“When people are dying of poverty at home, we should not be spending billions more on weapons and nuclear devices.”
By Brian Leishman MP
“If we can find the money to kill people, we can find the money to help people.”
That is one of the most famous quotes from Labour giant Tony Benn, and I thought it was important to repeat his words in the House of Commons as we discussed the Labour Government’s Defence Investment Plan ahead of recess a few weeks ago.
In today’s column, I want to unpack what that means and how this is just as relevant today as it was when Benn was around 20 years old following the Second World War.
He was speaking about the creation of the welfare state in post-war Britain.
Having survived the horrors of the years prior, the Blitz and everything after, people understood that if they could be employed full time to fight the Nazis, then they could earn a living by building hospitals and schools.
Young men, like Benn’s brother Michael, gave their lives for our freedom, so that we could build better lives and brighter futures. That included the establishment of one of our proudest institutions in the NHS.
If history is about learning lessons, then I am afraid it appears that many people have, as is often the case, forgotten what was paid for in blood and conflict more than 80 years ago.
When Ministers talk big on boosting defence spending, they often make the case that increased investment will lead to greater domestic prosperity.
However, an industrial strategy based on militarism is inherently flawed.
Less than one per cent of the UK workforce is employed in the defence sector, and recent plans speak of adding nearly 60,000 new jobs.
For the amount of money that is being spent, including an extra £15 billion this year, which will have to come from cuts to other important departments and will no doubt have a negative impact on public services, is it value for money in regard to job creation and the overall betterment of our society?
I appreciate that the first duty of any Government is to keep its citizens safe, to defend the realm. But when we see so much hardship across Britain, millions of people relying on foodbanks and the generosity of others just to survive, then you really have to begin questioning just what we are supposed to be defending.
The media and senior figures often talk of an imminent conflict with Russia. But the truth is that we are already at war. We are fighting against rampant inequality. We are at war with deep-rooted poverty and generational desolation, especially in our de-industrialised heartlands.
We are at war with ourselves because in 2026, we are the fifth largest national economy in the world, yet we have children who go to school hungry, even though mum and dad are working full-time jobs.
When I approach the problem this way, I want us to invest in health, education and public services. All the things that make the United Kingdom a better place, the services that keep the fabric of our communities together.
I want a genuine safety net that prevents people from falling through the cracks.
And I want to see better wages so that people who are working are genuinely lifted out of poverty, rather than being thrown breadcrumbs by the rich and powerful.
Most importantly, I want to see what Labour is supposed to be about, and that is the redistribution of power and wealth across society to tackle structural inequality.
When people are dying of poverty at home, we should not be spending billions more on weapons and nuclear devices.
Looking around the world, we see conflict, ethnic cleansing and millions of people being displaced. Parts of Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan have been destroyed, and the world has watched an illegal war on Iran where a girls’ school was bombed with horrific consequences. It feels that humanity is hanging by a thread.
When I see all of that, I do not think that we need more weapons, more destruction or more death.
We must step up diplomacy and de-escalate tensions abroad. Every life is precious, and we must avoid needless death and suffering.
We do not need an agenda for war. Instead, let us focus on an agenda centred on prosperity and peace. Let us truly defend the interests of the masses at home, rather than serving vested interests and arms manufacturers.
Let us be a powerful force for good on the international stage, acting to prevent conflict in the first place.
And when it comes to prosperity at home, let us focus on re-industrialising forgotten areas with the green energy revolution we need – with a truly just transition where workers are not abandoned, and communities asset-stripped and left vandalised by private capital.
A different way is possible. That is what Tony Benn was talking about, and it is important today as it ever was.
- Brian Leishman is the MP for Alloa and Grangemouth. You can follow him on X/Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook.
- If you support Labour Outlook’s work amplifying the voices of left movements and struggles here and internationally, please donate here or become a supporter on Patreon.
