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Well Labour’s ā€œpatriotismā€ didn’t last very long, did it? šŸ‡¬šŸ‡§

(58 Posts)
Urmstongran Wed 24-Apr-24 14:18:41

...Labour will seek to hit a target of spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence ā€œwhen circumstances allow..." says Emily Thornberry.

What circumstances would that be? A direct missile attack on London?

Mr Putin is arming like there is no tomorrow, and if he prevails in Ukraine, the conflict will spread to Europe and the nations that were once part of the USSR.

We should have been spending at least 3% GDP on defense years ago. Vlad's having a laugh. How many of his 'friends' are on those boats crossing the Channel?

This country should be on a war footing now. Not waiting until 'circumstances allow….

vegansrock Fri 26-Apr-24 08:33:00

Of course this current bunch of no marks have never done any U turns ( not) .

Freya5 Fri 26-Apr-24 08:22:02

vegansrock

Remind us who put a Russian KGB chum into the House of Lords.

If Starmer and Co get in, I'm sure they'll seek to get rid of his Lordship from said House. šŸ˜‚
Possibly not, as he changes his views depending on which way the wind is blowing.

vegansrock Fri 26-Apr-24 07:54:50

Remind us who put a Russian KGB chum into the House of Lords.

NanKate Thu 25-Apr-24 22:21:30

My concern is that Rishi said the extra spending on defence would be fully accomplished by 2030! Putin could have blown us all up by then. šŸ’„šŸ’„

Wyllow3 Wed 24-Apr-24 22:56:12

Yes, best defence is to work together.

maddyone Wed 24-Apr-24 22:51:22

I back being part of NATO

So do I, and I wish the rest of Europe would pay their dues to NATO instead of relying on America.

maddyone Wed 24-Apr-24 22:48:07

flappergirl

The West is very happy to prolong the war in Ukraine. It suits our purposes. Ukrainians are being used as canon fodder to weaken Russia thus saving NATO resources and lives. The longer the war lasts, the better for the West.

Just saying.

I’ve never read such rubbish!

flappergirl Wed 24-Apr-24 22:27:38

Oreo

Well, that amused me, the bowler hatsšŸ˜‚
Of course a lot goes on behind the scenes, but I don’t go for any old wild conspiracy theories either.
Russia winning this war would be very bad for the West as it would give Putin wings as to what more he could achieve.

You've missed the point Oreo. Please read my original post. Of course the West doesn't want Russia to win the war, they want the war in Ukraine to weaken Russia. Which it has.

Russia is investing large sums of money, men and machinery in the war and is stretching itself to the limit. The longer the war lasts, the weaker Russia becomes and (possibly) the more unpopular Putin becomes with his own people.

The West didn't start the Ukraine war but they've no desire to see it end, not yet anyway. It's serving a very useful purpose of weakening Russia and Putin.

I would add that this is far from "any old wild conspiracy theory".

zakouma66 Wed 24-Apr-24 22:24:29

OK, so when 7 year olds aren't drowning in the Channel , they are snuggling up to Russian spies?
Really?

Then they bail out in Dover and go to a 5 star hotel before scrounging off us?

Wyllow3 Wed 24-Apr-24 22:12:50

Yes, have heard, don't agree with the conclusion at least atm. I back being part of NATO and believe Labour is going to protect us adequately. ~Possibly more adequately than funding atm.

Urms, cant get through the pay barrier on the Telegraph and googled as widely as I can. There are reports of sending spies to all European countries....(especially Finland) we've not been singled out - but also found reports of young Russians trying to escape from taking part in fighting..

Freya5 Wed 24-Apr-24 20:39:22

Wyllow3

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

what arguments? sources?

Really, haven't you heard they invaded Ukraine, interfered with radar on civilian aircraft, murdered people in the UK. Etc etc Wake up. I for one do not trust Labour to defend this country.

