Labour Friends of the Forces

The Armed Forces Covenant Ensuring that the Armed Forces community is not disadvantaged due to service. I am delighted to announce on Armed Forces week that the Covenant Legal Duty will be extended from four to fourteen Government Departments Housing @mtpennycook Education @bphillipsonMP Healthcare @wesstreeting Social care @SKinnock Childcare @JanetDaby Employment and service in the Armed Forces Personal taxation @jamesmurray_ldn Welfare benefits @stephenctimms Criminal justice @DianaJohnsonMP Immigration @angelaeagle Citizenship @SeemaMalhotra1 Pensions @leicesterliz Service related compensation Transport @Heidi_Labour A huge step forward—-much more to go but thank you to all the Government Departments for making this happen.

Happy #ArmedForcesDay! 🇬🇧 Today we celebrate our serving personnel, veterans, and the families who support them. Thank you for your courage, commitment, and sacrifice — we are proud to stand with you. #SaluteOurForces #ArmedForcesDay2025

11/ The full Strategic Defence Review is here: 📖 “Making Britain Safer: Secure at Home, Strong Abroad” 🔗Strategic Defence Review 2025 – Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad #Defence #SDR2025 #UKLabour

10/ “We will never again ask the most from those to whom we give the least.” – @JohnHealey_MP, Defence Secretary This is a Labour defence policy with Labour values: ✅ Secure at home ✅ Strong abroad ✅ Respect for service #SDR2025 #Labour

9/ Facing 21st century threats head-on 🛸 Investing in drones, AI, and modern doctrine—driven by lessons from Ukraine #ModernWarfare #GlobalThreats

8/ ⚓ Strength at sea & nuclear deterrence: 🔱 Up to 12 AUKUS submarines = 30,000 jobs ☢️ £15bn to modernise nuclear warheads 🇬🇧 Reaffirming the UK’s role as a credible, modern power #AUKUS #NuclearDeterrence

7/ 🧠 Tech, cyber & electromagnetic warfare: 🕸️ £1bn for a new Digital Targeting Web 🧲 Cyber & Electromagnetic Command created 📡 Investing in speed, precision & battlefield dominance #CyberSecurity #DigitalDefence

6/ 📈 Defence investment = economic growth: 💷 Spending to rise to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 🏭 6 new munitions plants = 7,000 long-range weapons & 7,800 jobs ⚙️ Defence as industrial strategy

🧵1/ Yesterday marked a turning point in UK defence policy. The Government's 2025 Strategic Defence Review puts people first—our personnel, veterans & service families. For the first time in a generation, defence policy is rooted in respect, readiness & renewal. #SDR2025

5/ 🪖 From standing still to standing ready: Labour shifts to a war-ready stance ✅ Faster deployments ✅ Deeper NATO integration ✅ Stronger deterrence #NATO #UKDefence #GlobalSecurity

4/ 💼 Career reform is underway: 💷 Pay reform to match private sector 👨‍👩‍👧 Flexible working & family support 🔧 Expanded apprenticeships 🖥️ Cyber & tech training 🎓 Military qualifications = civilian recognition #Veterans #ForcesCareers

3/ 🏠 Housing overhaul for Forces families: 🔧 £1.5bn to fix 1,000+ of the worst homes 🏗️ New developments on MOD land 📜 Defence Consumer Charter = clear standards, named officers, better maintenance #MilitaryFamilies #SDR2025

2/ This isn’t just about new kit. It’s about a new covenant with those who serve. No personnel cuts. Above-inflation pay. Better homes. Modern careers. Real investment in readiness. #RespectForService #LabourDefence

Four British former soldiers have made history by climbing Mount Everest in under five days, aided by xenon gas and without acclimatising. #BBCPM spoke to one of the climbers, Veterans Minister Al Carns.

A new era of threat requires a new era for defence. The Strategic Defence Review marks a landmark shift in our deterrence and defence ⬇️

"For the British Army, this Review marks genuine change." The Army's proposition was accepted in full… from our Strategic Reserve Corps, to our Standing Joint Command, this Review enables us to fight and win battles on and from the land in the way that we know we need to, and that’s what protects our people at home. Learn more: gov.uk/government/pub…

Today we mark 80 years since VE Day — a day that ended a devastating war in Europe. We honour the sacrifice of all who served, and reflect on eight decades of peace built through cooperation, remembrance, and resolve. We must never take it for granted. #VEDay80

It was really special to welcome heroes of 1945 and military families to Downing Street today — together we celebrated a Britain that is free and secure, as they did eighty years ago. #VEDay80

Today, the nation unites to mark 80 years since VE Day – a moment that ended years of conflict in Europe and changed the world forever. In London, a military procession and a flypast honours the bravery of those who fought for our freedom. 🇬🇧 #VEDay80

As the nation commemorates VE Day, Labour is announcing a new UK-wide veteran support system, called VALOUR, to ensure veterans have easier access to care and support. We owe a debt of gratitude to those prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country.