Defence and security is a major election issue in the UK for the first time in decades, with vote frontrunner committing to Britain’s independent nuclear deterrent.
In recent memory the UK Labour Party has been led by a hard-left faction under Jeremy Corbyn which was passionately against mainstays of British defence including the nuclear deterrent, and much of the language in Starmer’s announcements on defence were expressed in the language of him leading a “changed” Labour party. Despite the sometimes staunch rhetoric on the importance of the military and nuclear weapons, the left-wing leader had no substantial replies when challenged on strongly anti-nuclear deterrent politicians holding top positions within his party, though.
‘Axis of Authoritarian States’: UK PM Sunak Warns of Most Dangerous Times Since Cold Warhttps://t.co/IDkTn5vEkh
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 13, 2024
In striking language for the leader of a party that would more instinctively campaign on issues like social packages and healthcare reform, Starmer told the audience that: “National security is the most important issue of our times” and “after 14 years of the Tories, we are less safe and less secure… we have the smallest army since the time of Napoleon, at a time when other countries are firmly on a war footing”.
He would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons to defend the United Kingdom, Starmer said, and committed himself to their renewal as the life-cycle of the present generation of nuclear attack submarines come to an end. Further, Starmer said he stood behind “a pledge of unwavering British support in the face of Russian tyranny” to Ukraine and President Zelensky.
He said then: “The dangers that threaten our country are real, and are increasing in number” and that Britain faces “one of the most dangerous periods we have ever known…the most dangerous time since the Cold War”.
These notions have been percolating into the political arena from military thinkers for months, and particularly since the 2023 Ukraine Spring counteroffensive with Western weapons and training failed to substantially move the needle on the conflict. Poland, which perhaps feels more threatened than any other European Union or NATO member state by Russian aggression warned last winter that war is coming to Europe, and sooner than most suppose.
They said: “To avoid war with Russia, countries on [NATO’s] eastern flank should adopt a 3-year time horizon to prepare for confrontation”.
Be Ready for War With China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea in Five Years, Warns UKhttps://t.co/5YoLgHZ423
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 16, 2024
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