Defence Secretary: ‘Deployments keep me awake at night’

so it keeps him awake at night but he’s still cutting capabilities without replacement like watchkeeper which, although many will tell you that it is imperfect, does contribute to situational awareness and because of that the safety of our armed services.
I hope it does keep him awake at night. I hope it gives him nightmares knowing that every life lost because of this loss of capability and the others that have gone before sits squarely on his head and those who have previously refused to adequately fund our armed services.

Homeless veterans living on the streets! Oh hang on what’s just round the corner a hotel full of people with no right to be here🤬

Gov always talk the talk but never walk the walk. He still sleeps in his nice warm house whilst others keep him safe and then discarded once they leave. The UK truly does not care for its Veterns as they should be but that has always been the way. Alway go more respect in other states including those that potentially could be fighting one day.

Anybody remember Cameron’s great idea… “The Military Covenant”?…dire.

For decades the Cambridge 5 were at the top of the S.I.S and were considered good egg, one of us…I wonder if the same type of people are in the Treasury and undermining our armed forces from within

So it should keep him awake at night Ex forces on the cold streets at night. And for our men & women deployed over seas in tight spots defence cuts won’t help and he knows it .Time for our forces to be increased and with budget what’s substantial .🙄

Having zero confidence in any of the kit and equipment gives me sleepless nights,
Getting treated like crap because I’m ruining the stats and I can’t figure out what’s broke this time on my 60 year old vehicle and it must be my fault that some spares don’t come in for months give me sleepless nights

If the government wants to effectively tackle rough sleeping then it needs to ensure enough capacity in social housing to meet the need. If it does that then the ‘priority score’ afforded to veterans is irrelevant, and if it doesn’t then the rough sleeping problem will continue.

All MP’s involved with defense should spend a couple of months working alongside a member of the other ranks. learning what they have to put up with. Not being feather bedded in the Officers’ quarters. Only then will they know what goes on and what people have to endure. But then my pipe of dreams has just been rained upon, but I live in hope.

Shall we have a wip round for Healy, I suggest we get him a very small violin.

I guess the lack.of sleep accounts for the bad decisions being taken 😅

Seriously though when will we actually get a proper defence secretary seems Labour and the Tories aren’t able to find anyone.

This is Healey’s defence cuts spin speech from the other day, with my own thoughts in brackets on each of his claims. Do enjoy, criticise as appropriate.

