The world is a more dangerous place now than at any time since the Cold War, and perhaps since 1945. But some politicians act as if their careers are far more important than national security.
The fall of the Ukrainian city of Avdiivka is entering a new phase in President Vladimir Putin’s war of conquest, and the suspicious death of Alexei Navalny in an Arctic prison deprives Russian rebels of their last hope. .
In the Far East, China has threatened to invade Taiwan, prompting neighboring countries to prepare for the worst.
Meanwhile, the war between Israel and Gaza has thrown the Middle East into turmoil, and Iranian proxies have caused problems across the region.
As always, British troops are present wherever action takes place. Along with the United States, our aircraft and warships engage Houthi terrorists in the Red Sea, protecting shipping lanes vital to our nation’s prosperity.
But as Andrew Neal recently wrote in an email, our Army, Navy, and Air Force are all too small. Despite spending more than £50 billion a year on defence, our armed forces are crippled by understaffing, incompetence and reckless waste of resources.
This month alone we have witnessed the humiliation of the Royal Navy that would have brought Nelson to tears. Our flagship, the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth, was scheduled to lead NATO’s Steadfast Defender exercise, but became trapped on her port side by her rusted propeller shaft. Big Lizzie had to be escorted by four plastic patrol boats, replacing her equally accident-prone sister ship Prince of Wales.
These and countless other procurement issues stem from the Department of Defense. The chronic failure of his 3,500 staff in Whitehall to deliver on time and on budget is no secret, it’s a scandal.
There is no question: we must increase defense spending and use those funds wisely.
So where is the minister in charge of our military? Surely he must be working day and night cleaning the Osian stables of the Ministry of Defense?
Unfortunately not. His Majesty’s Secretary of Defense seems to have other business to attend to.
Grant Shapps was reported to be spending a lot of time doing military exercises yesterday, but it wasn’t military-based.
“Grant is hardly at the MoD these days,” an insider told the Mail on Sunday.
“He works about six days a month. The rest of the time, he plans to be a leader.” If this claim is even partially true, and is strongly denied by allies, If so, then Mr Shapps is not suitable for his post. The charges against him are not simply betrayal of the prime minister, but dereliction of duty to the nation.
In 2022, Mr Shapps, then Transport Secretary, set up a WhatsApp group known as SLAP (‘Shapps Leadership Action Plan’) as part of his bid to replace Boris Johnson.
MoS sources claim Mr Shapps has reinstated SLAP to further his leadership ambitions. Such networks are being used to rally support amid a rebellious atmosphere within the Conservative Party following by-election defeats in Wellingborough and Kingswood.
Whether or not there is a cabal of Tory MPs working hard to keep the Secretary of Defense in 10th place, I think the vast majority of Tory voters will greet this news with anger and bewilderment. Sure.
First of all, who is Grant Shapps? The phrase “resurrected without a trace” may have been coined for a man who held five cabinet posts in less than five years. The main reason successive prime ministers have entrusted this jack-of-all-trades to one department after another is because they can trust him not to cause trouble.
In fact, rocking the boat may be exactly what the Department of Defense needs. It is a fundamental reform that removes the bureaucratic complacency that turned the once proud military into a laughing stock.
But Mr Shapps never showed the slightest initiative, originality or courage in any of his roles. He is a quick learner and can master the gist, but he is better at political activities than politics and is too light as a leader.
If Grant Shapps is the answer to Tory woes, then what is the problem?
As David Patrikalakos wrote in an email on Saturday, the war in Ukraine is lost and could have dire consequences for us as well. Many Americans under the influence of Donald Trump seem to be turning their backs on NATO.
Now is not the time to manage decline, but rather the time to test the qualifications of politicians. In the words of Churchill, it’s time to “act today.” When war broke out in 1939 and Churchill was recalled as the first naval commander, a signal was sent to the fleet: “Winston is back.”
The signal that “Grant is back” may not evoke the same excitement, but at least the public is entitled to expect that the then-Secretary of Defense is leaving Whitehall in the midst of a global crisis. Seeing people working hard at their desks.