It is a stark reality that the world we live in has become a more dangerous place.  There are powerful regimes elsewhere in the world that do not share our values of freedom, democracy, and respect for the rule of law.  Ensuring peace and the security of ourselves and other friendly nations, depends on the west being able to deter threats of aggression through our collective military strength.  

While NATO membership is the cornerstone of our own defence, we need to ensure we remain strong militarily in our own right, as we cannot second guess the future and the first duty of any government is to ensure our security.

I very much welcome that our Conservative government have announced the biggest strengthening of our national defence for a generation, increasing defence spending to a new baseline of 2.5% of GDP by 2030.

The increase in defence spending starts immediately and will see defence spending rise steadily in each and every year, giving defence an additional £75 billion over the next six years.  It will be fully funded with no increase in borrowing or debt.  There is a clear plan for what will be spent when and how it will be paid for. This plan that makes the UK the largest defence power in Europe and second largest in NATO.

This will see a further £10 billion over the next decade invested in the British defence industry.  Our defence industry supports over 400,000 British jobs including many in Crawley, but this will go further to strengthen defence as a key part of the UK’s economic prosperity.  Our domestic UK munitions production pipeline will have its spending doubled, ensuring we have more secure and resilient supply chains, whilst supporting more jobs across the UK.

I doubt Labour councillors in Crawley will join me in welcoming this extra defence investment, given that they force Crawley Borough Council to financially boycott defence companies (like those in Crawley) who manufacture any weapons used by our Armed Forces, plus at two general elections they campaigned to make Jeremy Corbyn Prime Minister, a man who is anti-NATO.  

Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group

1st May 2024