John Healey declares Labour the party of defence

Labour is now the natural party of defence, John Healey has declared – vowing Britain would be better protected under Sir Keir Starmer.

The shadow defence secretary said his party will “do better” by soldiers and their families ahead of Armed Forces Day, which will be marked by 150,000 military personnel on Saturday.

Writing for The Telegraph, he accused the Tories of driving morale to “record lows” and shrinking the Army to its smallest size since the Napoleonic Wars.

Mr Healey said he was “proud” that 14 veterans are standing as Labour candidates in the election, which is more than twice the number the party fielded in 2019.

“They’ve served their country in uniform, and now they want to serve their country in Parliament as Labour MPs,” he wrote.

“They’re proof that Keir Starmer has established Labour as the party of defence again.”

Those candidates include Al Carns, a former Royal Marines Colonel who is standing for the party in Birmingham Selly Oak. Mr Carns won the Military Cross in Afghanistan and was tipped to rise to the top of the Armed Forces, but left to stand as an MP.

Calvin Bailey, who served as a commanding officer in the RAF, is also a candidate – as is Louise Jones, an Army veteran.

Security has become a key dividing line, with Rishi Sunak attacking Labour for refusing to match his pledge to ramp up defence spending to 2.5pc of GDP by 2030.

The Prime Minister has said the country would be less safe under Sir Keir just as it faces “the most dangerous times we have seen since the Cold War”.

He has also pointed to the fact that senior Labour figures including David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, voted against the renewal of Trident.

Mr Healey insisted that Labour was committed to hitting the 2.5 per cent target, having previously criticised Tory plans to do so by 2030 as an unfunded commitment.

The Conservatives have said the extra cash would be found by cutting the size of the civil service back down to pre-pandemic levels.

The shadow defence secretary wrote: “We have plans to make Britain better defended so we are secure at home and strong abroad.”

“The last time Britain spent 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence was in 2010, with Labour. Back then, the British Army numbered over 100,000 full-time troops and satisfaction with service life was 60 per cent.

“Since then, service morale has slumped to record lows. Forces personnel and families are forced to live in damp, mouldy housing.

“The British Army is now at its smallest size since Napoleon. We must do better by our Forces, men and women.”

Labour plans to conduct a rapid review of the state of the military and appoint an Armed Forces Commissioner to champion soldiers and their families on pay and housing.

His words came as communities across the country prepared to join the Army, the Navy and the RAF in hosting events to celebrate Armed Forces Day.

Mr Healey said the occasion would be an opportunity to thank personnel who provide “the ultimate public service that protects us all”.

In a message to mark the celebration Mr Sunak said that those serving in the Armed Forces “represent the very best of Britain” and are “an inspiration to us all”.

“It should be the first responsibility of any Government to support those who defend us.,” the Prime Minister said.

“It’s why it’s so important that we get defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030, and also why we must continue our mission to make the UK the best country in the world to be a veteran.

“In an increasingly dangerous world, our service men and women play an ever more critical role in keeping us safe.”

“Just as our Armed Forces look after us all, we will look after them”

By John Healey

Tomorrow, in communities throughout the UK, we will join together to mark Armed Forces Day.

The last Labour government established Armed Forces Day to celebrate those who serve in our Armed Forces – regulars, reservists, cadets and veterans.

It’s a day the nation says “thank you” to those who serve and the families who support them. Theirs is the ultimate public service that protects us all.

British Forces are respected worldwide. They represent the values we most admire: courage, loyalty, discipline, and service. Our Armed Forces are essential to our national defence, our national resilience and our national obligations to NATO and other allies. Just as they work to keep us all safe and the country secure, we must do all we can to support them.

That’s why Labour will always do what is needed – and spend what is needed – to defend the country and support our Forces. In the face of increasing threats, we will set out the path to spending to 2.5% of GDP on defence.

The last time Britain spent 2.5% of GDP on defence was in 2010, with Labour. Back then, the British Army numbered over 100,000 full-time troops and satisfaction with service life was 60%.

Since then, service morale has slumped to record lows. Forces personnel and families are forced to live in damp, mouldy housing. The British Army is now at its smallest size since Napoleon.

We must do better by our Armed Forces, men and women.

If we win people’s confidence as Britain’s new government on 4 July, we will include in the first King’s Speech plans for a new independent Armed Forces Commissioner as a strong champion to improve service life. We will put the Armed Forces covenant fully into law to ensure everyone who serves or has served is fairly treated and supported.

In Labour, we also reflect on our proud tradition on defence.

Clement Attlee, the Prime Minister who transformed post-war Britain, fought at Gallipoli. Ernest Bevin was the driving force in establishing NATO.

Some of Labour’s biggest figures – like Dennis Healey – served in the Armed Forces. Today, I’m proud of the number of ex-Forces personnel standing for Labour in this election. They’ve served their country in uniform, and now they want to serve their country in Parliament as Labour MPs.

They’re proof that Keir Starmer has established Labour as the party of defence again. We have plans to make Britain better defended so we are secure at home and strong abroad.

And just as our Armed Forces look after us all, we will look after them.

John Healey is the shadow defence secretary