Labour’s new love affair?

The values and standards of the British armed forces have much to teach the political establishment and modern society about courage, duty, honour and sacrifice. Within the forces’ family these are not just words, but the embodiment of a life spent in the service of something bigger than ‘the self’.

Such ‘value driven’ organisations are now scarce in contemporary society, as our social paradigm has shifted towards the domination of the ‘free market’. The greed of consumption and Thatcherism has cast a long shadow over our social landscape. The ‘me, me, me, now, now, now’ mindset. In the immortal words of Oscar Wilde, we are in danger of become a society where we “know the price of everything and the value of nothing”.

It is strange then that Labour, the party of social responsibility and the working classes, has historically never claimed the armed forces as its own. As a predominantly working class ‘collective’, the armed forces are the personification of Labour values.

Only recently, through the inspired efforts of Jim Murphy MP and Dan Jarvis MP, has Labour begun this process. Internal party attitudes are changing and now at Labour party meetings it is common for members to passionately disagree with policy, like intervention in Iraq, while praising the courage of our forces.

The creation of Labour Friends of the Forces is reinvigorating grassroots debate and forcing old hands to re-engage with defence policy beyond the traditional confines of nuclear disarmament.

As a junior officer seasoned by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, I witnessed first-hand the destruction of armed conflict. I also came to understand the central role of defence in responsible global governance. Labour’s traditional left wing has a key role to play in stepping up and lobbying for socially responsible defence policy. It is a legitimate topic that warrants serious debate and the benefits of their talent.

Writing in the aftermath of Armed Forces Day, it is an opportune moment to reflect with pride on the sacrifice of so many and to ask how a Labour government will do it better next time?

The British armed forces are facing a radical austerity program that will potentially damage its ability to project force. In the words of General Sir Peter Wall, head of the army: “further cuts could harm Britain’s ability to win wars”. This was his response to government plans to increase reservist numbers, while cutting regular troop numbers from 102,000 to 82,000 by 2017. This ‘bean counter’ style of remodelling our armed services is a knee-jerk reaction to fiscal constraints and suggests the coalition lacks a credible defence policy.

If Labour truly aspires to be the party of the armed forces, then it must create a coherent, cost-effective and integrated defence strategy. This should be immune to the short-termism of the political cycle and grounded on solid principles. Key questions on national self-defence, sustainable military intervention, International treaty obligations and nuclear deterrence will need to be answered.

Labour must also tackle inefficient defence procurement, making it transparent, reactive to frontline needs and cost effective. Vested interests that have long profited from the arms trade have no place in lobbying a future Labour government. They must be sought out and then shut out.

The strategic failure of Iraq, which followed the military victory of the second Gulf War, reminds us that Labour’s 2015 defence policy must be integrated, holistic and extend beyond the traditional remit of war fighting. It must challenge conventional barriers, fostering co-operation between the departments of state and key non-government players. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for International Development, Department of Energy and Climate Change, police, security services, non- government organisations and defence export industry are among the organisations with valuable contributions to make. In Iraq, the war was won, only to lose the hearts and minds of the people that were supposed to have been liberated. This predictable mess was the product of incompetent mismanagement by the US Defence Department who failed to engage key government and civilian experts in the post war reconstruction of Iraq.

‘One nation’ Labour must become ‘one world’ Labour by committing to transform global actors like the United Nations and World Trade Organisation. For too long the international community has perceived them as western constructs that serve only western interests. Labour must lead in making them democratic and trusted brokers to the global family.

Finally, a Labour 2015 foreign and defence strategy must infuse moral responsibility into the global community and end the hypocrisy of ‘realpolitik’ in international diplomacy. Propping up tyrants while talking about ‘freedom’ has damaged the UK’s reputation and insults the decent moral values of the British people. The Arab spring illustrates this. When the Arab people rose up against tyranny, western governments (of all shades) applauded while selling bullets and bombs to their oppressors.

Elections are won on domestic issues, but history teaches us that we ignore foreign and defence policy at our peril. If we truly desire peace, democracy and the rule of law, then “we must become the change we seek in the world” and start laying the foundations for a radical defence reform agenda fit for a new age.

Sundar Thavapalasundaram is a member of the Fabian Society executive committee. He is an NHS GP and former major in the British army. He served as infantry regimental medical officer in Iraq and Afghanistan