East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward has written to Sir Keir Starmer.
East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward said:
‘The Prime Minister’s pledge to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 is a sign of the serious times we are living in.’
‘Today, as the Mayor of the East Midlands – a region that has long been at the heart of UK defence – I have written to the Prime Minister to ask him to draw on our region’s industrial strengths in protecting peace.
‘Ukraine might feel a long way away, but we are all part of Europe, and here in the East Midlands, we share strong bonds with our Ukrainian community.
‘I spent time with part of that community at the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Nottingham on Saturday to mark with them the three years since Russia’s invasion. We watched Denys Khrystov’s 1% of War, a documentary from the frontline.
‘As a room, we were immersed in the horror of war, but also the extraordinary strength and resilience shown by the Ukrainian people.
‘As Mayor, I want to make sure that their bravery is supported through real commitment and investment – but also that war abroad doesn’t lead to constrained opportunities at home. National and economic security go hand in hand.
‘The East Midlands contains a skilled workforce with capabilities spanning submarines, aerospace, aviation, and space technology. The workforce around these industries will be critical to our security, and I will work with the government to ensure that we can invest and grow in the years ahead.’
