Tobias Ellwood is MP for Bournemouth East

This is NOT the time to cut the Army by 10,000.’

My request to Government .

And moving to 2.5% defence spend by 2030 is too little too late.

Welcome headline given the changing threat picture.

But it’s unsustainable as our current defence budget shrinks in real terms.

Look forward to an announcement confirming defence spend will increase & troop cuts will be reversed.

Our defence spend must match security threats.

But NATO’s calculations show UK % GDP spend falling:

2020: 2.30%
2021: 2.26%
2022: 2.12% est.
2023: 2.03% est.
2024: 2.00% est.

Major OPs (incl Ukraine) are met by HMT. Costs should NOT be conflated to suggest we’re spending more.

Russia deliberately targets Kiev with cruise missiles during G7 summit.

A reminder that the most powerful countries in world are still unable/unwilling to collectively check Russia’s aggression and help Ukraine re-open the Odessa port so critical grain supplies can get out.

Today is Armed Forces day!

If you see someone in uniform today or a Veteran proudly wearing their medals why not go over and say ‘thank you for your service!’

#ArmedForces

How can we help tackle the cost of living crisis and become energy secure?

Generate more of our own power here in the UK through the rollout of small modular nuclear reactors.

It’s a new concept and Rolls Royce have a design that we should support.

We are going to need a bigger Army.

My call for ODESSA to gain UN HUMANITARIAN SAFE HAVEN status.

Ukraine is the breadbasket of Europe & beyond.

Tackling the GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS starts with getting that port working.

UK is a P5 member of the UN.
Let’s show leadership and get a resolution at the General Assembly.

My article: Brexit upgrade:

As Parliamentarians we’ve a duty to scrutinise, provoke thought & even think outside the box (👇) as we seek to improve policy in the national interest.

I fully accept some ideas fly others do not!

All should be welcome to stimulate healthy debate.

#PlatinumPartyatthePalace

Paddington speaks for the nation.

‘Thank you. For everything.’

#PlatinumJubilee

Your Majesty,
Thank you for your incredible service and for being the nation’s rock of stability.

No simple way to say this but Russia is starting to ‘win’.

My article in today’s Sun on Sunday re the dangers of failing to put the fire out in Ukraine - it will spread elsewhere.

The West is not doing enough to ensure Putin loses and Ukraine wins. Let’s change this.

UKRAINE IS THE BREADBASKET OF EUROPE & BEYOND.

The global food crisis will soon cause huge economic harm & famine - leading to large scale civil unrest.

Leat’s make re-opening this port the international priority for the UK, US, EU, NATO & the UN.

Or is Russia allowed to win?

The Sue Gray Report:

When a PM is responsible for winning battles in the past - it is still our duty to ask if they are best placed to lead us to victory in battles to come.

My questions to colleagues today:

NATO EXPANSION: 🇫🇮 🇸🇪

Delighted to catch up with the Ambassadors for Finland: Jukka Siukosaari and Sweden: Mikaela Kumlin Granit - looking forward to you joining the military alliance!
@JSiukosaari
@SweAmbUK

I’ve been calling for this 👇

But the international priority should be:
ODESSA, ODESSA, ODESSA

👉Prevent a landlocked Ukraine.
👉Re-open the port.
👉Get vital grain exports moving.

We’re doing enough to ensure Ukraine does not lose - but not enough to let them win.

🇺🇸 VISIT:
Good to be back in Washington DC - meeting key decision makers at this critical time.
As we adapt to a changing long term threat picture - it’s important our two nations, once again, stand, work and lead together.

Bank of England Governor explains how our cost of living crisis is linked to the war in Ukraine.

The faster we help push out the Russians over there - the quicker we ease the cost of living crisis over here.

Let’s make this our collective objective.

As the UK leads Europe in supporting Ukraine - let’s not undermine our international standing by breaching an international treaty which we helped to craft.

Something to sing about - Congratulations Ukraine! 🇺🇦

And following - not the best result last year - didn’t we do well finishing 2nd! 🇬🇧
#Eurovision

Delighted to visit Tallinn, Estonia -
and address the impressive #LennartMeriConference as look at ways to strengthen NATO’s resolve and further support our friends in Ukraine.
🇪🇪 🇬🇧 🇺🇦

I’m beginning to believe there’s a ‘Dead Cat Committee’ in No.10 spewing out a regular drumbeat of sensationalist headlines.

It’s not about numbers, but outputs & productivity - the engine driving wider inspirational policy objectives that thematically sit together as a vision.

Post-Afghanistan, NATO’s rekindled a sense of purpose.

But the world’s most potent alliance can’t act unless all 30 members agree.

Yet the Ukraine fire must be put out or it will spread.

If NATO cannot formally agree to support UKRAINE - a smaller coalition should be formed.

STATE OF THE ARMY:

👇Agree:

Last year tank numbers were reduced, all our light tanks were cut - replaced by wheeled vehicles (that have no turret) and delivery of our new recce vehicle (AJAX) is in deep trouble.

All the details found in our report:
https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/5081/documents/50325/default/

Wise Counsel from our closest security ally.

On behalf of the Defence Committee thank you to @NATO HQ …
for two days of detailed briefings on how we are supporting Ukraine and wider plans to upgrade our collective defence posture as we enter an increasingly unstable / unpredictable new chapter in our history.

Pleased to see the Head of the Army now agrees with the Defence Committee:

We’re gonna need a bigger Army…

If there’s a plan to fix UKRAINE- then there’s a plan to fix the COST OF LIVING CRISIS.

The longer we wait- the higher food and energy prices will rise- leading to further domestic hardship.

Helping Ukraine defeat PUTIN is not just the right thing to do - it’s in our interests.

More support for ODESSA:

If ODESSA falls then Ukraine will become land locked - restricting the export of critical global grain supplies.

So far we’ve done enough to ensure UKRAINE does not lose.

It’s time to upgrade our support to ensure they can win - & its Putin who loses.

With tough challenges ahead, the msg from all corners of the Union is clear: regroup urgently with:

👉Stronger national leadership.
👉Greater sense of vision & purpose of where the UK needs go.
👉 Set the bar higher than just beating the opposition. We face a bumpy decade ahead.

Polls are now open:

Please remember:
away from the drama in Whitehall- these are LOCAL elections about who’s best placed to represent and work for you LOCALLY.

And, of course, how much council tax you will pay.

🗳 #VoteConservative

Now this is the magic that returns you to the Premier League!

The whole town is mighty proud.
@afcbournemouth

CONGRATULATIONS!

What an achievement - back in the Premier League!

@afcbournemouth

I will keep saying:

Our world is getting more dangerous not less.

We must prepare today - before the storms begin to gather.