Was Rishi Sunak's defence speech ‘alarmist’? | LBC debate

Rishi Sunak told voters that "the next few years will be some of the most dangerous our country has ever known" as he delivered a major speech in London in a pre-election pitch.
He said the next few years will be "transformational" as he warned of global conflicts and the rise of Al technology and issued an alert over the volatile global landscape, saying Russia's war in Ukraine has taken us closer to nuclear escalation than any point since the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Sunak also attacked Keir Starmer on the issue of defence, when asked if he believed the
Labour leader would make the country more unsafe, the PM said: "We will keep this country safe
and Keir Starmer's actions demonstrate he won't be able to do that."
He argued Labour had been "crystal clear" they would not match his pledge to increase defence
spending to 2.5% by 2030.
Listen to the full show on Global Player:
app.af.globalplayer.com/Br0x/...
#alimiraj #crossquestion #rishisunak #ukpolitics #tories #labour #lbc
LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK.
Join in the conversation and listen at www.lbc.co.uk/
Sign up to LBC's weekly newsletter here: l-bc.co/signup

[@user-hb1it2ls6e]

A veteran who thinks Sunak is the man after his party has withered down the military to nothing and then talks of war. What a pathetic country this has turned into this last decade.

[@django3422]

Your script ain't working.

[@peterconnor94]

Whose been incharge for the last 14 years?

[@pauln6803]

​@@django3422 It doesn't have to. The people already know.

[@aleccap5946]

But mention 3 billion pound a year given to Zelenskyy when were the people consultanted its our money

[@django3422]

@@pauln6803 Know what? How is that relevant to this guy over here looking like a bot with badly generated auto responses?

[@user-ur2nn6xn9v]

Where the F**k does that Tory MP live?????? Not in the same UK that I live in

[@peterconnor94]

I'm no Corbyn fan but at no point did his manifesto say he wanted to scrap the Army or Nuclear weapons. Also the Tories have decimated the Militaries budget.

[@jake751]

No he didn't that's just main stream media lying as usual.

[@CaptainFearless1]

and he wants a pat on the back for increasing the budget when he presided over yrs of cutbacks

[@brianferguson7840]

Sunaks speech was an hour long resignation speech (He just hasn't realised it yet)

[@brianferguson7840]

Or........ was it a suicide note.

[@scarfhs1]

It is pathetic for the Tories to run down the UK's military forces for 14 years and then to ask the public to vote for them on the promise that they will repair some of the damage they have done.

[@achandler6583]

We've already been invaded! Talk is cheap!

[@pip1723]

Sunak and the Tories are desperate they'll say anything but we've heard enough .

[@liamhumphreys6695]

Tory academic says things aren’t that bad…..he has his finger on the pulse doesn’t he?

[@kanedNunable]

he means hes ok i guess. the rich are the richest they have ever been. all at our expense.

[@achandler6583]

@@kanedNunable Fingers in the till comes 2 mind

[@Neds_Severed_Head]

Let's be real. The only reason the Tories are talking about conflict is because they want to be able to give military contracts to their mates.

[@minui8758]

Also it won them votes in the past. They lead us through war and through the Falklands and they try and live off that past glory

[@minui8758]

I remember my dad saying the Argentines were deliberately manipulated by our diplomats into declaring war precisely because Mrs Thatcher saw herself looking weak in the polls. Not sure if it’s true but it’s stuck with me

[@user-vc7kt6yi3w]

😂 spot on

[@darrenmitchell5294]

This was a party political event and not a government policy announcement. Why is sunak not being called out on this by the media

[@ShaunieDale]

His lectern had the seal of the government on it. That means he should be speaking on their behalf. Why was he not called out in n that?

[@user-hb1it2ls6e]

Just a sad man rather try a panic the public rather then come up with policies people other then millionaires want.

[@perrymason866]

After decimating the “middle class”, they don’t really have anyone else left to appeal to. Other than the bigots, obviously, but they’ll be voting reform I guess!

[@sc4131]

Anything to save your job I guess

[@kanedNunable]

alarmist and full of more BS.

[@paulc2019]

The lady nailed it.

[@davidrose213]

Perhaps he’s trying Project Fear

[@pauln6803]

It's all they've got left.

[@henryschwaiger6568]

All Governments have been using that for years.

[@user-vc7kt6yi3w]

There is no ‘perhaps’ about it.

[@davecap2641]

This lady hits the nail on the head. The tory is doing the usual circling the wagons stunt.

[@charlesfaure1189]

Sunak's pitch is that Labour will finish off Britain quicker than the Tories have been doing. Keep in mind the Tories' concept of 'the Nation', and therefore who are the rulers and who are to be the voiceless serfs, is not Labour's concept.

[@markbowers4241]

He is pathetic.

[@stevenstocker9873]

How did the tories con anyone into believing they were competent enough to run a country. Their rhetoric is so far removed from the reality, both on their own performance and labours... Just, out and stay out tories...

[@herrglotzenschnitzengruber1510]

It's easy to be fooled if you're British.

[@rictusnal]

Desperate tories.

