Community Union is calling for government investment in sovereign capabilities needed for defence.
In an increasingly unstable world, the need for a strong and resilient domestic defence system is more urgent than ever. Last week’s election of Donald Trump to the White House, a leader who has expressed reluctance to play the role of the world’s police, has rendered the need to strengthen national security even more pressing.
In last month’s Budget announcement, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves pledged to bring the defence budget to 2.5% of GDP and allocated an additional £2.9 billion for defence next year, alongside a further £3 billion annually for supporting Ukraine. At Community Union we welcome the Chancellor’s commitment to strengthening our national security and recognise the vital importance of prioritising defence in national spending.
However, ensuring that our military is strong and resilient requires more than just investment in advanced weaponry and personnel. We must also focus on securing and strengthening the domestic resources that underpin our defence capabilities. From steel to shipbuilding, British industries which supply critical materials for defence need investment and support. Securing our domestic production capabilities so as to not be reliant on unstable supply chains is of critical importance.
Therefore, we call on the government to secure our sovereign capabilities by investing in industries needed for defence.
Roy Rickhuss, General Secretary of Community Union says:
“Britain cannot rely on others for its self-defence. We must be ready and willing to protect our nation.
“Our steelworkers understand the importance their work plays in shoring up our military defences.
“It would be extremely dangerous if we were to become the only G7 nation without primary steel-making capacity, rendering us totally reliant on insecure global supply chains.
“We cannot allow this to happen, the Government must act quickly to support our sovereign capabilities.”
If you are a member of Community and need advice or support, please contact our Service Centre at help@community-tu.org or on 0800 389 6332.
© Community Trade Union 2024