It is an honour to have been asked to serve as Secretary of State for Defence and to have the chance to work with our Armed Forces and civilian defence staff.
The first duty of the Government is to keep the country safe and protect our citizens. We are proud of the professionalism and dedication of those serving the UK, both in and out of uniform.
In this new era of threat, challenge and instability, this government is fully committed to strengthening our Armed Forces and setting out a clear path to 2.5% of GDP on defence.
Next week I will attend the 75th anniversary summit of NATO in Washington DC.
This government’s commitment to NATO is unshakeable, as is our commitment to the nuclear deterrent. We will cooperate closely with allies and partners to protect the values at the heart of our democracies.