Defence Secretary John Healey and Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge both addressed the Commons on 1 September, setting out cross-party support for Ukraine while also testing the Government on the detail of its strategy.
Healey described the heavy toll of Russia’s ongoing assault. “On the battlefield, intense fighting continues along the frontline. While Russian military activity has reduced in the Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts, over the past two weeks they have advanced in the northern Donetsk region. Pokrovsk remains Russia’s focus … but Putin continues to make only minor territorial gains, at a huge cost,” he said.
According to UK defence intelligence, “at the current pace since January, it would take Russia another 4.4 years to seize the Donbas, at a cost of almost 2 million more Russian casualties,” Healey told MPs. He added that July saw a record “6,200 one-way attack drones launched into Ukraine”, with nearly 540 drones and 45 missiles used in a single night over the weekend.
Turning to Russia’s wider position, Healey argued: “While President Putin likes to project strength, he is now weaker than ever. He has lost more than 10,000 tanks and armoured vehicles, and his Black Sea fleet has been humiliated. He is forced to rely on states such as Iran for drones, North Korea for frontline troops and China for technology and components. He is using 40% of his total Government spending on the war, with interest rates now running at 18% and inflation at 9%.” He pointed to NATO’s growth to 32 members and its agreement to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035 as evidence of Russia’s strategic setbacks.
Responding for the Opposition, James Cartlidge condemned Russian strikes on civilians and noted that one recent attack damaged the British Council in Kyiv. “We join the Government in utterly condemning the attack on the British Council and pay tribute to all its staff … We pass on our best wishes to the member of staff who was injured in the attack,” he said. Cartlidge also pressed the Government to clarify support provided to the Council and asked whether new UK sanctions would proceed independently of US action.
He underlined the Opposition’s stance that “without ambiguity, we and all our allies must see that the war in Ukraine is a question of a free and sovereign democracy invaded without provocation by a bullying dictator.”
On future arrangements, Cartlidge questioned the shape of proposed security guarantees, asking whether the coalition of the willing would cover land forces as well as air and sea. He also sought clarity on how the Government’s review of readiness levels would be funded.
Healey welcomed Cartlidge’s support, acknowledging groundwork laid by the previous government on the recent Norwegian frigate deal but insisting “we had to reboot the campaign, which we did, and I am grateful that we have secured it, as it has huge military, economic and strategic importance.”
He confirmed further sanctions would be announced soon by the Foreign Secretary and said discussions on security guarantees were progressing but could not yet be disclosed in detail. “Much of the shape of any deployment of a coalition of the willing will depend on the terms of any peace agreement. At this stage, I certainly do not want to offer any more public details … because it would only reinforce Putin’s hand,” he said.
Wonderful.
Can we have some “British unity” on our own conventional defence, please?
With a ringfenced budget and force structure and size, agreed by all parties, and free of the smoke and mirrors and pure spin HMG are applying?
Thought not.
i wonder how much british unity will be shown by nigel fa-rage, who once said he ‘admired’ Putin for ‘control of running Russia’ i hope we’re all not been told you voted for this after the next election from the wannabe dictator.
Nigel Farage gave a great show of British unity in the US the other day asking for the American government to take action against the British people. What’s even more astounding is how many apparent patriots on here support him for it.
I don’t like Farage and he is not the answer but do you think in a democratic country that supports free speech you should have 5 armed police arresting a writer for expressing his opinion.
Very worrying times but all ok if you don’t offend someone.
Police on duty a Heathrow tend to be armed …
No I don’t, but I don’t think that an elected British politician should travel to a foreign country and give evidence in front of that countries democratically elected body and ask that foreign power to do harm to the British people.
Agreed and hence why I don’t think he is no more the answer but retaining the status quo with our two traditional political parties surely needs to come to an end.
Yes, I agree on that for sure, 6 or 7 parties in a PR system seems much healthier than a winner takes it all two way split like America.
Oswald Mosley, aka Nigel Farage, has many times appeared on RT, his funding streams are extremely suspect, and as Andrew said has, much like Trump, been an outspoken Admirer of Putin.
The problem is he’s also known to lie to the electorate who simply hear what they like and don’t bother to look into his background.
It’s funny how both Alec Salmond and Nigel Farrage were both so patriotic and yet both so ready to work for the biggest enemy of the British and Scottish people in a heart beat for a few quid.
Guys it is quite simple to spike Farage’s guns just reduce both illegal and legal migration to levels that are more sustainable and that is no more than net, 100k per year.
I hear the call of those suggesting the NHS will collapse and all the other vested interests but how many 18 to 24 years are NEATS and how many of working age are economically inactive? The numbers are horrendous and getting worse.
A straight talking political figure who tells it like it is and has a plan to address these issues would send Farage packing but let’s not forget he is not the only one who tells untruths.
As a simple example; is how can any political figure suggest building 300k homes a year will overcome a housing crisis if we have a population increasing by at least 500k a year. Those sums don’t add up and even the great unwashed as you might think of them know it.
Sadly Farage or his successor will be around until these issues are properly addressed.
The government has already massively reduced legal migration, stopping illegal migration is very hard.
I agree though they need to do more.