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Loss of Welsh troops ‘would diminish’ England’s military capabilities, says Tory MP

07 Oct 2021 3 minute read
Karen Bradley MP Credit: Jay Allen. Copyright: Crown Copyright (CC 2.0)

The loss of Welsh troops “would diminish” the “military capabilities” of England, a Tory MP has suggested.

Former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley, made the claim in an essay for Strength in Union, in which she argued against the countries of the UK becoming independent nation states.

The MP for Staffordshire Moorlands asked “what would happen to foreign policy if the Union were to break up”, and concluded that “British international influence would be diluted”.

She also argued that England’s military would be weaker if it were to lose regiments from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and if it were to lose the nuclear submarine base in Faslane.

Mark Drakeford has recently called for more Welsh troops to be based in Wales. The First Minister told the Senedd that Wales provides nearly twice its population share in terms of armed forces personnel “yet we have half our population share in terms of the basing strategy of the armed forces.”

He said Wales has 5% of the UK’s population, provides 9% of the UK’s service personnel, but added that only 2.5% of them are based in Wales.

Drakeford suggested that Wales isn’t getting its “fair share” and called on the UK Government to “put it right”.

Bradley also suggested that the UK’s seat on the UN Security Council could be lost to India.

‘Let us consider’ 

In her essay, Bradley wrote: “Let us consider, for the sake of argument, what would happen to foreign policy if the Union were to break up into its constituent nation states.

“Undoubtedly, British international influence would be diluted. Who would the world recognise as the successor state of the UK – the state with the right to inherit the former UK’s formal claims and capabilities?

“While England would remain in the world’s top 10 economies in terms of GDP, its military capabilities would be diminished with the loss of the Scottish, Welsh and Ulster regiments and the important submarine base at Faslane, which is of such vital importance to our nuclear deterrent, not to mention our ability to monitor Russian naval and air activities in the Greenland–Iceland–UK Gap.

“Which, if any, of the four newly emerged and clearly defined political units would claim the UK’s veto power on the UN Security Council? I am certain that there are other countries, like India, who may feel far more entitled to a seat than England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland alone.

“We have a duty, to those in need internationally, and to our compatriots, to take an active role in meeting our global commitments and leading the world. We are best placed to do this as one Global Britain, not four separate nations.”


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Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
2 years ago

So is this the first time that an English Tory has admitted that England is too small, too poor and too insignificant? Makes a change after all the name calling about Wales.

They really are getting desperate so now is the time to demand a better share of the Common Wealth.

Philip Jones
Philip Jones
2 years ago

They really are getting desperate putting up nonsense like this. It’s not as if the uk seat on the UN security council means much, we are America’s puppet. My inclination is for Cymru to join the non aligned nations

Barry Pandy
Barry Pandy
2 years ago
Reply to  Philip Jones

I think you meant to say muppet.

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
2 years ago

Why should Wales care about the foreign policy and military might of a FOREIGN COUNTRY?

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago

Listen to her language. The loss of Welsh troops “would diminish the military capabilities of England” says Tory MP. Karen Brady.

Never knew the “British” Army was English? She’s made a fatal error of thinking out loud what the Tories really think. How Britain is a facade and the Welsh, Scottish & Northern Irish serve master England.

See, within Britain Unionists keep telling us to be British, but on the international stage, think England still rules the waves Thank you Karen for confirming what we’ve always known.

#YesCymru 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿. 👍 #Ymlaen 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿.👍 #Unionism 🇬🇧👎

Last edited 2 years ago by Y Cymro
j humphrys
j humphrys
2 years ago

China’s army 2,195 million…………go get ’em, Taffy!

Barry Pandy
Barry Pandy
2 years ago

So Wales provides nearly 10% of the UK’s soldiers with just 5% of the population, no wonder the Tories are so desperate to keep us in the so-called ‘union’. It means they don’t have to kill quite so many English soldiers. Perhaps the English wouldn’t be so keen on colonial wars if only English soldiers got killed in them. I dare say that an awful lot of Welsh soldiers only join the armed forces as it is a route out of poverty and possibly the only route open to them, so it’s no wonder the Tories are so desperate to… Read more »

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
2 years ago
Reply to  Barry Pandy

The Welsh have done much of the fighting for the English since before they were English. Alfred used Welsh mercenaries to defeat the Danes otherwise England would be speaking Dansk.

Mark
Mark
2 years ago
Reply to  Kerry Davies

and don’t forget the Welsh archers at Agincourt 😉

huw prys jones
huw prys jones
2 years ago

So an independent England would not have been able to go into Afghanistan and achieve those victories that brought such long-lasting peace and stability to that country?

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
2 years ago

Haven’t they got enough poor people to exploit in England?

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
2 years ago

All this global Britain bs. She was saying the exact opposite during brexit the f’ing hypocrite.

CJPh
CJPh
2 years ago

What will we do without the military manpower of the colonists across the Atlantic to counter the French? Oh wait…

Mark
Mark
2 years ago

So these tories want Welsh youngsters to sign up and to kill or die for the English army?

Wrexhamian
Wrexhamian
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark

So that’s why the Mercian Regiment was trying to recruit in Wrexham today. Notwithstanding their claim to recruit “from the five English counties that formerly made up the ancient kingdom of Mercia”.

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
2 years ago

Little England would be diminished without Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. At the moment most of the rest of the world think that England and the UK are the same thing, something many English people are happy to maintain.

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