Like many who have been calling on the Government to do so, I welcome the commitment this week to increase defence spending – although it may need to rise further to meet the challenge of global uncertainty.
But it is crucial that every single penny needed goes towards increasing defence capability.
We cannot safeguard the security of these Isles, and our allies, with a ghost army of spoofs and dummies – spending 2.5% and later 3% of GDP on defence must be a real and substantial upgrade of our capability.
That means more personnel across all uniform services, but also technology that gives us greater autonomy and the ability to offer specialist capabilities to NATO missions – be that logistics, new tech in space, or special forces training and operations.
We also cannot keep our troops safe and world-class without the best equipment. I have seen first-hand the impact best-in-class kit can have on wounded servicemen and women, when I served as a Medical Officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Since my time in uniform, there have been so many further developments. Like technology through Project CRENIC, which provides soldiers, vehicles and UK military bases with digital protection against remote and radio controlled Improvised Explosive Devices.
These advancements save lives and help our armed forces keep our country and interests safe.
If Labour are using ‘smoke and mirrors’ to achieve their defence spending target, then this will only serve to undermine trust with our allies at a time when it is more important than ever that our actions match our words.
Especially if, as the Government have refused to rule out, the costs of the Chagos surrender deal are counted towards defence spending – as, by any metric, giving away and leasing back a base we already have does not strengthen our capabilities.
As my previous research showed, the likely annual costs of the Chagos surrender deal could fund an entire army brigade – exactly of the type we need. Take the 4th Light Brigade Combat Team, which costs around £140m a year according to official figures.
It is time Labour come clean with the British people on what their announcement actually means – and focus spending on what is needed, not just on a political ploy.
There should be no greater priority for our Government than the defence of the realm. Our defence budget must be commensurate to the threats we face. Taking the world as we find it – our allies and our adversaries – not as we wish it to be, requires a different approach today to our defence than in recent years.
Our collective security cannot be guaranteed through creative accounting and sleights of hand. To do so would be readily apparent to those who wish us harm and, I fear, a false economy with dangerous consequences.
Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP is a triple-qualified soldier, surgeon and lawyer who is now the Conservative MP for Solihull West and Shirley.
