Well Labour’s “patriotism” didn’t last very long, did it? 🇬🇧

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2

maddyone

MayBee70

Sunak has just committed to defence spending to be 2.5 per cent of GDP by ( I think…I need to check) 2030.

Yes, that’s right, but since he won’t be in power, we need to be able to rely on the next government to protect the country.

And as the Tories have reduced our military to the smallest level of personnel ever -whilst reduced spending to the smallest level ever

The bar is pretty low isn’t it?

Manpower is not as essential as modern day weaponry.

With drones, long range missiles etc., it is more important to have effective defence / attack capabilities in the air.

U.K. boots on the ground is no longer the first option.

If Ukraine had a bigger air defence system, a plentiful supply of drones and air defence capabilities, hand to hand fighting would be much less and only a last resort when all other options had/have been utilised.

We have neither.

Cameron - against advice had aircraft carriers built which had to be immediately mothballed.

Their incompetence takes some believing.

petra

HousePlantQueen

Nicenanny3

The awful Emily Thornberry who in 2014 sneered at a house with 3 St George's Cross Flags flying outside and a white van.

Sigh

Why sigh it’s the truth. But now they’re got wind of the fact that the general population want to be defended.

What do St George's cross flags and white vans have to do with the defence of the UK?

Whitewavemark2

maddyone

MayBee70

Sunak has just committed to defence spending to be 2.5 per cent of GDP by ( I think…I need to check) 2030.

Yes, that’s right, but since he won’t be in power, we need to be able to rely on the next government to protect the country.

And as the Tories have reduced our military to the smallest level of personnel ever -whilst reduced spending to the smallest level ever

The bar is pretty low isn’t it?

Manpower is not as essential as modern day weaponry.

With drones, long range missiles etc., it is more important to have effective defence / attack capabilities in the air.

U.K. boots on the ground is no longer the first option.

If Ukraine had a bigger air defence system, a plentiful supply of drones and air defence capabilities, hand to hand fighting would be much less and only a last resort when all other options had/have been utilised.

". Vlad's having a laugh. How many of his 'friends' are on those boats crossing the Channel?"

I really think it's quite out of order to conflate all immigrants as allies of Putin. Quite shocked, Urms. How can you justify this? You've slipped it in but it hasn't gone unnoticed.

‘Peace in our time.’ Neville Chamberlain, 30/11/38
Look how that turned out.

I agree Urmstongran
If you want peace prepare for war

The EU has nothing to do with it. We were in the EU when Putin first invaded Ukraine. It was 2014. The Crimea, remember?
NATO is what counts.

Maybe if we had showed a united front by staying in the EU Putin wouldn’t’ve felt quite as empowered as he did which resulted in him invading Ukraine? It wasn’t Labour that took us out of the EU.

maddyone

MayBee70

Sunak has just committed to defence spending to be 2.5 per cent of GDP by ( I think…I need to check) 2030.

Yes, that’s right, but since he won’t be in power, we need to be able to rely on the next government to protect the country.

And as the Tories have reduced our military to the smallest level of personnel ever -whilst reduced spending to the smallest level ever

The bar is pretty low isn’t it?

MayBee70

Sunak has just committed to defence spending to be 2.5 per cent of GDP by ( I think…I need to check) 2030.

Yes, that’s right, but since he won’t be in power, we need to be able to rely on the next government to protect the country.

Dinahmo

We are not at war at the moment. The phrase"war footing" implies that we either are or about to be at war and I don't think that is the case now.

Don’t you get the news about Ukraine in France?

She is truly awful. I don’t relish the prospect of seeing and hearing more of her.

winterwhite

How would you raise the cash, Urm.

Seriously?
Defence is the most important area of spending, more important than anything else. Your future safety depends on the country being able to defend itself and we have woefully neglected spending for far too long.

10HousePlantQueen

Nicenanny3

The awful Emily Thornberry who in 2014 sneered at a house with 3 St George's Cross Flags flying outside and a white van.

Sigh

What are you sighing for

HousePlantQueen

Nicenanny3

The awful Emily Thornberry who in 2014 sneered at a house with 3 St George's Cross Flags flying outside and a white van.

Sigh

Why sigh it’s the truth. But now they’re got wind of the fact that the general population want to be defended.

I’m unclear who you are blaming Urmstongran- is it the current government for not investing 3% on defence for the last fourteen years, or the current government for leaving such a s—t show behind them that Labour are unable to make any promises until they have unpicked the mess?

America have finally given the ok to Norway to gift 22 of these beauties 👏👏

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wtTCdu77_8

My sentiments exactly GG13 but you put it so much better than I did. 😁

Labour outlines some of its plans on top of ramping up expenditure

Reinforce homeland protections

Fulfill NATO obligations in full

Make allies our strategic strength

Direct British defence investment first to British jobs and business

Dinahmo

We are not at war at the moment. The phrase"war footing" implies that we either are or about to be at war and I don't think that is the case now.

My understanding is that we are on the brink of being on a war footing which is ramping up production of armaments etc. This is needed to replenish the armaments and weaponry provided to Ukraine over the last two years, along with honouring our pledge of future supplies to them.

Nicenanny3

The awful Emily Thornberry who in 2014 sneered at a house with 3 St George's Cross Flags flying outside and a white van.

Sigh

"Given that we arguably have a more dangerous Russia than we did during the Cold War"

what arguments? sources?

Shouldn’t our nuclear deterrent be protecting us?

The awful Emily Thornberry who in 2014 sneered at a house with 3 St George's Cross Flags flying outside and a white van.

Given that we arguably have a more dangerous Russia than we did during the Cold War, defence spending should be matching the levels of that era.

The politicians who try to “save” money by not spending on defence now are more likely to cost us a lot more further down the line.