By Isle of Wight Observer
Some of you will be aware that I’m currently enrolled in the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme (AFPS). It’s been designed to provide Members of Parliament (and peers), the vast majority of whom don’t have any direct experience of the services, with an insight into military life. It’s been successfully operating for over 30 years. I can safely say it does exactly what it’s designed to do. And it helps inform our work in Parliament.
As part of the scheme, I recently visited UK commandos in Norway. We spent a couple of days with them (over Recess), seeing how they prepare for cold weather warfare. And I heard more about how the UK works with Norway to defend the High North, the most exposed part of Northern Europe.
Plenty of Islanders will have also seen that the UK is stepping up support for Ukraine. And I, like many, am pleased that support is ironclad.
I’ve been asked ‘Why does it matter?’, told it’s ‘Not our war’, and that ‘Charity starts at home’. And I get that.
Nobody wants to be at war. But Labour’s support for Ukraine, much like its support for European allies, is a key focus of its approach to national security, the foundation for its Plan for Change – it’s about ensuring Britain is secure at home and strong abroad.
But Labour is also delivering on its plan for schools. This week the first schools to benefit from free breakfast clubs were announced – and I’m thrilled that Barton Primary School is one of them! It’s fantastic news for the school, the pupils, and parents. The breakfast clubs will give our young people the best start in life.
It’s this government’s mission to break the unfair link between background and success. Where you’re from shouldn’t determine where you end up. And that’s something we need to ensure the Island is united on. We need to ensure we break down the barriers to opportunity for our young people. And we need to make sure the Island becomes an even better place to live and work if we want to create an Island of opportunity.