Defence readiness must be a national priority

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago, it has become increasingly clear that Britain has entered a far more dangerous geopolitical era. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has named this new reality a “pre-war” period, in contrast to the post-war decades that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Today in this newspaper, James Heappey, former minister for the Armed Forces, calls for joined-up thinking across government to prepare our country for what lies ahead.

While we are not on the cusp of World War Three, these are serious times, with serious threats on multiple fronts. Vladimir Putin’s bloody adventure in Ukraine continues, and even as Nato celebrates its 75th anniversary, it finds itself forced to contemplate the possibility of a direct confrontation with Russia within a decade.

Meanwhile, as Israel braces itself for an Iranian response to the killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders in Syria, the potential for escalation into a wider war in the Middle East remains very real. In the Indo-Pacific, where Britain has set its strategic sights on stronger trade ties, China continues to build up its military and menace Taiwan, which sits on a critical route for maritime traffic.

In the face of these dangers, there have rightly been calls to revisit our defence budget and the downsizing of Britain’s military forces. More must be done on this front, although higher spending alone will not be enough. It is even more important that we improve our military procurement process and work harder to train and retain talented servicemen and women, so that we can make the best use of whatever additional resources Britain’s hard-pressed taxpayers can provide. Yet the need for preparedness must not stop with the Ministry of Defence. War is a whole nation – and a whole government – endeavour. In recent decades, other departments have been able to forget their responsibilities to national resilience. That is no longer good enough. Indeed, it is dangerous. As Tom Bradshaw, the new National Farmers’ Union president, tells this paper of food security at times of conflict, “We have 70 million people here living on an island and having a plan for how they are going to be fed is crucially important. We cannot just import our way out of trouble.”

In today’s world, strategic resilience means not only answering timeless questions such as whether we can feed the country while under attack, but also new ones. How can we secure our access to rare earth minerals? What will we do if a Chinese blockade of Taiwan cuts off our access to highend semiconductors, most of which are made there?

As our enemies gather, it is time for every government department to dust off its chapter in the War Book, and begin the task of renewing Britain’s national resilience for the 21st century. Sir Winston Churchill’s dictum “never surrender” relies on having the resources to stay the course.

Remembering October 7

Six months since the atrocities of October 7, the news cycle has inevitably moved on to focus on the latest horror and pity of the Israel-Hamas war.

Today, we should pause to remember the victims of that awful day, the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Nearly 700 Israeli civilians were murdered, including 36 children, alongside 373 military personnel and 71 foreigners. Many died in horrific and degrading ways, subjected to rape, torture and dismemberment. Here, for those who cast accusations against Israel of genocide, is a reminder of what a real genocidal frenzy looks like.

There has been criticism after an image of one victim was among a set of photographs recently awarded a journalism prize. The photograph shows Shani Louk sprawled halfnaked in the back of a truck full of armed men. Her mother says that “seeing those pictures again because of the contest makes our family relive the pain”.

For the 130 hostages still being held captive, the nightmare continues. Individuals like Alex Danzig, aged 75, a historian of the Holocaust. Bipin Joshi, 23, a Nepalese agriculture student. Agam Berger and Daniela Gilboa, both just 19 years old. And we must remember their desperate families, longing for news and terrified of hearing the worst.

Nor can we forget the countless Jewish individuals in Britain and around the globe who have found themselves living in fear and facing discrimination and hatred in the wake of the attack. “Anti-Semitism is a light sleeper,” Dame Maureen Lipman says in an interview today. All of us must face down this reawakened monster wherever we find it. In remembering the depravity of October 7,

we must have pity too for the dreadful suffering of the people of Gaza, who are also victims of the callous tactics of Hamas. Israel must be held to the civilised standards that the terrorists reject. But Israel must not be held to a double standard, and expected to justify itself more than any other nation. Nor should it be treated as if its right to self-defence, or even to exist, is open to dispute.

The terrorism of October 7 is not past. For the hostages, their families, and all those afflicted, it will continue until Hamas is held to account.