General Election – Security

Feb 10, 2018

Written By Jack J Collins, Editor of AllAboutLaw.co.uk

In the fourth issue of our election series, we take a look at security, which has been a key battleground in the campaign of this election

The issues surrounding national security on both a cyber and military level have become more and more prominent over the preceding years and this election is no different in that these battlegrounds continue to shape the election landscape.

Conservatives

Continue building replacements for Vanguard fleet which carries Trident
Set up Commission for Countering Extremism, a statutory body
Attempt to clamp down on online terrorist activity

Whilst defence and security is traditionally seen as a Conservative strong point, there is not all that much activity in the Tory camp regarding changes they would make to the UK’s defence strategy.

Last year’s programme to build a new fleet of Vanguard submarines to hold and transport the Trident missiles which form the basis of the UK’s nuclear armament appear to show no signs of stopping, and there is no indication that May and the Tories have any plans to knock this policy on the head.

Their clearest policy on the matter is the pledge to set up a Commission for Countering Extremism, which will have a policy of clamping down on things which stray into the bounds of ‘unacceptable cultural norms’, such as Female Genital Mutilation.

They would make this a statutory body and give it a legal responsibility to identify extremism, which would give the commission powers to attempt to regulate dangerous ideologies and those who spread them, whilst attempting to support organisations that resist this and push for peace and co-operation.

Labour

10,000 more police from Day One of a Labour Government
Bolster MI5, MI6 and GCHQ to combat terrorism
Appoint a ‘Minister for Peace’
Independent foreign policy

Jeremy Corbyn has continuously stated that all aspects of the UK’s defence system would be reviewed if Labour were to get into power, and that military action would become a last resort.

What he has also promised, however, is that he will put 10,000 extra police on the streets, supplemented with 3,000 more firefighters, 3,000 more prison officers and 500 extra border guards.

He has also highlighted the crucial role of the intelligence services in preventing terrorism at home, and has pledged to recruit 1,000 more staff at MI5, MI6 and GCHQ in order to step up their anti-terrorism units and reverse the cuts imposed under the Conservatives.

Corbyn has also pledged to appoint a Minister for Peace, stating that he would not “hand hold” Donald Trump over military action, and would pursue a UK-based independent foreign policy.

Liberal Democrats

Maintain nuclear deterrent but replace current patterns
Graduates in engineering given £10,000 to join the forces
Keep defence spending at 2%, the NATO benchmark

The Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has been quoted by the BBC as saying he will “maintain a credible nuclear deterrent” but he has also pushed for a replacement of the current system of operation.

Instead of the current ‘continuously-at-sea’ deterrence, Farron has advocated changing to more irregular patrolling patterns, which would reduce costs whilst adding an element of unpredictability to the Trident patrols.

The Liberal Democrats have also said they would give graduates from the technical and engineering fields £10,000 in order to incentivise the joining of the armed forces, and this, they feel would tackle some of the skilled recruitment issues that they are currently facing.

Finally, the Lib Dem manifesto pledges to maintain defence spending at the NATO benchmark, which is currently set at 2% of national income.

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