Lincoln Jopp

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I thank the Chair of the Defence Committee for his remarks, and I very much enjoyed going with him on our various visits to make this report. Did he feel, as I did, slightly awkward when we were visiting the Nordic states? We know what we are spending on defence. We know that Norway is spending 3.35% of GDP, Denmark 3.5%, Sweden 2.8% and reaching 3.5% by 2028, and Finland 2.85% and reaching 3.3% by 2032, yet we have not yet committed to the Committee’s preferred 3% by the end of this Parliament. That created a certain unease. Does the hon. Gentleman remember that when we visited Norway, we were told by its Chief of Defence that every time the Prime Minister of Norway makes a speech, he mentions the threat from Russia? Does he agree that we must advance the so-called national conversation if we are to take the British public with us, and explain the threat to them, as well as the capability and investment that we need to counter it?

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