The government has defended increased defence spending after a Commons exchange in which a Labour backbencher argued that poverty and inequality pose a greater threat to life in the UK than external military dangers.
Labour MP Brian Leishman questioned the priorities set out in the recent Budget, noting that defence received £25.9 billion in capital expenditure, compared with £14 billion for health and social care and £9.6 billion for housing. He argued that domestic social conditions were the primary cause of deaths in the UK. “It is a fact that UK citizens are dying because of inequality and poverty, not the threat of another nation launching a nuclear attack against us,” Leishman said, asking whether this reality should shape government spending decisions.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard rejected that framing, pointing to the war in Ukraine and what he described as direct threats to UK security. “I disagree with him,” Pollard told the House. He said people were “dying in Ukraine, dying for Ukrainian freedom, dying for our freedom from a Russian war machine,” and argued that this demonstrated the seriousness of the threat.
Pollard also cited recent activity attributed to Russia, including “the activities of the Russian spy ship Yantar loitering over our critical underwater infrastructure” and cyber attacks targeting defence systems. “The threat is real,” he said repeatedly.
As Pollard responded, Leishman was seen shaking his head from the benches. Pollard concluded by linking defence spending directly to economic resilience, telling MPs: “Our entire economy is supported by our national security. That is why this government is investing in our national security and we make no apologies for doing so.”
I feel some MPs and large sections of the population have no real concept and just how different the world in 10 years times is going to be to the one today. Still stuck with the peace dividend.
If you don’t defend the country you won’t get the opportunity to tackle poverty and inequality. For the simpletons out there it is that simple.
Has welfare spending or the cost of it gone up by £16 Billion under Labour with 1 million more on benifits just saying. That MP uses freedoms others paid for in lives. Not that he would ever understand that, words fail me with objects like him.
Backbench MPs can talk all they like, knowing they are not likely to have to respond to their actions.
This one is typical of the sort who have spouted such tripe all the way back to the Cold War days.
Helping the poor is noble enough. But naive if it means removing money from defence, which is an affliction of many on the left.
Also naive and an Americanism to believe that cutting Defence or denying it more budget would have a measurable impact on welfare.
What governments chuck away in one press release would allow huge changes to the military and a much more stable footing.
Not to mention investing more in defence will actually benefit the economy, thus creating 1000s of highly skilled jobs. Also new technologies or even medicine can be developed which can help people even more.
Only good impact war has on people is the science that is developed. Look at both World Wars and even the Cold War.
He’s a Scottish MP and as such, doing anything possible to destroy his own economy and prevent his population from defending themselves.
Where do these w anchors come from? You really would have thought that the people of Alloa and Grangemouth could do a little better.
Is it too early for April fool’s jokes?
Didn’t he use to be “Penfold” from “Danger Mouse” ?
He sure looks like him.
Anyway, Harry Halfwit Is poised on the Devon border reading these articles as It’s bloody raining outside again. Off to North Devon in the morning, making the most of life before the approaching War !!!!
This is the enemy within. This is the reason welfare is out of control, our borders wide open to all and sundry. This is the reason we are having to play catchup. Labour and their Uniparty opposite number the Tories have run defence into the ground. We pay more tax than citizens did in actual wartime, for what? A banjaxed third world sheethole of a country that tolerates idiot politicians like him.
Pretty spot on in my view.
Things are changing, fast. Look at the polls for the last year.
This MP is being very selective by only looking at capital spend (CAPEX). The whole budget should be considered.
He should be told by a slightly more senior and wiser MP that the first duty of Government is to protect its citizens – after that, all else can follow.
I would like to see an example of someone who has died because of inequality.