Former Conservative MP for Wyre and Preston North
We do not have time for me to share all my anecdotes about my experiences during my 19 years of being a Member of Parliament. I could tell the House about my trip to Iran with Jeremy Corbyn and Jack Straw, which was like something out of Monty Python—I turned out to be the most pro-European of the three, and it was a certainly an extraordinary experience—or about the touching and...
One of the lessons I learned when I was first elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999—it was a bit like being behind enemy lines for a Conservative; there were 13 of us out of 123—was that it was a surprise who was nice or helpful. I remember Dennis Canavan, a former Member of this House, who never quite made it past the Tony Blair vetting system to be a Labour Member in the Scottish...
There is another country that is under almost constant daily bombardment by Iranian-made drones: Ukraine. Some three years ago I pleaded with the Israelis to help Ukraine against Russia, and they refused even though Russia was spending half a billion dollars in the Iranian drone programme. I know the Prime Minister will be speaking to the Prime Minister of Israel later today; now that RAF...
I congratulate my right hon. Friend on the work he has done as Defence Secretary since taking on the Department. His long experience in government has shown to the fore and I am delighted at the work he has done so far. In June last year I wrote, at the request of No. 10 and the Cabinet Office, to request the 2024-25 funding for support to Ukraine. The funding requested was between £2.3...
I am pleased to provide the House with an update on our military support to Ukraine, including equipment and ammunition provided, deployed personnel, and our training programmes. Since Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion the UK has donated significant quantities of military equipment, ammunitions and non-lethal aid to Ukraine to help defend their territory and expel Russian invaders....
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for what she has said. I think that all of us—the Opposition and those of us on this side of the House—share not only a desire to honour those veterans and make our apology, but a recognition that we must work to deliver recommendations that will make that difference. There is no delay and we are not avoiding the question: when I said that “we may” apply...
My hon. Friend is a good friend of mine, and I remember him making that brave decision. Many of us on this side of the House who know him well—and many on the other side—pay tribute not only to his decision to come out at that moment, but to his ongoing campaigning for LGBT people and, indeed, for all those across society who have had to make such difficult decisions in their lives. I can...
I am grateful to my honourable colleague across the Floor. As he says, we never know: he may find me back in the Scottish Parliament, where it all began.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 May 2024 to Question 24424 on Armed Forces: Defence Equipment, for what reason his Department has linked the annual budget cycle in 2024 to the announcement for future funding in the 2025-26 financial year, in the context of the annual budget cycle being for in-year spending adjustments.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether an annual budget cycle took place for the financial year (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with his German counterpart on ensuring that collaboration on the Boxer 155mm platform will not be subject to an export veto by the German (a) federal government and (b) parliament.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on the Anglo-French Future Cruise-Anti-Ship Weapon programme.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has plans to procure F35A aircraft.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what equipment programmes within the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army, (b) Strategic Command and (d) Royal Air Force were deleted following the most recent annual budget cycle round.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on establishing the National Cyber Force headquarters at Salmesbury.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which equipment programs within (a) the Army, (b) Strategic Command, (c) the Royal Air Force and (d) the Royal Navy have been deferred as part of the latest annual budget cycle round.
