Luke Pollard has accused Reform UK of having a “Defenceless Plan” that would “wave a white flag” to Britain’s enemies, as Nigel Farage prepares to name the party’s first defence spokesperson on Thursday, according to the Labour Party.
Labour says Reform’s pledges for its first 100 days in government leave out defence and any wider national security plan, and that it has taken the party nearly 2,000 days to appoint someone to the brief. Citing analysis by The Independent, it also says Reform MPs took part in fewer than a third of more than 200 defence debates and question sessions between July 2024 and July 2026, with Farage taking part in ten. Labour also cited past remarks by Farage on Russia and Ukraine, including his 2024 statement that “we provoked this war.”
Pollard, Labour’s Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said: “The British people can’t afford national security to be treated as an afterthought. The fact it’s taken Reform nearly 2,000 days to appoint someone to focus on defence is an utter dereliction of duty by Nigel Farage. If Reform got into government, their Defenceless Plan would wave a white flag to our enemies and weaken our standing on the world stage – just when Labour has rebuilt our reputation.
“Farage’s ambivalence when it comes to the defence of the realm should come as no surprise. He’s spent years parroting Kremlin talking points and his former Leader in Wales is currently in prison for taking pro-Russian bribes.
“National security should be the first duty of any government or any party seeking to hold high office. With Labour, it always will be. That’s why we’re delivering the biggest increase in defence spending since the Cold War.
“Reform has treated defence as an afterthought – but in this volatile world, there are no second chances. Nigel Farage simply can’t be trusted to keep Britain safe.”
Reform finance spokesman Robert Jenrick said in August that the party has a plan to fund the military at 3 per cent of GDP by 2030.
Chancellor John Healey set a target date of 2030 for reaching 3 per cent of GDP in last week’s Budget, with details to follow at next year’s spending review. Labour’s release says the government’s £298 billion Defence Investment Plan runs over four years and includes £15 billion of additional spending.
He missed out the bit whereby Reforms chief policy maker is an ardent supporter of Ukraine and our support of it.
We’ll see what comes from the announcement, but Reform will have more money to commit to defence because they are willing to cut welfare in a way Labour never would.
Labour concerned about defence now????? Disingenuous wankers.