Defence Committee

26 Aug 2021 Foreign affairs

Defence Committee To Launch Review Into UK Military Operations In Afghanistan

Exclusive: The Commons Defence Committee plans to launch its own inquiry into UK military operations in Afghanistan over the last 20 years, PoliticsHome has learned.

22 Apr 2021 Defence

The armed forces have risen magnificently to Covid - Parliament mustn't waste this opportunity to repay them

As the Armed Forces Bill weaves its way through Parliament, MPs must make the most of this vital opportunity to reflect on the strengths and needs of our armed forces by ensuring that this new legislation is fit for purpose

22 Apr 2021 Defence

Ministers must listen to service community concerns on the Armed Forces Bill

The Armed Forces Bill Select Committee publishes its report today following a month-long inquiry. While cross-party colleagues and I have welcomed the broad intent of the bill, its shortcomings risk undermining the government’s lofty promises to our service communities.

08 Mar 2021 Defence

Leaders must learn from the mistakes of the past to help female recruits in future

When I became the MP for Wrexham in 2019, the most striking thing for me were the similarities between Parliament and the military.

04 Mar 2021 Defence

Women Soldiers Forced To Use Socks and Paper As Period Products While On Tour, MPs told

Women in the military have turned to using socks and bits of paper when they get their period on tour because the army does not supply them with sanitary products, a committee of MPs has heard.

17 Aug 2020 Defence

The Integrated Review must clarify the UK’s approach to security and our position on the world stage

The defence committee urge the Government to provide greater transparency surrounding who is involved in the Integrated Review and how different aspects will be structured and sequenced.

07 Jul 2020 Defence

Tory MP Mark Francois tells head of the army to overhaul defence or Dominic Cummings will ‘sort you out’

Tory MP Mark Francois has warned the UK's most senior army general that Dominic Cummings will “sort you out his own way” if the Ministry of Defence is not reformed.

What the Future Holds – how we support the Armed Forces community will help define our national identity

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25 Jun 2020 Coronavirus

What the Future Holds – how we support the Armed Forces community will help define our national identity

Our role over these last extraordinary few months has been to provide a forward look for the Armed Forces charities sector.

Operation CONNECT is making a real difference to the RAF community during the pandemic

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23 Jun 2020 Coronavirus

Operation CONNECT is making a real difference to the RAF community during the pandemic

Within days of the COVID-19 lockdown being implemented across the country, the Royal Air Forces Association (RAFA) revolutionised its services to meet the needs of the RAF community, with support from Raytheon UK.

22 Jun 2020 Coronavirus

As China expands its authoritarian military influence across the world, the West must face up to a new Sputnik moment

Beijing is deliberately shunning international accountability and rules, and now the UK needs to face up to the serious questions about Huawei, 5G and our security

09 Jun 2020 Defence

Women still face barriers in the UK Armed Forces - here is how to overcome them

Women can serve across all roles in the Armed Forces. But to cement this progress we must tackle the remaining hurdles to truly unlock the full potential of female service personnel

27 Mar 2020 Coronavirus

Tobias Ellwood: “We’re moving towards a more populist, nationalistic, isolated post-virus world”

When the UK emerges from the coronavirus outbreak, Tobias Ellwood believes it will be greeted by a “worsening world”. With geopolitical threats refusing to go away, and “wily adversaries” likely to take advantage of the global crisis, the Defence Committee chair is concerned about the future. He talks to Sebastian Whale.

27 Jan 2020 Defence

The Government must prioritise defence procurement practice and personnel to show global leadership

Representing one-quarter of the RAF, and with a track record on procurement, I believe I am the right person to chair the Defence Committee and hold government to account

27 Jan 2020 Defence

Robust scrutiny is required at a critical time for UK defence

We need new thinking about how the government spends its defence budget. I have the experience to bring this as chair of the Defence Select Committee, writes Bernard Jenkin MP

27 Jan 2020 Defence

I will not use the Defence Committee post as a personal soapbox

The Defence Committee demands a strong and experienced chair who will speak up without fear or favour, writes James Gray MP

27 Jan 2020 Defence

The UK must prepare for a dangerous decade and seek a more influential role

The rise of China and the fundamental questions about the UK’s hard power capacity are major issues for the Defence Select Committee, writes Tobias Ellwood MP

18 Mar 2019 Defence

Reckless raids on the Armed Forces' budget sabotage our best interests

A negative press briefing shows the MoD to be fighting back against misjudged cuts. Defence Select Committee chair Julian Lewis reports on the coup that failed

19 Nov 2018 Economy

Theresa May urged to bring in new cybersecurity minister as committee blasts Britain’s ‘inadequate’ defences

Ministers' oversight of cybersecurity threats is “wholly inadequate” in the face of a “potentially devastating” major attack on Britain's infrastructure, a powerful parliamentary committee has said.

12 Nov 2018 Defence

The extra money for defence is a sticking plaster on a gaping wound

We have dangerously downgraded the status of defence in our national priorities. Spending must rise to 3% of GDP if the UK is to face up to modern-day threats, writes the chair of the Defence Select Committee Julian Lewis

01 Oct 2018 Defence

The best response to Salisbury is to put an end to the relentless hollowing out of our Armed Forces

Salisbury shows that the downgrading of defence must be reversed. We need a spending target of 3% of GDP, writes Defence Select Committee chair Julian Lewis

27 Jul 2018 Defence

We must dispel the perception that most veterans are mentally damaged

The distortion that most veterans are mentally damaged by their time in uniform is not only a myth but also potentially damaging to veterans, since it may discourage them from seeking help, says Chairman of the Defence Committee, Julian Lewis MP.

25 Jun 2018 Defence

Boost defence spending or lose influence with Donald Trump, MPs tell Theresa May

Theresa May should boost Britain's defence spending or risk losing influence with US President Donald Trump, a cross-party committee of MPs has warned.

11 Apr 2018 Foreign affairs

WATCH: Intervening in Syria risks 'helping al-Qaeda', warns Tory chair of Defence Committee

Bombing the Assad regime in retaliation for the chemical attack on Syrian civilians risks "helping al-Qaeda", the Tory chairman of the Defence Select Committee has warned.

15 Mar 2018 Defence

For the safety of us all, Gavin Williamson must prevail in his battle for more defence spending

Like Russian leaders before him, Vladimir Putin respects strength and punishes weakness. The Defence Secretary must win his battle with the Treasury for more funding, writes Julian Lewis