John Healey

John Healey

Labour — Rawmarsh and Conisbrough

Speaking in the House of Commons on 2 February 2026

Debate

Support for Defence SMEs

Contribution

We are working flat out to complete the DIP, and the hon. Gentleman above all, having been responsible for defence procurement in the last Government, will appreciate just how overcommitted his own programme is. He will appreciate the truth of his former boss saying that, over 14 years, the Conservatives had “hollowed out and underfunded” our armed forces. We will deal with that overcommitment, we will deal with the underfunding and we will deal with the fact that his plans were unsuited to many of the threats we face.

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