Oreo Wed 24-Apr-24 20:37:50

Well, that amused me, the bowler hatsšŸ˜‚
Of course a lot goes on behind the scenes, but I don’t go for any old wild conspiracy theories either.
Russia winning this war would be very bad for the West as it would give Putin wings as to what more he could achieve.

flappergirl Wed 24-Apr-24 20:33:16

Oreo

flappergirl

The West is very happy to prolong the war in Ukraine. It suits our purposes. Ukrainians are being used as canon fodder to weaken Russia thus saving NATO resources and lives. The longer the war lasts, the better for the West.

Just saying.

Can’t believe anyone can even think this.

Oreo, the world is not run by fine, upstanding gentlemen in bowler hats. It's a power struggle with the weakest going to the wall. If we knew even a fraction of the truth we'd be petrified and appalled beyond rational thought.

Urmstongran Wed 24-Apr-24 20:22:00

Scary analysis Casdon thank you for the link. If war is driving Russia’s economy then we should all be wary. Ukraine first … then who?

Oreo Wed 24-Apr-24 20:16:35

flappergirl

The West is very happy to prolong the war in Ukraine. It suits our purposes. Ukrainians are being used as canon fodder to weaken Russia thus saving NATO resources and lives. The longer the war lasts, the better for the West.

Just saying.

Can’t believe anyone can even think this.

Casdon Wed 24-Apr-24 20:07:37

This is worth a read, it’s solid journalism - Russia is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
theconversation.com/russias-economy-is-now-completely-driven-by-the-war-in-ukraine-it-cannot-afford-to-lose-but-nor-can-it-afford-to-win-221333

flappergirl Wed 24-Apr-24 19:58:12

The West is very happy to prolong the war in Ukraine. It suits our purposes. Ukrainians are being used as canon fodder to weaken Russia thus saving NATO resources and lives. The longer the war lasts, the better for the West.

Just saying.

Urmstongran Wed 24-Apr-24 19:49:26

Bottom line: Russia spends 8% against our 2.5% on defence because it’s in a warmongering mood. Russia is a bitter and twisted dump, led by gangsters who see themselves as conquering heroes for Mother Russia.

Norah Wed 24-Apr-24 19:47:35

Oreo

It’s high time defence spending went up and hopefully it’s in time, you never know what’s round the corner.
I sincerely hope that Labour will see that it’s necessary and not allow the far left amongst them talk it down, once in power.

Indeed.

We don't spend nearly enough on defence. Capabilities in the air, drones, better specialty pay etc. I'd like to see defence at 3.5% GDP.

Urmstongran Wed 24-Apr-24 19:35:16

". 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.

Well, here you go Wyllow3.
Fill yer boots.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/29/putin-russia-wagner-militia-africa-immigration-europe/#:~:text=It%20has%20been%20widely%20feared,control%20the%20flow%20of%20migrants.

Oreo Wed 24-Apr-24 19:33:21

It’s high time defence spending went up and hopefully it’s in time, you never know what’s round the corner.
I sincerely hope that Labour will see that it’s necessary and not allow the far left amongst them talk it down, once in power.

Whitewavemark2 Wed 24-Apr-24 19:23:05

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2 The U.K. is safer and has capability. Not everything is in the public domain, nor should it be.

And I assume you know little more than the rest of us. So I’m not sure why you are so confident?

MayBee70 Wed 24-Apr-24 19:13:21

Nicenanny3

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*

They were discussing on TRIP’s the other day how news items about Labour never seem to go away and yet things that Conservative MP’s say and do are forgotten about almost immediately. For what it’s worth Emily apologised for saying it but also pointed out that her brother is a white van man. Maybe people’s expectation of Labour MP’s is higher.

GrannyGravy13 Wed 24-Apr-24 19:11:04

Whitewavemark2 The U.K. is safer and has capability. Not everything is in the public domain, nor should it be.

Cossy Wed 24-Apr-24 19:09:44

Labour are damned if they do (the party of spending) and damned if they don’t (the party who don’t care)