Integrated Review: Defence Command Paper

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 5:13 pm on 22 March 2021.

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Photo of Ben Wallace Ben Wallace The Secretary of State for Defence 5:13, 22 March 2021

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. There is nothing in what he has said that I disagree with. Let us put it in context. Of the declared nuclear powers, we have the lowest stockpile. We need to keep it credible. I fully respect people who do not want a nuclear deterrent or who are in favour of unilateral disarmament, but if people believe that a nuclear deterrent has helped to keep peace in this country and around Europe for 50 years, then we must make sure that it is credible. Not to do so is to make a laughing stock of the whole thing.