UK Defence Capability
Lord Sterling of Plaistow Excerpts(1 month, 3 weeks ago)
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Lord Sterling of Plaistow (Con)
My Lords, we have talked about resources. We have talked about money and everything. When it really comes down to it, I say to the Minister—who I know has, over many years, had deep feelings for the defence of this country, without question—that it comes back to people. Given that we are in danger now, not necessarily in five or 10 years’ time, does he think that we have the right sort of people to be trained to be prepared to live, work, defend and, if necessary, die for this country?
Lord Coaker (Lab)
Yes, I really do. If people feel that their country, their livelihood, their families and way of life are threatened, and they understand that, I think people will. I am sure there will be a small minority who will not, including some conscientious objectors and others who may not have that view, but I take the view that the context is everything. If people feel threatened, I believe passionately that the British people, as they always have done, will defend their democracy, their homes and their family.
King’s Speech
Lord Sterling of Plaistow Excerpts(2 months, 1 week ago)
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Lord Sterling of Plaistow (Con)
My Lords, as a response to the humble Address, I remind noble Lords of 8 May 1945. My sister and I were around at the time. There was a massive noise outside our house. We lived in London. My sister and I had been given the opportunity of going away but wanted to stay with our parents. My parents came in with a glass of sherry and said, “The war is over. We’re safe”. I remember that so clearly. What I had not realised is that when my parents talked about being safe, we had thought that the Germans were going to take over the whole of Britain at a particular time. We then were told that we were particularly safe because, being Jewish, quite a number of our family finished up in Auschwitz.
What I really want to say is that everybody here realises that today’s discussion is possibly one of the most important we have ever had. It is worth going back a wee bit to the words that we all say every year, and when I went away to military service we all said it then. On 11 November, we all stand to attention and somebody always says, “We will remember them”. To my mind, it is important for us all to remember.
Of course, many people have been slaughtered in many wars. We use the words “just war”, but what is a just war? My personal view is that the war at the moment in Iran is a just war. There is a moment in life when you have to make a decision because, when you go to war, large numbers of people will get hurt, wounded for life or killed. What is happening in trying to get Trump out of this war is, to my mind, totally justified. Ukraine should be supported totally.
On the attack on Iran—some of your Lordships may have seen the news that came through just a few minutes ago—the Iranian regime has totally refused to accept that it cannot have control of their nuclear capability. I know that there is a lot of feeling against President Trump—sadly—and what he is doing, but he is a great believer in trying to save lives. He has said many times that nearly 2,000 young people—Russians and Ukrainians from 17 years of age—are being killed every day that goes by. Somehow or other, that has to stop. In practice, once again, our support on that front is totally important.
I finish by saying that our noble Ministers—the noble Baroness, Lady Chapman, and the noble Lord, Lord Coaker—have heard many speeches today. It is not for me to talk about how they feel, but I would like to hope that they agree with the view that I have expressed: to save life in the ultimate is what we all try to achieve, but sometimes war is justified.
UK Weapons Systems
Lord Sterling of Plaistow Excerpts(1 year ago)
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Lord Coaker (Lab)
I agree with what the noble and gallant Lord has just said. It is an important point to make, and I should have made it to the noble Lord from the Liberal Benches: of course our alliances matter and are important. We have a shared interest in the geopolitical threats that we face, and the noble and gallant Lord is quite right to point that out. I say again, as I often do from this Dispatch Box, that the US is our prime ally. The US is our most important ally. It is the ally that we depend on to work with to guarantee our security in Europe and across the globe. We should celebrate the closeness of that relationship, as we should celebrate the closeness of our relationships with all our friends and allies in Europe and beyond.
Lord Sterling of Plaistow (Con)
Anything to do with nuclear does not have time for planning discussions. It is almost immediate. It can take place in hours. The military have to make a decision in minutes as to what they are going to do. What do we do then?
Lord Coaker (Lab)
Whether it is nuclear or any other capability, but particularly with nuclear, you have to be calm, rational and reasonable about it. One of the successes of our strategic deterrent has been the fact that it exists. People know about it and understand the situation and the context that we have for it. As I say, the decision to go ahead with the F35A, with its dual capability, is in light of the changed strategic geopolitical context in which we operate. As such, it is a perfectly rational and reasonable decision for us to take with respect to our NATO colleagues in order to ensure that we can defend our country and the things that we stand for.