"My Lords, I have never been one to underplay a threat, but does my noble friend the Minister agree that there seems to be no intelligence assessment whatever to say that there is an immediate threat to the mainland of Greenland? It is extraordinary that things are being done at …..." Lord West of Spithead - View Speech
"My Lords, we effectively run global merchant shipping from London. We have the best Merchant Navy-type lawyers in the world in London, and it is quite clear that these ships can be boarded and it is legal to do it. We already have people trained to conduct such operations. Indeed, …..." Lord West of Spithead - View Speech
"My Lords, when I was First Sea Lord, I tended to send warships towards the sound of the guns. If things go wrong in Iran, as it looks as if they might well do, the whole of that region will be in great difficulty and trouble. We currently have one …..." Lord West of Spithead - View Speech
"My Lords, our nation is standing into danger. I do not need to articulate the dangerous geopolitical situation that we are in, and which is getting worse. I think people understand that, and they believe that we need to spend more on defence. Unfortunately, there is no urgency in that. …..." Lord West of Spithead - View Speech
"To ask His Majesty’s Government whether the military Chiefs of Staff have expressed concern over in-year defence spending...." Lord West of Spithead - View Speech
"My Lords, as we are talking about the death of young people, I am sure my noble friend the Minister would like to take this opportunity for the House to express our thoughts and prayers for the families, friends and loved ones of those people who died in that appalling …..." Lord West of Spithead - View Speech
"My Lords, my noble friend the Minister will know my view that the best barracks for sailors are ships. I am sure he would agree that the way of getting around it from that side of life is that we should order as many ships as possible as quickly as …..." Lord West of Spithead - View Speech
"First, my Lords, I want to praise the bravery of Mr Ahmed al-Ahmed in tackling one of the terrorists. He is clearly a better human being than I am, in that he took the rifle and then put it down, because I would have shot him.
"To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of any implications of the terrorist attack in Sydney for the United Kingdom...." Lord West of Spithead - View Speech
"My Lords, I conducted the study 30 years ago into whether women should serve at sea and came to the conclusion that they should, and it has been a huge success. Does my noble friend the Minister agree that, overall, women have added hugely to our Armed Forces and that, …..." Lord West of Spithead - View Speech