Luke Pollard

Voted NO on: Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading

Luke Pollard voted NO on 'Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading' (68-242, defeated)

Voted NO on: Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading

Luke Pollard voted NO on 'Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading' (68-242, defeated)

Voted NO on: King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (p)

Luke Pollard voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (p)' (104-316, defeated)

Voted NO on: King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (l)

Luke Pollard voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (l)' (78-408, defeated)

Voted NO on: King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (o)

Luke Pollard voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (o)' (104-317, defeated)

Voted NO on: King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (p)

Luke Pollard voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (p)' (104-316, defeated)

Voted NO on: King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (l)

Luke Pollard voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (l)' (78-408, defeated)

Voted AYE on: King's Speech Motion for an Address

Luke Pollard voted AYE on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address' (307-171, passed)

Voted NO on: King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (o)

Luke Pollard voted NO on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address: amendment (o)' (104-317, defeated)

Defence Readiness

indicated dissent.

Spoke in debate: Defence Readiness

Parliamentary appearance by Luke Pollard

Voted AYE on: King's Speech Motion for an Address

Luke Pollard voted AYE on 'King's Speech Motion for an Address' (307-171, passed)

Defence Readiness

No, I need to make progress. Madam Deputy Speaker is clear that I have to finish in a moment, but I thank the right hon. Member for his interest. We know that in a more dangerous world, we need to spend more on defence. Turning to the legislation, I have heard the nonsense about there not being any defence measures in the King’s Speech from the usual armchair generals on social media, so let us look at what is in there. The Armed Forces Bill will further strengthen and improve service life, stre

Defence Readiness

I will get the hon. Lady the full details, but we are backing an increase in defence spending for SMEs, with a target of increasing it by 50% in the next two years. It is our mission to do so and that is why we have stood up the new Defence Office for Small Business Growth. I will get the percentages that she asks for, based on the latest figures. We are backing our people. We have given our armed forces the biggest pay rise in 20 years, we have extended free childcare and we have introduced the

Defence Readiness

We have a brilliant defence industry in Northern Ireland. That is why this Labour Government backed it with a £50 million defence growth deal that I announced only a few weeks ago in Belfast. We will continue to support businesses large and small in Northern Ireland. In the past week alone, this Labour Government have deployed advanced autonomous minehunting equipment, backed by £115 million of new investment for minehunting drones and counter-drone systems for the strait of Hormuz, and signed a

Defence Readiness

I give way to my constituency neighbour.

Defence Readiness

The right hon. Gentleman was wrong in his first intervention about Type 26 frigates, but he is right in this one. It is important that we do that, and that is why this Government are putting the armed forces covenant fully into law. If it is an issue that he feels passionate about, I can arrange a meeting for him with the Minister for Veterans and People, so he can discuss this important issue further.

Defence Readiness

I am a big fan of Lukes—even Lukes with new beards, as the hon. Gentleman now is—but I am not going to give a running commentary on the DIP. We are working flat out to deliver it and it will be published when it is ready.

Defence Readiness

I always welcome recruits to our armed forces and defence debates, and my right hon. Friend the Member for Ilford North (Wes Streeting) is absolutely welcome in our defence debate today. I say politely to the right hon. Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) that I focus a lot of attention on the hon. Member for South Suffolk, who left an unfunded and hollowed-out armed forces, but he too was a Minister in that Government that hollowed out and underfunded our armed forces. While I welcome

Defence Readiness

The hon. Member, like me, represents an area with a lot of military personnel and a lot of veterans. That is why I know that she will welcome the fact that veterans spending is at a record high under this Labour Government. We are working to deliver the defence investment plan, but that has not stopped us from investing in new capabilities, which I will come to in a moment.