An Essex MP has criticised the government’s defence strategy, claiming it fails to provide the investment needed to protect the country.
Priti Patel, MP for Witham, has raised concerns over Labour’s Defence Investment Plan, arguing it does not meet the scale of global threats.
She said defence spending is set to fall short of what is required, with no clear plan to meet NATO’s target of 3.5 per cent of GDP by 2035.
The criticism comes as the government outlined commitments to modernise the armed forces and improve military capability.
Read more
-
Braintree musician shares song to soundtrack England’s World Cup campaign
-
New order introduced in Braintree that could see drivers fined up to £1,000
-
From difficult beginnings to teacher and a life rebuilt through determination
-
Large families say bins are overflowing between collections in new waste scheme
However, Ms Patel said billions of pounds needed to fund those commitments have not been accounted for.
She Essex MP said the plan risks weakening Britain’s position on the global stage and undermining support for allies.
Ms Patel added: “The defence of the realm should be the number one priority for any Government, but Keir Starmer and Labour have refused to put the levels of funding needed into our Armed Forces, military equipment and defence.
“They’ve spent the last two years failing to recognise the levels of threats we face, they’ve let down our allies and have caused Britain’s global reputation to plummet.
“In these uncertain times, we need a significant increase in defence funding to build up the capabilities needed to deter the threats we face.”
Share