Shropshire's opposition MPs criticise Government for 'lacking a plan' on defence industry spending plans
Shropshire's opposition MPs have called for defence spending plans to go further, after criticising the Government for a lack of clarity on the issue.
This week the Government announced its "ambition" to increase its defence spending to increase to 3 per cent of GDP by the end of the next parliament, but failed to make a firm commitment, saying only that it would make the increase "when fiscal and economic conditions allow".
Announcing the Government’s Strategic Defence Review yesterday, Prime Minister Kier Starmer said the move formed part of plans to move the UK to a state of “war-fighting readiness”, which would see increased spending in regional defence industries across the country.
Last year, the Government spent over £1.5 billion on defence contracts across the West Midlands, with defence-industry firms across Shropshire and the West Midlands employing over 22,000 people.
But responding to the announcement, Shropshire's opposition MPs criticised the Government for failing to make more firm commitments on the figures.
Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, said she wanted to see defence spending increased as soon as possible.
"I’m deeply worried that the Government doesn’t seem to have a plan for how UK defence spending will reach 3 per cent of GDP, " she said.
"The entire Strategic Defence Review was developed on the assumption that defence spending will reach 3 per cent so I am astounded that Labour doesn’t have a plan of how to get there.
"We are facing a new era of geopolitical conflict and uncertainty - that’s why Liberal Democrats want to see defence spending increased as soon as possible."
Meanwhile, Conservative MP for South Shropshire Stuart Anderson responded to the publication of the review with a call for spending on defence to rise further, to 3.5 per cent of GDP.
Mr Anderson, former Shadow Armed Forces Minister and a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, said defence spending "must increase" to meet the threats the country faces.
"It is no good committing to spending in 9 years time, by which point the world landscape may have changed quite dramatically," he said.
"I believe, along with the NATO Secretary General, that we must spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence as soon as possible in order to defend our nation.”
As part of the plans, at least six new UK munitions factories are set to open alongside the procurement of up to 7,000 long-range weapons, also set to be built in the UK.
A further £1.5 billion is set to be spent improving housing for UK forces personnel.
Speaking after the announcement from Prime Minister Kier Starmer, Telford's Labour MP Shaun Davies said defence spending was at record levels under the current government.
"Defence spending has never been as high as it will be under the Labour Government compared to when the party was last in power," he said.
"People know that we have a long way to go. I speak to military personnel all the time: housing for serving military people is not at the right state, there are more seats at Wembley Stadium than there are members of the full-time army, and we need to make sure that we are fixing those things so that Britain can be safe.
"It is also about making sure that we are thinking about the future battles. It isn't just about tanks and aeroplanes, it is also about cyber security, and improving national infrastructure to make sure we can defend ourselves against that as well."