At the Labour Party Conference 2024, Defence Secretary John Healey unveiled significant reforms to address the British Armed Forces’ recruitment challenges.
Healey spoke of Labour’s commitment to modernising recruitment and improving conditions for service personnel, while reaffirming the Government’s dedication to national security.
“Over the last 10 years, more than a million applied to join the Forces,” Healey said. “Yet 3 in 4 gave up on the process because it takes months and is tied up in red tape.” To combat this, Healey announced three major steps to tackle the recruitment crisis:
- Scrapping 100 outdated policies that currently block people from joining the military.
- Setting new targets for the Forces to reject or make a conditional offer to applicants within 10 days, and to give people a training start date within 30 days.
- Introducing a direct recruitment route for cyber specialists, particularly targeting top gamers and coders. “If you are a top gamer or coder, your country needs you,” Healey said.
In addition to tackling recruitment challenges, Healey also announced plans to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP—marking the highest level since 2010. He underscored Labour’s vision to support both the Armed Forces and veterans, improve military housing, and ensure all personnel are paid at least the national living wage.
“We’ve delivered the largest pay rise for the Armed Forces in over 20 years,” Healey stated. He also stressed the Government’s commitment to Ukraine, pledging continued military support and training for Ukrainian troops through 2025. “We’ve stepped up our support for Ukraine,” Healey said.
“A new defence industrial strategy, a treaty with new export guarantees, and a pledge to spend £3 billion in military support this year, next year, and every year it takes for Ukraine to win.”
Reflecting on Labour’s recent electoral successes in military communities, Healey noted that “Labour is the Party of Defence,” referencing the party’s record wins in areas like Wycombe, Portsmouth, and Aldershot.
In closing, Healey said, “We will always maintain the highest standards and create an Armed Forces that draws the very best of British talent. Better fit to fight. Better reflecting the country they defend.”