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Labour’s shadow armed forces minister, Luke Pollard, has been on the media round this morning, talking about Labour’s commitment to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence “when circumstances allow”.
He said “our commitment to the nuclear deterrent is total and our support for the armed forces is on the record.”
What we need to make sure is that we’re reflecting the changing international circumstances, growing threats to not only the UK but our allies as well.
And that’s why we’ve set out our ambition to get to 2.5% of GDP on defence spending, but also that defence spending should be focused primarily on UK companies creating and supporting jobs across the UK, rather than buying equipment on the international markets from international partners where the jobs clearly go abroad.
There is strong support for the renewal of our nuclear deterrent. I think when you’re looking at the screen and see news bulletins, and you’re seeing Russian aggression against Ukraine, where we’re seeing daily cyber-attacks against the UK, where we’re seeing our allies being threatened internationally, that case for a robust and strong defence policy is set out very clearly in front of us.
The changed Labour party I lead knows that our nation’s defence must always come first. Labour’s commitment to our nuclear deterrent is total.
In the face of rising global threats and growing Russian aggression, the UK’s nuclear deterrent is the bedrock of Labour’s plan to keep Britain safe. It will ensure vital protection for the UK and our Nato allies in the years ahead, as well as supporting thousands of high paying jobs across the UK.
These figures are a welcome sign that the economy is turning a corner, and we can build on this progress if we stick to our plan.
Last week our cuts to national insurance for 29 million working people came into effect across Britain, as part of our plan to reward work and grow the economy.
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