Preparing for the Integrated Review

Top Lines

There will be a Backbench Business Debate (Tobias Ellwood, John Spellar) on the Integrated Review in the House of Commons on Tuesday 9 February 2021.

The time is ripe for a review of Britain’s security challenges: Brexit, the changing balance of global power, the rise of China, climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrate this.

Under the Conservatives, the UK’s status as a world power has diminished. The armed forces and diplomatic service are under-resourced and have not kept pace with modern threats including biological warfare, cyber attacks and emerging technologies.

While the Government’s rhetoric has been tough on China, Russia and other authoritarian powers, the UK’s trade and investment policy continues to support regimes which abuse human rights and threaten Britain’s security.

The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement is a missed opportunity for defence and foreign policy cooperation between Britain and our closest allies.

The merger of DfID and the FCO, and the planned cut to the 0.7 commitment, reduces Britain’s soft power and will damage relationships with strategic allies.

By failing to work in unison with the new Biden Administration on ending the war in Yemen and freezing arm sales to Saudi Arabia, the Conservatives have placed UK foreign policy in a weak position of being out of sync with both European and US policymakers.

Image credit: Royal Navy Merlin Mk2 helicopters on the flight deck of HMS Illustrious during Exercise Deep Blue, 2014. Ray Jones via Flickr.