𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Thanks to years of underinvestment – just when it was needed the most – our Royal Navy was unable to protect our bases in Cyprus coming under attack from Iran. Needing to be repaired instead, both of Britain’s aircraft carriers are unavailable and stuck in port, while the last major warships were removed from the Eastern Mediterranean region last year.

Thanks to the inept Labour and Tory governments, our humiliation was complete when the UK had to rely on the French navy to step in. Our government simply failed to get adequate naval resources to the Med in time. Little wonder US President Donald Trump contrasted the PM – in withering remarks at the White House this week – with Sir Winston Churchill.

At a minimum, Sir Keir and co could have cut a deal with Uncle Sam in return for use of British bases: maybe negotiating on energy, defence contracts, or other investment.

Alas, no. The PM refused to help the Americans at all. That was until forced into a U-turn after the Iranians fired off drones in all directions.

But let’s not hear bleating from the Conservatives. Not only are the Tories just as responsible as Labour for years of defence cuts. Both parties also conspired in the shameful giveaway of the British Chagos Islands to China’s chums in the Maldives.

Then again, if we cannot be relied upon to defend Akrotiri and Dhekelia, can we be seriously relied upon in Diego Garcia?

We boast one of the most formidable defence industries on earth, with global leaders like BAE and Rolls Royce. Yet our armed forces have been sliced to the bone.

The UK is still a blue water naval and nuclear power. The world rightly expects us to step up when counted in times of crisis: whether now or in a future war over Taiwan.

Urgently, we must reverse this diminution in our military capabilities. The free world needs us, and frankly, so too do the British people.