I have been Secretary of State for Defence for four months.
It is an honour and privilege to have this job.
Every day, I meet staff from the military, civil service and industry who are totally inspiring and dedicated to keeping this country safe.
Often unseen, often unheard by us…and by the public.
We are proud of their professionalism – and we thank them for everything they do.
Madame Deputy Speaker, this is a new government getting on with delivering for defence. We’ve:
Stepped up support for Ukraine…
( Which the Conservatives were already doing )
Signed the landmark Trinity House Agreement with Germany…
( And numerous defence initiatives, from Boxer, to RCH155, to project Triton were already underway, nothing really new beyond you cosying up to the EU )
We’ve given Forces personnel the largest pay rise for over 20 years…
( While taking away with the other hand, I’ve read about your reforms regards schooling and how that might force many to quit )
Confirmed Defence as a priority sector, as part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy…
( It does not seem a priority to me )
And this week, we secured the Second Reading of the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill to improve service life.
[Political content removed]
But Madame Deputy Speaker, we know these are serious times – war in Europe, conflict in the Middle East, increasing global threats….
And technology is rapidly changing the nature of warfare, as we see right now in Ukraine.
Before the election, we knew there were serious problems with defence – one previous [political content removed] Defence Secretary told this House last year that our Armed Forces had been “hollowed out and underfunded” over the last 14 years.
( Indeed, and by YOU over the 13 years prior, including when you yourself were overseeing cuts as a Treasury minister, but we’ll ignore that one )
However, as I have told the House since taking office, the problems were even worse than we thought….
( You sound like Reeves….)
It was a dire inheritance – the state of the finances and the state of the Forces.
( Covid and the Cost of living crisis caused by Putin’s war in Ukraine clearly did not have any baring on this at all……)
Often hidden to Parliament.
( Joy! So how about RINGFENCING the MoD budget and getting cross party agreement giving Parliament the oversight it needs? That is if many MPs actually give a monkeys? Which I doubt given many of them were happy to have Corbyn at the helm just a few short years ago and so have zero interest )
Billion-pound blackholes in defence plans.
( True! So spend more and fill them, instead, you cut to PRIORITSE industry, as usual )
Taxpayers’ funds being wasted.
( Very true!! )
Military morale down to record lows.
( Can you blame them? You are stirring the pot further as we speak….)
That’s why we’re taking swift action now: to inject investment, get a grip of MOD budgets, and kickstart much-needed reforms to start fixing the foundations for the UK Defence.
I want to update the House on what we’re doing today.
First, on investment…
In July the Chancellor exposed the £22 billion black hole at the heart of the Government plans.
( Depends who you speak to, the constant blame the other lot will only go so far. )
Hundreds of unfunded pressures. This year, and into the future too.
( Like….big hikes for workers wages under your union mates? Or 11 billion given away regards carbon emissions in developing countries? 8 billion in overseas aid to countries with a Space program? No wonder you had to raise taxes which of course you swore you would not do. )
The first duty of the Government is to keep this country safe.
( How about, the first duty of government is to resource the CONVENTIONAL FORCES of its military correctly for a nation befitting the Uk’s economic and political status to keep it safe and deter enemies? You are doing neither. )
That’s why the Chancellor has announced in the budget that defence will receive a boost next year of nearly £3 billion to start to fix the foundations for our forces.
( No, as that money is funding the pay increase and weapons stockpiles sent to Ukraine )
The Chancellor also told this House, “we will set a clear path to 2.5% of GDP on Defence”…..
( The usual delay, maybe, one day, if circumstances permit. )
Which will be fully funded – [political content removed].
( Heard this from countless DS over the years, you are no more convincing than any of the others. )
But this is not just how much you spend on defence, it’s how you spend that counts….
( Absolutely! But you are still including Ukraine money, pensions, and the Defence Nuclear Enterprise in that spend aren’t you…. )
Which is why we are conducting a Strategic Defence Review, at pace, to assess the threats we face and the capabilities that we will need in the future….
( In which HM Treasury has a major stake, which they should not, otherwise it is NOT an independent review looking clearly at threats and what we want the UK to do, but hamstrung by Bean Counter’s like Reeves. )
And it is also why I have also introduced tight financial controls on the department, including a £300 million reduction in planned consultancy spending.
( Ah! Excellent! Rejoice )
Madame Deputy Speaker, we are getting a grip of MOD budgets and investing in people and in future technologies.
Second, on kit and capabilities.
For too long, our soldiers, sailors, aviators have been stuck with old, outdated equipment… because Ministers wouldn’t make the difficult decommissioning decisions.
