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Tobias Ellwood

Tobias Ellwood

@Tobias_Ellwood

Ex-Conservative MP for Bournemouth East and former chair of the Defence Committee.

It’s time to consider stockpiling – a grey-zone attack on the UK is likely
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
It’s time to consider stockpiling – a grey-zone attack on the UK is likely
The era of complacency is over – for the sake of our national resilience Britain must wake up and start preparing now
If we don’t understand soft power, no wonder aid budgets get cut
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
If we don’t understand soft power, no wonder aid budgets get cut
Shifting money from the aid budget to defence is a grave mistake that will only exacerbate wider security challenges
A 'celebration of daring individuals': Tobias Ellwood reviews 'SAS Rogue Heroes'
Books & culture
By Tobias Ellwood
A 'celebration of daring individuals': Tobias Ellwood reviews 'SAS Rogue Heroes'
Combining high-octane action with a sprinkling of creative licence, SAS Rogue Heroes is a thrilling dramatisation of the story of the remarkable men who rewrote the rules of modern warfare
'Gary Oldman steals the show': Tobias Ellwood reviews 'Slow Horses: Season 4'
Books & culture
By Tobias Ellwood
'Gary Oldman steals the show': Tobias Ellwood reviews 'Slow Horses: Season 4'
A refreshing take on the intelligence world, with clever storylines blending suspense and dark humour, prepare to lose a few hours of your life as you binge-watch this Emmy award-winning thriller series
We deserved to lose
Political parties
By Tobias Ellwood
We deserved to lose
My party, the Conservatives, deserved to lose on 4 July. And unless we truly unite and then return to the middle ground, we will lose again. 
Western indecision is turning the tide against Ukraine
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
Western indecision is turning the tide against Ukraine
It is easy to spin how Vladimir Putin is losing this war. Ukraine has liberated half the territory occupied by Russia since its invasion exactly two years ago. He’s lost over 3,000 main battle tanks and is now emptying Russian prisons to replace almost half a million casualty on the front line.
'Profound': Tobias Ellwood reviews 'The Moonwalkers'
Books & culture
By Tobias Ellwood
"Profound": Tobias Ellwood reviews 'The Moonwalkers'
Briefly slip away from planet Earth and all our trials and tribulations with this incredible immersive experience
Climate change will soon overtake human conflict as the biggest global threat to life
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
Climate change will soon overtake human conflict as the biggest global threat to life
In January 2023, the World Economic Forum listed climate change as the cause of the top six most severe risks to the planet over the coming decade. Tobias Ellwood MP, former chair of the Defence Committee, considers the role of climate change in future conflict.
AI is a Pandora’s box that will completely reshape the rules of war
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
AI is a Pandora’s box that will completely reshape the rules of war
Finally, the impending dangers of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are making the headlines. When the “Godfather of AI” Geoffrey Hinton quits Google – speaking out about the risks it poses to human civilisation – we should listen.
Time to give the lion its roar – better statecraft means Britain can punch above its weight again
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
Time to give the lion its roar – better statecraft means Britain can punch above its weight again
In 2017, as a foreign office minister, I proposed 3 Commando Brigade should protect the key port of Hudaydah in Yemen under a UN mandate, allowing its huge port cranes to offload vital aid for the millions caught up in the civil war.
We must boost defence spending to meet dangerous new threats
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
We must boost defence spending to meet dangerous new threats
We have entered a dangerous new era of aggression. The threats we face are broader and less predictable than ever seen before.
Tribal disunity could leave the Tory party out of power for a generation
Political parties
By Tobias Ellwood
Tribal disunity could leave the Tory party out of power for a generation
Our prime ministers fall into two broad camps.
We can upgrade Brexit and ease the cost of living by going back to the single market
Brexit
By Tobias Ellwood
We can upgrade Brexit and ease the cost of living by going back to the single market
With inflation soaring and the cost of living crisis biting, the Chancellor’s recent £15bn intervention was welcome – but more radical thinking is required if we are to energise our economy through these stormy waters and earn another five years of Conservative government.
