John Healey’s resignation as secretary of state for defence has exposed how both the ongoing delay of the defence investment plan (DIP), and its underfunding, is risking UK jobs and undermining national security.
 

Underfunding

It is understood the DIP would only be worth approximately £13 billion, over four years, while the initial costings were estimated at £28 billion.
 
Unite, which represents thousands of defence workers, is aware of a large number of defence contracts which are waiting to be signed and are unable to proceed because of the delay to the DIP. It is feared any further delay, or the underfunding of the plan will result in the loss of skilled, well-paid jobs.
 
The UK’s sovereign capability for defence manufacturing is essential at a time of increasing geo-political instability, making the ongoing delay in the publication of the DIP even more inexcusable.
 
The government is currently looking to fund the cost of paying for the DIP through cuts to departmental capital programmes. Unite believes that the government’s fiscal rules should be relaxed to allow the government to borrow to invest in defence infrastructure spending.
 

National disgrace

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “What is going on in regard to yet another delay on the DIP is fast becoming a national disgrace. Make no mistake jobs and skills are at risk. 
 
“John Healey’s resignation letter has laid bare the utter chaos at the heart of government on this issue.  Defending the UK and investing in our defence industry simply can’t be done on the cheap. British defence needs investment. Failure to protect UK defence jobs would be a national betrayal.
 
“The government scrabbling around robbing Peter to pay Paul on such a critical plan is embarrassing and a sign of weakness. The government needs to do what Unite has been calling for months and months to loosen the fiscal rules to allow proper investment in the nation’s defence infrastructure.”
 

Urgent projects

Unite has highlighted that the need for the DIP to ensure that contracts including a new tranche of Typhoon fast jets, the Skynet satellite, Project Euston (dry docks facility for nuclear submarines) and the A400M transport plane are signed off and production lines in Britain are rolling as soon as possible
 
ENDS
 
Notes to editors
 
For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite senior communications advisor Barckley Sumner on 07802 329235.
 
Email: barckley.sumner@unitetheunion.org
 
Twitter: @unitetheunion Facebook: unitetheunion1 Instagram: unitetheunion Web: unitetheunion.org
 
Unite is the UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.