Shadow Defence Minister James Cartlidge has made an urgent call for the UK Government to increase defense spending and urgently place procurement orders to replace the weapons supplied to Ukraine. Speaking on GB News, Cartlidge highlighted the importance of replenishing the UK’s military stocks, instead of focusing on diplomatic negotiations with Europe.
“We in the UK need to get on with increasing defense spending. There’s no use talking about it,” Cartlidge said. He stressed that the Government has been delaying action for months, and he urged them to take immediate steps to address the situation. “We have been waiting months now for them to get on with that, and I would urge them to start increasing spending and placing the procurement orders we need so that we can start replenishing the munitions, those we’ve given to Ukraine,” he added.
Cartlidge emphasized that Ukraine must be a central voice in ongoing negotiations, describing their involvement as “absolutely critical.” He pointed out that Ukraine had been invaded without provocation, enduring significant loss and hardship. “They are the country that was invaded without provocation, who has suffered so much and shed so much blood,” Cartlidge remarked. He reflected on the UK’s strong support for Ukraine, stating that, during their time in Government, they stood by Ukraine from the very start of Russia’s invasion.
He also noted that British weapons supplied to Ukraine before the invasion were vital to the country’s ability to resist Russian forces. “We provided them with weapons and munitions, even before the invasion, which, if we had not done so, they may well have fallen and been fully conquered,” Cartlidge explained.
Cartlidge warned that delays in placing orders for crucial military equipment, such as Storm Shadow missiles, could have serious consequences. “If you place an order today for missiles like Storm Shadow, they don’t suddenly appear, it can take a few years,” he said. The Shadow Defence Minister expressed frustration with the Government’s delays in procurement, stating, “We’ve wasted months, the Government has wasted months not placing those orders.”
During the discussion, Cartlidge also questioned Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s recent emphasis on defense and security. Appearing on GB News Breakfast with Eamonn Holmes and Ellie Costello, he expressed skepticism about the Prime Minister’s sudden focus on these issues. “Your viewers at home, they will be slightly surprised to hear the Prime Minister suddenly so keenly talking about defense spending and security in Europe,” Cartlidge said. He added, “What we’ve seen is a rush to do things like the Chagos deal, which undermine our security and, to date, lots of prevarication on higher defense spending.”
