"The Chancellor has promised growth in every postcode, but those of us in the south-east could be forgiven for thinking that the Government have forgotten us altogether. Take London out of the equation, and the south-east, and Sussex in particular, does not seem to be part of the Government’s infrastructure …..." James MacCleary - View Speech
"The spiralling conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia is deeply concerning. Further escalation risks intensifying regional instability when the wider middle east is already facing the devastating consequences of the US, Israel and Iran wars. While defensive assistance from the RAF is the correct response to Houthi attacks, the …..." James MacCleary - View Speech
"Last week, Ukrainian forces were reportedly left exposed to Russian attacks after the US President acted to restrict access to Starshield, showing that the White House is prepared to pressure American companies to interfere in allied military operations, and the importance of sovereign control over military satellite communications in facing …..." James MacCleary - View Speech
"The Liberal Democrats have proposed expanding our cadet and reserve forces to include a voluntary civilian resilience strand, equipping British people with skills in cyber-defence, emergency response and protecting critical national infrastructure. Last week, the director general of MI5 warned of escalating Russian hybrid warfare and the need to strengthen …..." James MacCleary - View Speech
"The Home Secretary rightly asks that the public play their part in national security, but we have no serious national framework for civilian resilience. Finland and other countries have demonstrated the value of preparing the civilian population before a crisis. So will the Government seriously consider the Liberal Democrat proposal …..." James MacCleary - View Speech
"I, too, welcome the new Secretary of State to his role, and I thank him for advance sight of his statement. I say to him that the Liberal Democrats continue to stand ready to work constructively with the Government in the interests of our national security. Indeed, Ukraine is a …..." James MacCleary - View Speech
"Large numbers of my constituents took part in the Government’s consultation on proposed boundaries for the East Sussex unitary authority in good faith. They were appalled by Brighton and Hove city council’s attempted land grab in our area, and together, we resisted it. Can the Secretary of State be crystal …..." James MacCleary - View Speech
"T3. Last month, 12 protesters were arrested in Tbilisi just for displaying a banner criticising Georgian oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, who controls the Georgian Dream Government. The European Union and the United States have taken steps to sanction Mr Ivanishvili. When will the UK Government follow suit?..." James MacCleary - View Speech
"The picture in Iran remains volatile. We have seen renewed military strikes, threats against ships in international waters and rhetoric that keeps ratcheting upwards. Put together, that is the kind of mix that tips into a spiral that nobody in this House wants. The Liberal Democrat position has not shifted …..." James MacCleary - View Speech
"Primarily, shipping needs to be protected from attacks in the strait of Hormuz. The first way to do that is to reach a settlement that keeps shipping safe in the strait of Hormuz and, as I said in my previous point, that is why we need to reach a diplomatic …..." James MacCleary - View Speech