CFAF Policy Pamphlet
Conservative Friends of the Armed Forces have produced a policy pamphlet containing a collection of short essays from a broad group of figures in the Conservative Party. The pamphlet includes a foreword from the Secretary of State for Defence and has been sent to all Conservative Members of Parliament. The publication was launched at an event in September with Penny Mordaunt MP and Sarah Atherton MP in attendance. The pamphlet was trailed at an event at Conservative Party Spring Forum that was well attended.
As part of the pamphlet’s construction, we ran a competition for young voices in the Conservative Party to have their submission’s published. Two winners emerged and their essays have be included in the final version.
Below is an executive summary of each of the submissions along with author’s short biography.
Ryan Henson – CEO of the Coalition for Global Prosperity
The humanitarian expertise contained within the British Armed Forces is already among the best in the world. Coordinating existing arrangements into one Joint Humanitarian Command would make sound logistical sense, embed best practise, and make financial savings over time. It would also send a clear message to the rest of the world, friend, and foe alike, that Britain is as compassionate as she is courageous and that her people are prepared to bear the burden, meet any hardship, to support those affected by disaster and prevent the consequences from reaching UK shores.
Ed McGuinness – Operations Lead for CFAF and works in investment banking
There is often a failure for organisations to interface correctly; systems not absorbing all the information when sent, reshuffling critical data and even deleting data entirely. The effects of such errors can range from inefficiency to catastrophe. The analysis holds for interpersonal relationships as well. For the military, the degree to which it integrates well with other organizations is critical to its operational and strategic effectiveness. This is particularly true at senior levels, were the military reaches out beyond its internal borders to contractors, civil servants and equipment manufacturers.
William Hall – Policy Lead for CFAF, Co-Editor of CFAF Policy Pamphlet and employee at Capita plc
Recognition of the requirement for fairness and special consideration for veterans and serving armed forces personnel is increasing. The current Conservative administration has given considerable additional resources and focus to the Armed Forces community and to Defence matters in general. The Armed Forces Covenant has increasingly permeated into all aspects of the state. This trend is to be welcomed, encouraged and enhanced. There should be a joint SpAd and civil servant Armed Forces Covenant Unit in the No.10 Policy Unit and MOD. Second, local authorities should be required to publish a Covenant Report at their Annual Council meeting.
Ben McClean – CFAF Young Conservatives Essay Entrant and is currently completing a Degree Apprenticeship as a management consultant
The nature of warfare is changing and we need the people to counter the ever complex threats to the UK. Defence has an opportunity to use Generation Z to develop a sustainable, affordable and practical talent pool that shall set Defence up for success in the future. Realistic and practical steps can be taken in order to achieve this, through more apprenticeships, training schemes, targeting the leading talent in the younger generations, improving the offer and creating new roles within Defence.
ADS Group (Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space)
At a time of significant international change and major economic challenges facing our nation, the UK must be able to maximise the work of our defence and security industries. The UK’s defence and security sectors are not only critical in maintaining the UK’s technological edge and strengthening our national security but that they are important contributors to our national prosperity. As such they should be considered key partners in setting and delivering the vision for the UK’s place in the world.
By pursuing a select number of strategic objectives over the coming months and years this Government can fully capitalise on the strengths of the UK’s defence and security industries and deliver even more. By modifying procurement processes and embracing a culture shift within UK Defence and Security to adopt a higher risk appetite, our industries can help the UK economy bounce back from the pandemic and create a shared national platform based on world-class research and development activities.
Carl Hunter OBE– CEO, Coltraco Ultrasonics; Export Champion at UK Department of International Trade
At present, Britain’s physical retaliation abilities to a large conventional strike are severely under strength. Britain needs the ability to threaten credible retaliation, as well as reduced enemy success. Existing aircraft armed with in-service missiles (or allied off-the-shelf missiles) could provide a quick, cheap fix, as could fitting existing ships with capabilities they were meant to have when built. Air defences also could use existing missiles (Aster 30) in service, though new systems to fire and control them would be required. All of these systems would be multi-purpose. This would allow Britain’s involvement in future coalition operations beyond a token force, to protect deployed forces, and to help deployed light/medium forces to “defeat at distance” when they encounter heavier enemy forces.
Natasha Hausdorff – Barrister and UKLFI representative
Drawing attention to the International Criminal Courts Pre-Trial Chamber Decision on 5 February 2021, and the serious implications that the ruling is liable to have for the territorial integrity of the UK and the international order, as well as for British officials, former ministers and members of Britain’s Armed Forces. The potential consequences go far beyond Israelis and Palestinians, although their adverse impacts on Israel and on the prospects for progress towards a peaceful resolution between Israelis and Palestinians are also of great concern.