NATO Summit Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

NATO Summit

Pat McFadden Excerpts
Monday 16th July 2018

(5 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Theresa May Portrait The Prime Minister
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We are committed to maintaining the 2% of GDP spend on defence. Not just that, but we are one of the few countries that does the double-header, if you like, because the Wales summit committed not just to the 2% of GDP spend on defence but to 20% of that spending being on equipment, and we will continue to maintain that.

Pat McFadden Portrait Mr Pat McFadden (Wolverhampton South East) (Lab)
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The post-war Labour Government played a pivotal role in the foundation of NATO because their Ministers understood the value and importance of collective security. As the Prime Minister said in her statement, article 5—its collective defence clause—has only ever been invoked once, in defence of the United States. Is she confident that the President of the United States is fully committed to article 5?

Theresa May Portrait The Prime Minister
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As I said earlier, what we had coming out of NATO was an absolute commitment to the unity and the collective action that is required in NATO. That was the unity around the table at the NATO summit, and it included President Trump and all the allies around the table.