‘Labour must act now to protect the UK and deter Russian aggression’

This Labour government has made huge strides to improve our armed forces. The Ministry of Defence team, led by John Healey as Secretary of State, through the junior ministers, special advisers and PPSs form one of the most effective government departments. Together they have raised pay for our armed forces; acknowledged and started righting wrongs against LGBT and other forces personnel; taken military housing back under public control; and helped secure major export orders for UK firms from across the UK including both the Clyde and Forth in Scotland.

That is not to mention the publication of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) which is foundational to ensuring our nation’s security. The SDR highlighted the real and present threat from Russia which requires a “whole-of-society approach to deterrence and defence.” In recent weeks, both the Chief of Defence Staff and the Head of MI6 have both made clear that the UK must prepare for war, echoing similar warnings from military leaders in France and other European countries. I and others have argued that Russia already considers itself to be at war with the UK and that our strategic position makes us a primary target for their attacks; it is for this reason that we must prepare as such.

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Immediately after the election, there was a very clear understanding amongst the overwhelming majority of Labour MPs of the threat from Russia, not least because of their invasion and ongoing brutality in Ukraine. However, since then we have normalised the level of threat to the point that urgency has been lost and interest has waned. If more is not done to increase awareness we risk sleep-walking into a direct conflict with Russia that many will say they did not see coming.

We must do more to prepare ourselves for a conflict in the hope of deterring one. If you look across Europe, countries like Estonia, Poland and Germany are rapidly and actively preparing for conflict. Estonia invoked NATO’s Article 4 to call for additional air support after Russian jet incursions into its airspace and, more recently, accused Russian border guards of illegally entering the country. Poland is laying mines and digging trenches in preparation for a Russian invasion. Germany has recently confirmed €50bn of spending on new conventional military equipment.

These countries see the threat and are moving quickly. We must match their pace, not least in setting out how to reach the 5% GDP target NATO countries have committed to spending on defence and wider national security.

Our distance from Russia does not protect us nor is it a barrier to cyber warfare or conventional missiles. Our waters represent NATO’s Northern Flank, monitoring and protecting entry into the Atlantic Ocean and the Western Flank of those Nations most vulnerable to Russian attack. Our leadership of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) with our Nordic allies – a key part of European defence – makes us a target for Russian subversion and attack.

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While Labour MPs will always, rightly, focus on how we can grow the economy, put more money into people’s pockets, bring down bills and improve public services, the threat from Russia to achieving those things cannot be underestimated.

We know the effect energy price increases resulting from the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 had on all of our constituents but particularly the most vulnerable.

That invasion was possible because the previous Conservative government and our allies took their eyes off the ball and failed to effectively deter Russia from taking such extreme action. Even if a peace of some kind is achieved in Ukraine, the threat is not over. Rather it will escalate even further. Putin will move his forces to probe and threaten a broader front. Imagine the harm that could be caused to our constituents by further, more radical aggression from Vladimir Putin.

To protect those most vulnerable to external shocks and to protect our country we must not make the same mistake again.

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We must truly begin the national conversation on defence and security promised in the SDR. We must accelerate the recruitment, training and equipping of our armed forces immediately so our words to deter Russia are fully backed up by our capabilities. Finally, we must make clear to the British people the cost to them of failing to deter Russia.

That is the only way to keep our people and our country safe.

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