[@TerryJones-ss2xe]

British armed forces run down to the bone,will take years to build up the to, what it was. Plus it takes years to train them to be professionals .

[@johnrussell3961]

Blair’s Iraq Army was cut as soon as it was withdrawn from Iraq. Thats the only reason we had tanks doing nothing and available to go to Ukraine!

[@martinhill9261]

That's why we're shipping them in.

[@tarkineWild]

Nothing rallies the Tory troops like the chant of all things war

[@louise_rose]

Yes, I think Sunak was definitely pitching that the UK could be in an open war with Russia and Iran in the near future, and trying to make it sound like this is something the country has to boldly accept under his leadership. Which are extremely entitled things to say, under the present circumstances.

[@stephenmurray2851]

It was labour who attacked Iraq, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya etc etc

[@mrkeithmorgan1]

Bob's arrogance is a manifestation of the arrogance of his Party and will be the central reason why they will lose. They can't say everything is ok at the same time as saying we understand times are hard.

[@johnrussell3961]

Those who take risks with the economy , take risks with the nations defence. That’s why Putin wanted Brexit!

[@MichelleStaunton-ob3pj]

Bob double talk we see with our own eyes what a mess!

[@michaelconway9668]

Everything is awful, tories/cons out

[@jake751]

Red and blue tories

[@TheWitchfinderGenral]

Are we still giving a platform to the shadily-funded Institute of Economic Affairs?

[@brianarmstrong3731]

This is the best example of gaslighting I've ever seen.

[@jake751]

Where is award winning journalist sangita???????

[@djbogz1921]

Cleaning toilets

[@alana8863]

@@djbogz1921 Hilarious. If you have no sense of humour.

[@djbogz1921]

​@@alana8863You spammers should grow up and stop spamming the comment sections. She's not coming back. Deal with it

[@user-vc7kt6yi3w]

@@djbogz1921😂

[@herrgrift7720]

So thats Rishi Sunak...i thought it was Roland Rat off to court.

[@user-wq6sz7vt3w]

LBC are alarmist and funny!😂😂😂😂

[@stevenmoses5807]

As normal sunak is lying

[@tonybrett5209]

Our air defences are outdated. Our Troops don't have the equipment or manpower.

[@kalebdaark100]

5:19 er, what does he think isn't awful right now?

[@user-hb1it2ls6e]

Bob is off his rocker 😂. We have more studio space but can’t heat our homes or afford food. Go tories 🙌🏻🙄🙄🙄🙄

[@charlesfaure1189]

Reducing the mass of citizens to a state of ineffectual poverty is Tory policy. Truss said it out loud: the British workers need to be relegated to the position of the Chinese work force. "We need to be more like China." Also a great way to drive people into military service and keep them there.

[@pauln6803]

​@@charlesfaure1189 "Once they enter the workplace, the British are among the worst idlers in the world. We work among the lowest hours, we retire early and our productivity is poor." "stop indulging in irrelevant debates about sharing the pie between manufacturing and services" - Britannia unchained. Co authored by Kwasi Kwarteng, Priti Patel, Dominic Raab, Chris Skidmore and Liz Truss.

[@jeffsmith3392]

Defence speech… can’t even stop dinghies!

[@martinhill9261]

They don't want to stop them as they are the ones organising it.

[@catbreath007]

Just playing very clever phycological games with us, we're already wound up with what's happening to us & now he's employing new devious tactics to take our eye off the ball .. Just like how a magician distracts you while performing a slight of hand trick 🤔

[@gjthomas9770]

Sunak glanced at Trump's rhetoric and thought, I'll have some of that

[@ashbohgan2022]

Unemployment gone up again...we can't treat sewage. The trains don't run and are expensive. The NHS is ruined. Mental health is out of control. Too many suicides. The economy is on its knees. We can't afford houses. We taxed until we can't afford to eat. Bob says we're doing well. Dream on bob

[@pauln6803]

"stop indulging in irrelevant debates about sharing the pie between manufacturing and services" - excerpt from the book Britannia Unchained, co-authored by Kwasi Kwarteng, Priti Patel, Dominic Raab, Chris Skidmore and Liz Truss. Wonderful people (!)

[@enigma9605]

I cannot imagine what the nation would be like with a Labour government. Last time they were in power they bankrupt the nation. Have we forgotten the, “there’s no money left” note?

[@nelch]

If the tories are so concerned about our defence, why are they allowing our primary steelmaking capability to end and allowing it to be offshored to India? You cant fight a war if you cant make weapons grade steel

[@johnrussell3961]

We no longer build tanks . The two huge Vickers factories have gone. We didn’t keep up. The world went smooth bore , we didn’t, and exports fell off a cliff.

[@jamescos3267]

Bob fidgety ffs that was a soldier

[@Alex-cw3rz]

Under the last labour government after a global recession 2.75% of gdp was spent on the military and the tories are promising they'd get it ot that level over 2 parliaments

[@gjthomas9770]

Bob is a twa7 . I am so tired of the Tories. Now they are using the one tactic they have left. Fear , but Rish is very optimistic too. He accused Labour of doom and gloom , all the while using fear tactics l am furious 😠

[@CaronationWood]

Where is SANGITTA. ???

