Grant Shapps was commenting on criticism of Suella Braverman for accusing the police of ‘bias’.
The Defence Secretary says there was “debate” about whether people were using this weekend for protests, or to “protest for one cause or just turning up as thugs”
At PMQs, Liz Truss announced “I’m a fighter, not a quitter”. By that evening, she was discussing her resignation with her husband.
“Investing in defence is morally the right thing to do, the Defence Secretary declared. “It saves lives.” He criticised those who “from a woke banking perspective” who feel we should disinvest, should take a “dose of reality.”
On the first afternoon the Government lacked an orator who could make Conservatives feel good about being Conservative.
The Defence Secretary adds that “we will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainians.”
If we are to keep our nation safe, our adversaries deterred, and our allies reassured, we now urgently require full-scale reform of the way we be buy and support our fighting equipment.
The objective seems to be to help it survive and to stay in the fight (with perhaps 70,000 dead already), but not for it to win back its lost territories in a timely manner.
“Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier, or not having been at sea.” Dr Johnson’s observation has stood the test of time – but is a poor basis for civilian, parliamentary government.
Today’s changes are expected to be small-scale with a bigger shuffle taking place before the King’s Speech in early November.
Serious doubts exist as to whether the Bill will be in the King’s Speech. If it isn’t, then the Government will have abandoned meaningful change.