first defence     first defence is a policy group of practical thinkers whose purpose is to put national defence and security back at the top of the political agenda.   first defence brings together those in military, political and government circles.   first defence publishes policy papers, challenging conventional thinking.

first defence chairman
After five years as Parliamentary Chairman of First Defence Dr. Julian Lewis MP decided to stand down in May. We are most grateful to him for being such an active and successful Chairman, who has contributed much to the defence debate through the pamphlets which he has written.

On 1st June Adam Holloway MP for Gravesend and a member of the Defence Select Committee took over as Parliamentary Chairman and we are delighted to have him as part of the team.

first defence at 2009 Conservative party conference  see details on Events page

“The Next Strategic Defence Review: Options for Change, or Options for Cuts?”

Douglas Carswell M.P.

Sash Tusa, Defence Analyst and writer

An incoming Conservative Government has committed itself to a defence review. The starting point for this will be to decide what Britain ’s role in the world should be. The next step would be to determine the size and shape of our armed forces to serve this role. What sort of wars will our forces be fighting ten years from now? counter-insurgency or force on force? Do we need to re-think the nuclear deterrent to save money for conventional capability? Can we fight a modern war with Cold War equipment? Do we need more forces or more equipment? Much is at stake. These decisions impact not only on our military but on the defence industrial complex which serves it.

Douglas Carswell MP, Member for Harwich since 2005, has already established a reputation as a radical thinker on a number of issues. He has published several books and pamphlets, and has challenged the conventional wisdom on defence procurement in his article “More Bang for our Buck: re-thinking Defence”. He will be debating the issues with Sash Tusa a leading independent defence analyst who spent the last decade as Head of European Aerospace and Defence Research for Goldman Sachs.

If you wish to attend this event please would you contact the Director of First Defence, Caroline Flynn-MacLeod on cfm@terringtonmanagement.com as soon as possible as there will be limited space and we expect a large turnout for this event. For more details please visit the First Defence website at www.firstdefence.org.

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If you wish to attend this event, please would you contact the Director of First Defence, Caroline Flynn-MacLeod at cfm@terringtonmanagement.com as soon as possible as there will be limited space and we expect a large turnout for this event.

On 26th January First defence arranged for a group of Shadow Ministers and researchers from the Shadow Defence, Foreign Affairs, Security and Home Affairs teams to receive briefings at NATO Headquarters. Here they are pictured with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

First Defence believes  IT IS TIME TO PUT OUR ARMED FORCES FIRST

Support the First Defence Petition now http://www.firstdefence.org/html/Petition.htm

'THE MILITARY COVENANT' - THE LAW AND MILITARY OPERATIONS

Read the speech by Charles Garraway, 2nd October 2007

http://www.firstdefence.org/Garraway.doc

RUSSIAN RESURGENCE

First Defence has written to the The Editor of The Evening Standard regarding the diplomatic 'stand-off' between this country and Russia.

http://www.firstdefence.org/Russianresurgence.html

PART TIME MINISTERS

First Defence has also written to the The Editor of The Times regarding downgrading ministerial commitment for the current wars we are fighting by making these part-time appointments. For full text see: http://www.firstdefence.org/PartTimeMinisters.htm