Given the global uncertainty, it is more important than ever that we have a strong military.
The Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton has been clear – we need more people ready to fight for the country.
Iran is teetering on the brink of regime change; Donald Trump is threatening an intervention in Greenland which could spark the end of Nato and last week Britain and France signed an historic deal pledging troops on the ground in Ukraine as soon as there is a ceasefire in Russia.
As a country we need to be able to meet the challenges posed and protect ourselves. For that we need the appropriate resources both in terms of financially and boots on the ground.
We need to bolster numbers and encourage people to sign up. Our military are the finest in the world and we need to show them – and all future recruits – that we support them and are grateful for the sacrifices they make choosing this career. Yet this government seems intent on destroying morale among our brave servicemen and women.
Its decision to repeal the Northern Ireland Legacy Act (introduced by the Conservative government) is appalling. This Labour government has introduced a new Legacy Bill which will see a commission investigate Troubles-related killings, including reopening inquests and re-allowing civil claims. It could leave soldiers vulnerable to being dragged through the courts with vexatious claims - men as old as 80.
This is utterly disgraceful. Former senior officers and ex-SAS chiefs have also spoken out against the Bill and accused government of failing to protect former soldiers, police officers and security service personnel.
How does this do anything to encourage people to sign up and serve their country knowing they too could be abandoned by a future government, just as those troops feel abandoned now by this government?
Last week in Parliament I urged government to abandon its Bill. I said: “Seven former SAS officers say that troops feel abandoned by this Government’s legacy Bill. Given those comments, does the Minister believe that the Bill will incentivise the next generation to apply to serve in the armed forces, or, rather, that it will prevent the next generation from taking that career path, in the knowledge that they could be abandoned by a future Government, just like the troops who feel abandoned by this Government now?”. But as expected it fell on deaf ears. Government needs to listen before it is too late.