Labour’s priorities are totally wrong

This week, the government published the long-delayed Defence Investment Plan, which increases military spending by a further £15 billion, with military spending planned to rise even more to nearly £80 billion per year by 2029. This will be at the expense of other much-needed projects.

Keir Starmer said that the government will be spending £64 billion on nuclear weapons over the next four years. This is 20% of our defence spending. It’s enough money to build 64 brand new hospitals or 18 massive offshore wind farms, which would make us much more self-reliant. 

Labour’s priorities are totally wrong. I acknowledge the threat of Russia, but what use are nuclear weapons against them? Relying on nuclear weapons drags the world closer towards a nuclear conflict. Should they ever be used, they won’t just kill millions, if not billions, of innocent people, but they would throw so much ash up into the atmosphere that it would lead to a nuclear winter, where the sun is blocked out. This would mean ecocide as well as genocide, and it would be impossible to grow food.

Using drones in warfare is deeply concerning. In Gaza, Israel has programmed drones to broadcast the sound of Palestinian babies crying or children shouting “I want my mother”. Of course, this brings out concerned residents, looking for the child, at which point the soldiers shoot them. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3agkSGX7Vs

Defence spending should be directed to defence, not to weapons of mass destruction.  What we need are systems that can protect us from drone warfare.

Meanwhile, our greatest security threat is the climate crisis. We need our forces ready to set up emergency flood barriers, rescue flood victims, fight wildfires and support the NHS when heatwaves overwhelm it. Governments’ priority should be urgently reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and preparing our nation to cope with the more extreme weather just around the corner. 

Flashback to the Sheffield flood of 2007. #ClimateEmergency #DefenceInvestmentPlan #Drones #Gaza #Hospitals #Israel #LabourParty #NuclearWeapons #NuclearWinter #Palestine #politics #Russia #Windfarms

UK Shifts Defence Focus to Hybrid, Unmanned Systems with $6.6 Billion Drone Push

The UK is set to revolutionize its defence strategy with a $6.6 billion drone initiative, shifting focus to hybrid and unmanned systems to bolster its Armed Forces. This bold move is part of a broader £13.5 billion Defence Investment Plan aimed at equipping servicemen and women with cutting-edge…

https://osintsights.com/uk-shifts-defence-focus-to-hybrid-unmanned-systems-with-66-billion-drone-push?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

#DefenceInvestmentPlan #UnitedKingdom #MinistryOfDefence #UnmannedSystems #HybridSystems

UK Shifts Defence Focus to Hybrid, Unmanned Systems with $6.6 Billion Drone Push

Discover the UK's $6.6 billion drone push, shifting defence focus to hybrid systems. Learn more about the 13.5 billion Defence Investment Plan now.

OSINTSights
Estonia is being sensible. Meanwhile, where's the UK Defence Investment Plan?
The UK decisions so far have been little and late. (The Leonardo helicopter contract and a small stage payment on FCAS.)
#UKpol #DefenceInvestmentPlan
https://news.err.ee/1609991037/estonia-halts-500-million-combat-vehicle-procurement-to-fund-air-defense
Estonia halts €500 million combat vehicle procurement to fund air defense

The Estonian government decided Thursday to halt a €500 million procurement program for new combat vehicles, redirecting the funds toward air defense, drones and unmanned systems, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said.

Eesti Rahvusringhääling | ERR