( No, they have a mix of old, current, and new kit, the issue is that there is a never ending reduction in the amount of it. As you say, this kit you are cutting is not in use, ship, but Chinook and Puma and Watchkeeper are, so how can our personnel be “stuck with it?” )
As technology advances at pace, we must move faster towards the future.
( Ah, the old HMG MoD trick of “modernisation” which means cuts NOW to fund a jam, carrot tomorrow that may never arrive as it is years away. )
So today, with full backing from our Service Chiefs, ( spreads the blame ) I can confirm that six outdated military capabilities will be taken out of service.
( Really? I guess they are securing their pensions like all the rest these last 30 years? Or just saluting smartly while looking the other way. Chinook is not outdated, a medium lift heli is not outdated, ships that refuel others are not outdated, means to put troops on a shore are not outdated. )
These decisions are set to save MOD £150 million over the next two years and up to £500 million over five years – savings that will be retained in full in Defence.
( Yet you grandstand about increasing the budget? How about using more money to retain kit and recruit people? Ahhh of course, we need to “modernise” )
Alongside this Statement, I have laid a WMS to outline the detail of my decommissioning decisions. These include:
HMS Northumberland – a frigate with structural damage that makes her simply uneconomical to repair.
( Fair one, the only cut that makes any sense at all while talking tough to Russia. )
46 Watchkeeper Mk1s – a 14-year-old Army drone which technology has overtaken.
( And yet it has just had a GTMI radar upgrade on it! So spend to update, to cut, well played….So what replaces this new capability gap, which is what at best this is? Even if the platform is dated, are the sensors ? )
HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark – landing ships both effectively retired by previous Ministers but superficially kept on the books at a cost of £9 million a year.
( How about recruiting more people to crew them? If not Albion then Bulwark, just refitted. And saying “they will be replaced by the MRSS is moving the goalposts as it has been stated clearly only “up to 3” are planned with any confidence, so they replace the Bays, not the LPDs. A Bay is vastly inferior to an Albion. No C3 suite, 2 LCVP or 1 LCU, not 4 and 4 of both. MRSS is decades away. )
14 Chinooks – some over 35 years old – accelerated out of service.
( So at best a numbers gap to save money until the 14 new Chinooks arrive. Sort of makes sense if current cabs cab cope. Will they? )
Two Wave Class tankers – neither of which have been to sea for years.
( So crew them and sort out the RFA. Spin – they were NOT “replaced” by the Tides, the Tides replaced the Rovers, so that is no excuse. Those ships could have been used in other areas, leased out, put in reserve, use some imagination. )
And 17 Puma helicopters – some with over 50 years’ flying – will not be extended.
( So not “modernising” but “hollowing out” the RAF SHF by removing its medium component. Knock on – what happens to RAF Benson, 28, 33, and 230 Squadrons? Possibly sold off? Unless of course, best case scenario, FMH is still on. So another capability holiday? )
I recognise that these will mean lot to many who’ve sailed and flown in them during their deployments around the world.
( Save your insulting platitudes. )
They have provided a valuable capability over the years. But their work is done. We must look now to the future.
( Cobblers, the forces are too small and you have just made them smaller by repeating the same old tricks previous governments have used the last 30 years by removing kit without replacing it. )
All current personnel will be redeployed or retrained – no one will be made redundant.
( So if they are retrained, WHO flies FMH? )
And as the First Sea Lord says about these retirements, and I quote “the threat is changing so we must have the self-confidence to make the changes required”.
( The same old nonsense Wallace came out with when Hawk, Sentry, Sentinel, Hercules, Defender, and Islander were deleted, and which there are holes all over the army when CVRT and AS90 guns were either deleted or given to Ukraine without replacements entering service. The threat is changing. Obviously ships refuel themselves and troops can flap their wings and fly as no medium heli lift will be available. )
And of course, Madame Deputy Speaker be in no doubt, the future for our Royal Marines, and their elite force, will be reinforced in the SDR.
( Of course, a Brigade reduced to a raiding force, a previous cut only reinforced further by you now. One less Brigade we can call on when numbers matter. Or, if we follow through on the FCF concept, left hamstrung as just where is its enhanced firepower and just what are the troops meant to do? Swim? They have RIBS, ORCS and Mexefloat left if you remove their specialist shipping that take LCVP and LCUs. )
These are common-sense decisions which previous governments failed to take.
( Some are, others are at best introducing capability gaps, others are nothing but cuts packaged under a different name. )
Decisions which will secure better value for money for taxpayers and better outcomes for the military.
( VFM? How about changing how HMT hamstrings everything by its rules on in year spending and HMG constantly kicking cans down roads which increases costs further? )
