PRESS RELEASE : A Britain secure at home and strong abroad – UK defence a key focus during King’s Speech [July 2024]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 18 July 2024.

The King’s Speech announces the Armed Forces Commissioner who will be a strong, independent champion to improve life for UK service personnel and their families, while the Government reinforces the UK’s unshakeable commitment to NATO.

The new Government’s commitment to defence and Armed Forces personnel has been strengthened in the King’s Speech, with the announcement of a new, independent Armed Forces Commissioner.

The Armed Forces Commissioner, the first of its kind in the UK, will act as a strong independent champion for our service personnel and their families, committed to improving service life and strengthening parliamentary oversight.

The King’s Speech also:

• Confirmed the launch of a root and branch Strategic Defence Review
• Reinforced the UK’s unshakeable commitment to NATO and the UK’s leading role in the alliance

Meanwhile, the Defence Secretary, John Healey, opening the first full day of debate following the King’s Speech yesterday, emphasised that a secure Britain – through strong defence – is essential for economic growth and prosperity in an increasingly volatile world.

He also reaffirmed that the first duty of this new government is to keep its people safe. He committed to action, not words to ensure that the UK is secure at home and strong abroad.

Defence Secretary, John Healey, said:

I want Defence to be central to the future security of Britain and central to the country’s success in this new era. This is a government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country, and our Armed Forces will always have its full support.

That’s why at the NATO summit in Washington the Prime Minister confirmed this Government’s unshakeable commitment to NATO. That’s why this week the Prime Minister launched a first-of-its-kind Strategic Defence Review.  And that’s why in the King’s Speech we announced legislation to create a new Armed Forces Commissioner.

Together, we will make Britain more secure at home and strong abroad.

The Armed Forces Commissioner is a step to renewing the moral contract with those who make extraordinary sacrifices to serve the nation, and the families who support them. The Commissioner will be a strong public voice for personnel and their families, committed to improving service life from basic training, throughout their military career and beyond.

As a direct point of contact for serving personnel and their families, independent and outside their chains of command, they will be empowered to investigate individuals complaints and review issues which are affecting the lives of our serving personnel, further strengthening parliamentary oversight.

Elsewhere in the speech, the King confirmed that a root and branch review of UK defence has been launched by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad for decades to come.

The Strategic Defence Review, confirmed in the King’s Speech, will be done at pace and report in the first half of 2025, with work starting immediately in recognition of the urgency of the threats facing the UK.

The review – headed by three external Reviewers in a first-of-its-kind for UK defence – is the next step following a successful NATO Summit in Washington, where the Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK’s unshakeable commitment to the alliance and the “serious commitment” to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence.

The Government will also continue to work with international allies and partners to step up support for Ukraine through the international Capability Coalitions and the £3bn pledge on military aid, whilst speeding up the delivery of equipment promised to Ukraine.