Gavin Williamson heaps pressure on Theresa May by insisting Britain 'will always be' Tier One military power
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Gavin Williamson has insisted Britain’s military "will always be" a Tier One military power, despite Theresa May’s refusal to commit to maintaining the country's top-level status.
In a warning shot to the Prime Minister, the Defence Secretary told an American thinktank that the UK’s "world class" forces would allow the country to remain a Tier One military nation, as it “always has been”.
The widely-understood definition of a Tier One nation is one that possesses a full spectrum of military capabilities, including an independent nuclear deterrent and a navy, army and air forcecapable of being deployed anywhere in the world.
Mr Williamson's comments come weeks after he clashed with Mrs May when she refused to maintain that position, saying only that Britain would remain a “leading defence nation”.
Speaking in Washington today, the Secretary of State also insisted Brexit would allow Britain “to look up, be more ambitious and re-define our places in the world”.
“We start from the strongest of foundations. Britain is a major global actor,” he told the Atlantic Council.
“We always have been a Tier One military power, and we always will be a Tier One military power, possessing an independent nuclear deterrent, world class special forces and cyber capabilities, exceptional conventional forces, able to deploy independently around the globe and take command of coalition forces to deliver joint outcomes.”
Mr Williamson said the European Union has limited the UK’s vision, adding: “Now we are free to reach further and aim higher. The UK is determined to seize these new opportunities.
“My job as Defence Secretary is to make sure we can develop and if necessary deploy hard power which underpins the soft power of our global influence.”
