How can Government take a lead in widening the national security discussion to encompass wider concerns about what security means to them?
How can you see your role in Government in setting a course that rethinks the political and economic choices that support peace and security within our communities?
What influence do you feel you can have on Government, to build security at home and abroad?
I feel like I can answer a number of these questions at once, and will do so here by addressing some of the key security challenges in the UK, and the ways and means in which the Government is taking steps to combat them. I believe firmly that the UK has a positive role to play in the world. We are an open, outward-facing nation that depends on trade, whose political, economic and cultural authority far exceeds our size.
It is essential that we approach security with a wide-range view. Our national security depends upon our economic security and vice versa. Since 2010, the Government has taken the difficult decisions needed to restore our economy to strength. Britain’s renewed economic security means we can afford to invest further in our national security. This investment is vital at a time when the threats to our country are growing. From the rise of ISIL and greater instability in the Middle East, to the crisis in Ukraine, the threat of cyber-attacks and the risk of pandemics, the world is more dangerous and uncertain today than five years ago.
As a trading nation with the world’s fifth biggest economy, we depend on stability and order in the world. With 5 million British nationals living overseas and our prosperity depending on trade around the world, engagement is not an optional extra, it is fundamental to the success of our nation. We need the sea lanes to stay open and the channels of global commerce to remain free flowing.
However, our international role extends beyond the commercial balance sheet. Our national interest requires us to stand up for the values that define this country – the rule of law, democracy, free speech, tolerance and human rights. Those are the attributes for which Britain is admired in the world and we must continue to advance these ideas throughout the world. By helping improve human rights and preventing conflict, the UK not only makes life better for millions of people throughout the world, but makes the UK safer and able to operate as an open society.
I will continue to represent the views of my constituents in Parliament, listening to the debates surrounding our international security and promoting the values that I believe should be upheld in the international arena. It is of the utmost importance that Parliament is able to hold the Government to account for the decisions it makes in defence and international relations, and this accountability is something I respect in the highest regard. As the elected representative of the people of Bath, I will endeavour to act in a way that makes sure their views are head and acted upon, to uphold the national interest. I am passionate about security and stability and believe that our democracy should lead the way in establishing this, not just in the UK, but across the world.
Are we pulling our weight in offering safety to refugees?
To what extent can conservative MP’s represent those constituents, those of us who didn’t vote for them?
I would like to think that no one in Britain is unaffected by the shocking and harrowing recent news, photos and messages from the forefront of the Syrian Crisis. Therefore, we continue to be at the head of the international response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, including a role as the second biggest bilateral donor of humanitarian aid, having already pledged £2.3 billion. Some £105 million has been additionally funded in the hope that it will help Syrians who are still in Syria.
If we are, as I believe, a moral nation, then our moral and humanitarian responsibility should not waver. This duty was the reasoning behind the sending of the Royal Navy to the Mediterranean, saving thousands of lives; why we meet our commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of our economy on aid; why Britain continues to be the second biggest bilateral donor in the world to Syrian refugee camps; and why since the crisis began we have granted asylum to nearly 5,000 Syrians and their dependents through normal procedures.
But we can always do more. I am glad and I am proud that Britain will resettle up to 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years. These refugees will come from the region to discourage people from taking the perilous journey across the Mediterranean. It is important to remember that the clear majority of refugees are displaced in the region, which is why it is crucial we focus our efforts on supporting those who are displaced there.
To support our local communities during this flux, the foreign aid budget will be used to finance these refugees for the first year and help local councils with matters such as housing. In the longer term, our additional aid spending will be directed to these failed states and to the refugee crisis. Our efforts in the failed states is paramount. In order to provide refugees with the stability they need, we cannot limit ourselves merely to taking people in. Displacing people further will not solve this crisis. To fully support and aid those refugees who have had no control over their own fate, we need a comprehensive solution that deals with the people most responsible for the terrible scenes we see, such as President Assad in Syria, the butchers of ISIL and the criminal gangs that are running this terrible trade in people. To resolve a long-term crisis, we do not look for short term solutions.
In keeping with our dedication to supporting this population, the Government will continue to work with local authorities and international partners to ensure the safe delivery and resettlement of 20,000 Syrian refugees, and as I understand it is on track to do so. The number resettled in a period will depend on a range of factors including the flow of referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the availability of suitable accommodation and support in the UK.
Progress and the subsequent success of resettlement is, like all aspects of this ‘Crisis’, a fluid thing and must be monitored carefully and wisely to avoid not only a potential low quality of life for displaced refugees, but additionally any breaches of the values that we as a Nation hold so tightly.
I am very proud that Bath is leading the way in the UK and has taken in 26 refugees so far. We need to continue to work with National agencies and the Council to ensure that we are able to find shelter and support for as many refugees as possible in the coming months.
Finally, I will always make sure that I represent the interests of all my constituents, not just those who voted for me.