The Government has been accused of “sitting on their hands” over the Iran and Israel conflict whilst failing to act urgently enough to arm itself, it has been claimed. Last night, several children were killed as Iran launched retaliatory strikes against Israel as the conflict between the two countries continues to escalate.
Former Defence Secretary Sir Grant Shapps has chastised the Government for not doing more to intercept Iranian missiles destined for Israel, as the RAF did during a similar attack in 2024. He said: “Last year I ordered RAF jets to intercept Iranian drones & missiles aimed at Israel. Iran will fire on a democracy again, yet Labour will sit on its hands while global security is at stake.
“This isn’t about capability – it’s cowardice to appease backbenchers.”
The UK has increased the number of jets it has stationed in the Middle East “for contingency support across the region” but has not launched assets to help Israel.
It comes as the Government confirmed that the release of its Defence Industrial Strategy would be delayed until August after initially being scheduled for the Spring.
The Defence Industrial Strategy is designed to make sure the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy are aligned, setting out the means by which the defence industry’s capability and output will be enhanced in the wake of rising threats.
Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge lambasted the Government for “dithering” on an issue at the heart of national security as he confirmed that the Conservatives would divert money destined for the Chagos Islands to invest in the nation’s defence industry.
He told the Daily Express: “Labour’s Defence Industrial Strategy, intended to go alongside the SDR in the spring, will be delayed for months.
“Ever since the election they’ve known we needed to get on with ordering munitions to replace those rightly gifted to Ukraine, but after months of waiting, they still dither.
“Our brilliant defence companies know that this Parliament they’ve got to find £600m for higher national insurance – but they don’t know when Labour are going to kickstart procurement at the scale and pace our country actually requires.
“However, if people are rightly frustrated at Labour’s lack of urgency, they would be entitled to ask: what would the Conservatives do differently?
“I can confirm today that we would spend Labour’s Chagos surrender bounty on an immediate boost to our armed forces – funding rapid rearmament, rather than giving billions to the people of Mauritius.”
Leaders in defence production have told the Daily Express that certainty of commitment to investing in defence is vital to their ability to deliver.
One of them, who wished to remain anonymous due to commercial sensitivities, said: “We are ready to surge production if demand is there and we will do so if the Government give us stability and certainty of future demand. If you want private companies to invest, we need to think about how we manage procurement programmes.
“Industry struggles if there is no certainty that their commitment in the concept phase is not backed up by certainty that orders will follow. Very often, in the pursuit of creating competition, we reduce the likelihood that companies will have the confidence to invest.”
Express.co.uk has contacted the Government for comment.