Labour Says UK Security Strategy Should Focus on NATO, Not Indo-Pacific

Labour shadow defence secretary John Healey speaks at the Institute of Directors, hosted by RUSI, in London, on Feb. 7, 2023. (James Manning/PA Media)

The UK must show “realism” on its military commitments to the Indo-Pacific region, Labour’s defence chief has said, as he suggested his party will stick to a “NATO first” security strategy if it comes into power.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development, and Foreign Policy in 2021 announced a UK “tilt” towards the Indo-Pacific in recognition of China’s growing influence in the region.

It resulted in the UK’s aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth being deployed on a seven-month tour of the Indo-Pacific, while a new defence pact was signed with Australia, with the UK and the United States agreeing to provide Canberra with a nuclear-powered submarine as part of the Aukus deal.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson walks on the flight deck during a visit to HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier in Portsmouth, southwest England, prior to its departure for Asia in its first operational deployment, on May 21, 2021. (Leon Neal/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

But in a speech hosted by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank in London on Tuesday, Labour’s shadow defence secretary John Healey said it does not “make sense for UK forces to devote an increasing share of their scarce resources to the Indo-Pacific.”

He said there is a “Europe-shaped hole” in the UK’s security policy under the Conservatives and suggested a Labour government would shift attention back to “where the threats are greatest,” such as Europe and the Arctic.

‘Realism’

The Labour front-bencher said: “Our Indo-Pacific military commitments need realism. British armed forces are ill-served by leaders pretending we can do everything, everywhere.”

Healey said that, over the past 13 years, Conservative-led governments have cut Britain’s full-time military personnel by over 45,000, scrapped one in five of the Royal Navy’s surface ships, and taken more than 200 Royal Air Force (RAF) planes out of service.

He added: “Just as we would not expect Japan or Australia to deploy much of their military to Europe, nor does it make sense—especially at this moment—for UK forces to devote an increasing share of their scarce resources to the Indo-Pacific.”

Healey said that Labour shares the concerns about “China’s growing military power and assertiveness” in the region.

But he said British support should come in the form of “technology, capability, diplomacy,” alongside the industrial defence cooperation seen in the Aukus agreement.

He told the audience during the question and answer session that the Integrated Review labelling Beijing a “systemic competitor” was “soundly based” and said it would be a “mistake” to designate the country as a “threat.”

‘NATO First’

Reiterating a pledge made by shadow foreign secretary David Lammy in his Chatham House speech last month, Healey said Labour would seek a defence and security pact with the European Union, including bespoke agreements with allies such as Germany.

He said the Conservative government’s “gung-ho promotion of ‘global Britain’—which all too often means ‘anywhere but Europe’—must end.”

He said Labour “accepts Brexit,” but the Tories’ “post-Brexit blindspot on Europe must be corrected.”

“We must rebuild relationships with our European allies to make Brexit work. Which is why Labour will seek a defence and security pact with the EU and new defence agreements with leading European allies like Germany.”

Healey emphasised: “Britain’s security strategy must be ‘NATO first.’ The first priority for Britain’s armed forces must be where the threats are greatest, not where the business opportunities lie. This is in the NATO area—Europe, the North Atlantic, Arctic. This is also our primary obligation to our closest allies. After Ukraine, European allies will have to take on more responsibility for European security.”

‘Halt Further Cuts’

The shadow defence secretary said: “Today, the biggest risk facing the UK military is that large parts of it are underprepared for conventional conflict in Europe. Lacking spare parts, munitions, and specialist personnel. NATO is rightly doing what it can to avoid escalation to direct conflict with Russia. But deterring such escalation means we need to be prepared for it.”

He said that a Labour government would conduct a new Integrated Review and publish a new defence command paper, which “must make clear how we meet NATO’s demand for greater force commitments and should halt further cuts to the British Army.”

But Healey refused to say by how much a future Labour administration would increase defence spending.

He said during the question and answer session: “In principle, of course, we’ll increase defence spending to meet the threats. But if you’re pushing me for a figure and to fix that ahead of the election, that cannot be done.”

Healey has previously confirmed that Labour would conduct and publish a strategic defence and security review within its first year in government.

In response, a Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Instead of sticking to their spending promises, this amounts to half a billion in new spending with no new funds to back it up—which means either cuts elsewhere or unsustainable borrowing.

“Rather making a decision on defence, Labour have more reviews than policy. The one thing they aren’t willing to review is the position of shadow minister for disarmament—which risks undermining our security stance.

“Only the Conservatives can be trusted to sustainably invest in defence and keep us safe by supporting our armed forces so that we can take on the threats of the future.”

PA Media contributed to this report.