With the Makerfield by-election on Thursday, this week is likely to see the beginning of the end of Keir Starmer’s premiership, whether Labour hold the seat or not.  Starmer won’t be missed, but something he said last week while being interviewed was insightful, in that any successor will still have the same issues and challenges that he faces.  This is true, but what he didn’t mention is the most difficult challenge for any Labour leader will be their own backbench Labour MPs.

The tranche of Labour MPs elected in 2024 spent the entire time of the last Conservative Government, complaining about the difficult decisions needed to be taken in order to get the public finances and the economy back on track, after the previous Labour Government wrecked it.  Their politics was cultivated on complaining without having to make difficult choices.

These newly elected Labour MPs now find their party in government and difficult asks are being made.  The most pressing one is about defence, and the need for our country to be more prepared for rising threats, most notably from Russia.

The need for greater defence capabilities and to significantly increase defence spending it are widely recognised, but the Labour Government is boxed in by both the poor financial and economic decisions it has already taken, and by its own MPs who prioritise increasing welfare spending and welfare dependency, over increasing defence spending.

The government’s decision to remove the two-child benefit cap was one of many poor decisions made to placate their own left-wing MPs, not do what is right.  Welfare spending is already bloated and predicted to grow significantly.  This has limited how much the government is proposing to increase defence spending, and why both the Defence Secretary and Armed Forces Minister resigned last week, as they knew what was offered is not enough to keep Britain safe.

In the national interest, Kemi Badenoch has offered the Labour Government Conservative support to make the welfare reform decisions needed to ensure defence spending is increased, to match the threats we face.  The Conservatives are the only party serious about defence.   

Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group

17th June 2026