Initial Thoughts on the Government’s Assessment of the Security Partnership with the EU

Malcolm Chalmers

The Future Security Partnership with the EU keeps options open for future security cooperation – but the UK will have to decide how much sovereignty it is prepared to give up to maintain current levels of security.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence Delivers a Bland Update on its Modernising Defence Programme

Trevor Taylor

Haziness on future MoD funding is likely the reason for an update on the Modernising Defence Programme that is rich in platitudes but lacks substance.

Defence and Electoral Credibility: Challenges for the Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet

Josh Arnold-Forster

The potential political acceptance of tax rises to fund the NHS is beginning to influence the debate on defence spending. Will this provide the impetus to defeat those political leaders who want to abet the decline in British military power?

The Ministry of Defence’s Post-Brexit Spending Power: Assumptions, Numbers, Calculations and Implications

Since Britain’s EU referendum result, the pound has fallen against the US dollar by around 15 per cent. If this decline is sustained, the cost of Britain’s defence imports could increase by around £700 million per annum from 2018–19 – around 2 per cent of the total defence budget.

Combat Inclusion: The End of Gender Segregation in the British Armed Forces

Joanne Mackowski

The recent announcement to allow women to enter combat roles marks a major milestone. It is time to conclude the debate on their participation in the armed forces.

Would a New SDSR Be Needed After a Brexit Vote?

Malcolm Chalmers

Professor Malcolm Chalmers presents a personal argument stating that a UK decision to leave the EU would be as significant a shift in UK national strategy as the decision in the late 1960s to withdraw from bases East of Suez and, as a result, would necessitate a new Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).