future scenarios. In 2025 Rebecca will be working to hold the Government to account on defence and do everything possible to ensure that we make the investment required today such that we are prepared for whatever comes tomorrow.
You can watch Rebecca's full question and the Prime Minister's answer below.
