Labour Friends of the Forces

24/07/2026

Congratulations Wes Streeting on your appointment as Secretary of State for Defence.

Labour Friends of the Forces looks forward to working with you as you take on this important role at a time of increasing global uncertainty.

Since coming into government, Labour has demonstrated its commitment to our Armed Forces and national security through the Strategic Defence Review, the Defence Industrial Strategy, investment in service family housing, and a well-deserved pay rise for our service personnel. These are important steps in rebuilding our defence capabilities while recognising the dedication of the men and women who serve.

We wish you every success in your new role and look forward to working together to support our Armed Forces community, strengthen our defence industry, and ensure the UK remains secure in an increasingly challenging world.

24/07/2026

A great day out in Wigan with Bev Craig and the Battle Bus, speaking with residents on the high street and handing out leaflets ahead of the Greater Manchester Mayoral by-election.

It was fantastic to have so many positive conversations about Labour’s vision for Greater Manchester and the opportunities that lie ahead.

If you’re voting in the by-election, don’t forget to cast your vote for Bev Craig as the next Mayor of Greater Manchester. 🌹

30/06/2026

Labour Friends of the Forces welcomes the additional funding announced by Dan Jarvis in the DIP; we regret that it took the resignation of John Healey to bring the Prime Minister and Chancellor to their senses.

We agree with Dan Jarvis that the UK needs to continue to spend more on defence. Ministers should prioritise implementing new methods to fund defence, such as the DSRB, by the time of the budget later this year.

Today’s announcement by Keir Starmer was an unserious response to a self-induced crisis. He and the outgoing Chancellor have been unwilling to commit the necessary resources our country needs. The trust that voters - including service personnel, families, and defence workers - rightly placed in Labour in 2024 has been put at risk by avoidable uncertainty and delay. We will continue to support Labour’s defence team and the incoming Labour leadership to ensure that our forces receive everything they need to keep our country safe.

27/06/2026

This week, Labour Friends of the Forces was proud to host our annual Armed Forces Day Reception in Parliament.

It was a wonderful evening bringing together serving personnel, veterans, parliamentarians, charities, defence organisations and supporters from across the Armed Forces community to recognise the service and sacrifice of those who keep our country safe.

We were honoured to hear from an outstanding panel of speakers:
🇬🇧 Dan Jarvis MP,Secretary of State for Defence.
🇬🇧 John Healey MP
🇬🇧 Tan Dhesi MP, Chair of the Defence Select Committee.
🇬🇧 Lord Vernon Coaker, Minister of State for Defence.
🇬🇧 Nick Chaffey, Chief Executive of Northrop Grumman Corporation UK.

A special thank you goes to Dan Jarvis and Lord Vernon Coaker, who were among the founding members of Labour Friends of the Forces when the organisation was established in 2011. Fifteen years on, they continue to champion our mission with the same passion and commitment that inspired the organisation’s creation.

We are equally grateful to John Healey, Tan Dhesi and Nick Chaffey, all of whom have been longstanding friends and supporters of Labour Friends of the Forces. Each has consistently demonstrated a genuine commitment to strengthening our Armed Forces, supporting veterans and recognising the vital contribution made by military families.

Our sincere thanks also go to Northrop Grumman UK for their generous support in making the evening possible.

Labour Friends of the Forces is unique because it is led by people who understand military service firsthand. Our Committee is made up of veterans, reservists and supporters from across all Services, bringing lived experience and a shared determination to ensure the voices of the Armed Forces community are heard within the Labour movement and beyond.

Finally, thank you to everyone who attended and to the members of our Committee whose dedication and hard work behind the scenes made the evening such a success.

As we mark Armed Forces Day, we say a heartfelt thank you to those currently serving, those who have served, and the families who serve alongside them. Labour Friends of the Forces remains proud to stand with our Armed Forces community and to champion the people who dedicate their lives to the service of our country.

So to all those who serve, have served and those who stand alongside them, thank you.

22/06/2026

Sir Keir Starmer’s decision today to step down as Labour Party leader and in due course as Prime Minister was a courageous choice and a humble one, taken in the best interests of both the United Kingdom and of the Labour Party. Labour Friends of the Forces thanks Sir Keir for his service to the country and to our party.

