While this new government’s approach to many issues – the NHS, prisons, China policy – seems to start with a ‘review’, a re-examination of defence policy seems reasonable. New Labour launched a Strategic Defence Review shortly after taking office in 1997. The coalition did a defence review in 2010, and David Cameron’s Conservative government undertook a review in 2015.
On 16 July, the Ministry of Defence announced the details of the latest Strategic Defence Review. The headline is that, for the first time, it will be conducted by outsiders rather than government officials. Three eminent defence and security policy experts will lead the process: supported by former US National Security Council director Dr Fiona Hill and one-time head of Joint Forces Command General Sir Richard Barrons, the lead will be taken by Lord Robertson of Port Ellen. Robertson was Tony Blair’s first defence secretary from 1997 to 1999 and oversaw the 1998 Strategic Defence Review, before leaving British politics to be secretary general of Nato.
It is hard to argue against having a major re-evaluation of Britain’s defence policy
Robertson, Hill and Barrons have extensive knowledge of defence and security policy, and a valuable blend of academic and executive experience.
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