Letters | 15 May 2010

What matters most

Sir: In last week’s Spectator there was an interesting section where writers and thinkers were invited to advise the new Prime Minister what his administration should urgently address (‘What the new government must do first’, 8 May). Defence was not included but surely with a war in Afghanistan, an uncertain world and a defence budget under extreme pressure, it should be.

A foreign policy-led strategic defence review is the first priority, and a view taken as to what sort of country we want to be. We are clearly not a superpower but we have a seat on the Security Council and are a leading member of Nato and other international organisations and have an important position in Europe. Do we want to be an onlooker like some European countries? I would hope we can continue to be one of the leaders in the fields of defence and security of those countries who are not superpowers.