National defence and international development are two sides of the same coin. Our long-term security requires us to invest in both. European nations need to fill any vacuum left by America’s new administration as we ensure there can be no victory for Vladimir Putin in Ukraine and Donald Trump’s decision to shut down USAid.
Before being elected as an MP, I lived in Kenya and saw the vital work done by local charities that help families of children growing up in informal settlements on the outskirts of Nairobi. I met teenagers working on social media projects to tackle disinformation and prevent post-election violence. And I talked to women about the ever-present threat of rape and sexual violence.
Like many African countries Kenya has huge potential, but it also has a violent recent history and is plagued by the threat of international terrorism. So when the US or the UK withdraws funding for clinics offering sexual and reproductive health services, young women can’t take control of their lives. When the US or the UK withdraws funding for schemes to combat young men being fed disinformation, the risk is that they become more easily recruited by malign actors, armed groups and even terrorist networks.
China and Russia have their own agendas around the world. They are pushing vulnerable countries into debt, offering investment opportunities that ignore violations to human rights. They seek influence as part of their global agenda to destabilise the international rules-based system. They undermine copyright and intellectual property. They seek to exploit, rather than to support. As the experience of the BBC World Service shows, when the UK or the US gives up bandwidth, China and Russia move in with their disinformation campaigns.
When we fail to make the case to support fledgling and imperfect democracies to promote good governance, we fail to explain that the resulting corruption and exploitation undermines societies and can lead to wars, more UK asylum claimants and destabilisation that ultimately puts the UK’s security at risk.
Since becoming an MP, I have had the huge privilege of joining the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. This has allowed me to better understand the experience of the veterans who helped elect me. It has also allowed me to hear first-hand the security analysis and threat assessment of Britain’s brightest military brains. It is clear that the UK is under significant and immediate threat from Russia and other oligarchies that do not believe in human rights, international law and humanity.
The cuts that the Conservative government made to the defence budget were negligent and bolstered the ego of Putin and other enemies. We need to get defence spending back to the 2.5% it was under the last Labour government and we need to go further to at least 3% as quickly as possible. Where diplomacy and development fail, we need a defence deterrent that other countries fear and that can win wars.
The military have been some of the most passionate advocates of the fact that defence and development are closely related. They have been witness to what happens when we fail in our military, our diplomacy or our aid activity to bring stability to a vulnerable country. It is not just the lives lost and ruined; it creates a real threat to the UK itself.
The world is beset by conflicts and huge numbers of displaced people. This has happened at a time when the UK has behaved as a small island worrying only about itself, and cut its military and international aid. If a fragile peace can take hold in Gaza and Ukraine, the rebuilding efforts and vital humanitarian support will need to go hand-in-hand with peacekeeping efforts. Our investment overseas can help turn these war-torn countries from humanitarian crises to vibrant democracies and trading partners.
With climate change already a reality, overseas partnerships are needed to help people adapt to extreme weather events. And for all our efforts in the UK to reach net zero, we can’t save the planet on our own. We need to support the participation of countries that did the least to cause climate change but are already experiencing its worst impacts. That’s in our national interest and fundamental to our security.
Because a world where food and water are scarce is a world where governments are destabilised, people are displaced and conflicts are deepened.
It’s not just good Samaritans and bleeding-heart liberals who look beyond our shores and see the threat and the pain. It is those who understand that we live on a planet where we cannot isolate ourselves from what happens beyond our borders. But the UK and our allies have failed to make the case that a balance between Britain’s national defence and our spending overseas is necessary for the UK’s security and success. And because of that, we are all less safe.
• Emily Darlington is MP for Milton Keynes Central
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