When voters were asked in February what they thought were the big issues facing Britain, national security did not even make it into the top 10. However, thanks to Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine and his implied threat of nuclear war, the salience of Britain’s military and intelligence security as a political issue has spiked dramatically. After decades of neglect, Westminster now has a keen interest in Britain’s ability to defend itself. The public now think it the most important issue.
Boris Johnson hopes to exploit the Ukraine crisis by presenting himself as a sober statesman rather than Downing Street’s premier party animal, but Keir Starmer is better placed to take advantage, and he has sought to do so in two obvious ways.
