𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

To say that the appointment of Wes Streeting as Defence Secretary caught me off guard would be an understatement. Like many people, I hadn’t seen it coming and I remain unconvinced that he is the man the moment needs.

My concerns are twofold. Firstly, the briefing from those around him in an attempt to bolster his defence credentials served only to underline just how thin his experience is. Claims that he was the man to lead the MoD because he once went to the Falkland Islands and spoke in a debate were laughable.

Secondly, the appointment appears to have been more concerned with repaying political favours than identifying the best person for the job. Reports suggest Rachel Reeves was initially offered the post (don’t get me started on that) and a well placed source tells me that Yvette Cooper turned down the role before it was offered to Streeting.

The fact is defence is not a role that should be used as currency in some tiresome political game. It underpins the foundations upon which the state is built and should be afforded the respect it deserves by ensuring the best person is put in place. I fear that that was not the case in Andy Burnham’s decision-making.

That said, I do not go along with the idea that the post has to be given to somebody with military experience. Yes we have had Defence Secretaries in recent years who have served, most notably Ben Wallace and more recently Dan Jarvis, but historically speaking, that is the exception not the norm.

The Defence Secretary is not a general. They are not developing strategic plans to deploy divisions. They are responsible for understanding how to move the levers of government, representing defence in government and fighting the corner of the department to help it achieve its aims.

In this sense, there is hope that Streeting could be highly effective. He is obviously ambitious, a big character and has influence in government and the wider party.

Those things can only be beneficial to the MoD’s plans to rearm and build up capability.

Whilst somebody like Al Carns would have had an unrivalled understanding of modern-day war and 20-20 vision of what modernisation looks like, he would have lacked the influence and knowledge of government that Streeting possesses.

For all my initial scepticism, Streeting, backed by John Healey as Chancellor, could go on to be a successful Defence Secretary. I hope he does.