Privatising Channel 4 would be a loss for democracy
Culture
By Tobias Ellwood
Privatising Channel 4 would be a loss for democracy
In August 2009, I was visiting Washington DC when TV channels interrupted their broadcasts with breaking news. Senator Ted Kennedy was dead.
It’s time to increase UK defence spending to 3 per cent
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
It’s time to increase UK defence spending to 3 per cent
It’s time to review our defence posture and increase our defence spending.
Mistakes were clearly made in the Afghanistan withdrawal. We must not forget those left behind
Foreign affairs
By Tobias Ellwood
Mistakes were clearly made in the Afghanistan withdrawal. We must not forget those left behind
From a Military perspective, Operation Pitting, the emergency evacuation to airlift 15,000 Britons and at-risk Afghans was a formidable effort. Although lasting just a few days, I hope the MOD will not hesitate to express the nation’s gratitude by awarding a medal to all those involved.
We owe such much to our valiant armed forces – let’s not take them for granted
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
We owe such much to our valiant armed forces – let’s not take them for granted
Remembrance Day is an opportunity for a grateful nation to give thanks to our valiant armed forces past and present. To express our gratitude for the sacrifices they have made in keeping our nation safe.
While the West’s powers fight amongst themselves, China is rubbing her hands
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
While the West’s powers fight amongst themselves, China is rubbing her hands
Three months on from the G7, Western unity has taken two sucker punches - withdrawal from Afghanistan and the formation of Aukus - which have left the honeyed words of Carbis Bay looking empty, and given China no end of pleasure.
Afghanistan will not see a peaceful transition of power – history will judge the West harshly for this failing
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
Afghanistan will not see a peaceful transition of power – history will judge the West harshly for this failing
Afghanistan soldiers have melted away, the once busy streets now form a ghost town. Beauty salons closed, and their advertisements painted over signifying the erasure of a culture that offered female autonomy. There are no jeans or T-shirts being worn – traded for traditional dress.
It would be a dereliction of duty not to ask what went wrong in Afghanistan
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
It would be a dereliction of duty not to ask what went wrong in Afghanistan
Winning in Afghanistan was always going to be difficult but avoidable errors made it impossible. We should have the political courage to now hold an inquiry.
Halting UK arms exports linked to the conflict in Yemen would give real purpose to Global Britain
Foreign affairs
By Tobias Ellwood
Halting UK arms exports linked to the conflict in Yemen would give real purpose to Global Britain
Britain has become too risk averse, distracted by years of Brexit and reacting to international events rather than shaping them. But calling for global ceasefires to allow for Covid vaccinations is just the sort of leadership we traditionally excel at.
It would be an abject failure of statecraft to leave the EU with no deal
Brexit
By Tobias Ellwood
It would be an abject failure of statecraft to leave the EU with no deal
Britain's soft power has already been bruised by this government’s willingness to flout international law. We cannot afford to alienate relationships further by entertaining a no deal Brexit. If more time is required, then so be it
Britain's moral duty to end people trafficking
Foreign affairs
By Tobias Ellwood
Britain's moral duty to end people trafficking
Ending illegal Channel crossings will require long-term strategy and global leadership.
The Integrated Review must clarify the UK’s approach to security and our position on the world stage
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
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.
As China expands its authoritarian military influence across the world, the West must face up to a new Sputnik moment
Coronavirus
By Tobias Ellwood
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
The UK must prepare for a dangerous decade and seek a more influential role
Defence
By Tobias Ellwood
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 
For too long, mental illness has been ignored and misunderstood
Health
By Tobias Ellwood
For too long, mental illness has been ignored and misunderstood

It’s time we recognised that striving to improve mental health is just as natural as striving to improve our physical wellbeing, writes Armed Forces Minister Tobias Ellwood