[@Frederique41]

Rishi has nothing to say about the state of the country other than the people are going to suffer without his leadership? Really? How arrogant and disrespectful.

[@jzilla1234]

as we all know. rishi loves beef. delicious beef.

[@welshaccenttutorials3104]

Why is there someone from ioea there ? Seriously guys!

[@dianeglanville]

that Bob is ars can't stand him

[@Ahrimas]

Yes. Yes it was.

[@eddieokpara3549]

Where is Sangita

[@markherzog9484]

Whatever Labour spends on defence can be framed thus…..TORIES SAY 2.5% of a shrinking and problematic economy….Labour says we need to grow the economy then say what the % will be. Put simply 2.5% of 100 is 2.5. 2.4% of 200 is? Anyone?

[@tarentarhu5590]

Claiming Sunak confusing dump of POLITICAL slogans and mixed messaging is was a concise policy outline is gaslighting.

[@cag88]

That man looks like he's just rolled out of bed.

[@davesy6969]

Rishi Sunak is so concerned about the UK's security that he blew billions as Chancellor and Prime Minister and appointed Grant Shapps as Defence Minister, who promptly reinstated the £40 million private ministerial helicopter contract that Ben Wallace cancelled.

[@davedee923]

You can have a bucket-load of academic qualifications and still be misguided.

[@drob4575]

3 tories 1 labour hardly representative

[@devacore477]

Sunak's days are numbered and he knows it...

[@user-vc7kt6yi3w]

I think the term, is ‘Gaslighting’.

[@haqifskepi-lw7hw]

a question for Rishi, he says we don't want immigrants in England, on the other hand he says we will get workers in India, this is Fraud and corruption

[@sol2746]

Sunak always wanted to be a bouncer at mothercares but got turned down for the job,They said,We don't employ people thinner than a rake who wears their pants at half mast.

[@picaso023]

The guy who' has got a PhD seems a little shifty for me

[@user-rg3gt7dv8g]

😢🔈🔉🔊 GET THIS W ⚓️ OUT

[@joex2004uk]

IEA are a lobby group, not a thinktank

[@django3422]

The two go hand in hand.

[@paddymeboy]

It's not being alarmist, the dangers are there and it's about time we got serious about them (he didn't even mention the most serious of all, climate change) but they're not new - he's electioneering.

[@bigblue6917]

It was just Sunak scaremongering

[@bowlingarry]

Lets ave it then... Come on Ritchie... Get on you're orse and take us into battle

[@Human_Herbivore]

Every year under this tory clownshow has been worse than the one before.

[@herrglotzenschnitzengruber1510]

We can now only be saved from this great danger by Tichy Shortpants, thats why he's writing the "ELECTION CANCELLED FOR SECURITY REASONS FOR THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE" speech today.

[@flickthenick]

Another feltz free zone, well done...

[@tonybell7785]

ENGINERING COMPANYS NEW LAMBOS FOR EVERY ONE

[@achandler6583]

Rishi why are the UK army not posted at our borders. Vote dribble speech!

[@LeeJPryer]

Bring back Sangita

[@stephenblanchard8973]

Sunak's a mendacious charlatan...!!!!

[@Mark-yy7iz]

Bob Seely we all agree with you and My Sunak 😉 Please please please call a GE and let us have a say 🙏

[@elleyc8614]

These people appear to live in cuckoo land. The world has radically changed in the past 30 years as our western states have declined industrially, economically and perhaps morally. Talking about rebuilding our industrial base where we have been religious in its deconstruction is a logistical and physical nightmare, certainly not achievable when we are heading to net zero. The IMF as reported in the Economist has us on our knees economically with Russia’s economy, despite the sanctions, growing and healthy. Ironically the source of cheap energy to help rebuild our industrial base is also our ‘enemy’. It might have escaped their notice but most of the world, the world where industry is growing, is beginning to reject the old world hegemony and within this growing new world order we are finding ourselves in the minority. Shut up talking war and start talking diplomacy and how we can contribute and find a new and constructive role in this world.

[@django3422]

Hard to take you seriously after the "morally" comment.

[@elleyc8614]

@@django3422 Thank you for that comment. And your point?

[@django3422]

@@elleyc8614 Just told you.

[@dimitrisgiannitsadis9244]

You have to specify the "we" part. YOU are at war (from within) and then with Russia. I AM NOT at war.

[@azadsatar2045]

I am confuse about labour or Conservative party

[@sonsofpaletdom101]

Do we really believe Russia is a major threat? I think that the Ukraine war is a war that could have been avoided through negotiation (I understand that Boris told the Ukrainians to pull out of negotiations?) and also NATO not expanding into Russian zones of interest. For me NATO is an organisation that just encourages Russia to show aggression. The British people want it's politicians to be talking about how they can make this country a better place to live, not talking up war's that can be avoided.

[@paulsmith2442]

F. King nobs

[@nathanstewart8976]

Rishi sunak speaks facts

[@anyvoicespeaks]

lies