Nia Griffith responds to publication of the government’s defence review

Nia Griffith MP, Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary, responding to the publication of the government’s defence review ‘Mobilising, Modernising & Transforming Defence: A report on the Modernising Defence Programme’, said:

“This review completely fails to get to grips with the affordability crisis in the MoD.

“After months of delay, and endless reports of the Defence Secretary’s spats with his Cabinet colleagues, we are none the wiser as to how he will close the funding gap in his Department. At a time when our country faces growing security challenges, it is grossly irresponsible for Conservative Ministers to simply stick their heads in the sand.

“Labour has a plan to support our UK industry and maximise the UK’s defence capability for the future.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

1. The MoD recently concluded that the funding gap in the defence equipment plan – which sets out the equipment that the Armed Forces requires over the next 10 years – is between £7bn and £15bn.
2. Despite the Defence Secretary promising that the defence review will ‘not be fiscally neutral,’ it includes no new money for defence.