Keir Starmer took over with a mandate to repair the ethical and political failure at the top of our party. He led the rebuilding of Labour as the moral crusade we must always strive to be. Keir Starmer deserves credit for leading the turnaround in our fortunes in five short years. In Government, while some good decisions have been made on defence and security issues, including a coherent and serious Strategic Defence Review, there has been strategic drift at the top, and an unwillingness to face difficult facts.

Touting the defence budget as “the biggest uplift in defence spending since the Cold War” is irrelevant when that budget is inadequate to deter the threats the UK and our allies face. Without a renewed willingness to find the money to keep our nation safe, Labour’s internationalism and our commitment to a rules-based order will be little more than nostalgia.

As we write Labour’s and the UK’s next chapter we should never forget that we are at our best when we are at our boldest, insisting upon a renewed strategic clarity and making the case for the necessary funding and resources. Fiscal discipline matters, so does national security, the two are not in opposition. The choices of the incoming Labour leadership will affect all LFF members. Service personnel need strategic clarity; better, more relevant equipment, faster; and the right numbers of skilled personnel alongside them. Veterans and families – among them parents, carers, workers, business owners, pensioners – are all affected by the choices Labour makes in government. Those choices are difficult; but to govern requires political leaders to be political: to make – and win – the argument.

Labour Friends of the Forces remains committed to working with our next Prime Minister and Labour leader to ensure that our armed forces, service personnel, veterans and their families continue to receive the support they need and the recognition they deserve.

17/06/2026

Labour Friends of the Forces would like to congratulate Dan Jarvis MP on his appointment as Secretary of State for Defence.

Dan has been a long-standing friend and supporter of Labour Friends of the Forces, and throughout his career has demonstrated a deep commitment to our Armed Forces community, veterans and their families.

At a time when defence, national security and support for those who serve have never been more important, we know that Dan will bring experience, integrity and a genuine understanding of military life to the role.

We look forward to working with him to champion the interests of serving personnel, veterans and the wider Armed Forces community.

Congratulations, Dan. We wish you every success in your new role.

The defence of our nation is the first duty of government.

Our Armed Forces carry out that duty every day with professionalism, courage, and extraordinary skill.

It is a huge honour and a privilege to serve alongside them again.

17/06/2026

On the eve of polling day, Labour Friends of the Forces were back out on the doorstep in Makerfield supporting Andy Burnham.

The conversations were positive, with plenty of support for Andy and a real sense that people want a representative who will work hard for the community and stand up for local people.

Credit must go to the campaign organisers and volunteers. It has been a well-run, positive campaign focused on the issues that matter to residents.

Tomorrow, voters have a clear choice. The Labour Party is offering serious leadership and practical solutions, while Reform continues to offer slogans without answers. When it comes to our public services, our communities and our country’s future, Reform simply cannot be trusted to deliver.

If you’re in Makerfield, make sure you get out and vote tomorrow.

🌹

11/06/2026

11/06/2026

Labour Friends of the Forces would like to place on record our sincere thanks to John Healey for his service as Secretary of State for Defence.

Throughout his time in office, John has been a steadfast champion of our Armed Forces, veterans and defence communities. He has consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the challenges facing service personnel and their families, and a genuine commitment to ensuring that defence remains at the heart of our national priorities.

We are particularly grateful for the support he has shown to Labour Friends of the Forces and for the constructive engagement he has always given to our members and the wider defence community.

While today’s news will be met with disappointment by many across the Armed Forces family, we respect the principles that have guided John’s public service and recognise the sincerity of his commitment to ensuring our Armed Forces have the resources they need to meet the challenges of an increasingly uncertain world.

The progress made over the past two years has been significant, from improving service accommodation and supporting veterans to rebuilding confidence in defence. We hope the Government will continue to build on that work and remain ambitious in delivering the investment, certainty and long-term support our Armed Forces deserve. Strong defence is not a luxury; it is a fundamental responsibility of government, and one that requires sustained commitment. Labour Friends of the Forces will continue to support the Government in achieving those ambitions and in ensuring that defence and veterans’ issues remain a priority across government.

John leaves office with our thanks, our respect and our very best wishes for the future. We also look forward to building the same constructive and positive relationship with his successor, working together in the shared interests of our Armed Forces, veterans and their families.