Decisions which are all backed by the Chiefs and taken in consultation with the SDR Reviewers. Allies have been informed and we have constant dialogue with NATO.
( So not all my fault, it was him miss! Chiefs securing their pensions, as when has any one of them save Saunders spoken out? Allies? I pray to God Donald Trump utterly embarrasses you in front of the world. )
These will not be the last difficult decisions I will have to make, to fix the defence inheritance that we were left with.
( Ah…so there are more to come. God help us who have we elected? )
But they will help to get a grip of the finances now and give greater scope to renew our Forces for the future – as we look towards the Strategic Defence Review and to 2.5%.
( They need increasing, you are only ever interested in modernising, yet you called out the Tories for “hollowing out” which previous Labour administrations also did )
I want to thank the Chiefs for their determination to work together with me on this.
( Yawn )
Third, Madame Deputy Speaker, on reform…
I have to say that Defence reform has been of little interest to recent Defence Secretaries.
It doesn’t make headlines. It doesn’t advance careers.
But how Defence works must change to deal with the increasing and diversifying threats.
So recently, I launched the biggest reform programme in defence for 50 years.
To create a stronger UK defence centre to secure better value for money, better outcomes for our Armed Forces, and be better able to implement the Strategic Defence Review.
Central to a reformed Defence is our new fully-fledged National Armaments Director, for which recruitment is underway now.
( A rebranding, the head of DE&S has always effectively had this role. )
The Chief of the Defence Staff will oversee a new Military Strategic Headquarters…operating from the end of 2024
…where he will formally command the individual Service Chiefs for the first time
… and will be central to prioritising investment spending between the Services.
( This interests me, as a “Military Strategic HQ” has existed in Main Building for decades….so to me this is spin, even if you are dragging in CGS,CAS, and CNS. The existing set up sits under DCDS Military Strategy and Ops, and beneath, ACDS Ops and Commitments, and includes the DCMO, Defence Crisis Management Organisation, which also staffs the DCMC, the Defence Crisis Management Centre, otherwise known as “PINDAR” It is the likely location of UKCiCC too, and involved in Trident chain launch. So it ALREADY EXISTS. )
The Permanent Secretary will lead a leaner department, with more policy muscle and influence.
( And yet Main Building, or HO&CS as it is known – Head Office and Corporate Services, has been reformed time and time again, but 5k off the CS count will save a lot. Who will you sack? And who will do the job they are now not doing? More sub contracted work? )
These reforms will ensure faster delivery, better integration and clearer accountability across Defence to make our Forces fit to fight in the future.
And finally, Madame Deputy Speaker, our people.
This Government is putting defence people at the heart of defence plans.
( While ignoring the RFA to the point of collapse. )
But we inherited [political content removed] in military recruitment and retention.
Targets missed every year for 14 years. Morale at record lows.
We can’t fix these deep-set problems overnight. But as Ministers, we are on a mission to lift military morale.
( How about sacking Capita and increasing the number of AFCO for starters ? )
We have awarded the Forces the largest pay increase in over 20 years…
( Yes….initially with MoDs own money! But give yourselves a pat on the back. )
And I can announce today:
that I’m introducing from April, a new £30,000 retention payment for a cohort of Tri-service aircraft engineers who sign up for additional three years’ of service. This will be open to around 5,000 personnel in total.
And from January, a new £8,000 retention payment for Army personnel who have served four years – supporting 4,000 personnel each year for three years, so 12,000 troops in total.
Madame Deputy Speaker, today I have set out where we were, and where we are going.
We are in a new era of rising global tensions.
We need a new era for UK Defence.
To achieve this…
The Government is investing £3 billion extra next year and setting a clear path to 2.5%…
( We are still waiting. )
Driving far-reaching reform…
Fixing the foundations for our Armed Forces…
To make Britain better defended….
Strong at home and secure abroad.
( Same old, same old, repeated like a Parrot since the same was uttered by Robertson, then Brown, then Ainsworth, then Fox, then Hammond, then Fallon, and all the rest. I predict numerous cuts in the SDSR and entire capabilities deleted, which you will spin as improvements. )

As usual, Kipling had a better grasp of the soldier’s lot –

I went into a public ‘ouse to get a pint o’ beer,
The publican ‘e up an’ sez, “We serve no red-coats here.”
The girls be’ind the bar they laughed an’ giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an’ to myself sez I:
O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, go away”;
But it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins,” when the band begins to play
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins,” when the band begins to play.

From Tommy by Rudyard Kipling