The Prime Minister has had little chance to ease himself into his role as international statesman; today he goes to Washington for a summit to mark the 75th anniversary of Nato. An alliance born from the necessity to defend Europe from Soviet aggression now faces the task of confronting a Russia which is engaged in an aggressive war against Ukraine. There is by no means international consensus on the issue, which now seems so straightforward in the West. The Indian prime minister’s visit to Moscow is a reminder that the global south takes a different view of it.
And that war is by no means the only momentous international threat. The conflict in Gaza, which was an issue in the general election, risks spreading into Lebanon — a potentially explosive development. Another consequence of the Palestinian conflict is the attacks by Houthi rebels on shipping in the Red Sea, which has a direct effect on the prices of imports to Europe. And then there is the continued Chinese threat to Taiwan. So many perils, so many challenges to the Alliance.
The necessary response to these threats is painfully obvious, namely, to increase spending on defence. At present, as Robert Fox points out in this paper, the cupboard is bare in terms of hardware and there is a drastic gap between recruitment to the forces and our actual needs. The new Defence Secretary, John Healey, has emphasised the Government’s commitment to spending 2.5 per cent on defence as soon as its means allow. But this caveat cannot be an excuse for procrastination: defence must be a priority, along with the NHS. The UK must set an example to its allies, not least Germany. And in this respect at least, the possibility of a Trump presidency may be salutary; he made clear that Europe must pay more for defence. On the bright side, the continued relevance of Nato has never been more plain. The alliance is still needed.
Power to the Mayor
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has held a meeting with the Mayor of London and other mayors today to discuss ways to realise his promise to enable the cities and regions to “take back control”. For Sadiq Khan, it is quite clear how the Government should do so: by allowing him as Mayor of London to take control of commuter Overground services and give him a tidy £2.2 billion to spend on building new homes. For too long the Government has been at odds with the Mayor; let us hope this changes with a London MP as PM.
Let’s watch together
Another challenge for Mr Khan: England fans want to watch tomorrow’s semi-finals in a public space. It’s not too late to put the big screens up in Trafalgar Square. Please.
